Funding – Journeys of a Hybrid

May 7, 2013

Opportunities for Self-Initiated Projects

There seems to be a prevailing attitude of doom and gloom. We have an economy that can’t seem to turn itself around and we’re bombarded by change that technology continues to thrust upon us. We’re scared to death of the unknown and nobody seems to know what to do next and how to make any money doing it.

Yet, I’ve never been more hopeful in my life. Why? Because I no longer need someone else to validate my ideas – and that is a powerful notion. Those of us in the communication business seem to be particularly fearful. Some believe that the “news” business is dying because print publications – newspapers and magazines are folding every week. But the “news” business is not dying – it’s just being delivered in another way – electronically and globally. There are no longer just a few gatekeepers with a lock on the playing field.

Human beings are social animals and we will always have the need to communicate with each other. These days we can communicate with one another globally. An idea or creation can be shared around the world in a matter of minutes. Think of the power in that and think of how we can use that power and the opportunities it presents. I could digress into a discussion on the ethics of this thought but I’d like to focus more on the reach and influence that each one of us has in creating awareness.

Many of us get enamored with the latest devices that enable us to deliver and receive information with speed and ease. As technology’s exponential growth continues to change our lives in every way imaginable, we will constantly be incorporating and upgrading new gadgets and devices as part of our lives. We need to be mindful that these “toys” are merely enablers and that each one of us can use these tools to create and distribute our words, images, designs and ideas across the planet.

I think that we as creative’s or journalists underestimate ourselves sometimes. Perhaps because we chose professions that aren’t lucrative – at least in terms of money. However, what one is paid doesn’t necessarily correlate with one’s worth. We live in a time now where we can use our creative skills to really make a difference and to tell the stories that we feel need to be told. Mass communication has been democratized. We no longer need the traditional gatekeepers to validate our ideas.

I never would have dreamed that I would be able to circumvent the globe, create a documentary with only one other person in my crew – my daughter and then distribute it internationally. I never imagined that I would have the power to create awareness on a global level like I did when I uploaded my trailer to Vimeo. In less than a month after it was uploaded, that trailer has been played in almost half the countries on the planet. Staggering thought.

This was not a commissioned project by a network or a motion picture studio. If I had waited for that – it never would have happened. I assigned myself. I was able to fund it by using my airline points, hotel rewards and doing trades with manufacturers for equipment. I also successfully raised money via Kickstarter a crowd funding site that made it possible for me to hire a professional editor. My daughter and I have been building an audience since we started blogging about our journey. Our readers got more and more engaged as they followed us on our 99-day adventure around the world. They spread the word through Facebook and Twitter and via their own blogs and pretty soon word of our project spread virally. That was precisely our goal. To use our tools and skills to create a film about the change makers of our world so that others would be inspired and motivated as to what they can do.

I often think about how things in my life and in history would have been different if we had the Internet when I was growing up. For starters it would have had a huge effect on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and the Vietnam War. But everything happens in its own time and when it is meant to happen. Change can be scary or it can be embraced and sometimes both at the same time.

Never stop dreaming. Never stop learning. Always listen to that inner voice. Then use the means and the tools of the day to do the dance you are meant to do.

November 1, 2012

The Power of Film in Making a Difference

When I set out to make a film about individuals on six continents who were making a positive difference on our planet, I didn’t set out to save the world.

That would not only be something impossible to achieve, but it would diminish what I could do. And in fact, if I had set out to attain such an overwhelming feat of saving the world, I may have quit before I even got started – out of pure frustration.

But I do know the power of what a film can do. I know I can use my craft and my tools in my own small way to make a difference. And I know that by breaking down tasks into small actions; they add up to some very big accomplishments. Even with no backing, little funds and virtually no help, my daughter and I created a film that is doing exactly what we set out to do – inspire and move people to action to do what they can do to make our planet a better place.

All too often, we over think things. Big productions, big money, celebrities and everything else that shouts out to us on the airwaves and the Internet dazzle us. We start to believe that anything that isn’t grandiose isn’t worthy at all. It’s a pity because in our attempt to gain perfection or notoriety – we shortchange ourselves and everyone else on what we could have accomplished.

I’ve seen a lot of “small” films over the last few months as I travel from festival to festival with my documentary, Opening Our Eyes. While many of these films are “small” – or at least deemed small by some – they are powerful in every way. Sometimes, there may be only 10 people in the audience and I think what a shame, that these powerful films won’t be seen by the masses. That is changing though, as filmmakers have access to new tools and platforms that can take their small films global. I’ve witnessed that first hand.

As consumers we need to start taking notice of films, books and photographs that don’t have millions of dollars or stars behind them.

As filmmakers we need to stay true to ourselves, believe in our dreams and take advantage of the power of the age we live in to not only make films that create awareness but to get them seen on a global scale.

I hope I never lose sight of what’s possible through the power of film and how photographers and filmmakers can use their craft to create awareness and make our world a better place. These days, with a lot of hard work and determination, the individual has the power to make a difference globally. We live in an amazing time – take advantage of it.

August 24, 2012

Moving Into Motion – What is Your Why?

Over the last couple of years, in addition to maintaining my video production company and making a feature film, I have been teaching seminars and consulting still photographers who are thinking of getting into “motion”. Many times I start out by asking participants why they want to get into motion. The most common answer I get is “because it seems like that is where everyone is headed”. That is perhaps the worst answer and reason a photographer – or anyone else, can give.

I suppose I could just do a show and tell and demonstrate the cool gear I have and how to use it, and I do talk about gear, but I would be remiss if I didn’t stress the “why” question. Video is a medium that is all about story telling. While a still photograph can also tell a story, video, by it’s very nature of incorporating visuals and sound, has the power to deliver a message or story in a very emotional way. This is why many non-profits use video in their fund raising efforts – they have found that when they deliver their message with video – people give more money.

I got a call recently from someone who had just lost a close relative and they wanted their personal affects photographed. My first question of course was why. The obvious answer would be that they wanted these “things” archived. But what they really wanted or the why in this case was that, these items evoked memories and memories are attached to feelings and it is those feelings that people want to archive when someone close to them dies. So, I felt my job was to capture and preserve those feelings for the ones who are left behind. I knew if I didn’t approach the job like that, I would end up with images of just “things” and that would be more like a catalog of objects.

I was trying to unravel the “why” because that is what I’m best at. My cameras and other tools of my trade – don’t do that for me – my heart and mind play a major role in that process and I believe that many times, this is what sets me apart from my competition. Photographers who don’t question the why, end up with images or video that may be beautifully executed but don’t emote or tell the story in a meaningful way.

I thought that perhaps the best way to approach this “job” would be to add a voice to it. Even though the deceased can’t tell their story – their family and friends – can. I also knew that I didn’t want to confuse the issue with video interviews because it could be a distraction, rather than add to the overall piece. The decision was made to approach the job as a multimedia piece, using still images and sound recordings from relatives.

Interviewing is an art and it’s also something that can either make a piece strong – or end up as a disaster. Like a bad script, an interview can either strengthen a piece or just as easily, weaken it. It really is dependent on the person who is doing the interview. When done well, interviews will bring a unique voice and point of view to a project and that cannot be copied. For example, I could do an interview with someone and hit all the right marks that I’m going for, as far as tone, emotion and connection. I could give someone else the same list of questions and ask them to interview the same subject and they would get entirely different results. It all comes down to rapport and that is not a one size fits all type of thing. Interviewing skills are difficult to teach, because invariably people want more of a black and white list of do’s and don’ts of the process. A great interview is really about having a good conversation with someone – but you leave your part out of the piece, when you edit it. It’s comes down to good listening skills and rapport. Sounds easy, but people either have these skills or they don’t.

I’ve thought about this a lot over the years that I’ve been shooting video and I always start with the “why”. Why is it that I am really good at interviewing my subjects? I can’t really pinpoint the reason(s), other than to say that I’m really interested in what people are telling me – and they sense that. That’s just me and it always has been.

I became a photographer because of my insatiable curiosity in peoples’ stories – not because I was interested in photography. My camera is a means to that end, whether it is a video camera, a still camera or a camera that is capable of shooting both. I always start with the “why” and pick the camera and medium that best answers that question.

I am currently working on my 3rd ePub. It is about the business of motion/video with lots of great tips and advice that will help you stay in business as you cross over into other mediums. Stay tuned and in the meantime – start defining your “why”. Check out Simon Sinek’s TED talk – it will inspire.

August 8, 2012August 8, 2012

Meeting Michael Moore

It seems like I’m meeting a lot of celebrities these days, but the truth is I’m meeting a lot of just regular folks too because I’m putting myself “out there”. It’s just that celebrities stand out because – they’re celebrities. Ever since Tom posted this photo

on Facebook, of me with Michael Moore at the Traverse City Film Festival, I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people asking me about it.

To be honest, I was one of many that Michael had a 5-minute chat with that night at the opening party of the festival. I won’t tell you exactly what we will talked about, other than to say that I asked him how I could get 15 minutes of his time. That probably wasn’t the best question to ask him at a large party that he was escorting Susan Sarandon to, but I figured I would do what Michael Moore would have done.

Moore is a polarizing kind of guy – strong in his convictions and people either love him or hate him. I’m somewhere in the middle, but after reading his book “Here Comes Trouble”; I’ve probably swung more to the “love” end of the spectrum. His book is about his life – with each chapter telling a story about a particular time and experience. I didn’t really know a lot about Moore and all that he has done, but he is like the Forest Gump of his time. In his book he tells the most amazing stories about himself and the serendipitous situations he has encountered in his lifetime. It’s extraordinarily funny and I would highly recommend it, regardless of what you think about Moore.

Michael has done a lot for the people of Traverse City, Michigan. He was co-founder of the Traverse City Film Festival and if you’ve never been – GO. It’s a festival like no other and it’s in one of the most beautiful spots in the country, in northern Michigan. Michael was instrumental in restoring the State Theatre that had been vacant for over 40 years. We were able to rent that state of the art theater last year to show a sneak preview of our film, Opening Our Eyes for only $250.00! Michael loves films and filmmakers. He also started a funding campaign to raise money for new seats for a local elementary school’s auditorium. He had only one condition – that the school would honor Martin Luther King by recognizing his birthday as a national holiday and closing on that day. That was only last year, a time when most schools in our nation had recognized this holiday long ago.

I was a bit surprised to see Michael at the “open” outdoor party that night. He’s literally a “target” and has had many threats on his life. At one point in his life, he was guarded by a team of ex Navy Seals because of these threats and the copious amounts of “hate mail” he was getting. I’m sure that has taken a toll on him personally, yet he stays true to his convictions and continues to speak out.

It’s not easy to stay true to your convictions, especially when it’s counter to the status quo. I admire people, who are consistent in this way, regardless if I agree with their point of view or not. After all, we live in a democratic country, and democracy is built on the voice of the people – and that means ALL people. My biggest fear is losing that right to speak out. Ironically, when the “status quo” feels threatened, “fear” is used to control the voice of the people and only a few are brave enough to speak out, facing the wrath and conjecture of popular opinion. Moore is one of these people and whether you agree with him or not – take a moment if you live in America to think about this. It’s because of people like Moore that we are still “free” to speak out.

Sadly we couldn’t stay for the entire festival, but we did get to see the film, “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey” – an incredible story of the band Journey and how they found their new lead singer in a most unusual place – The Philippines. I just found out that this film got the “best audience award”. Seems fitting for this movie to receive that award – it’s got everything that someone like Michael would love – a great story with a message that anything is possible and to never stop believing.

June 18, 2012

Making a Movie With a DSLR and (crowd) Funding It

The first thing I will say is – I did it! I successfully created a movie

Opening Our Eyes Preview Traverse City — State Theater, Traverse City, MI

– from soup to nuts – with the smallest of micro-budgets, a tiny crew and a lot of hard work. We’ve had some nice awards at film festivals along with a slew of rejections, and it has been one of the richest experiences of my life.

I’ve written about the journey and the technical aspects of the making of this film, on this blog and the Opening Our Eyes blog. One of the most popular posts on this blog (it continues to get dozens of hits each day) is the post I wrote about gearing up for this movie. I’ve written so much about this project that I decided to collate a lot of my material and produce a couple of ePubs. One is available now and hopefully, the 2^nd one will be online soon.

A good idea, hard work and a lot of determination are essential in pulling off something like this – and to be crazy enough and confident in yourself to think you can do it. I can tell you one thing – the confidence factor had its ebbs and tides. I found that many times my level of confidence changed with my “hits” and my “misses”. That certainly came into play during both my crowd funding campaigns on Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. I’ve been thinking a lot about crowd funding lately because it seems like just about everybody is doing it these days. It certainly has exploded since I reached my Kickstarter goal, a year and a half ago. Seth Godin announced today that he is launching a Kickstarter campaign to publish his ePubs – sounds like his traditional publisher doesn’t want to take the risk and finance it until he sees if “the people” are interested.

I have to tell you that I was somewhat bothered when I read Godin’s blog. Kickstarter doesn’t accept every project that gets pitched to them. When I did it the acceptance rate was about 40-45%. I don’t know what it is now, but it’s got to have dropped significantly. And that’s the thing – when “publishers” won’t take the risk, and high profile writers turn to their readers to back them, it’s going to be harder for the true “indie” to get noticed. The same thing has happened with a lot of film festivals. Film festivals started out, as a place for indie’s to screen their movies. Now, at many of the festivals, the “indies” are competing with the big indie studios.

Things are constantly changing. It becomes harder for the “indie” to get funded and noticed but it’s also easier because of social media. If you are thinking of embarking on a project – a film or a book – and you aren’t sure if you should do it or can afford it – you can either talk yourself into it – or out of it. It’s kind of like looking at the glass, half full or half empty. I can choose to muse on my losses and put myself in a funk, or I can reflect on my wins and the rewards that have come into my life with the making of this film, and feel good about myself. Each day, I ask myself which way do I want to tip? it’s up to me to determine my value – not anyone else. And today, I think I will feel pretty good about what I was able to achieve.

April 5, 2012April 5, 2012

Value

I’ve heard this word an awful lot lately. I’m in Palm Springs, CA attending an ASMP National Board meeting. Our meeting has coincided with the timing of the Palm Springs Photo Festival, where dozens of photography influencers, buyers and makers of contemporary photography gather. Almost every conversation I’ve had in the last couple of days have been about “value”.

Most successful photographers or business people in general, would probably define “value”in monetary terms. To be successful, one has to sell the “value” of what they do, and how that translates to real dollars for a potential client. Now, in my opinion, to be good at any sales you have to either really believe in your product or be a very good actor – or both. My point is that to sell your “value” you have to start by first valuing yourself.

There have been days when I’ve beat myself up by allowing my self to feel “devalued” by how someone else acts toward me – it could be a client, a colleague, a relative, a friend – any human with an ego. I try to remind myself that my “value” is in staying true to myself, because that is what makes me unique and not just a commodity. There’s so many workshops and consultants these days teaching “how to’s” – from using gear, to selling photos, making a movie, branding yourself and on and on and on. I think we are all so overwhelmed at times that we don’t even remember who we really are.

At the end of the day your value is in how you perceive yourself and a strong sense of self has to come through if you want to sell your “value” to someone else. That sense of self usually comes from “doing”. When you are out there “doing”, you’re creating opportunity to happen. That’s something I am passionate about – the possibilities and the wonderment in that. When that passion comes through in your interactions with others – it’s positive energy that people can feel and most people are attracted to positive forces.

I must warn you though, that there are many people out there who will try to take advantage of someone who so passionate about what they do – and usually the human ego is involved. That’s ok, because when you determine your value and stop letting others determine it for you, it becomes much easier to deal with people who get gratification in undermining others.

There’s a wonderful scene in an old movie where Spencer Tracy plays Thomas Edison. Tracy (Edison) is in the office of a potential buyer of one of his inventions. (I’m using arbitrary figures to tell the story) The potential buyer was clearly an egotistical miserable guy and he throws out a price of let’s say $10,000 to Edison in a condescending way. Edison stands there speechless – literally speechless and the “buyer” begrudgingly says – “OK, $20,000” and Edison remains speechless. This goes on until the “negotiation” gets up to $50,000 and Edison finally manages to say, “OK” and they shake hands. The investor starts laughing in Edison’s face and shouts out “I was prepared to go to $100,000” and continues to laugh. Edison turns around as he is walking out the door and says, “I was prepared to accept $1,000”.

What does that say about value?

March 25, 2012March 26, 2012

10 Things I Learned by Making a Movie

I’m sitting in the airport lounge at LAX looking out over a rain soaked tarmac – in a mellow mood. One of those rare days when nothing really needs attention. I ran into a friend on the flight out from EWR to LAX , who had noticed that I hadn’t been writing as much of late. That’s true enough, for a couple of reasons but the simple answer is I just didn’t feel the urge.

I started writing when I needed to sort things out in my head or I happened to be thinking or experiencing something that seemed worth sharing. At times, I suppose I get very personal – that’s what I have been told. That’s comes with sorting things out in my head.

Today, I’m thinking about what brought me to LA and that is the fact that I made a film – a 76 minute documentary. I‘ve never had any formal training in the way of film school, although I have often fantasized about going to NYU and getting my Masters in film. But in the interest of time, at this point in my life – I did what I’ve done a lot in my life and that is , I just decided to “do it” – in this case, make a film.

So what did I learn?

1. The story is everything – it’s everything.
2. It IS possible to make a good film without a big crew and a Hollywood budget and lots of gear.
3. You have to have desire – when you have a small crew and a tiny budget, you do a lot more of the work yourself – so you have to be passionate about what you are working on.
4. Festivals are competitive – at least the “big” ones. Are they important? They are as far as building awareness, especially for a narrative film. For me, a festival provides an opportunity to interact with an audience and get feedback. I didn’t make this film to keep it a secret.
5. The film will take a lot more time than you can imagine, especially if you don’t have a big budget.
6. There is a cinematic language and necessary ingredients to any successful film – one being – a film needs contrasts and opposites or opposition.
7. PR and marketing is essential and most filmmakers do not dedicate enough money toward this end.
8. There are so many paths to distribution these days – DVD’s are dying out and VOD and downloads are taking their place.
9. It’s almost unheard of for a filmmaker to “own” their content – most have partners and/or investors – active and otherwise. I can’t tell you how many times, eyebrows have gone up when someone asks me who owns the film and I tell them, “I do”.
10. A film is never finished – but there comes a time when you are ready to let go.

March 4, 2012March 4, 2012

Paying it Forward – It’s Amazing

I got the best email yesterday. It was from a young man who had attended a seminar I had given at Yale for ASMP on “Should I Be Thinking of Video”. I remember that evening well. I had recently returned from a 3-month journey circling the globe with my daughter creating a documentary on people making a positive difference in the world.
I was still very much in the same head-set that I had been for the past few months – one full of peace and belief in myself. I had just come off an intensive period where I was “walkin’ the walk” and I was practicing what I preached.

The young man, Brian, wrote, that he had attended my seminar with his father, who was a photographer and that he, himself had grown up wanting to make movies. So, my seminar was a perfect combination for them. Then Brian wrote “That night you inspired me.” My heart jumped when I read it. He went on to remind me of things that I had said that evening – about overcoming fears in order to realize your dreams – in my case traveling the world to make a movie. Leaving the known behind – for the unknown. Telling yourself “yes” instead of giving yourself reasons not to.

Brian said that he had recently landed his first job of his career as a structural engineer. He loved it, but he also had a great desire to travel. That night he went home and furiously “googled” anything about traveling the world and beyond. He came across the website of “Engineers Without Borders” and as serendipity would have it, they were having their monthly meeting that week.

To make a long, but interesting story, short, Brian went to that meeting that week, and talked with some people during a break who were organizing a trip to a village in India.

Then they invited him to go with them in February. He was astounded. And then he did the same thing many of us do in similar situations – he started giving himself every rational reason why he shouldn’t/couldn’t possibly do something like this. In Brian’s case – how could he ask his new boss for 3 weeks of time off?

That night when Brian heard me speak, was about a year and a half ago. In the email he sent to me yesterday, he talked about spending the last year editing his 15 hours of footage, down to a 40 minute piece. He told me that it hadn’t been easy and that he frequently read my blog posts where I had written about my similar experiences with post-production – magnified. What I had shared had helped him through it – angst and all.

My favorite line in his email read:

“So, I’m finally done with my movie, although there’s things I wish I had done differently, I did my best and I’m glad it’s finished! The final product is one thing, but the journey to get there is another, and the past 18 months have been such an amazing experience for me! I owe it all to you! Sorry for the long email but I’ve been waiting 18 months to tell you my story!!”

Brian just launched a Kickstarter campaign to send another engineer to Nepal for a similar project. You can find out more about it here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/videotaping/welcome-to-abheypur-the-movie

I think back on that evening and the year and a half in between. I’ve gone through two tough winters, doing the kind of work that needs to be done, but nevertheless takes its toll on my heart and my soul. That evening, my spirit was alive and well. Brian and others felt it and it moved them to a place they wanted to be. And now, after a tough winter, that same “energy” has come back around to me through Brian’s email. It has reminded me to stay the course and stay on purpose. Thanks Brian.

December 10, 2011December 10, 2011

How a Film Can Make a Difference

I never fully realized the power that is within me to make a difference, until recently. Last summer, my daughter and I spent time with extraordinary people who were providing homes for orphans, feeding the hungry and curing the ill. They were all people we met while making a documentary about the change makers in our world – people who are making our planet a better place.

Our goal was to inspire and motivate others as to what they can do to make a difference in their own communities. Our goal was to cause a shift, in culture and in thought – from “what in it for me?” to “what can I do?” We’ve just begun to submit this documentary to film festivals and show sneak previews to small audiences but I can already tell that this film has affected change and the potential it has to move people to action.

From our first sneak preview at the beautiful State Theater in Traverse City, MI to a recent screening at MIS in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I feel the energy in the room and the collective desire to strive for a better world. I feel the power of film and the power within me as a storyteller and filmmaker. I feel the time for this film is now and that people are hungry for hope.

Many documentaries take the critical point of view and certainly have more conflict. Opening Our Eyes is different from other docs in that it shines a light on what IS being done to create positive change by individuals all over the world. Somehow by showing the small acts, this film makes all of us believe that we can create change as well. It empowers us to believe in the possibilities and gives us the hope we seem to be yearning for these days.

When I first conceived of the idea for this film, inspired by friend and neighbor Maggie Doyne, I was looking for some positive hope myself. I was tired of listening to the hundreds of “experts” on TV talking and all of them needing to be “right” – and nothing was getting any better. That was long before the Arab Spring and the Occupy movements. What I was sensing was the rest of the world was feeling the same way I was and decided to do something about it.

Time will tell if the film continues to create awareness and moves people to action, but at least I’m hopeful again.

Please consider supporting our effort by making a contribution to our IndieGoGo campaign, which only has a few weeks, left to go. And it’s tax deductible.

We can’t do it without your help.

November 2, 2011November 2, 2011

The Money Game

I’ve learned a lot about the “entertainment” industry in the process of creating our documentary Opening Our Eyes. But I was a bit surprised to learn how one show derives its content. I won’t mention specifics, because I don’t believe that this particular way of doing business is unique to this one show.

A couple of days ago, I received an email from one of the subjects in our film asking for my counsel about a high profile program that is syndicated on various cable channels. The show essentially does short segments on organizations and/or companies that have stories of educational value.

I looked through the electronic info kit that they had sent and it sounded great, because they guaranteed placement for the 5-6 minute piece within the program, which would run on a couple of large cable networks. They also guaranteed a 1- minute spot on CNN and Fox News. Plus the production company would deliver a file ready for web so that an organization could upload it to their site and/or deliver DVD’s to potential funders or clients.

I continued to read the attached PDF’s which listed the production requirements and workflow that would take place if “they” were selected to be profiled. But what stood out and surprised me was the line that stated that a payment of almost $30,000 would be required, if they were chosen to participate. Quite honestly, I was a bit shocked. Here was a production company that was creating a syndicated program and expecting the subjects to finance it.

I’m almost certain that this company also makes a hefty sum from the cable networks who in turn get money from their advertisers. That doesn’t surprise me a bit. But I didn’t know that it had become part of the game to make revenue off the subjects of the stories!

Perhaps that might not sound all that bad because it’s just business in a free economy, but quite honestly it has really changed my thinking about networks that run stories about people, organizations or institutions that have educational value. Now when I watch a show like this, I will question the credibility of the causes and organizations that are being profiled, because I know that this “door to distribution” is only open for those who can pay. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that the stories they run are about the most deserving subjects or even the most compelling stories. It simply means that the people behind these stories had the funds to “pay to play”.

I think back on all the extraordinary people that we met last summer while making our documentary. Most of them would be hard put to find this kind of money and if they did they would probably put it right back into their causes and the people they are trying to help – not a production company that is making money off both ends. I went in the “red” doing this documentary with the hopes that it will cause a shift in the way we think and that it will move people to action to make a difference in the world. I figured that’s the least I could do – use my skills as a storyteller to create a film that would raise awareness and help all our subjects and their programs.
Would I like to make money on this film? I’d be happy if I broke even. I’d be even happier if this film was seen by hundreds of thousands of people. But I wouldn’t dream of charging my subjects money.

Ronni Kahn of Oz Harvest told me “Just go out and do something – not for the money not for the recognition but for the sake of doing”. I suppose that’s exactly what Erin and I did. And that in itself has been the biggest reward of all.