Have you ever...

...wanted to run away and join the circus?

...been a stunt double in a feature film?

...ridden a moped halfway across America?

...been a hopeless romantic?

...fronted a neo-classical metal band?

...joined the Navy to become a Seal?

...been an assistant taxidermist?

...been a world class trapeze artist?

Anton VonOstendorf has... and this is his story.

“When I was kid my parents used to joke with me that I was this little Circus Orphan that they’d found under a piece of elephant poop at the circus.”  - Anton VonOstendorf

Anton didn’t grow up your typical boy from Tulsa, Oklahoma.  

After following Anton VonOstendorf for six years of vagabond circus travel, we knew we had to share his story. Our feature-length documentary, Circus Orphan, begins as Anton stumbles onto his first trapeze rig. It is clear he has found his calling. Soon, as one of the best flyers in the world, Anton has everything going for him.

The artist has found his medium, his profession and more profoundly, his purpose. He quickly recognizes that performing is his destiny but his story is so much more than just circus tricks. What makes a man give convention the finger and follow his dream with such a passion? In the traveling gypsy life, there is a fine line between dreams and nightmares. Anton finds that the circus life can be just as challenging as climbing the corporate ladder in mainstream America and as every flyer knows, eventually you fall.

We began following Anton in 2007 with no idea where his story would take us. From the beginning of filming we found Anton’s story incredible and knew we had to share it with the world. Now six years later, we are ready to bring his tale to the big screen. The story of his chase to reach his dreams and the path he took to get there will delight, shock, sadden, and amaze. This is your chance to be a part of the experience by helping us tell his fascinating story.  

How this project started:

In 2007, a conversation between brothers Jay and Robert Howell led to the idea of a documentary about Jay’s close childhood friend, Tony Perigo. Tony, as Anton VonOstendorf, was traveling around the globe as one of worlds top trapeze artists. Jay’s idea was cultivated into action when Robert Howell, a veteran Director of Photography in Television and Film, partnered with fellow filmmaker Randy Mace to embark on a mission to find out more about Anton the Flyer. Now, six years later, with well over 150 hours of footage, five trips to Europe, and countless trips to Tulsa, Anton’s story is ready to be told.    

Check out the Gallery Tab above for additional video and pictures.

How we are using your donations.

Here's where you come in. We’re raising $76,000 for post production and marketing of our feature documentary, Circus Orphan. Every penny (minus the Indiegogo fees) will go directly to the completion of the movie and submitting it to the festival circuit, including:

   • Post Production: transcription, editing and color correction

   • Final audio mix and sweetening

   • Obtaining rights and clearance of copyright material, including music

   • Original music score

   • Marketing and legal fees

   • Production of film festival submission packages

If we exceed our financial goal, we will use the additional funds to license additional copyrighted materials (music and images) that we want to include to make the film more commercially viable. We will also expand our marketing effort to include international festivals.

We’ve already invested more than $60,000 of our own money traveling, shooting and documenting Anton's story. We need your help to take it from its current state to a completely finished movie, ready to hit the festival circuit. If we meet our financial goal, we will finish the film by the end of summer 2013. Our exact target date will be determined later but we need to be finished in time to submit to major film festivals for 2014. 

Just added!

The design for the t-shirts is ready. All contributors at the Tight Rope Walker and above will receive this limited edition Circus Orphan t-shirt.

What is Indiegogo?

Making a full feature film costs a lot of money. The odds of finding just one backer who has the funds to invest are very, very small. So, many great stories are never told. Now, Indiegogo is here to help artists realize their dreams. It’s a website that facilitates crowdfunding, a system that allows us to raise small amounts of money from many people, so we can finish and share this incredible film.

Q. CAN I CONTRIBUTE WITHOUT SELECTING A REWARD?

Yes! Just click the red button  located below the amount we have raised so far that says "Contribute Now", this will take you to our list of perks, scroll down to the bottom of the list of perks and select "No Perk, just a Contribution" and enter the amount you want. You can also select a perk and then when we email you to fufill the perk selected, you can decline the perk at that time.

Q. CAN I GIVE MY CONTRIBUTION REWARDS AS A GIFT?

Yes! When we contact you to fullfill the rewards, just give us the address you want the items shipped to and we will happily do so.

Q. CAN I CONTRIBUTE FROM OUTSIDE THE USA?

Yes! We will send rewards anywhere in the world. But due to international shipping costs, for anything outside the United States, please add $10 to your qualifying contribution of $50, and add $17 to all contributions at the Tight Rope Walker level ($100) and above.    

If you're having any trouble in step 4 of making a contribution, make sure you have selected your country in the drop down section where it says "Select Your Country"

HOW TO SUPPORT US RIGHT NOW

1. Contribute whatever you can to Circus Orphan and spread the word! Tell everyone you know by sending a direct emailwith a link to this page.

2. Send everyone you know the link to this our Indiegogo page

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/circus-orphan

3. Post a link of the campaign page on your Facebook, website or Blog.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Circus-Orphan/

4. Contact us at: Circusorphandoc@gmail.com

THE FILM-MAKING TROUPE

As a Producer, Director, Writer, and Editor, Randy Mace brings over 25 years experience in television and film production. From great white sharks in South Africa, making tequila in Mexico, camel races in the Middle East or a flying trapeze artist in Paris, Randy has been to five different continents to practice his craft of storytelling. His credits include programs for CBS, ESPN, HDnet, HGTV, Versus Channel, and more.

Robert Howell has been working in film and television production for over 20 years. He has travelled the world shooting documentaries for clients such as A&E, CBS Sports, TNT, TLC and more.

John Robinette has been working as an Editor for over 18 years, cutting well over 150 hours of broadcast television for CBS Sports, ESPN, WGN, BBC and more.