About
The Machine
$16,002
87
The Machine is a brooding, "fly on the wall" film which transports you to an oil & gas rig off the coast of Alaska. Its tempered pace, minimalist soundtrack and striking visuals tell the story of ordinary men in an extraordinary environment doing the world's dirtiest, most dangerous job. Ironically, if we are to survive this fossil-fuel driven age, then it will be fossil fuels that get us there.
In 2012, I approached a small start up energy company with the idea of documenting life on the rig for a possible television series. The series never got off the ground for logistical reasons, but the company ended up hiring my team as videographers between 2012 and 2015. I saw it as both a professional and journalistic project, capturing footage which served both purposes.
This will be my fifth film project. My first feature, Find Your Way: A Busker's Documentary, won multiple awards on the festival circuit and screened at the CBGB Music and Film Festival, the largest film and music event in the country by attendance. My latest feature (written & edited by) is in the process of securing distribution.
As a filmmaker I am interested in looking at things in new ways - shining a light on topics that people may have already made their minds up about.
Dan McComb is the principal photographer for The Machine. Dan is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker with a long list of high profile clients. His work as a photojournalist has appeared in newspapers and magazines including Time and Newsweek. Some of his more recent work as a director of photography was for Emmy-winning director Michael King and two-time Oscar nominee Kirby Dick.
Lisa Cooper assisted in producing and provided sound for the project. She is currently a senior producer for a creative agency that specializes in branding, marketing and story-telling.
Right now The Machine needs 3-4 months of editing, stock footage, music licensing and distribution funds (festival submissions, etc). This Kickstarter is critical for getting it finished before entry deadlines for 2017 festivals - very important for an indie doc! If you can help out, your money will go directly toward making this a "stand out" film worthy of the festival circuit. Every little bit counts.
Risks and challenges
The only risk involved right now is running out of personal funds and needing to pick up other gigs. These funds will allow me to focus solely on this project in the coming months so I can finish it (or at least have a work in progress cut) before festival season of 2017.
All footage is cleared and ready to go. Music will be licensed from a premium stock music site.
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Funding period
- (32 days)