ADVENTURE MINNESOTA FILMS brings you AMONG THE WILD, an artistic, independent short film series designed to inspire greatness in outdoor adventurers everywhere!

Last spring we asked the public to submit nominations for talent to the Among the Wild film series in search of unique stories from Minnesota to showcase our state in a way it's never been seen before – by profiling four of our finest athletes in fierce pursuit of outdoor adventure sports. 

We received 21 amazing nominees and now have a list of kiteboarders, adventure racers, rock climbers, log rollers, ultra-runners, yoga gurus, whitewater kayakers, cyclists and an extreme winter hammock camper. 

We asked each nominee to submit us a video so we could get to know them a bit better. Clips from their videos can be found on our Vimeo Channel. Happy viewing and vote for your favorites by liking their photos in our Facebook photo album!

Among the Wild is a short film series that will profile four local athletes in fierce pursuit of outdoor adventure sports in Minnesota. The documentary will feature our finest athletes to show the world what Minnesota has to offer. We will be submitting our short 15-20 minute films to film festivals around the world.

We want to put Minnesota in the spotlight, and we know the secret to great film is a great story. That's why we asked you, the public, to help us find our unique and hidden talent, and you delivered! Last spring, the public submitted twenty-one nominations for inspiring athletes from across Minnesota. Thank you!  

The nominations team, consisting of five team members, is currently in conversation to pick the lucky winners and will be announcing the chosen four at an upcoming fundraiser on September 29th. We met at Adventure Minnesota Films world headquarters a few weeks ago and quickly realized it is not going to be an easy decision. We are not necessarily looking for the most elite athletes, but four unique and inspiring individuals that, as a whole, tell a broader story of adventure in Minnesota.

Adventure Minnesota Films is a group of professional freelance filmmakers, marketing experts and web developers that have banded together as friends to produce an independent film. This project is a labor of love that is fueled by a passion for outdoor adventure and a love for cinematography. 

Among the Wild was created to inspire, unite the adventure community and make a positive impact on our world at-large. Showcasing our state, the film promises to revitalize our national reputation and illustrate there is more to Minnesota than the Mall of America, Frostbite Falls and Lake Calhoun.

At its heart, it began as a vision. It started with an artist looking at a blank canvas and seeing a path that merged passions, talents, and training. That vision quickly became reality with the overwhelming support from new-found fans. 

Today, we are committed to producing a film of exceptional quality that is professionally produced and will win national and international film competitions. 

We also want bring the adventure community together and bridge the gap between various sports in our state. In general, we find that climbers stick with climbers and kayakers stick with kayakers and so on. Yet, we are all like-minded and passionate about playing outside and living life to fullest. This is an opportunity to bring the entire Minnesota adventure community together.

Every day we wake up and choose how to live our lives. In short, this film series is a celebration of our state and is dedicated to those inspiring us to live every day to the fullest.

This film project is dedicated to the
Minnesota adventure community.

We need your help to make it happen. 

Every one of us is touched by the elements in the wild. Together we climb the climbs, run the trails, ski the forests and kayak the rivers. Today is our chance to share our stories with the world.

As an independent film, your contributions are the life-blood of this project. In fact, it won't happen without you. All donations received through Kickstarter will go directly towards the production of the first short film. Expenses covered by your donation will include:

• Script-writing and pre-production planning
• Field production, equipment and labor
• Filming permits
• Music licenses
• Editing and post-production
• DVD authoring
• Distribution to film festivals
• Marketing and website fees

Our goal of $10,000 is the minimum amount we will need to shoot the first short film. Every dollar raised above our goal will also go directly towards the film project, and we will continue to seek funding until we have finished the entire series.

In addition to the Kickstarter project, we are seeking major sponsorships from corporations and applying for grants. By becoming a backer of this project, you are telling these corporations you want to see this happen, and we have your support. The more our fans speak up, the more they can't resist.

We aim to produce a film of the highest standards. One that will put Minnesota on the map as an adventure-worthy destination and will win independent film festivals around the country. Each and every donation helps move us toward our goal. 

Join the adventure and live among the wild! 

Your support is greatly appreciated!

By the way, since this is a Kickstarter project, if we do not meet our goal by 9/24, all pledges will return to the donors and we will lose the funding! 

That's right. If we do not meet our goal of $10,000, we do not receive anything. Your pledge will be kept on hold until our goal is met. At that time, Kickstarter will notify you that we were successfully funded and your pledge will be accepted.

Here's to wild success!

Once our project is successfully funded, we will send out a survey to collect the necessary information we need to fullfill your rewards.

Tickets to the Among the Wild Fundraiser will be emailed to you and we will collect sizes and mailing addresses for t-shirts at that time.

If our project is not successfully funded? Well, then, no rewards. (However, tickets and t-shirts will still be available at the fundraiser. Each person that received a ticket as a reward through Kickstarter, will receive a $5 coupon to use at the gate.)

We will be announcing the four lucky winners at a blow-out party in Minnehaha Park on September 29th, 2012.

Join us in Minneapolis at the Among the Wild Fundraiser for live music (a rocking band of MN climbers and a local bluegrass band), a beer garden, food vendors, a fun orienteering event sponsored by Wild Adventure Race and more!

Join the Facebook event, click "I'm going" and invite your friends!

We would like to thank ultra-runner and nominee, John Storkamp of Rocksteady Running, for the terrific t-shirt design! Click here to see a enlarged picture. The t-shirt will be printed on an American Apparel t-shirt in both a men's and women's cut. The back of t-shirt will have the logos (in white) of local businesses that are sponsoring the Among the Wild Fundraiser on September 29th. 

Please note, all t-shirts will be printed following the fundraiser and mailed to you.

Each Tuesday and Thursday until the fundraiser, we will highlight one nominee on Facebook and in our blog. Stay tuned and check back often to see who's been updated. We'll post new information and videos submitted by the nominees.

Nominees were asked to submit a video to the Among the Wild nominations team so we could get to know them a bit better. They were given very little direction and no assistance with shooting or editing. We received back some great videos from professionally produced to iPhone banter. 

FAQ

1. What is the difference between the Among the Wild Fundraiser event and the Kickstarter campaign?

The Among the Wild Fundraiser and the Kickstarter are two separate fundraising campaigns. The Kickstarter campaign was created to reach beyond our fundraiser attendees to raise the additional funds that will be necessary to shoot the first short film. The Kickstarter provides an opportunity for fans to support the project even if they can't attend the fundraiser or if they would like to give extra.

However, if you are planning to attend the Among the Wild Fundraiser, you can purchase a discounted ticket by reserving one online through Kickstarter before 9/24. Tickets through Kickstarter are $20. Tickets at the gate will be $25. We highly encourage you to purchase your ticket through Kickstarter, as it will help us reach our goal and let us know you are attending!

2. If I donate to Kickstarter, but the Kickstarter campaign is not successfully funded, where does my money go?

If you make a pledge to Kickstarter, your information will be kept on hold until we successfully meet our goal. At that time, Kickstarter will inform you that the drive was successful and your card will be charged. If we are not successful, no funds exchange hands and donors will not lose any money pledged.

3. What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a "crowd-funding" platform used by artists and entreprenuers around the world to raise funds to launch their creative ideas. It is a great way to test your idea to see if there is a demand for what you are proposing. The way it works may feel a bit risky, but we at Adventure Minnesota Films like the way it's set up. We only want to accept your pledges if we are able to raise enough to shoot our first short film.

4. What is the Among the Wild Fundraiser?

The Among the Wild Fundraiser is the blow-out party we are hosting on September 29th at Minnehaha Park from 3:00-7:00 PM. Join us in the afternoon for a fun orienteering scavenger hunt sponsored by Wild Adventure Race and stay for the party to enjoy live music, a beer garden and much more! It's also where we'll be announcing the winners for the Among the Wild film series.

6. When do you plan to have completed films?

Depending on funding and who we choose to profile, we aim to complete the four short 15-20 minute films over the next 2-3 years, submitting finished films to film festivals as they are completed. We are completely dedicated to producing a professional film series that you will be proud to be a part of and stand behind.

7. Who are your nominees?

We have 21 amazing nominees on our list that include rock climbers, whitewater kayakers, adventure racers, canoeiests, kiteboarders, log rollers, backpackers and endurance athletes.

We asked the nominees to submit videos so we could get to know them better. You can view clips from these videos on our Vimeo Channel, our blog and on the Adventure Minnesota Films Facebook Page.

Visit the Facebook page to "vote" for your favorite nominees by liking their photos in the nominee album. Popular vote will not decide the winners, but we're interested to see who is engaged in their respective communities.

8. Where else are you seeking funding?

We are also seeking funding from major sponsors and through grants. By backing our project on Kickstarter, you are telling our potential sponsors you want to see this film happen. Numbers are powerful and the more backers we have, the more they can't resist.

FYI, we are donating 5% of major sponsorships to the Wilderness Inquiry to help expose our urban youth to the great outdoors. If your company stands behind promoting healthier living through outdoor lifestyles, please contact us.