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Funded! This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 7, 2011.

Mix CD: Track #8 (plus some new video)

Update #10 · Dec 29, 2010 · comment

So the challenge didn't work. That's ok. I'll hold on to the clip and maybe we can do a different challenge closer to the end.

But here's what we're doing. Earlier today I had an idea while I was editing. You know what would be interesting? To really take a better look at those perks. Maybe someone's on the fence. Sometimes a paragraph isn't enough to explain why a perk is so cool.

So let's take a look at some of them. Up first, the $50 perk. (it's at the very end of this update)

Oh, and here's track 8 of the Mix CD.

8. Dogwalkers of the New Age
Artist: Breathe Owl Breathe
Album: Magic Central

I could talk for days and days about how amazing Breathe Owl Breathe. They're 3 people in Michigan who's primary instruments seem to be a guitar, banjo, and a cello. They write songs about the woods and animals and nature.

Oh, and they're the best band you've never heard of. Unless, of course, you've been within a mile of me, and then you've heard me talk about them and chances are I've forced you to listen to them.

Yeah, I'm kind of a superfan.

The new album is great, as is Canadian Shield and, well, all of them. It's all great. Kieran Roberts and I spent a good amount of time sitting in a car and waiting for it to stop raining during the filming of Up Country, during which time we would listen to Breathe Owl Breathe for inspiration.

Seriously, trust me on this one.

And if you don't, well then here's some video for you. First is this song, and then some of what's on YouTube. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Really, just go on YouTube and search "Breathe Owl Breathe". You can thank me later.


1. On the Road (Jack Kerouac)
2. The 50 States Song (Sufjan Stevens)
3. No Cars Go (Arcade Fire)
4. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again (Bob Dylan)
5. I Know Every Street (Lohio)
6. Power (Kanye West)
7. Between Days (Red House Painters)

  • Video-20191-h264_high

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Mix CD: Track #7 (A Challenge)

Update #9 · Dec 28, 2010 · comment

Couple things for you.

1. Our friends at Film Courage have run an article on the project by yours truly. Check it out.

2. We've laid down a little challenge that should be of particular interest to those of you who backed my film Up Country. Basically, if we can get to 50 backers today, tomorrow I'll release a rough cut of a scene from Up Country.

So...tell your friends. It's a win-win. Details at the below link:

http://www.lucasmcnelly.com/2010/12/kickstarter-challenge.html

Oh, and here's track 7 of the Mix CD.

7. Between Days
Artist: Red House Painters
Album: Old Ramon

If you saw Almost Famous, then you're kind of familiar with the Red House Painters. Basically, they're the brainchild of Mark Kozelek, who played one of the band members in Stillwater (the one who isn't a famous actor or the drummer). Anyway, Kozelek is awesome, be it via the Red House Painters or Sun Kil Moon or his solo stuff.

I find it's the sort of thing you can easily lose yourself inside of, and before you know it the album is over and you're playing it again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...


1. On the Road (Jack Kerouac)
2. The 50 States Song (Sufjan Stevens)
3. No Cars Go (Arcade Fire)
4. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again (Bob Dylan)
5. I Know Every Street (Lohio)
6. Power (Kanye West)

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Mix CD: Track #6

Update #8 · Dec 27, 2010 · comment

Maybe you saw this earlier, maybe you didn't, but we've become a Certified Film Threat in Progress, which basically means that the good folks at Film Threat think this is a project worth watching. It's some pretty high praise. They did a nice interview with yours truly. Check it out!
If you're scoring at home, that means we've been "endorsed" by the following: Film Courage, Film Threat, the makers of TILT, The Cutting Room Floor, Film Snobbery, and Script Chat, not to mention dozens of individuals. Hopefully we can convert that into backers and make this a reality.

Oh, and here's track 6 of the Mix CD, which is definitely NSFW.

6. Power
Artist: Kanye West
Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Surprised? I would be too. The thing is, this album is really stunning. It's everything you could ask of a genius megalomaniac narcissist like Kanye West. The whole thing teeters on the edge of complete disaster. It's the sort of ballsy album people don't make anymore, especially not major mainstream stars like Kanye. And, man is it catchy. I can't get it out of my head. And I'm not really into hip hop since they stopped throwing their hands in the air. But you can't deny greatness.

Did I mention the album (and the song) is very, very NSFW?

There's a video for the song, sort of, and it's as ambitious as the album. Actually, it's a teaser for what is supposed to be some sort of 40 minute short film built around the song, kind of like the 35 minute one he did for "Runaway" (trust me, just go with it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch...


1. On the Road (Jack Kerouac)
2. The 50 States Song (Sufjan Stevens)
3. No Cars Go (Arcade Fire)
4. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again (Bob Dylan)
5. I Know Every Street (Lohio)

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Mix CD: Track #5

Update #7 · Dec 26, 2010 · comment

I'm not sure why, but Kickstarter is being weird with formatting and deleting content and yadda yadda yadda...

So...check out track 5 of the Mix CD at the link below.

http://www.ayearwithoutrent.com/2010/12/mix-cd-track-5.html

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Mix CD: Track #4

Update #6 · Dec 24, 2010 · comment

Merry Christmas Eve! (Unless you're Jewish...and then....hi!) We might do one of these tomorrow, but probably not until the evening. Definitely not until after the Celtics' game.

4. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again
Artist: Bob Dylan
Album: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack

I'll tell you a little secret. This album is fantastic for a solo road trip. The beauty of it, besides the fact that there's a ton of great songs on it, is that it's fresh versions of classics, which I find helps keep me awake when driving through Hartford at 3am. Also, the album is just begging you to sing along at the top of your lungs (hence, the solo part) in your best Bob Dylan impression. Time just flies. Plus, it's Dylan. How can you go wrong?

The Scorsese documentary is pretty awesome too.

There's surprisingly few Dylan recordings on YouTube, but the song does appear in Todd Haynes' I'M NOT THERE, a pretty much perfect biopic film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch...


1. On the Road (Jack Kerouac)
2. The 50 States Song (Sufjan Stevens)
3. No Cars Go (Arcade Fire)

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243
Backers
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Funding period
Dec 7, 2010 - Jan 7, 2011

  • Pledge $1 or more

    6 backers

    Good Karma. You can never have too much of that. Everyone gets this, even if they opt out.

  • Pledge $5 or more

    24 backers

    Your name listed as a backer on the webpage. Plus, you pick a day out of the year and when that day rolls around, we’ll send you a postcard of that day’s Shuttercal photo (http://shuttercal.com/postcards). What will it be?

  • Pledge $10 or more

    54 backers

    The above. Plus, at the end of the journey, you’ll get a copy of the multimedia ebook (or, whatever other cool digital product it becomes in the end. A year is a long time in technology, you know. Ebooks could be obsolete by then.)

  • Pledge $25 or more

    36 backers

    The above, plus you’ll get your very own entry on our Tripline.net backer map. We’ll give you a creative biography and a new home somewhere in the U.S. It’s like joining the Witness Protection Program, only without all the danger of being killed by the mafia and the hassle of having to move.

  • Pledge $30 or more

    32 backers

    NEW FINAL DAY PERK: The above, plus...Via our friends at Dotted Line shirts, a super comfortable Sasquatch shirt, which was a cast & crew gift for my film UP COUNTRY. Super comfortable. Super hip. Be cooler than your friends.

  • Pledge $35 or more

    11 backers

    The above, plus... “Hey ya! Your haiku / Adapted and in your hands. / On your fridge. Shake it.”

  • Pledge $50 or more

    27 backers

    The above, plus a Year Without Rent t-shirt, soft and comfortable and guaranteed to improve your sex life [editor note: it might not affect your sex life in any meaningful way].

  • Pledge $75 or more

    9 backers

    The above, plus...A DVD of Lucas McNelly’s “mysterious masterpiece” BLANC DE BLANC (www.blancdeblancfilm.com), due early in 2011, and a digital download of UP COUNTRY, which is currently being edited.

  • Pledge $100 or more

    12 backers

    The above, plus...A monthly download of our more cinematic videos, so that you can watch it on your iPod or iPhone or iPad or whatever else Steve Jobs conjures out of thin air.

  • Pledge $150 or more

    3 backers

    The above, plus...a Birthday Present. It’s exactly what you think it is. And no, we’re not going to tell you what it’ll be. What kind of friend ruins a present?

  • Pledge $200 or more

    6 backers

    **NEW** The above, plus...When we swing close to your neck of the woods (assuming the Continental U.S.), we'll meet you at a local establishment of your choosing, buy you a beverage, and regale you with tales of the road. Plus, you'll be able to record a video message for the masses. You can even do it sober if you want.

  • Pledge $250 or more

    1 backer

    The above, plus...A grab bag. You pick a stretch of 30 days in the year. We’ll take a USPS flat rate box and, in the course of those 30 days, we’ll collect souvenirs for you along the way. Maybe a snow globe of the Grand Canyon. Or a magnet from a truck stop. Or a film festival t-shirt. Or a DVD from one of the filmmakers we work with. We’ll fill up the flat rate box and at the end of the 30 days, send it your way. Just think of how much fun you’ll have opening it.

  • Pledge $500 or more

    0 backers

    The above, plus...Cinema Mad Libs! You pick a genre and a bunch of words (i.e. a noun, a verb, an adjective, etc, etc.) and we will make a short film out of it. There’s no telling where we’ll make it or who will be involved. And you’ll be the Executive Producer, so you might even get a credit on IMDb out of it.

  • Pledge $750 or more

    0 backers Limited (6 of 6 left)

    This one is more for productions. Have you ever finished filming and realized you were so busy filming that you forgot to shoot any behind-the-scenes footage or photos? Instead of just being an extra set of hands, we'll take care of that for you. You'll get first priority on scheduling. Whenever you're doing your largest continuous dates we'll shoot a bunch of stuff for your EPK or DVD extras. Then, you can do whatever you want with it. One less thing for you to worry about. (Does not include earlier rewards.)

  • Pledge $1,000 or more

    0 backers

    The above, plus...We’ll come to you. We’ll add you to the itinerary (Continental US only), crash on your couch (or on your lawn, or wherever), and drink all your beer. We’ll also screen a film for you and as many people as you can cram into your living room.

  • Pledge $2,500 or more

    0 backers

    The above, plus...Join the trip! Spend a week on the road with us, working on films, drinking terrible gas station coffee, the whole experience. At the end of the week, we'll send you home, tired in body, but not in soul