This campaign aims to help create an insightful and passionate documentary that explores the connections of people to Derian House Children's Hospice and the remarkable moments of hope, love, and positivity found within the organisation.

Inspired by the personal experience of our producer, Paul Woodward, whose son was cared for by Derian House over the course of seven years. We want to shed light on the relationships and memory making that brings immense love and smiles to the lives of children facing severe disabilities and end-of-life challenges. In 2019, Paul's son peacefully passed away after battling with severe disabilities for longer than what was expected. Despite the pain and discomfort, he still found joy in simple pleasures like the wind in his hair, the sound of ducks quacking, or the touch of a hand. These moments brought happiness not only to him but also to his parents, providing them with positivity and strength during challenging times.

We want to invite audiences into this charity organisation of hope and positivity, showcasing the genuine connections between end-of-life nurses, parents and children. Through our documentary, we aim to capture the precious personal moments that take place within the hospice, challenging the notion that such a place is only associated with sadness whilst building tender personal portraits of the incredible people found within the hospice.

By sharing these stories and experiences, we hope to inspire empathy, foster understanding, and remind people of the power of love and compassion in the face of adversity. Our campaign is important to us because it allows us to give a voice to the children, parents, and caregivers who find solace and strength in the little things at Derian House Children's Hospice.

Paul Woodward, our producer, has a deep and personal connection to Derian House Children's Hospice as his late son, Kalel, received exceptional care and support from their team over the period of seven years. During the most emotionally taxing and challenging times, Derian House stood by the Woodward family and provided crucial assistance and comfort throughout their journey.

Over the years since his time involved with the organisation, Paul has felt a desire to give something back to Derian House as the institution made such a profound impact on his family's life. This documentary project presents a fantastic opportunity for Paul to express his gratitude and shed light upon a cause that means so much to him.

With a Master of the Arts degree and almost two decades of experience in the industry, Paul brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His journey spans from captivating UK stage tours to rich roles in feature films. Having worked both in front of and behind the camera, Paul's diverse experiences across various facets of the industry have enriched his perspective and added depth to his creative endeavours.

Working as a producer, Paul's portfolio includes the award winning short film The Doll which continues to entertain and captivate audiences on the film festival circuit. Additionally, he is currently involved in a multi-million-dollar dystopian thriller, slated to commence filming later this year, featuring a star-studded cast. Another upcoming project, Are You Okay? is a short film set to make its mark on the international festival circuit later this year.

By supporting this project, you will not only be assisting in the creation of an insightful and emotionally powerful documentary, but also standing beside Paul as he fulfils his heartfelt mission to honour Derian House and the remarkable impact it has on families in need.

Back in 2016, Thomas directed his first documentary called Autism: A Curious Case of the Human Mind. Working with just a £300 budget and a small team of fellow film students, Thomas documented the story of his younger brother, his neurological condition and how he wanted to heal their relationship before leaving his hometown to attend University. The film earned the Best of Festival and Best Feature Documentary prizes at the 2017 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, along with receiving plaudits and nominations from other festivals around the world.

His follow up project, Sticks & Feathers, covered a young hockey captain with an hereditary heart condition who used his passion for sport to help grieve the early death of his father. This short documentary picked up more festival awards, including Best Factual Film from HotHouse Theatre’s Nottingham Film Festival in 2018. Thomas has worked on other documentaries over the years including All At Sea, the final film from legendary British director Mike Hodges, and a behind-the-scenes documentary covering the production process of the BBC’s upcoming Boiling Point television series which is due for release later this year under Ascendant Fox Films.

Aside from his work in the documentary field, Thomas has also directed numerous award winning short films and also has worked as a First Assistant Director on a handful of independent feature films too.

Through a passion for the art of cinema, Cameron explores how different qualities of light can be used to tell the story and create a specific mood. He likes to establish a unique style for each film, thinking about the colours to use, the contrast ratio, and the particular texture of the image. He focuses on striking a balance between creative ideas, and technical challenges in order to achieve a coherent visual style.

Experienced within the documentary format, Cameron worked as a camera operator on Manifesto and is collaborating with the director, Daniel Draper, as the Director of Photography on his upcoming project DBC Pierre. Cameron is also currently working as the Director of Photography of the behind-the-scenes Boiling Point documentary for Ascendant Fox Films. Cameron has worked with our director on numerous projects, however, this will be their first venture into a feature documentary as a Director x DOP relationship.

The target goal would cover pre-production, principal photography and post-production, also factoring in Indiegogo's platform fee and the cost to supply you all with the various donation perks that are on offer!

To help break things down, we have provided a pie chart and infographic below for you to see what areas our overall fundraising target would be going towards.

Now, naturally there always comes the question of "What happens if you do not raise your entire fundraising goal?". To help break this answer down we have generated a graphic below which depicts what the money would be spent on as the production goes on.

Summary? This film will be getting made, one way or another. It's just that this crowdfunding campaign is crucial for us to achieve the level of production value that we are aiming for and make sure our team are paid for their work.

EVERY PENNY GOES TOWARDS THE FILM IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

As it currently stands, principal photography is set to start on JULY 10TH, 2023 and we will be filming over approximately 13 days throughout July and August before starting post-production in September. To provide some insight to the current timeline we are working with there is a timeline breakdown graphic below. This will be elaborated on further once we enter September and gauge post-production phase estimates. The film will be completed in EARLY 2024.

The Little Things will blend observational and expository documentary forms to help provide a personal insight into a children's hospice and those who occupy it. Amongst these forms, we will utilise a series of complimentary storytelling tools to help create the most impactful and insightful version this documentary can be.

Below are some of the elements we aim to incorporate into the project...

On top of the aforementioned techniques, if we manage to raise more money than initially anticipated, we will also look at incorporating animations into the film. These would be used when speaking to the children and families of Derian House, with each family being having their own memories and stories represented on screen in a different art style that helps convey their individual personalities. However, as things stand, this particular aspect may not be achievable and will be looked at further once we enter post-production.

HOW WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT

The Little Things has the potential to make a meaningful impact amongst audiences, proving valuable to them, our contributors and Derian House too.

Our film aims to challenge the negative stereotypes and misconceptions associated with hospice care, particularly for children. By showcasing the warmth, support and happiness found within the walls of Derian House, the documentary looks to educate audience by personalising the people involved in these kinds of organisations, granting them a look at what the atmosphere is really like inside a children's hospice to help erase the stigmas often attached to them, and showing the positive impact they have on families.

The Little Things will highlight the incredible emotional resilience of staff, families and children. Exploring the meaningful relationships they build, emphasising the love and care that goes into the hospice. By sharing these stories, the documentary encourages viewers to love harder and care for one another more easily, fostering a more compassionate society.

Distributing the film on streaming platforms (e.g. Amazon Prime, Apple TV) will reach out to a wider audience. By inviting representatives from Derian House and documentary contributors to public exhibitions, the film can raise awareness about the hospice's work and inspire viewers to contribute donation either to Derian or perhaps a children's hospice local to them. This support is crucial for the sustainability of Derian House, other children hospice organisations, and their mission to provide care to children and young people in need.

Overall, The Little Things documentary project is valuable to Derian House Children's Hospice and the rest of the world because it aims to dismantle stereotypes, promote compassion, raise awareness, and offer an intimate portrayal of the exceptional care and support provided by the hospice. Through its storytelling, the film has the potential to inspire empathy, foster understanding, and encourage a more loving and supportive society.

Creating a film like The Little Things comes with its own set of risks and obstacles due to the subject matter at hand. However, our team's qualifications and the proposed approach to production can help navigate these challenges effectively. Here are some potential risks and how our team plans to address them...

SENSITIVITY AND EMOTIONAL BOUNDARIES

Given the delicate nature of the subject matter, it is crucial to navigate the filming of this documentary with utmost sensitivity and respect for our contributors. We recognise this and are committed to working closely with Derian House to ensure everyone's comfort and consent throughout the production. Collaborating with the hospice will help identify suitable contributors and establish a trustful rapport before filming begins.

BALANCING STORY AND PRIVACY

Documenting the intimate moments within the hospice while respecting the privacy of the families and staff can be challenging. Your team aims to capture the magic of Derian House without intruding on the personal lives of the people in and around the organisation. By adopting a more fly-on-the-wall, observational filming approach whilst filming on location and involving Derian House in the production process, we can find a productive balance between authentic storytelling and protecting the privacy of those involved.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT ON THE TEAM

Filming a documentary based around children with life limiting conditions and their families can be emotionally taxing for the filmmakers involved, especially if witnessing pain and loss to any contributors we have built a close rapport with. To overcome this, it's essential to prioritize self-care, provide support systems for the crew, and maintain open communication within the team. Regular check-ins, debriefing sessions, and access to counselling resources will be ready on hand to help manage the emotional impact if needed.

By implementing this plan, our team is well-equipped to overcome challenges and create a meaningful and impactful feature documentary.