Short Summary
Last year, my students from the Costa Mesa High School Film Production class and I produced a short film. Working on that was one of the best experiences of my life.
Now, we've decided to do something a little more ambitious as our next step: we're going to make a 90-minute, feature-length film.
We have a great script and have assembled an amazing cast & crew. We plan to start production in mid-October. The film is about a young man who moves to a new city and goes to a new school, and he is trying to find his way.
One of the great things about this project is that every single student who is a member of our crew (producers, directors, camera assistants, gaffers, etc.) will receive IMDB credit and be able to put this experience on their resumes. All of our young actors will be able to do the same as well. For young people who are about to go off into the world and the workplace, this is huge.
What We Need & What You Get
As we learned last year, producing a film is a tough, expensive process. We're seeking at least $8,500 in donations to cover meals, rentals, location fees, insurance, post-production, licenses and clearances, film festival submission fees, and other costs. If we raise enough money, we'll also be able to afford to pay our actors a small stipend for their time and dedication to this project.
Some of the fun perks we're able to offer in exchange for your support include signed scripts, "Special Thanks" credits, the chance to appear in the film, tickets to a "sneak preview" screening, and even an Executive Producer credit! See our "perks" section for details.
The Impact
This is one of the only feature films being made by high school students in the whole country. Our goal is for it to have a professional look, and for our audience to relate to our characters and to our story.
Every contribution makes a huge difference. The last time we raised money via crowdfunding, the average amount donated was around $20. When you tap into a large network of parents, family, and friends like we did, it adds up very quickly!
Risks & Challenges
Our biggest challenge is going to be training students how to run a real set and deal with the grind of making a movie. Luckily for us, my Film Production students are working 6 hours after school every week to learn the process before we start shooting.
Other Ways You Can Help
Besides donating, the other major way to contribute to our campaign is to spread the word! This could be mentioning this to a friend or family member, posting one of our fliers at work, or "liking" and "sharing" our status updates on Facebook with all of your friends. We're teaming with KMESA News, the student-run broadcast at CMHS, to be our social media ambassadors. You can visit their Facebook page and follow our project here:
www.facebook.com/kmesa.news
This is a wonderful opportunity for our kids. We would really appreciate your support. Thank you!