We've launched an exciting new project of our own! Introducing the Kickstarter app for iPhone!

Funded! This project successfully raised its funding goal on July 26, 2012.

Lucky sevens 71%, $7775-to-go say TODAY is the Day Before the Last Day

Update #12 · Jul 25, 2012 · 1 comment

FIRSTLY: If you'd like to while reading or anytime, you can listen to one of our favorite tracks the incredibly talented Zack Martin did for the film -- appropriately titled "Coming-of-Age" -- by pressing play at the bottom of your screen. And now on to "Update #12":

To those who are making it all happen,

We welcome 34 backers since our last update – thank you, wonderful people! And thanks to you, we now stand at just over 71% of our goal with just 43 hours to go (Check out the top photo below -- trending upward!)! That's just $180 per hour until the end of the campaign in LESS THAN TWO DAYS – and we're becoming more confident we can get there!

You have already done so much! And because I know you believe in what we are doing, I hope you'll you'll help out with a final push – and that you'll tell friends & family about the important work we are doing to change the political conversation in our country for the better. It is urgent work, time-sensitively linked to the current election cycle, and I think you know by now that all pledges made already completely disappear (whoosh!) if we don't meet our goal that is now just $7775 away.

Did you realize that if every person who has already backed us figures out a way to raise $42 more somehow that we will meet our goal? Some of you have been generously adding more to your pledges – in some cases even multiplying them because you realize how close we're getting -- completely amazing of you! Some of you are also sending individual, personal emails to others you think may want to support us but haven't yet – and it's these emails that are bringing us new backers at an incredible rate. Can you go that extra mile and recruit a couple more backers at any level today?

The people you may want to write to might even be mutual friends of ours. Perhaps you want to write to a few of them individually and ask if they've supported us too? They may not be on my personal distribution list, and may not even know about the project. Thank you for including this link with any emails you send:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/followtheleader/follow-the-leader-and-reality-check-interactive

If you have Facebook and Twitter accounts, we would also be grateful if you can help continue raising awareness by pointing to the URGENT situation we're in right now – by sharing the above link via social media with an urgent call for action: “It's YOUR LAST CHANCE to support a film with the power to change the political conversation in America for the better! http://kck.st/MdPRbF

Tonight we also received a visit from my Godmother Sharon, in with my only first cousin, from Vancouver. You know it's getting late in a Kickstarter campaign when family comes over and someone (that would be me) says “You know what I just realized – this is a gathering of five backers!” At least they thought it was funny (see below)!

Thanks again for your support – more updates will be coming very soon (including details about a last-minute opportunity for an exciting live streaming show featuring ALL THE MAIN PARTICIPANTS at 3pm TODAY as soon as we have them).

You are making a huge difference, and we can't tell you how much we appreciate it!

Jonathan & Team FOLLOW THE LEADER

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Comments

    1. Missing_small

      Creator Joan Talkowsky on July 25, 2012

      Great pictures!

275
Backers
$27,082
pledged of $27,000 goal
0
seconds to go

Funding period
Jun 22, 2012 - Jul 26, 2012

  • Pledge $5 or more

    15 backers

    TOWN CRIER • Welcome! • For backers at this level, we'll send you a specialized FOLLOW THE LEADER Kickstarter image so you can help us spread the word about our campaign via your Facebook and Twitter feeds. You'll be at the forefront of our campaign & on the vanguard of our outreach team!

    Estimated delivery: Jul 2012
  • Pledge $11 or more

    22 backers

    CITIZEN • Thank you! • Your name will be inscribed as a supporter on our Official Website, and you’ll receive our Changeworx Newsletter! Our main characters were 11 on 9/11, the defining moment that shaped their views and made them politically engaged. Let your $11 help define our future!

    Estimated delivery: Jul 2012
  • Pledge $25 or more

    88 backers

    POLITICAL PUNDIT • FTL DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Pre-Order + Thank you! • For $25 you’ll receive FOLLOW THE LEADER as a Digital Download (as soon as it’s released), your name on our website & the newsletter! Please help us recruit more backers through your punditry on Facebook, Twitter & as you see fit!

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $40 or more

    9 backers Limited (31 of 40 left)

    NEW YORK BACKER SCREENING at RH Gallery http://www.rhgallery.com/ on 15 August • Exclusive Opportunity for YOU, our collaborators, to see the film before release + Filmmaker Q&A + Film-Related Gifts + Home-Baked Goods by the Filmmaker Himself + Refreshments + Thank you!!!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $50 or more

    34 backers

    STATE SENATOR • Advance DVD copy of FOLLOW THE LEADER + Thank you! • Before it’s available to the general public in the US, you'll be sent a FOLLOW THE LEADER DVD (only available right here!), and your name will be added to our website as a State Senator! (US shipment included, please add $5 for int’l mailing)

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $70 or more

    0 backers Limited (20 of 20 left)

    PRIVATE SCREENING at home of Fellow BACKERS Tom & Joy Campanaro, Founders of Total Gym (www.totalgym.com/), San Diego, CA on October 9th • Filmmaker Q&A via Skype + Snacks/Refreshments Served + Special Film-Related Gifts! + Thank you! (Exact time & location will be sent to you after the end of the campaign!)

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $75 or more

    3 backers Limited (12 of 15 left)

    FTL Digital Download (same as $25 Reward) + "Give Me the Money & I'll Shoot" -- Documentary Professional Trade Book, by Nicola Lees (see Reward at $125 for further description). For Int'l Shipment, please add $12. PLEASE NOTE: WE CAN'T CHANGE TEXT AT $125 LEVEL -- BUT THAT LEVEL ALSO INCLUDES A 30-MINUTE SKYPE CONSULTATION with Nicola Lees, Financing Expert & Best-Selling Author. This was announced in an "Update" -- apologies for any confusion. Here at $75, it's the Download & Book (which sells retail for over $40 itself)

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $75 or more

    0 backers Limited (8 of 8 left)

    PARTY CHAIRPERSON • “Little Elephant" Creamer + FTL DIGITAL DOWNLOAD + Thank you! • For that “Little Republican” in your life (or in YOU!), you get a “Little Elephant" Creamer (pictured left), along with your own digital copy of the film and recognition on our site. Creamers ship in August (US addresses only)!

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $80 or more

    3 backers

    FEDERAL JUDGE LEVEL • Advance Blu-ray of FOLLOW THE LEADER + Thank you! (International shipments please add $5)

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $100 or more

    10 backers

    GOVERNOR • OFFICIAL POSTER (w/ Inscription by Filmmaker) + DIGITAL DOWNLOADS -- BOTH Film & Exclusive Music Tracks + Thank you on our website! • As a GOVERNOR, you’ll receive a personally-inscribed, limited edition official FOLLOW THE LEADER poster, illustrated by Charles Ly – who also designed & hand-painted the wallpaper that hangs in the Oval Office today (yes, THAT Oval Office!). As a bonus, you’ll get the film & exclusive music tracks via digital delivery. (US shipment included, please add $7 for int’l mailing)

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $125 or more

    2 backers Limited (11 of 13 left)

    PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING JOURNALIST • “GIVE ME THE MONEY AND I'LL SHOOT” Documentary Professional Trade Book (Published by Bloomsbury July 15th!) + DIGITAL DOWNLOADS -- BOTH Film & Exclusive Music Tracks + Thank you! • So you want to make your way in today’s brave new world of documentary filmmaking? By expert UK film journalist Nicola Lees (TV Mole), this new book features advice for professionals (including an extended interview w/ Jonathan Goodman Levitt & FOLLOW THE LEADER case study!) about traditional and emerging documentary funding models being developed & exploited by filmmakers today. Bound to pay for itself many times over as you fund your own career! (Shipping only available to US addresses)

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $150 or more

    5 backers

    U.S. SENATOR • DVD BOX SET (2 features + 2 short films by Jonathan Goodman Levitt) + Your name on our website! • This exclusive 4-film collection – including an Advance FOLLOW THE LEADER DVD – depicts the refining of Jonathan's approach as a filmmaker over the past 15 years (contains three films not available anywhere for individual sale in the US: the Grierson- and Mental Health Award-Nominated SUNNY INTERVALS AND SHOWERS, award-winning GANGBREAKER, and educators’ favorite LIVING THE ROLLER-COASTER). First 50 backers at this level receive the last of our original “puzzle design” Sunny Intervals extra-large postcards (pictured left) with personal inscription! (US shipment included, please add $10 for int’l mailing).

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $170 or more

    0 backers Limited (20 of 20 left)

    VIP-Treatment BACKER SCREENING in London Tuesday, September 18th • Held at Exclusive Members Club in Private Screening Room: http://www.eightclub.co.uk/ + Filmmaker and Character Q&A via Skype + Snacks/Refreshments + Special Film-Related Gifts! + Thank you!

    Estimated delivery: Sep 2012
  • Pledge $270 or more

    3 backers

    PASTOR • HOUSE PARTY SCREENING with Skype Q&A (20 minutes for up to 20 people) + ADVANCE DVD Included + Exclusive Film Music on CD + Discussion Guide + Thank you on our website! • As a PASTOR, one of your roles is leading discussion. Holding a House Party Screening that features a conversation with the Director is just the ticket to engaging your community in a more meaningful political dialogue this Election Year. Like 270 Electoral College Votes, $270 wins!

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $500 or more

    3 backers

    ”PAC"K CHAIRPERSON • Have it all this Election Season with a MULTI-PRIZE PACK including a “Thank you” phone call from the Filmmaker + DVD BOX SET + Limited Edition Commemorative T-SHIRT + Nick Troiano PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT + OFFICIAL POSTER!

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $1,000 or more

    0 backers

    ROCK STAR • PUBLIC COMMUNITY SCREENING with Skype Q&A (30 minutes for up to 100 people) + DVD BOX SET + ALL other rewards at PASTOR LEVEL • With this pledge, you can be a local ROCK STAR and invite your community, friends & colleagues to attend a free public screening of FOLLOW THE LEADER at a local venue you select. Includes ADVANCE DVD that can be used to screen the film, and OFFICIAL POSTER to advertise it! (Please note: we will not cover venue fees or other screening costs incurred).

    Estimated delivery: Oct 2012
  • Pledge $2,500 or more

    2 backers

    CABINET MEMBER • PUBLIC COMMUNITY SCREENING WITH FILMMAKER AND/OR CHARACTER PRESENT (East Coast only within roughly 6 hours’ driving distance of New York City) • ALL the perks of the ROCK STAR level, but with Jonathan Goodman Levitt and/or one of the film subjects hosting your free public screening personally, with a Q&A session afterward! (Please note: we will not cover venue fees or other screening costs incurred).

    Estimated delivery: Jan 2013
  • Pledge $5,000 or more

    0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)

    VICE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL • COLLEGE OR COMMUNITY SCREENING (Anywhere in the Continental US) for up to 250, with Filmmaker and/or Character(s), tickets may be sold • The perks of the CABINET MEMBER LEVEL (which includes ALL PASTOR LEVEL rewards too!), and for a screening to which you can also charge admission! After we set a date for your event, we’ll arrange our own transportation to your venue and pay for it too! (Please note: we will not cover venue fees or other screening costs incurred).

    Estimated delivery: Jan 2013
  • Pledge $10,000 or more

    0 backers Limited (3 of 3 left)

    PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL • All rewards offered at ROCK STAR LEVEL and below (which essentially includes everything we’re offering!) + An Official Credit (for inclusion on IMDB and elsewhere, exact credit to be determined in discussion with you!) + Special Recognition for you and/or your company on the Partner Page of Official Website + 2 tickets to a screening presented in your name in New York City – plus round-trip airfare to New York for both you and a guest (from Continental US only) to attend so we can thank you over and over again in-person!

    Estimated delivery: Nov 2012