Thank you for your support everyone! Now that our campaign has ended, please visit our website at http://www.marchingbeyondhalftime.com for donations, updates and more information.
Short Summary
Music and arts programs are being cut
and/or diminished throughout the country. Countless studies show that the
benefits of these classes are vast and last a lifetime. What other academic
subject or activity engages the whole brain and, in the case of marching band,
the whole body? Something must be done.
Marching Beyond Halftime is a documentary feature that will show the importance and significance of a solid music education. From discipline to listening to teamwork, this film will showcase what a great music education can do for a child. Just as importantly, it will focus on how the skills and bonds created in their music education will influence the rest of their lives no matter what path they take.
We plan to share Marching Beyond
Halftime with our policy makers—those who control the budgets for arts
programs across the country. With your help in producing the film, we will
deliver a copy of the film to every single member of the United States Senate
and the House of Representatives.
About Me
My name is Sara Flatow and I’m a producer living in Los Angeles. I have been a producer in the entertainment industry for 23 years and have spent the last 10+ years creating behind the scenes content for many popular television shows and films. My latest projects include Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and the all-new How to Get Away with Murder. I am also a proud member of the Producer's Guild of America.
I grew up in Orlando, Florida and I was in band in middle school, high school, and college. Sweating outside on weekday afternoons, playing music, learning drill, bus rides to performances across the nation, and garnering friendships that would last a lifetime–this was my reality from the fall of 1980 through the fall of 1988. It was hot. It was grueling. It was the best! It was marching band and I loved every minute of it.
I didn’t realize the lasting impact of my band years until later in life. At age 45, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This sent me on an unprecedented journey that took everything I had to get through. The skills I developed in band—Determination, Motivation, Discipline, Resilience, Breathing, Leadership—all proved critical in a much bigger arena. As a survivor, I have gained a new understanding and appreciation for all of those years in band.
Seven surgeries later, I am happy to report that I am back to work on a number of projects . I get to work with some of the most prominent actors, directors, and producers to create behind the scenes content for some of the biggest shows in Hollywood.
Please check out some the work I have produced and directed at www.SaraFlatow.com!
Joining me on this journey are some extraordinarily talented people. Everyone on our team was in band and have all moved on to successful careers in the entertainment, business, and music industries. This is a project of passion for all of us, and there is a lot of love and care that goes into this very important subject.
The Focus
We have the good fortune of featuring the Lake Brantley High School Patriot Band in this film. Under the direction of Ms. Cindy Berry, the Patriot Band is one of the finest groups in the nation and exemplifies all the ideals of a successful and thriving program. Unlike the marching band stereotypically portrayed in movies or on television, this group’s power, precision, and heart will inspire.
We also plan to interview prominent people from all walks of life who were in band—businesspeople, doctors, educators, actors, producers, and many others—to find out how their band years have influenced their careers.
We hope you will join our team and support this film so we can show why music education is so important for students and our society.
What We Need & What You Get
Ideally, we would like to raise $100,000. This will enable us to shoot
interviews with experts, educators, students, and alumni around the country as
well as a multi-camera shoot of the performing bands. This will also cover
travel for me and my crew, post-production costs, and distribution.
This first $15,000 round will cover production work in Florida. This includes professional interview sessions with educators, alumni, and students--and also includes a multi-camera shoot of the Lake Brantley Band's 2014 halftime show as well as a performance of the Symphonic bands. Any money raised beyond
our goal will be used for the next phase of production, including additional interviews, research, and post-production expenses.
The Perks
We have a number of perks for our contributors that
we hope will make you feel part our team. Every dollar raised is critical to making
this film become a reality and we are very appreciative of any and all support.
Our perks include opportunities for credits in the film, an appearance in the
film, an exclusive, vintage marching band shirt, behind the scenes content and
more.
The Impact
Our goal is simple: we want to use this film to raise awareness about the far-reaching impact of music education.
Far too many people (including those making budgetary decisions) think band is simply about entertaining a crowd during halftime at a football game. They do not know any better.
By making a documentary feature that’s informative, relatable, and inspiring, we hope to influence administrators, elected officials, and other policy makers to support arts education.
If we reach our funding goals, we will send every single member of Congress a copy of the film.
Risks & Challenges
We see the film as very doable from a production standpoint. Through our background and experience, we are able to work within any realistic budget parameter. Our team understands the production process and the obstacles that can and do occur.
The quality and the integrity of the project will be the same at any financial level. The amount of money we do raise will dictate the scope of the film, the running time and the time the film will take to complete.
Our goal is to have the film finished by early 2016.
Other Ways You Can Help
We hope that you will help us raise awareness about the benefits of music education by contributing any dollar amount. If you are unable to contribute financially, please support this film by sharing the link to this page and our Twitter and Facebook pages for those who may be interested.
Whether you are/were a band member, a band parent, or a fan of music, our hope is that you will feel a part of this film. Thank you!
