Kickstarter

Team P4J:

A big ありがとうございます "arigatou gozaimasu" (thank you) to all of you, and an お目出度うございます "omedetou gozaimasu" (congratulations) to our entire team!

Thanks to all 221 of you we completed the Kickstarter goal - and even surpassed it!  This is a ringing endorsement for the "Pray for Japan" documentary film - and frankly for the support of positive stories in the media every now and then.  We are inundated daily with negativity and stress, from our daily lives to the news media.  When I first volunteered in Tohoku on March 15 and saw the incredible efforts of the victims - and similar efforts in the volunteers I encountered over the next few months - I was encouraged that people CAN come together for the common good.  They CAN put others first, before themselves.  

Well, the real-life heroes of the Tohoku Tragedy did just that - put others first.  And many of them had their own problems and issues that none of us can even conceive having in our lives.  That selflessness can give us the courage and strength to fight the important battles we must fight in our own lives, in our own society.

"Pray for Japan" is a tribute to these heroes, a testament to the willpower of humanity.  Not by preaching, but simply by showing.

Here's an update on the schedule of the film.  Please remember that the Kickstarter proceeds (once Kickstarter's 10% cut is subtracted) will go to the marketing efforts of this film, including film festival submissions, screenings, and publicity to get the word out.  Also, don't worry - we will set aside enough funds to cover your rewards!  The rewards themselves will be ready in a few months.

SCHEDULE:

September-October 2011:  finishing post-production including music, sound mixing, motion graphics, animated opening credits, ending credits, English subtitles, and color grading.  Thanks to the generous donation of top-notch Japan post-production facility Q-TEC, "Pray for Japan" will have top-quality finishing and mastering work.

October 20, 2011:  completion of the FILM!!

Winter 2011:  theatrical distribution of "Pray for Japan" in JAPAN

Spring 2012:  film festival screenings outside Japan (specific festivals will depend on acceptance)

Spring 2012:  home video and TV release in Japan

Summer-Fall 2012:  Screenings, festivals and limited theatrical run outside Japan

Winter 2012:  home video and TV release outside Japan

Note that if we are able to release and distribute the film in various media earlier, we will.  The challenge is that various festivals have qualifications and limitations for release availability, so we will roll-out the film with these conditions in mind.

Ultimately, my goal is for the film to screen at schools and on the Internet for free - the more people that can receive this message of hope, the better.

If you have any questions, I will continue to communicate here at the Kickstarter project page, as well as via the Facebook, Twitter and other outlets.

TONS of work to still do, but thanks for being part of the Pray for Japan documentary film team!!!!!

心を一つに！

"Kokoro wo hitotsu ni" (one heart)

--Stu