Coast to Coast on the Lincoln Highway

Two friends set out to discover the story of the highway that connected America, both its history and the heritage it gives us today. They travel in any way they can from driving a luxurious old car to horses, hot air balloons, and hitchhiking. All the while Darrell and Josiah seek to learn about the history and local attraction and promote the highway by raising awareness and encouraging others to explore. This is a story about the people along the way as much as it is about the highway itself. 

Darrell and Josiah of Highway Walkers Media have completed four previous films. Their films can be seen on the Oscar affiliated website, ShortsTV, the Emmy nominated, Dudes on Media and on public television. They took their film on the Jefferson Highway on an international screening tour and to fourteen states! 

We'd film this documentary in the summer of 2018 with a screening tour in the communities along the route in the Fall/Winter. This is a fundraiser to cover the production costs. If we are able to meet our ultimate fundraising goal ($106,000); we will collaborate with National Geographic and Josiah and Darrell will travel the entirety, conduct interviews, have adventures... dressed as Abraham Lincoln.

We will make a feature length documentary with an edit catered towards television, web shorts, and, with enough support, a series for television audiences. Our goal is to get the film on every public television station in the states the highway passes through.

Stylistically a mash-up of Anthony Bourdain and “Rock the Park,” with a dash of Ken Burns and a touch of comedy, this story is the Lincoln Highway’s, uncovering the past while participating in the present.

It is a journey, not only from end to end, but from high to low and back again: the sky-scraping wealth of New York City, through the farmlands that feed our nation, along The Loneliest Road in America, and finally to the sun-speckled western land to dip fingers and toes in San Pablo Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones. It would seem the gift of the Lincoln Highway is pondering such diversity and connectivity and realizing it’s all our heritage. It brings new light to Guthrie’s modest lyrics, ‘This land is your land.’

Our mission is to make films that challenge the viewer to explore local, implore them to take risks, and empower them to get out and go. Our journeys are tangible, shared experiences showing that our nation is worth exploring and the Lincoln Highway is a story we’ve longed to know and to share.
 

What We Need & What You Get

We are fundraising for the production (filming) costs of the project. BUT if all goes well we will meet our ultimate goal (including post-production) of $106,000.

Here is a brief run-down of our filming budget:
Filming would be over the course of 60 days.

•           Two professional cameramen/8hrs a day

We would hire a Media Advisor, Production Manager, and a Consultant from National Geographic.

•            Consultant would make $100/hr and the Manager/Advisor $30/hr 

6 camera system featuring, drones, DSLRs, Panasonic AGHMC-40, GoPro, and Audio Equipment. 

•             This cost include repairs, insurance, rental costs...etc.

Travel/Rental costs for the many different modes of transportation.

•              Horses, hot-air balloons, classic/antique cars, antique scooters...etc.

We will happily provide a more detailed breakdown upon request. 

-If we don't reach our entire goal, we will do the best with what resources we have. Not meeting this fundraising campaign will seriously damage our ability to complete a feature length film. Our ultimate goal is $106,000.

Perks!

Individual Sponsorship

• $5- A virtual 'Thank You'
• $10- A video 'Thank You'
• $20- You get a Poster!
• $30- You get a DVD! 
• $40- Poster and DVD
• $50- Thanked in the credits/DVD/Poster
• $75- Thanked in the credits/DVD/T-shirt
• $100- Thanked in the credits/DVD/Signed LH Poster
• $300- Thanked in the credits/DVD/Signed LH Poster/T-shirt
• $500- Thanked in the credits/DVD/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line"
• $750- Thanked in the credits/DVD of all our films/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line"
• $1,000- Thanked in the credits/DVD of all our films/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line", T-shirt
• ​$2,000- Thanked in the credits/DVD of all our films/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line"/Our Jefferson Highway coffee table book, T-shirt

Producing Sponsorship

-The following levels receive: Your name or the organization of your choice will be named as 'Producers' and thanked in the opening credits and on all promotional material. 

-You also receive the following: DVD of all our films/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line"

• $5,000
• $7,000- Josiah will knit you a sweater!
• $10,000- We'll visit the town of your choice and create a promotional video!  

Presenting Sponsorship

-The following levels receive: Your name or the organization of your choice, proceeds the title of the film. For example "NAME/ORGANIZATION Presents: _________"

-The following levels go on an adventure of your choosing with Josiah and Darrell! (Not outside the continental US.)

-You also receive the following: DVD of all our films/Signed LH Poster/A copy of Darrell's book, "A Mountain for a Finish Line"

• $20,000
• $50,000- In addition to the Presenting Sponsorship, we'll visit the town of your choice and create a promotional video!
• $70,000-  In addition to the Presenting Sponsorship, we'll visit the town of your choice and create a promotional video and feature it in the film!

Title Sponsorship

• $100,000- Your name or the organization will be in the title of the film! We'll visit the town of your choice and create a promotional video. We'll feature your town in the film! We'll come to your house and bake you a cake! We'll come to the town of your choosing for a private screening!

​This will be our fifth feature length film. Our movies focus on community. It's all about the people! We have collaborated with other professionals regarding fundraising and the successful completion of a crowd-sourced  film. We know what it takes to make this the film YOU want to see.

We want to encourage people to get off the interstate and eat at a local restaurant. To know what magic lays in their own backyard! Your contribution gets us one step closer to that! Let's make our communities and economies a little smaller!

Risks & Challenges

• If we are unable to raise our dream amount ($106,000) we will have to adjust our scope of the project. Our ultimate hope is to take this film to the communities we travel through and to get it on as many public television stations as possible. 
• We will do the best with what we have!
• The Governor of Iowa said of our previous projects that he "wholeheartedly gives his support to our efforts" and has been in attendance at several previous screenings. 

Other Ways You Can Help

• Get the word out and make some noise about our campaign!
• Use the Indiegogo share tools!