OH, HELLO, KICKSTARTERS! WHAT A COINCIDENCE!
Thank you (seriously, a lot) for visiting the fundraising site of THANK YOU A LOT, an original feature film written and directed by Matt Muir, produced by Chris Ohlson, and starring Blake DeLong and James Hand.
Over the course of a quick 18 days in August 2012, we will be tackling over 90 pages of script and shooting more than 5 pages a day. The feat is a big one and we know we can do it ... BUT, we can’t do it without your help (and a lot of whiskey).
We need to raise $12,500 by August 29, 2012 or we won’t have enough funds for all of the many resources it takes to make movie magic.
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BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS & VIDEOS
Behind the scenes videos:
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THE STORY
Set in and around Austin, Texas, THANK YOU A LOT, at its simplest, is about the rekindling of an estranged father and son relationship. Jack Hand, a small-time music agent, is forced by his management company to sign his reclusive and legendary musician father, James Hand, or lose his job and threaten the livelihood of his clients. Jack hustles his way through a vibrant and diverse Austin music scene as he struggles to keep his clients and fights to learn about the man behind his musician father.
Surrounding the unique father and son story is a tribute to the diverse music community that makes Austin special. Real musicians portray many of the supporting cast. The film features hip-hop artist, Da’Shade Moonbeam, members of the Austin band Hundred Visions (heard in the video above), and jazz vocalist Keri Johnsrud.
This film is a passion project for everyone on-board. I guess we all see it as an artifact of our time period in Austin. It’s a document of the Austin that we’re devoted to and it’s the side of Austin that’s rarely profiled. It’s filled with vibrant clubs and the diverse people who populate and perform in them. We really want to make this movie now, because we don’t know how long this version of Austin will last.
Learn more about the cast at the bottom of this page and find out more about the film at the following links:
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter
- Visit our website
- We need extras on Aug 5 and Aug 7! Email us at thankyoualotmovie@gmail.com to be an extra!
- Download the mobile app (coming soon!)
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WHAT YOUR FUNDS WILL BUY
Casting -- We've cast some incredible professional actors for the film, but some of them will have to fly in from out of town. Your money will help us with airfare and lodging for them during the shoot. You can learn more about them at the bottom of this page.
Catering -- We will have more than 100 people (cast, extras, and crew) devoting their time to this project during a hot Texas summer. Your money will go towards keeping them healthy, happy, and hydrated throughout the shoot. Regardless of what the director thinks, we've got to feed this talented, hard-working, dedicated cast and crew!
Location Fees -- Our production team is securing dozens of great locations to shoot in, all around the city. That said, we have a couple of “hero” commercial locations that we need a little help with in order to cover the costs of using them for the day.
Sound/Music -- With these great musicians and so many talented actors, we'll want (and need!) a great sound design and final sound mix for the film. Here's a little sample of some of the music you'll hear in the movie. There's more music from all of our musicians at the bottom of the page.
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WHAT YOU’LL GET FOR HELPING
In return for all of your generous donations, we’ve come up with some pretty awesome and unique rewards. Our actors are ready to record your outgoing voicemail messages, our director is ready to curate your Netflix account, and the crew is rooting for you to be a Supporting Cast Member. We’ve also got tickets to our premiere, music samplers, posters, and signed DVDs waiting for you. Check out the entire list on the right of this page. It’s just our way of saying,” THANK YOU A LOT!!”
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HOW KICKSTARTER WORKS
- We have just 30 days to raise $12,500.
- You pledge whatever amount you want (securely and safely through the Amazon checkout process).
- You share this page with 300 of your closest friends who also pledge.
- We achieve our funding goal, your credit card is charged, and we give you the nifty rewards by the estimated delivery date.
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IF WE DON'T REACH OUR GOAL IN TIME
We don't get any of the money and you don't get any nifty rewards.
That would be a sad, sad day because, the way Kickstarter works, it's all or nothing. So, even if you DO pledge ... but, we don't hit our goal, James Hand doesn't get to record your outgoing voicemail message and we don't get to make our movie the way in which it so deserves!
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BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT ... ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL CAST!
James Hand has been making original country music for over forty years and had unjustly remained one of American music's secret treasures. Finally, at the unlikely age of 53, Hand began to receive the attention he deserved, after releasing his first nationally distributed album, The Truth Will Set You Free, on Rounder Records.
“Folks, like I said before and it’s STILL true, James hand is the real deal.” – Willie Nelson
Blake DeLong (Jack Hand) splits his time between New York City and Austin. His latest film work includes Lynne Ramsay’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” with Tilda Swinton. His recent New York Theatre credits include:"Tiny Dynamite," written by Abi Morgan (Shame, The Iron Lady),“Taboos” at the SoHo Playhouse and “Violent Delights” at The Joseph Papp Public Theater/NYSF.
“Blake DeLong gives a solid performance… eminently watchable.”
-- Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, on “Taboos”
Sonny Carl Davis (Frank) began his film career when director Eagle Pennell cast him as one of the two lead characters in his now landmark independent film “The Whole Shootin’ Match.” Robert Redford credits the film about a pair of blue-collar, Texas entrepreneurs as his reason for founding the Sundance Film Festival and Institute.
Sonny’s credits include: “Fast Times at Ridgemont High," “Thelma and Louise,” “Lonesome Dove,” and “Bernie."
Hundred Visions mix the angular wit of Bowie, the lush instrumentation of Queen, and the futuristic savvy of Thom Yorke in an undeniably unique rock'n'roll package. To devotees of melody and intrigue, they've become a major band to watch. The guys’ last work has received rave reviews from publications The Chronicle, Austinist, Tribeza, Spin, and FuseTV. They have also played SXSW and are part of Fun Fun Fun Fest 2012.
“…Taut, wound-up new-bruisers...connecting the line between the breezy American power pop of bands like the Shoes and the jagged Brit post-punkers of Gang of Four.” -- Spin
Da’Shade Moonbeam creates “Working Class Muzik,” music reflecting the truth about life and the struggles of the common class. They paint the triumphs and tragedies of our everyday lives through poetic, conscious lyrics and infuse artistry in every performance. He has opened for artists such as Snoop Dogg, The Game, Mike Jones, MC Ren of NWA, Mystik Journeymen, and the Ying Yang Twins.
"...downright refreshing... particularly inspiring. " -- Deborah Sengupta Stith, SXSW Critics' Pick
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FAQ
- If you’d like to give your reward to a loved one, just let us know via email.
- If you choose the Music Sampler Reward, we will email you a URL and password where you can download the music.
- If you choose the Voicemail Reward, we can either email it to you as a .wav file or we can work with you to have the star of your choice call into your voicemail to record it directly.
- If you choose the Netflix Curation Reward, we will arrange a time for our star or the director to login to your account with a temporary password that you can change later.
- If you don’t want any rewards, just donate what you can and let us know you’re opting out of the gift. No sweat and thank you!
- IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS: Email us at tyalparticipate@gmail.com.
THANK YOU A LOT (in advance!)
Please help us make great movies and music by supporting THANK YOU A LOT in any way you can. Seriously, we just can't thank you enough!
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support
Funding period
- (30 days)