Thanks for checking out my Kickstarter campaign.
My name is Ashley Scott Meyers. I am a screenwriter (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0583488/) and blogger / podcaster over at http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/.
I’ve sold several screenplays over the years, and while selling a script and seeing it produced is exciting, in virtually all cases the producers made significant changes to the scripts leaving me wondering what the film would have been like if they had shot the screenplay I wrote. Well, with The Pinch I’m going to find out ‘cause I’m going to shoot the film I’ve written!
Through the SYS Podcast I will be chronicling my story producing this film. I’ll be talking about the Kickstarter campaign as I run it, and then I will continue to talk about the film as we move into pre-production, production, post-production, send it to film festivals and eventually find distribution. So even if you can’t contribute right now, please do follow along with the progress through the podcast. http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/podcasts/
I’ve already raised $15K, most of which is money that I am personally investing into this project. With only a modest $12K goal here on Kickstarter, the total budget will be $27K.
I know what you’re thinking, “Can you make a feature film for $27K?” Yes! The Pinch is a very contained story. Most of the action takes place in one small house with just two actors. So the total budget of $27K is realistic and should be enough to get this project completed. Obviously if I can raise more than $27K that would allow me to add production value and name talent to the project, so ideally we’ll push past this first milestone.
The money donated to this project will go directly to the production, post-production and distribution of this film. I have a lot of experience with micro-budget film making so getting this project completed shouldn’t be a problem.
Please keep in mind how Kickstarter works. If we don’t hit our goal we don’t get to keep any of the money and you don’t end up contributing either. So it’s very important that we reach this first milestone of $12K in order to get this project produced.
Here’s a log line for the story: When a low level mobster is nearly rubbed out by the boss, he decides to take the bonus he was promised by force, so he kidnaps the boss and demands a hefty ransom. It’s a limited location mob action thriller: Think Goodfellas meets Misery.
The Pinch is a tongue-in-cheek crime / action / thriller very much in the vein of something like Reservoir Dogs or Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.
I’ve written what I consider to be a unique, fresh, interesting screenplay which will resonate with a wide audience. But I’d like you to decide for yourself. I’ve posted the screenplay for The Pinch online for everyone to read. No donation necessary! Click here to download a PDF version of it.
This is very much a grassroots effort, so if you can’t contribute financially right now but have some other expertise that you think might be helpful, I’d love to hear from you.
I’ve already started to build the team for The Pinch. So far the team includes:
Michael Stagliano (talent)
David Pinion (talent)
Sokrates Frantzis (talent)
Emory Jason Hofferman (talent)
Adam Strange (producer)
Ashley Scott Meyers (writer/director)
Risks and challenges
With a micro-budget film, there are always risks and challenges. An actor bails out at the last minute because he got a higher paying gig. A key crew member can’t make it to the set because her car broke down. Or the camera stops working during the most crucial scene in the movie.
It’s hard to say exactly how each of the potential challenges will be overcome until the specifics are known. But I can say from my years of experience working on micro budget films that a lot of successful micro budget filmmaking is about grit and determination. It’s as simple as that. There will be challenges, some of them seemingly insurmountable, but with enough effort they shall be overcome. I have a track record of getting things done that I set out to do, so if this film gets funded, it’ll get done.
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Funding period
- (29 days)