Introduction:
Hi, my name is Jem Taylor Minier, and I am a rising third year Film, Photography, and Visual Arts major at Ithaca College. This campaign is dedicated to raising funds for my thesis film "Indigo Hunting". This film has kept me up until the early hours of the morning on multiple occasions. It is a flourishing passion of mine, and bringing it to life is a goal that I am determined to reach. I am starting this campaign about a year before I even plan on shooting the film so that I can make sure everything goes smoothly and to also guarantee that I will have the proper resources to make this dream come true.
One of my goals is to create a story that normalizes non-binary and non cis characters without it being the main theme of the film. This film will also be submitted to many film festivals which is very important as it means that a broader audience will be able to potentially experience this film as well.
What We Need & What You Get!
Donations of any amount help! This is one of three fundraisers to achieve a total goal of $15,000. The price is such because we plan on renting some exciting camera equipment over the summer to shoot at an incredible location. Your donations will also allow us to hire experienced actors as well as cover costumes, props, and potential travel expenses. Below is a rough breakdown of where the $15,000 will be going.
- By donating certain amounts you can be rewarded with some very exciting rewards such as props used in the film, signed posters, or even an exclusive behind-the-scenes making of video.
- Even if we don't reach the goal of this fundraiser we will still receive what is earned and it will nonetheless go toward the making of the film.
Camera Equipment:
We plan on filming the majority of this film with the DJI Ronin 4D cinema camera. This camera is very special because it is not only a cinema camera but also a gimbal and autofocus system all in one package. Having this camera system will allow us to have fewer crew members on set to reduce travel and catering costs, safety issues, and general hassle. This system's unique abilities also open brand new possibilities for the cinematography of the film.
We will need to rent the camera system for two different shooting segments, and we will be renting from an online rental house such as lensrentals.com. Although the rental prices for the camera are reasonable, because of the plethora of accessories that are needed to make the system function, the price is a hefty chunk of our budget. However, we believe that the advantages of this camera system are worth the price and will save us money and time and provide the image that we are looking for.
Risks & Challenges:
There are always risks and challenges to making a film. Part of why this campaign is happening now is because of them. I am making sure to plan ahead, create a big budget, and make back up plans well in advance in case something goes wrong. I have been on many different student film sets, and I have experienced Murphy's Law firsthand on almost all of them. What I have learned is the only way to keep things running smoothly is to give yourself time to prepare and create options for what to do when challenges arise.
Other Ways You Can Help:
- Share the link to this campaign to as many people as possible!
- Tell your friends and family!
And that's all there is to it!