About this project
Welcome to our Kickstarter page and thanks for your interest!
What
this film is about:
Yellow Fever and the Rebirth of the City tells the story of an epidemic that ravaged Philadelphia in 1793, forever changing the birthplace of a young nation. It’s the second episode for the documentary series Philadelphia: The Great Experiment.
A ship of refugees from the Haitian Revolution carried yellow fever to Philadelphia. The so-called
“black vomit” spread quickly, casting the city into a state of chaos. In the autumn of 1793, it killed 5,000
of the city's 55,000 people.
Philadelphia struggled mightily to respond to the epidemic. Doctors like Benjamin Rush bled and purged patients to the brink of death, hoping to weaken the disease. President George Washington and other leaders fled, but heroic volunteers stepped up to care for the sick and bury the thousands who died.
Philadelphia suffered another blow by losing its status as the national capital. Battered, but not beaten, the city rebounded by taking steps to clean up its public spaces and provide a clean water supply. These groundbreaking innovations reshaped how cities work today.
Why we are making this film:
Philadelphia takes a great deal of pride in its 1776 story, but we seem to know very little about any other story. We're making this film so that we can inform our future by better understanding our past: the stories, the characters, and the events that shaped one of America's great cities.
Our progress so far:
- In spring 2011 our first episode The Floodgates Open (1865-1876) earned high ratings on WPVI Channel 6 ABC.
- We're continuing our series by producing the 30-minute episode Yellow Fever and The Rebirth of the City.
- We've made arrangements to distribute Yellow Fever and The Rebirth of the City in 2012 on Channel 6 ABC, DVD, Web, and at classrooms and screenings across the region.
The need:
Though we've raised enough money to start production, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP in taking the project to completion!
Your contributions will go toward:
- Filming of reenactments and interviews with experts.
- Post-production editing, animations, music score, graphics, illustrations, sound design, and color correction.
How you can help:
We are reaching out to the Kickstarter community to connect with you – our audience!- 1. Join our effort by pre-ordering the film through Kickstarter! In return, you get access to the film and other great rewards, helping to share this story with the widest audience possible.
- 2. Tell your friends! Please post our Kickstarter page on facebook or twitter with your personal endorsement. This will help generate the buzz we need to make the film (and this campaign) and even bigger success!
- 3. Keep in touch! We have five more films to make in the series and we welcome your input and participation in all stages of the process.
Thank you in advance for your support,
Sam, Phil, and the History Making Productions Team
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
26
Backers
$3,472
pledged of $17,930 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on October 14.
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Access to project updates from our team.
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Download of Episode II: Yellow Fever + project updates + thank you on our website.
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Download of Episode II: Yellow Fever + physical DVD + your name in DVD credits.
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REWARDS APPLY TO ALL LEVELS BELOW: Episode II: Yellow Fever DVD + special thanks in credits + Episode I: The Floodgates Open DVD on the city’s growth after the Civil War
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Two tickets to a premier screening in Philadelphia (transportation not included) + $100 level rewards.
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Special guest access to one or two filming days of interviews or reenactments + $250 level rewards
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Cameo role as an extra in a reenacted scene in the film, including makeup, period costume and food + $250 level rewards.
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Dinner with executive producer Sam Katz + $250 level rewards.
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Single screen "Special Thanks" in credits + $250 level rewards.
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Private screening event with refreshments at the Philadelphia Theater Company (Suzanne Roberts Theater) for up to 300 guests featuring Q&A with Sam Katz + singles screen "Special Thanks" in credits + $100 level rewards (for donor only).
Project By
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History Making Productions (HMP) is an independent documentary film company led by Sam Katz and his son Phil Katz.
After making three bids for Philadelphia mayor, entrepreneur Sam Katz embarked on a project to create a seven-part documentary series on America's birthplace: Philadelphia: The Great Experiment.
HMP has assembled Philadelphia's finest to work on this project, from senior writer Nathaniel Popkin to our talented team of researchers, film crew, and post-production staff.
