The Right Thing

Tonight I stare at my calendar, and I’m stunned. We start shooting in 8 days. In fact, literally seven days from the time I am writing this, I will likely be loading our van (and hopefully a trailer – I’ll get to that) in preparation for our trip to Omaha to shoot the first handful of scenes for this film. The time has flown by, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to begin production on the film! Next week is going to be great.

The challenge

This is where things get interesting. At the moment, besides directing the film, I’m essentially solely funding this thing. (Andrew has dropped some significant coin on this too, and I don’t want to ignore that.) In a perfect world, this wouldn’t be a huge issue, but sadly we don’t live in a perfect world.

The way I am funding this film is by diverting a portion of my income as a video producer into the project. When a client pays me, I send some to Uncle Sam, use some to pay my bills, and lately all the rest has gone into the film project. Unfortunately we’ve had a slight snag. While I have a decent handful of clients right now, various issues (such as recession-related challenges) have come up, and as a result I’m hanging between payments without any income. It’s at a place where what is trickling in isn’t even covering the bills, let alone funding this project.

And this brings us back to the start of this post: We’re supposed to be leaving for Omaha to start shooting in a week. Initially I considered just rescheduling the Omaha shoot, but there were several problems with that. For starters, several people have taken time off work for this project, some have even used up precious vacation time. Our family already made plans to have the rental house we’re using as home base vacated just for this project. Plus, Andrew is moving to Hollywood literally three days after the end of our scheduled shooting. The bottom line is that there’s no way for us to push the date any further back.

The need

We have several needs. For starters, we need to find an enclosed trailer to haul all our gear in. We also need to cover fuel costs, meals, props, costumes, and lodging during the week for the cast. With all of this, there’s really only one way that this film can happen, and that’s with the financial support from people who believe in supporting the arts and independent filmmaking. I’m really hoping that you’re one of those people.

Besides just helping this film become a reality, your donation will also make a statement. We’ve recently added a Special Thanks Page to the site. For everyone who makes a donation of at least $10, we’ll be adding your name to the site, so the world will know that you’re a supporter of indie filmmaking and the arts. This is your chance to make a statement and help make a film in the process.

So how do you donate? It’s actually really simple. below this text there’s a PayPal button. To start the process, simply click the button, and it will take you to the donation page. Enter the amount of your donation, and on the next page you can enter your name how you would like it to appear on the site. submit the donation, and you’re done. It’s that easy!

The benefits

In addition to a listing on the Special Thanks page, we also have put together several varying levels of thank you packages for our donors. These have all been laid out for you in this post. No matter how much or little you can give, you will get something, as our way of saying thanks for your support.

Thanks

We literally can’t do this without you. Thanks for supporting the indie film arts with your donation!

As I expected, once the ball started rolling and the first draft of the screenplay hit the table, things have shifted from high gear into some sort of psycho high gear. In the last three days, we’ve set an audition date, sent letters out to over 70 hopeful cast members, and thus far, scheduled over 20 people to come in to audition this upcoming Tuesday. Crazy!

Did you catch that? Auditions are this Tuesday. Insert exclamation point here ->! In theory, everyone on this site who filled out the earlier interest form got an invite to come out. If you didn’t get an invite, then shoot us an email at casting@distractedmovie.com, and I’ll tell you how to come. NOTE: This is an audition for the lead roles and a few minor roles, so if you’re only interested in a part as an extra, that time will come later. Patience, grasshopper!

Okay, with the fun aside, let’s talk business. We’re making this film on a VERY shoestring budget. Two years ago, I held two jobs and making a film without assistance would be a piece of cake. Today, my video production is my only source of income. The bottom line is that if this film is going to become a reality, we might need some help from you, our friends. Now don’t think for a minute that I’m in this to make any money. I think I can speak for both Andrew and myself when I say that we’re doing this to chase our dream, and if it cost us every penny we can spare we’re more than happy to do it. But after those pennies are gone, there are still expenses.

So here’s the plan: I’ve set up a donation system where you can make a donation to the project. Based on your level of giving, we’ll say thanks through some really nifty gift packages and other compensations. Here’s a quick rundown, and down at the bottom we’ll even toss in a neat-o donation button!

Level 1:  ”Hey, it’s something!”

Donation amount: $1 – $24
You Get:
-Our sincerest thanks.
-A personalized certificate of appreciation (via email) which you can print out and impress your friends with when we’re all big-shots.
The Description:
Okay, we know not everyone is made out of cash. Neither are we. But maybe you want to donate something. This is the option for you. Nearly anyone can afford it. Well, maybe not the homeless. But the homeless probably don’t read a lot of filmmaking blogs, so they’re probably not here.

Level 2:  ”The DVD Package”

Donation amount: $25 – $99
You Get:
-Everything listed above.
-A DVD copy of “The Right Thing” (Once it’s released), AUTOGRAPHED by the director (a.k.a. “me”), Andrew, and our leading lady.
The Description:
If you’ve got a little bit more to give, this is a great way to help out and get a copy of the DVD in the process. I mean, come on, when the thing is released on DVD you were planning to buy a copy anyway, right? This way, you not only get a copy, but with those three autographs, it’s bound to be worth a small fortune… possibly…

Level 3:  ”Getting Credit in the Credits”

Donation amount: $100 – $499
You Get:
-All the goodies listed so far.
-A special “The Right Thing” T-Shirt. If you’d like, we can even autograph it!
-Your name will appear in the credits, under the “Special Thanks To:” section. Impress your friends by showing them your name on a real film!
The Description:
If you’re feeling even more generous, this is a great way to support the arts and get some recognition on the big screen in the process. Your donation of at least $100 secures you a spot on our credits, and you’ll have the T-shirt and DVD to prove your involvement. Remember, special thanks can be for anything, so you don’t have to tell them you bought your way in. Just say you saved the director’s life once. I’ll back you up.

Level 4:  ”The Meet-N-Greet Option”

Donation amount: $500 – $999
You Get:
-Yup, all the stuff we’ve mentioned so far.
-An invitation to a sit-down dinner with the cast. Bring your camera, and get ready to meet some of tomorrows big celebrities!
The Description:
You’re really interested in supporting local, talented artists, and this is a great way to express that. With this package, in addition to everything else in all of the prior packages (including inclusion in the film credits!), you will also be invited to a special dinner with the cast. You’ll get to meet and greet everyone from the Lead roles to the man who played the friendly hot dog stand vendor in the park scene.  They’ll all be here. Grab your Nikon and get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Level 5:  ”Patron of the Arts”

Donation amount: $1000 – $4499
You Get:
-All that has gone before.
-A special, separate line in the credits, proclaiming you as a patron of the arts.
-A special private early screening of the film. See it before anyone else!
The Description:
In the realm of filmmaking, a patron of the arts is someone who has gone the extra mile and really sacrificed, all in the name of art. If this is you, consider becoming a patron of the arts. Aside from having to fill out a nifty 1099 at the end of the year, you will also be recognized for your contribution by being given your very own line in the credits, listing your name as a “Patron of the Arts”. Additionally, when you come to the cast dinner we’ll announce your name, and Andrew will tell some mildly embarrassing story about how he met you after I talk everyone into a standing ovation to celebrate your contribution.

Level 6:  ”Executive Director”

Donation amount: $4500+
You Get:
-Every last thing I’ve listed up until now.
-Status as the film’s Executive Producer.
-Invitation to attend all rehearsals and filming.
-A walk-on role
-(Gasp!) Creative input. (Well, to an extent…)
The Description:
While all of the other options are great, if you would rather become part of the film, this option let’s you do just that. By donating $4500 or more to the project, we will name you our executive producer. Aside from the prestige of being one of the very first names to come up in the credits, you will also get the full range of power that an executive producer gets. You can come on set. You can make suggestions. You can even have a cameo if you’d like. The point is, if you donate this much, the least we can do is kiss your feet, and we’ll aim to do just that!

And there you have it folks, a list of all the reward levels you can receive just for extending a hand to help us make this dream a reality. No matter how much you give, you can be sure we’re thankful, and we can’t do this without you. So think about how involved you can get, and when you feel comfortable, click the pretty button below to head over to our secure PayPal donation page. Thanks a million!