Everyone loves a high-spirited marching band, but few know what it takes to land one of the coveted spots on the field, and many will be amazed at where these musicians end up in life once their band uniforms are hung up for good.

Point and Drive® is a technique of percision marching made famous by marching bands, particularly introduced by the legendary Dr. William P. Foster and adapted by Florida A&M's Marching 100. It is what makes the appearance of their marching style so signature. But Point and Drive® is also the lifestyle philosophy that many of the alumni of high school and collegiate bands live by which translates into a mantra to live by where Point =Focus and Drive = Being Driven.

Point and Drive will give viewers an up close look at the evolution and impact of the country’s top marching bands, and how they equip their members to be driven and pursue excellence in every area of life.  The underlying theme of the documentary, which profiles successful marching band alumni, is “who did you become because of music?”

 

                                 

Hi, I'm Brandi Mitchell and I've loved playing music and being in the marching band all my life. I credit much of the determination, drive, and tenacity to what I learned being a part of some pretty amazing marching bands in my school years.

What started as an invitation to play in a music class in elementary school grew into a life long journey that would take me all over the world, give me determination and work ethic, long-lasting memories, and life-long friendships that are second to none.

For me, music and what I learned in the band made me believe anything was possible. It was a benchmark for greatness that made everything else seem attainable because I had been properly prepared for success in life. With every note played, march executed, and course taken, I developed a blueprint and model for life long excellence."

     

The Next Generation & The Lack of Music Education Today

Being in the band gave me a place to belong in a difficult age of adolescent where I was looking to discover who I was. For many of my good friends, our band directors were our father figures. Because the band directors cared, they inevitably saved many of our lives.

I have friendships that span through middle school, high school, and yes college - the common thread - BAND!

I now have a twelve year old son who has just begun his love for music, except if we don' t preserve music in the schools and it's legacy, he may not have some of the stories I had. This film is for him and the other kids out there who are at that age where whoever is doing the most influence in their lives wins and could inevitabely effect their entire life path.  So I set out to tell this story, for him and kids like him, to honor the teachers and schools that groomed us, and allow the world to hear in our own voice how much being in a marching band has affected everything we do - from business success to relationships.

To do this, I set out on a journey to retrace my steps of how I learned music from my hometown of Detroit - the heart of all music, and end up in Tallahassee, Fl to celebrate where I learned my ultimate lessons at Florida A&M University as a member of The Incomparable Marching 100. 

Along the way I interviewed collegues who share the same passion for music and are very successful themselves from the countries top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Bands. 

I have filmed interviews with over 100 middle, high school and collegiate marching band alumni around the country, from White House Administration to a celebrity chef, to a fire captain, to a Grammy-nominated R&B artist – and this is only the beginning. To get to the end, the final product, I created this Indiegogo campaign as an opportunity to  bring this inspiring film to the big screen! 

I had the pleasure of interviewing voices from the countries top HBCU Marching Bands including alumni from Southern University, Jackson State University, Tuskegee University , Grambling State, Delaware State, and the University Arkansas Pine Bluff amongst others, and culminating with the father of HBCU Bands my alma mater Florida A&M University. Through their voices, we have a never before look into the heart and soul of HBCU Marching Bands and all they mean to the world AND the next generation.

Grammy nominated artist DWELE and producer/director of Point and Drive Brandi Mitchell

Come along the journey as you hear the alumni members who have become successful in their own right recall their experiences being apart of some of the most elite bands in the country and how these experiences led them to be great leaders in the world.

                                        

               

    

  

Relive the best part of it all, recapping the bands performances and accomplishments and go behind the scenes of what makes each of these bands great from the alumni who served in the ranks.

     

Of course there will be great music and performances, and a never before view from the inside of the impact of music in our schools and all of the jewels you are taught from being a member of the band.

What we want to accomplish through this documentary

• Give an inside look to the inner workings of great bands and go behind the curtain to learn what makes a great halftime show and band.
• Show all of the benefits of playing a music instrument and be a catalyst for the rebirth of band programs 
• Show just how many avenues and career choices can be acquired based off of learning foundational principles from the marching band.
• An appreciation for marching bands, it's band directors, the arts, and the success stories of alumni members which will serve as role models for what's possible in life.
• Demonstrate the long lasting friendships, tenacity, and determination that is made througn marching band.
• Help to increase enrollment in middle, high school, and university band programs.  

I started out funding this project myself, but quickly found out that the expenses far exceeded what I could contribute. They say that is the true mark of a mission - when it will take more than what you possess on your own to bring the results into existence. The thing I knew for sure was that this project was a story that would impact the world, and I didn't want to delay it anymore or not do it because the necessary funds were not available. So I decided to do this Indiegogo campaign in the hopes that all of the people who love music, have marched in bands, ever played an instrument, or wanted to empower the next generation would play a part of getting Point and Drive completed and shown to the world.

Because Point and Drive contains a lot of music, one of the biggest considerations is the music licensing which means that all of that great music you will hear costs money to use it - a significant part of the budget.

I am asking for $221, 700 which sounds like a lot, but in the real world, it wouldn't even be considered a "micro-budget" film! This is still a truly independent film, being made with sacrifice and passion. 

We're aiming to complete shooting by the end of April! We need to film in 4 different locations, edit, package, and prepare the film for being entered into film festivals. We plan on having a national campaign to include a 10 city tour interacting with school aged musicians, colleges, and alumni across the country. The funds raised will go directly and immediately into use for this project!

What we will use the monies received for:

• Pre-Production
• Production
• Travel, Lodging, Meals
• Music Licensing
• Post Production
• Outreach, Impact, Film Festivals
• Administration
• Legal & Accounting
• Indiegogo Fees

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE RAISE MORE THAN OUR GOAL?

If we surpass our goal, the surplus will go first into ensuring the highest technical quality for the finished film, and then into outreach and distribution. We believe that Point and Drive will be a heartfelt, entertaining, and powerful documentary, and we plan to bring it, and the conversation that it inspires, to as wide an audience as possible.

This project was MEANT to be; now more than ever. This documentary has the potential to impact so many lives - it already has. I would be honored to have you play a part of bringing Point and Drive to the world. You know it's interesting, when the film Drumline came out, many people who were a part of the band community felt that they wished they could tell their experience as they truly experienced it. Now, a few years later, the opportunity is now here, and it will be our story, in our words. 

Please help us spread the word of this campaign to all your friends and family and to anyone who's enjoyed or been touched by music programs and bands or want to see an empowering story. Please tweet, facebook, blog, email! Let's get as many people involved! We can't wait to make this movie for all of us!

                   

                         

 

                  Thanks for being a part of the Point and Drive Movement!

                                            Musically Yours, 

                                             Brandi Mitchell