This weekend (weather depending) the I.S. 318 Chess Team will be heading to Saratoga to vie for the title of NY State Champs.

Follow all the action on Twitter @Chess_Movie or through our tumblr / website www.rescuedmedia.com. There is some drama unfolding about how or if the team is going to make it to Saratoga. With all the snow we've been getting, transportation is proving to be a huge issue. With Amtrak train schedules out of whack, the school might not be able to afford a private bus to get the kids there. Most kids from other schools going to this tournament travel with their parents, but the reality is that most 318 chess parents can't afford to take the time off of work to spend a weekend away. Mr. Galvin is trying to figure out a solution. Maybe if they leave Saturday morning they can make it just in time for their first match Saturday, Feb 27th at 12:00pm. In true 318 fashion the team won't go down without a fight and there will be lots of drama along the way so please follow us for the latest as these events unfold.

In the meantime enjoy a short clip. We thought you guys would get a kick out of this.

Thanks again to all our backers. Without you this weekend wouldn't be possible.

Thanks to all of our generous donors who have helped us reach our initial goal of $4,000. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING. This $4k will cover the cost of travel and equipment rental for 2 big upcoming shoots, The New York State Scholastic Championships in Saratoga and the USCF Junior High Nationals in Minnesota .

Now that we have these 2 shoots covered we can set our sights on raising even more money. An average feature documentary that makes it onto television or into theaters can have a budget upwards of 500k. We plan to make this movie on less than that. A LOT LESS. But if we can raise 4k in 11 days, then think of what we can accomplish in 79 more days. We did the math and at the rate we're going maybe we raise another 28k. Realistic? Maybe. Maybe not. But why not try. For 28k here's what we can do:

-Hire a real Audio Operator for Saratoga and Minnesota. So far Nelson or Katie run audio on big shoots and since neither are trained audio operators there have been some snafus. We would love to record clear, crisp audio on these big important shoots. The story deserves to be both seen AND heard.

-Hire a part-time assistant to screen and log footage, gather location and personal releases, research and write grants, keep the online outreach campaign going strong and help Katie carry heavy gear back and forth to school -- she may do yoga but she's not as strong as she looks (crew photos to come...).

-Help cover the cost of weekly microphone and tri-pod rentals. LVR loves us.

Ok, so let's give it a shot. Watch the teaser, read the backstory, spread the word within your own community.

Thanks everyone!! :)