Kickstarter

Gas Rush Stories

Not long ago people in Pennsylvania found out that they live on top of a huge natural gas reserve called Marcellus shale. Now gas drilling is changing Pennsylvania in ways good and bad.

I am an independent filmmaker and a journalist working on a series of short documentaries, Gas Rush Stories, about natural gas drilling. Gas Rush Stories examines the effects of gas drilling on people's lives and environment from different perspectives.

Only by putting ourselves in the other person's situation can we begin to see the bigger picture of this complex issue.

I published the first three stories this spring. I have funded them myself with some support from the local newspaper Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which is also publishing my stories. Now I am producing new stories.

The minimum amount that I need to be able to finish and publish at least three new stories by the end of this year is 6000 dollars.

DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE THANKS TO MY FISCAL SPONSOR PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS.

Here's what I would do with your money:

Gas Rush Stories: A Neighbor

In Gas Rush Stories, part 4, I interview a woman who struggles to cope with the impact on her life and health after a compressor station is built on property adjacent to her home. Your support will let me do the necessary background research and edit to produce the final version.

Gas Rush Stories: Pro-Drilling Community

I would like to tell a story from the gas industry's perspective, and to tell the story of people who have had good experiences with shale gas drilling on their property. So far though, after several attempts at trying to talk to the gas industry and to people who have leased their land to the gas industry, I have not been able to get their side of the story. I will continue working on this.

Gas Rush Stories: Citizen Activists

One of the new stories will be about a road trip to Harrisburg.  Two hundred people went to the Capitol to meet with their state legislators in June. Some of them wanted to share their personal experiences with gas drilling with the legislators, as well as with Governor Corbett...

Gas Rush Stories: An Accidental Fractivist

Then I am working on a story of a woman and cancer survivor, an "accidental fractivist”. She has created an innovative way to help families who are concerned that their drinking water is poisoned by gas drilling. Through the eyes of this activist we are able to follow the birth of a new and ever-growing civic movement.

Gas Rush Stories Unedited

On top of all this I am making Gas Rush Stories Unedited videos available to public. Gas Rush Stories Unedited are videos that I have filmed and will be filming in various gas drilling related events such as hearing or organized protest.

In order for me to get the funding through my Kickstarter project, I need to reach my goal, 6000 dollars by November 27th, 2011.

Please, help me tell these stories that truly matter. Thank you!

Warmly,

Kirsi

Photos: John Stolz, Ken Gayman, Jenny Jean Crawford, Mark Schmerling www.schmerlingdocumentary.com

Music: Timbeleza, www.facebook.com/#!/timbeleza