UPDATE: WE HAVE ANOTHER CORPORATE SPONSOR who is DONATING AN RV! We are adding a special button for the last 8 days of the campaign. So - here's the deal - for $60 you will have a magnet of YOUR FACE made and stuck to the side of our motor home! WOOT WOOT! AND you will be in the rolling credits!
It's all very exciting! After the INDIEGOGO campaign is over, we will have everyone hit up our website to see what we are doing! In fact, you can already give there now and it's a lot less commission to anyone or anything. Just send me a note and say "Lisa, I gave 60 bucks on your website. Here is my picture." Email: Ljfrance@gmail.com - subject: "$60 on your site. PHOTO FOR MOTOR HOME"
We will be driving motor home across the country both ways - one way VERY SLOWLY following Gabe. The way back will be faster and on the highway!
Uber exciting! We can't wait to put your face on the motor home!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! CUT OFF DATE IS: MAY 1st to contribute for your picture to be made into a magnet.
JOIN TEAM GABE IN AS HE PUSHES ACROSS AMERICA!
UPDATE: So, folks! We have our first big corporate sponsor! They are supporting the team with TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!! In addition, we have been sponsored some cameras, a mini-DV deck, etc. So, we are getting A LOT of the things we need. This means we will need less money. WE STILL NEED at least $35-40K here. I'm re-working the budget, but I think this would get us there. We really need a MOTOR HOME that can sleep 7 people. CRUISE AMERICA has a good one. We also need a follow SUV still! And HOTEL sponsor. So, things are looking good! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT so far. We have 24 more days to make a miracle happen!
On April 1st, 2013, Gabriel Cordell, a charismatic 42 year old who has been paraplegic for the past 20 years, will leave Burbank, CA, and roll in his wheelchair 3,300 miles across America to his home town in West Hempstead, NY, arriving June 10, 2013 for his 25th high school reunion.
OUR PROJECT
Cameras will be following this adventure, and the ensuing documentary will be a film about one man pushing his physical, mental, and emotional boundaries to the extreme limits, as he becomes the first person to manually cross this country in a wheelchair in 75 days. To prepare for the upcoming challenges, he has been training at the local track, the burbank hills and the Burbank Community YMCA, the place Gabe has deemed “his safehaven.”
On back roads and through forgotten towns, this documentary will follow Gabriel on the most important journey of his life. One that has seen him through paralysis, recovery from sexual and drug addictions, and on through his ultimate desire to prove that with will, determination, and a bit of work no one has to be constrained by their past and held to circumstances. Gabe will talk to people along the way who come to roll, walk, ride, sit or drive next to him and share his inspiration. All people are welcome!
****SHORT GOAL = $100,000 - LONG GOAL = $195,00 SEE BUDGET BELOW***
THANK YOU!!! All of this to say...
BUDGET:
Traveling across the country with 6-8 people over 75 days is expensive. Just for hotels for each night (if we were doing that) would cost $41,400. But we're getting a motor home for most of the trip and only stopping at a hotel 10 times. It will be hard and stinky, but we're trying to keep costs down. With that in mind, here is what we need to get Gabe safely to New York (the line by line budget is 10 pages long - this is general).
Motor Home for 80 days x 3,300 miles/gas (added days for safety) = $17,563
Food for 8 people x 80 ($35/day) = $22,400
Cameras/goPros/mounts/drives/sound/computers/wifi/phones/ etc = $18,873
One way airfare for everyone (8) back to LA (today) = $3,012
Follow SUV = $4,993
Production insurance = $3,219
SUV/Motor Home/extra driver insurance = $1,821
Fees for professionals for media management/mounts/shooting x 80 days = $31,441
Hotels for 10 days for 8 people = $5,520
Stipend for crew: $50/day x 7 x 75 (does not include Gabe) = $26,250 135,092
Production & Legal (printer, paper, legal paperwork, pens, etc) = $12,063
Laundry & supplies = $1,115
Cleaning & Medical supplies & snacks, 8 people x 75 days = $8,725
Gas & tolls & citations (we might get in trouble for going slow - let's hope not) for 75-80 days for two vehicles = $ $7,200
Some post-production & Social media support - we will be cutting a long trailer, small trailer & some promotional pieces. In addition, pieces to upload to the web = $9,252
Postage/DVDs/Posters = $6,379
Emergency funds (in the event something happens to crew or Gabe) = $5,200
Contingency (this is for "oops" we didn't know it cost that much or, we didn't know we needed that) = $9,430.23
TOTAL = $194,077
**ANY FUNDS WE RAISE BEYOND THIS GOAL WILL GO TO POST-PRODUCTION OF THE FILM. Meaning if we get discounts on gear, etc. we will use exttra funding for post. POST PRODUCTION IS SUPER EXPENSIVE! The leftovers won't cover post-prodution. Once Gabe makes it to New York and we have all of our footage, cut trailers, we will need to raise more money to finish the film.
OUR TEAM:
Gabriel Cordell - Subject/Producer
After 18 years in the entertainment industry, as an actor, model, writer/creator, Gabriel is looking to produce his first documentary film about this journey across America. Of all the roles Gabriel has played on film or stage, this journey and film being made will be the greatest role of his life.
Lisa France – Director/Producer
Lisa France’s feature and short films have garnered critical and popular acclaim throughout the United States and Europe. France’s feature directorial debut, Anne B. Real, has won over 25 film festival awards and nominations including two Independent Spirit Award nominations. France’s other features include: Love & Suicide, shot on location in Havana, Cuba; The Unseen, which France also produced, wrote & directed, stars Gale Harold (Queer As Folk), Steve Harris (The Practice) and Judah Friedlander (American Splendor & 30 Rock) and premiered on Starz. Most recently France co-created, produced, and directed the reality series sizzle Heels on Wheels and is in active development with both feature film and docu-series projects. For more information visit: www.LisaFrance.com
Sarah Takako Skinner - Camera/Still Photographer
Sarah is an international photographer from Seattle, WA who has shot with the best -- Ford Models, WM Agency, Vogue--throughout Europe and around the world. Sarah's eye is driven by her desire to be a storyteller of the lives of others – the Art of the shot always comes first. For years Sarah has been photo-documenting HOPE, and she brings that same passion to this amazing story of human inspiration.
Christian Ijin Link - Producer
Christian is a third-generation film-maker, a descendant of two Oscar nominated editors, a world traveler, and a Girl Scout. In front of the camera he has gone from background actor, to supporting actor, to reality star. Behind the camera he has gone from production assistant to Director, from casting assistant to Producer. Over the past two years he has worked almost every position on a film set. Christian is inspired by stories that make the audience think, not just think about the films they watch, but think about how the messages in those films resonate within their daily lives.
Sandy Schwartz – Editor
Sandy is an award-winning film and video editor and technical supervisor with over 30 years of production and post-production experience. During that time, Schwartz experimented with photography, cinematography and film making as an art form and an alternative form of visual expression. Schwartz’s art consists of Frozen moments in time infused organically with kinetic energy and motion.
Chris Yanke – Co-Producer
Chris comes from Seattle, WA, who is a Language Lover, Believer in being Actively Dynamically Involved in everything to accomplish anything. He has 15 years of experience in Financial Planning and Real Estate Finance and started his life in the adult world where he enjoyed a diverse and varied clientele building many wonderful relationships most of which he enjoys to this day. Chris began his professional career in June 2011 where he volunteered to be a grip for an Indy film set. The Director approached him with a role after 4 days and 17 months and 228 sets later he has finally found himself contributing everything he has, to accomplish any passion he shares. Don't Hear what I say, Listen to what I do...
HOW YOU CAN HELP?
Follow Us – Follow Gabe’s journey via our Facebook page. Gabe will post daily blogs so you can keep up with his daily accomplishments.
Make a Donation – Make a donation towards Gabe’s success!
Become a Sponsor – Become a sponsor and Gabe will include you/your company in his journey across the America!
Meet Gabe & The Team on the Road – As Gabe rolls across the country, there will be opportunities to meet him and his team along the way.
WHAT DO WE NEED THE MONEY FOR?
In order to help Gabriel across the country, he will need the insurance of his safety and wellbeing. This will be an enormous challenge and the only thing Gabe should be focused on is his daily training. He is looking to roll 40-50 miles per day and will need food, water, proper clothing, cleaning / medical supplies and safety equipment. In addition, an RV, “bedroom on wheels” if you will is needed for resting when there are no proper accommodations along the way.
To make the documentary a success, proper equipment is needed. This includes, but not limited to a crew of 5-8 people, cameras, sound, lighting, go pro cams, sd cards, etc… The documentary will be a product of a great American success story of one man, Gabriel Cordell, setting a goal, completing the goal, and making HISTORY.
