Get updates by RSS
Update #10: Another distribution possibility
I met the producer of the movie, "Red Dirt Rising" and really hit it off with him as we discussed his racing movie being a part of Modern Film Fest, which I am the co-founder and artistic director of. While we talked about the movie screening as our gala film at the festival, based at the historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, N.C., we also talked about, "Tearing Down the Tent."
The producer, Todd Morris, is also in charge of a distribution company, Native Intelligence, which is getting started and he is already making connections with Regal Cinemas. Morris and I hit it off well and could very well develop a great working relationship and have another possibility of getting "Tearing Down the Tent" out to people.
I will keep you posted on the development of Modern Film Fest and Morris' involvement and how that can ultimately help "Tearing Down the Tent."
Take care and thanks, Mike
Update #9: Ricochet Film Festival
Currently I am moving forward on organizing a film festival in Asheville, NC at the Carolina Cinemas and we will screen, "Tearing Down the Tent" at the inaugural event. Things are still early, but we look to have a total of two screens and 28 movies. This will be the second film festival I help launch, having been the co-founder of Modern Film Fest, which will have its seconed festival during the first weekend of October.
I am working with David Forbes, of the Mountain Xpress, to organize the Richocet Film Festival and worked with Forbes before when were recruiters for the Asheville Film Festival.
Thanks to everyone for their support and take care, Mike
Update #8: Endeavor Cinemas reviewing "Tearing Down the Tent"
In addition to the DVD screeners that have been sent in to be reviewed by Carmike Cinemas, I was able to find a contact with Endeavor Cinemas who is checking out our film.
Our volunteering publicist, Casey Kaczmarke, of Nine-Thirty Consulting Media & Public Relations, has received her copy of the DVD screener and plans to show it to her husband who works with Echo Bridge Entertainment.
I am also looking into online DVD rental sites, such as Netflix and Redbox as places to make the movie available to the public. I will keep you posted on how that develops as I research smaller DVD mail order sites, such as Cafe DVD and GreenCine.
Take care and thanks for everyone's support, Mike
Update #7: Indie Slate Magazine and Movie Set community profiles
We have started an Indie Slate community page as well as a Movie Set community page to help spread the word about "Tearing Down the Tent."
As part of our distribution plan for "Tearing Down the Tent," we are going on tour with the bands, Hellblinki Sextet and Sirius B, as well as planning some trips on our own.
Our Indie Slate Magazine community page can be found here
http://community.indieslate.com/mknox
And our Movie Set community page can be found here
http://www.movieset.com/tearingdownthetent
Anyone with suggestions on were else we should post information about, "Tearing Down the Tent" and our tour, please e-mail me at mknox@modernfilmzine.com
Thank you to everyone for your support, Mike
Update #6: Partnering with another band from "Tearing Down the Tent" for a tour
In addition to planning a tour with the band, Hellblinki Sextet, I have talked to another band from, "Tearing Down the Tent" and look to also plan a trip with Sirius B. The band, Sirius B, provided the music to one of my favorite sequences in the movie, with the human cannonball portion of the cicus documentary.
We are in the stages of figuring out what weekends we can travel together, when I am not with Hellblinki Sextet. This will also allow me a different touring format. Hellblinki Sextet will be a longer, consistent tour, and Sirius B will be more of the short tours. But the two tour styles will probably open me up to different times of venues.
I have also decided that when I go on tour I will be catologing the venue information I collect and make either a blog or a book devoted to our tour, so other filmmakers looking for alternative distribution venues can use the information I collect to plan their own distribution tour.
The book/blog will also help me gather information for my own tour with "Tearing Down the Tent,' that I plan to do when I don't tour with Hellblinki Sextet. I figure this experience will help me when I get ready to promote/self distribute my second feature film, a documentary I am currently filming about the Blue Ridge Rollergirls derby team.
Thanks for everyone's help and I will keep you all posted about developments with the tour. Take care and thanks, Mike
Update #5: Hellblinki Sextet clip from "Tearing Down the Tent:"
Here is a clip from "Tearing Down the Tent" featuring music by Hellblinki Sextet
Update #4: DVDs for Carmike Cinemas and PR firm mailed out
As our crew gears up for the professional DVD of "Tearing Down the Tent" which are developing to release we are still pursuing screenings in theaters and venues. I have now dropped the DVDs in the mail to my contact at Carmike Cinemas and Casey Kaczmarek , of Nine-Thirty Consulting Media & Public Relations, based in West Hollywood, Calif.
I am continuing to look for other movie theaters and venues, while still partnering with Hellblinki Sextet for a tour.
Anyone who can suggest venues or know of areas that are friendly toward circus type events, please e-mail me at mknox@modernfilmzine.com
Thank you for all your help. Mike
Update #3: Personal interview clip about filming
When we filmed "Tearing Down the Tent" we interviewed me for part of the movie and here is an excerpt that didn't make it to the screen, but sort of talks about why I made this movie and what I loved about traveling with the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus. It also talks about why I wanted this to be a personal movie, focusing on one person joining the circus and getting to know the people, just like I did as a child when I traveled with the circus.
Update #2: Publicity help!
A member of a West Hollywood publicity firm has volunteered to help support, "Tearing Down the Tent" promotional tour!
Casey Kaczmarek , of Nine-Thirty Consulting Media & Public Relations, based in West Hollywood, Calif., has agreed to help our movie. I was introduced to Casey through my work on ModernFilmZine, the movie web site I run. I had done a review of the great mobster movie, "Charlie Valentine," which lead to interview with the director, Jesse V. Johnson.
Through that interview I got to talk to Casey through several e-mails and she and her husband look to visit Asheville in July and I will get to show them around. And Casey agreed to help promote, "Tearing Down the Tent." I will be mailing a copy of the movie to her this week.
In addition to Casey's help, her husband is also in charge of digitial distribution for Echo Bridge Entertainment, so lets keep our fingers crossed and see where else these connections take us.
Thank you to everyone who has supported, "Tearing Down the Tent" and worked toward us getting on the road. Mike
Update #1: Chasing Carmike Cinemas
With my research for trying to find theaters that will put "Tearing Down the Tent" on their screens I have found a contact with Carmike Cinemas, one of the larger theater chains, who is willing to take a look at my circus documentary and see if its something they would want to screen. Of all the theaters I've contacted, it's been the quickest to respond, so I am submitting a DVD this week. I also work at one of the Carmike theaters and hope this might help them to decide to go with my movie.
It'd be nice to add some major theaters to the route I am going with Hellblinki Sextet. Thanks to everyone for their support. Mike
21
Backers
$735
pledged of $2,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on July 7, 2010.
Pledge $1 or more
E-mailed updates as we go on the road with the circus documentary.
Pledge $10 or more
previous reward and name listed in the movie credits on "Tearing Down the Tent," under a special thanks section. This will give the backer a low budget way of saying they helped make a movie.
Pledge $25 or more
previous rewards plus a signed copy of the DVD screener.
Pledge $50 or more
Previous rewards plus passes to the screening of "Tearing Down the Tent" that the backer is closest to, so they can see the film with an audience and see their name listed in the credits on the big screen.
Pledge $100 or more
previous rewards, plus a personal thank you from the director, Michael Knox. This can be in the form of a personalized e-mail, or a phone call, if the backer can be called in the continental US.
Pledge $250 or more
previous rewards plus an Associate Producer credit listing on the movie.
Pledge $500 or more
previous rewards plus dinner with the director, Michael Knox, and the editor, Martin Ramsey, in Asheville, N.C. The backer must make arrangements to get to Asheville, where we will show you around town before dinner.
Pledge $1,000 or more
previous rewards and a private screening of "Tearing Down the Tent" for you and 25 guests at a venue in Asheville, N.C.
Pledge $2,000 or more
the previous rewards, plus the hat worn by director, Michael Knox, during the filming of "Tearing Down the Tent," signed by the production crew. This is a personal part of this film and a treasured hat that Knox still wears often as a reminder of the fun he had filming this circus documentary that honors his life with the Cole Bros. Circus.
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
I worked as a reporter for 10 years, covering anything from interviews with NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rusty Wallace to a red carpet event with Owen Wilson and Cheech Marin.
I worked for five years at one newspaper, the Independent Tribune, where I covered the cops and courts beat for the daily newspaper with a circulation of 20,000 plus.
I left the Independent Tribune in September 2007 to go into filmmaking and my first feature film was a documentary about the circus I traveled with as a child. The movie, "Tearing Down the Tent," focuses on the Cole Bros. Circus, which my grandparents used to work in. I am a third generation circus traveler who became a repoter before going into filmmaking.
I am currently working on my my second documentary focusing on a local roller deby team, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls in Asheville, N.C.
I will be working on my third feature film, a road trip documentary about the band Hellblinki Sextet, who I will film when I go on tour with them to promote, "Tearing Down the Tent."
