New Activist Film Project Needs Assistance
info.ree...@gmail.com
film venture. If you care to read more, I will expand. If not,
understand that this is not intended to be spam, as it isn't
soliciting for profit and it is in FACT related directly to film.
I am currently a masters student in film production. I wanted to start
up an organization that was non-profit and would use film as a tool
for change. As a result, I have begun fundraising and have recently
got my certification as a non-profit organization.
The organization is called reel futures. In 2009, I plan to go to
three countries, 6months each, where we will have small studios and
lodgings built. There we want to not only provide youth with the
equipment (their's to keep), but with the training and supervision on
using it. While doing this they will live at the school, and produce
in groups several film in which they can express themselves and help
change political awareness through self representation in art.
Oh, did I mention the three countries? Sierra Leone, East Timor and
Republic of Congo. You may wonder why I chose those countries, well
that is because they are a) the three most impovrished countries, b)
they are all war torn, c) they have the highest youth mortality rates,
d) they have high aids rates, e) and mostly because youth there are
enlisted in to wars and die on a regular basis . . . not a pretty
place to grow up.
By giving them cameras and training it will provide a positive push
for art (it is no coincidence that countries that are in severe crisis
tend to have no/limitted cultural production). When I return, I will
distribute the films around the world for showings (any profit made
will be reinvested back into those studios).
The result of this will be hopefully a chance for the world to see
what these youth are, and they will represent themselves not as the
exotic other of Western civilization, but rather as they wish to be
portrayed. This will ultimately change their lives forever.
WHAT WE NEED:
We right now don't have a website (I am no good at html personally) so
we need somoene who is good at that
We also need filmmakers that would like to get involved in some
respect.
We need the word spread around.
And if you can't help with that, I won't lie, we also need money. I do
this not as solicitation, but because it is true, and volunteering is
our preferred way of help naturally. The cost of this project is
immense. It will cost millions of dollars (I would like to be able to
invest 1.5 million at least into each country). Direct donations are
then considered welcome of course. But we also have a clothing line we
called Cinedrobe (we made it through Cafe Press) where 100% of the
profits go towards the project (plus you get some cool merchandise -
(hopefully this can be acceptable to put up her as this is not a
business venture, but rather a call to action for a project film
related).
If you would like to help out (either in ways specified above, or in
another way) please contact us at: info.ree...@gmail.com; or you
can visit the store at www.cafepress.com/cinedrobe.
Thanks for your time, and hope to hear from you! I would love you to
be on my team!
Students Against Global Apathy
I like the general principal of what you are doing but I think there
are a lot of things that are still unclear or overlooked within your
concept. It seems that your organization is still very young and
trying to find its footing; so I am gonna recommend two established
award-winning organizations that also specifically use visual
multimedia to provide a voice for the marginalized.
http://www.videovolunteers.org
http://www.bridgesweb.org
Their vision and methodologies might be different than what you
personally have in mind; but I suggest that you try contacting these
NGOs (and others) for advice on what works on the ground level because
nothing can compare with actual field experience. There are also
opportunities for young filmmakers within both these organizations; so
if you don't happen to raise your desired $4.5 Million this could be a
place for you to fall back on.
Some concerns I have with your current proposal are: budget,
sustainability, local ownership, and country selection; but you don't
have to answer these for me -- the more important thing is that you
answer them for yourself. If you can justify your actions to those
that you are ultimately going to serve then that is all that matters.
(I don't even know what your name is, so who am I to place judgment.)
Thus it boils down to being your dream... so only you will know what
personally fuels you to take the next step.
Understand that you don't know everything, but trust that you will learn
Alex