Telling the Story of CaJohn's Fiery Foods and John Hard.
They have won over 250 different 1st Place Hot Sauce Awards. Their products have been named "Best Hot Sauce in the World" not once or twice but three consecutive time by the World Hot Sauce Awards beating out hundreds of other sauces.
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But even with its cult-like following most fans of Cajohn's Fiery Foods don't know it's origin story, or the how and why of it's founder John Hard, a Hot Sauce Hall of Famer who has popularized Small Batch Hot Sauce making around the world.
This documentary (approximately 60 minutes) will finally reveal the story of both—where they comes from, how the sauces are made, and why the people love them.
Where is your money going?
Let's start with where it
isn't going. You're not paying for new film-making gear. We have teamed with Acadiana Open Channel and they have all of the
equipment necessary to shoot this film.
Our biggest expense is
travel, to capture all these compelling stories by following John on the Hot Sauce Festival trail, followed by the expense of
film festival submission fees, which range from $40–80 a festival, then editing the film and paying for music and end credits. We figure it will conservatively take $5,000 to produce this film and get it in front of audiences. We have already begun filming in Houston, TX and Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio but have much more work to do, and costs we
need to cover.
Who is this Dana A. Romero guy?
Dana A. Romero is the founder of not only the Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo but also the World Hot Sauce Awards so he is knowledgeable about creating new and entertaining projects and although this will be his first foray into documentary film-making it will not be his last as he plans to document more hot sauce makers and the culture behind the craft.
Risks & Challenges
Documentary film-making has inherent risk but our film making team is all about being flexible and finding creative
solutions to obstacles. We have already encountered challenges, and have learned
to be persistent to make the film we want to see.
We have already started so there is no turning back now—this film has to be made! If a setback manages to delay production, the worst that will happen is we miss a film festival deadline.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can't contribute financially, but that doesn't mean you can't help us:
- Our plans are to follow John starting in January at ZestFest in Dallas then on to Albuquerque for the Fiery Foods show in March next would be the Louisiana Hot Sauce Expo and then the New York Hot Sauce Expo in April then finally Bowers in Pennsylvania. If you can offer a accommodations in any of these cities even if it is just a couch that would help us to cut down on expenses
- The best way you can help is to share this via all your social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) so that others can become aware and can help support this process.
Backer Reward Levels
For as little as $5, all indiegogo.com backers names will be in the credits!
If you want to help out even more, check out all of the rewards in
the right-hand column.
For $10, you'll get exclusive online access to a
live Q&A following the film's release with John and Dana.
For $25, a beautiful bottle of the 2015 "Best Hot Sauce in the World" NOLA signed by John and only numbered 1 to 100!
For $50 we will up that to the 2013, 2014 and 2015 "Best Hot Sauces in the World" Gwendolyn, Cara Cara and NOLA again autographed by John.
For $75 get an autographed CaBOOM Movie Poster by Rock Poster impresario Mike Martin of Engine House 13 also signed by John and Dana.
For $100 gets both the autographed CaBOOM Movie Poster by Rock Poster impresario Mike Martin of Engine House 13 and the 2013, 2014 and 2015 "Best Hot Sauces in the World" Gwendolyn, Cara Cara and NOLA all signed by John and Dana.
For $1000 John will create for you, your own personal sauce and label.
For $5000 we will fly you out to one of the film festivals to screen the film and have dinner with John.
We will also have Blu-rays, several limited offers, including
Associate Producer credits—you get to see the rough cut and provide
feedback, and Executive Producer credits
So we now ask you to please become a part of this project and donate.
Stretch Goals:
Our Goal is $5000 but we look forward to the possibilities from CaJohn's fan base to exceed this amount. If so here is what we will use the extra funds for:
$10,000 - A Celebrity Narrator.
$15,000 - Commissioned Theme Song for the film.
$20,000- International tour and filming - We know that CaJohn's Fiery Food Products has fans around the world and we would like to document that love with John as we bring the man to the masses.
