Kickstarter

UPDATE!!! HERE IS THE WHITE CREEK PROLOGUE...BLACK CREEK!

Dear friends, family, and supporters...new and old,

I come to you in the spirit of creativity and community asking for support in my next feature film endeavor. On September 15th, 2012 my fantastic family of filmmakers and I hope to embark on an 18 day shoot for my fourth feature film, WHITE CREEK. The film will be shot in and around Salem, a beautiful town in upstate New York that will act as the backdrop for a very honest, but brutal film.

Filmmaking for me is not about my singular vision. To me, filmmaking is a truly collaborative effort of craftspeople, their ideas, the locations and their history, and the people who inhabit these areas and the life they bring to a place.

I’m incredibly excited to be working again with my partners in crime Sean Donnelly, Randall Meehl, and Dustin Johnson for our best film yet. Josh Wick from ORPHANED is returning and I’ll finally get to work on a project with one of my great friends, Katie Hawthorne. On top of all that, we have some excellent faces in the first time collaboration department. Frank Mosley, Ryan Harper Gray, and John Elliot are some wonderful actors and friends and I cannot wait to see what they bring to this story and experience.

What is the film about?
WHITE CREEK is about a family living in the present, but in an alternate universe. In this universe, a feudal system of labor and wealth allows the very few to take advantage of the hard work and sweat of the many. A faceless company has its hold on the land, while a militia is forming under the command of a zealot named Josia, bringing about a time of extreme turmoil. Katie and Noah are married and living under the rule of the local company. They work hard to fit in, but they are from a different class, cast out over an accident at the company factory many years ago. When it becomes clear that Josia, no matter how insane or power hungry he may be, can free Noah’s brother, Josh, from debtor’s prison, they use what little ties they have to their old life to get him and all the other prisoners released. Once free, Josh’s theories on parallel universes and quantum suicide infect the minds of all involved, causing a ripple throughout the community and an inevitable clash between the lords and the serfs.

BLACK CREEK

BLACK CREEK builds a myth about the world we are creating and at the same time, allowed us to come together as a group and test out our production process. Do the actors work well together? Does the location fit the story? Are we achieving the look we set out for? All these questions were answered with a resounding YES after the four-day shoot in May. The prologue now exists as a solo exhibit at Salem Art Works, as well as a short film introduction to WHITE CREEK. Visit the official film website and signup to receive a free copy of the film.

Documentation of the White Creek Exhibit

Creating another universe
For years, I’ve been excited to make a film that parallels current issues by setting things up in a completely different universe. I think this allows you to be incredibly honest, but also embrace the fantastic. This difference is quite subtle, using the locations and people of Salem, NY, to depict a very different reality that mirrors our own. Music plays a significant role in the film, and Dustin Johnson's score is shaping up to be a stellar soundtrack as well as stand alone album of work.

I’m taking a play from the Apocalypse Now playbook and working hard to create a submersible world that the actors can lose themselves in. We have chosen a superb cast whose strengths fit the characters perfectly and your donations will allow me to focus explicitly on performance. Often in micro-budget films, a director wears way too many hats and that can often lead to a diminished product. But with a larger budget, I’m able to properly pay talented crew and cast so that I’m allowed the time to focus on my craft.

How does my donation help?
Every dollar of the money donated will pay our talented cast and crew and cover film expenses. If we exceed our goal I will give the extra money to those talented folks involved. So every dollar you donate goes straight into the hands of a talented artist or craftsperson. This makes micro-budget filmmaking sustainable, and keeps talented folks interested in work at this level.

Your money will go to the following expenses:
Cast and Crew Salaries …......…......... $16,000
Room and Board …......…......….......... $7,000
Camera Support …......…......…........... $3,000
Travel and Expenses/Expendables ..... $2,000


The Kickstarter Way
Kickstarter is a great way for a filmmaker to communicate directly with an audience, grow that audience, and fund their films. The only catch is... it’s all or nothing. We need to make our goal of $28,000 in 30 days, or we don’t get anyone’s donations. So anything you can do to get the word out, or any amount you can give will ensure this campaign’s success and the project’s future.

Thank you so much from me and the entire WHITE CREEK family. We’re going to work our tails off to give you a great movie!

Cheers!
John and the White Creek Team

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