THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!
Our campaign was more successful than we could've ever imagined!
Please continue to spread the word about SAM & AMIRA.
Here are our social media links...
https://www.facebook.com/SamAndAmira
https://twitter.com/SamAmiraMovie
We will keep you posted as our official release date nears!Thanks!
Sean Mullin
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Hey Everyone!
Our campaign ends tomorrow (June 15th) at Midnight!
Please help us spread the word and finish up strong.
The reviews have been incredible. Here are a few of our favorites:
"Authentic and satisfying. The chemistry is just right."
-- The Hollywood Reporter
"Thoughtful and perceptive. It certainly charmed me."
-- Filmmaker Magazine
"Ambitious and spirited. Under writer-director Sean Mullin, everything clicks."
-- The Seattle Times
"Super funny and heartwarming. Definitely a must see!"
-- Seattle Film
"THIS is how you make a romantic comedy! It navigates familiar waters with a welcome touch of organic ease, smarts and unforced wit. Color me surprised and utterly charmed."
-- The SunBreak
Thank you everyone for your continued support!
My Best,
Sean Mullin
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Hey Everyone!
Our world premiere in Seattle was incredible. The film was received so well that it exceeded even our wildest expectations -- and the reviews have been amazing. Here's what the industry's top trade magazine -- The Hollywood Reporter -- had to say about our film:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sam-amira-siff-review-708175
Also, we put out a teaser/trailer, which we'd love to share with you:
Our campaign is still going strong -- but we're down to our final 10 days. Please continue to share our film with your family and friends. Our goal is to bring our film to as many people as possible!
THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT!
My Best,
Sean
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THANK YOU!! WE REACHED OUR INITIAL GOAL! IN LESS THAN A WEEK!
Thank you all SO MUCH for your incredible support. It's truly humbling.
We're excited to announce that -- since we still have plenty of time remaining -- we are introducing our new "stretch" goal of $17,500.
These additional funds will be spent on the following:
1. DELIVERY COSTS. When a distributor buys our film, there is a long list of materials that we need to "deliver" to them, such as multiple copies of our DCP (Digital Cinema Package), master tapes, master sound files, behind-the-scenes video, additional "E&O" insurance, etc.).
2. FESTIVAL COSTS. In order to bring our film to the widest possible audience, we need to play in as many film festivals as possible. The costs associated with applying to -- and attending -- these festivals adds up quickly.
3. LEGAL FEES. Every time we enter into another distribution agreement, we need to pay our amazing legal team to negotiate on our behalf. Needless to say, these fees add up very quickly.
As always, email me directly with any questions: sean@fivebyeight.com
Thanks once again for your incredible support!
My Best,
Sean
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We are thrilled to announce that SAM & AMIRA will have its world premiere at the 40th annual Seattle Int'l Film Festival on May 30th!
Written and Directed by SEAN MULLIN, our film stars MARTIN STARR (Silicon Valley; Knocked Up) as an army veteran whose unlikely love affair with an Iraqi immigrant, DINA SHIHABI, is put to the test when she is faced with the prospect of deportation.
PAUL WESLEY (Vampire Diaries) and LAITH NAKLI (The Visitor) give incredible performances in supporting roles -- and the rest of our amazing cast includes DAVID RASCHE, ROSS MARQUAND, TAYLOR WILCOX and CHRISTIAN PALUCK.
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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
While most "soldier-coming-home-from-war" films deal with veterans battling PTSD, my goal was to flip that well-worn premise on its head and ask: what if the soldier who returns from war is fine, but it's his country that's lost its mind? America was built on the backs of immigrants and protected by the courage of veterans -- yet both of these groups have grown increasingly marginalized in today's society. I felt like the best way to explore such complex issues in the context of an independent film was to create an intimate love story with universal implications.
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CAMPAIGN GOALS
We're collaborating with IndieGoGo because we NEED YOUR HELP. Our film is finished, but we need additional financing to launch our film into the world.
Your support will allow our film to reach a much wider audience.
Here's how our $9,150 will be spent:
Festival Publicist
Social Media Director
Trailer Editor
Festival Poster (Design & Printing)
Ongoing Festival Costs (Promotions, Travel & Accommodations)
In order to reach our goal, we are offering tons of great perks -- from a copy of the film ($20), to an invite to a premiere & after party ($150), to a speaking role in Sean's next film ($2,500)!
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TEAM
I've personally supported crowdfunding campaigns before -- and, to me, the most important thing is feeling good about the team you're supporting. Our team is made up of an incredible group of accomplished filmmakers:
SEAN MULLIN (Writer/Director)
Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Sean earned his B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point and his MFA from Columbia University. He's an army veteran who was a first responder on September 11th, 2001, where he spent his days working as the Captain in Charge of the soldiers stationed at Ground Zero -- and his nights performing stand-up comedy. His short films have won numerous awards, including SADIQ (MTV Movie Award Nominee for "Best Student Film"). He recently produced ALLEGIANCE, which was released in 2012. Sean is a writer/producer on 15 BROTHERS, a coming-of-age story set within the world of West Point rugby, which is being directed by Oscar-Nominated Director Henry-Alex Rubin, produced by Jules Daley and Executive Produced by Ridley Scott.
MATT MILLER, ERICH LOCHNER & TERRY LEONARD (Producers)
Matt, Erich and Terry have produced dozens of feature films -- and they have several more in either post-production or development. Their two companies -- Vanishing Angle and Strongman -- are not only prolific, but extremely well-respected within the independent film industry. Some of their credits include BEFORE I DISAPPEAR, IN THE FAMILY, and THE DRAMATICS.
JAMES PONSOLDT (Executive Producer)
James is an award-winning filmmaker, whose most recent film as a director -- THE SPECTACULAR NOW -- was a breakout indie hit in 2013. His other credits as a director include SMASHED (Aaron Paul & Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and the forthcoming END OF THE TOUR (Jason Segel & Jesse Eisenberg). He has multiple projects in various stages of development.
MEG MONTAGNINO-JARRETT & PETER SOBILOFF (Executive Producers)
Meg & Peter run Hole in One Productions which is currently developing multiple film projects, including the forthcoming GOLFING WITH GOD -- to be written by NEED FOR SPEED writer, George Gatins. SAM & AMIRA is their first feature film as Executive Producers, but definitely not their last.
MARTIN STARR (Sam)
Martin can currently be seen on HBO's hit show, SILICON VALLEY. He became well known for his roles in cult classic TV shows, such as FREAKS AND GEEKS, PARTY DOWN and VERONICA MARS. His films include ADVENTURELAND, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD and SAVE THE DATE.
DINA SHIHABI (Amira)
Prior to SAM & AMIRA, Dina played a supporting role in the independent feature film CIGARETTE SOUP. Her background is in theater, where she has performed countless hours on stage in NYC. A native of Dubai, she is a recent graduate of NYU's prestigious MFA Graduate Acting Program. Dina is the first Arab woman to ever be accepted to both NYU and Juilliard.
PAUL WESLEY (Charlie)
In addition to starring in the hit TV show, VAMPIRE DIARIES, Paul recently produced and co-starred in the SXSW award-winner BEFORE I DISAPPEAR. His other film credits include PEACEFUL WARRIOR, opposite Nick Nolte and THE BAYTOWN DISCO, opposite Billy Bob Thornton.
LAITH NAKLI (Bassam)
A veteran of the NYC stage, Laith's film credits include THE VISTOR and ALLEGIANCE. In addition to acting, he is spreading his talents into both screenwriting and producing -- with various projects in development.
BEC SMITH (UTA) & KEVIN IWASHINA (Preferred Content)
In order to secure the widest possible distribution for our film, we've partnered with two of the most prominent film sales representatives in the independent film industry: Bec Smith of the United Talent Agency and Kevin Iwashina of Preferred Content.
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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? RANDOM THOUGHTS?
Feel free to drop Sean Mullin an email directly at sean@fivebyeight.com.
More information is available on our website: www.SamAndAmira.com
We're excited for you to join our team!
(P.S. Since we are using PayPal as a form of payment, they are requiring us to post a statement that states that "the delivery of our perks are subject to the best efforts and are therefore not guaranteed." Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you are concerned about your perks being delivered. Our top priority is making sure everyone is taken care of properly.)