#NerdsUnite: Confessions of an Indie Filmmaker (Making a Difference: The Importance of Supporting Social Filmmakers)
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Meg. She's an indie filmmaker here in LA and is here to talk about her experiences and challenges in filmmaking. Dudes, Hollywood in a recession is nooooo fun! But here's what's working and isn't working for Meg. Hit it lady!!! </editorsnote>
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Meg Pinsonneault
Since it is the season of giving, I thought it would be appropriate to continue my series on crowd-funding projects that are more than worthy of our support, both monitarily and socially. As a successful crowd-funding filmmaker, I understand the importance of supporting these endeavors especially those films geared toward social change efforts. There are so many extraordinary projects out there aimed at helping others in a really big way. And these projects are just the tip of the iceberg! Needless to say, it brings a tear to my eye to know that I’m not the only with this mission in mind. As filmmakers, we have an obligation to give voices to those who don’t have one and I feel a true kinship with these artists and activists. Whether it’s to help abused elephants or sufferers of Olivopontocerebellar atrophy, filmmakers are the most passionate people are on earth and they’re making a real difference all over the world. And what better way to touch someone’s life than through an inspirational film! I’m proud to call myself a social filmmaker and to stand among this incredible list of fellow do-gooders. Won’t you join our efforts?
First, I’d like to feature a truly courageous endeavor and one that speaks to my heart. (Only 4 days left to support these incredible filmmakers, Julie Pinto, Andrew Moniz, and Roger Singh. So be sure to act fast!) BLES the Elephants is the story of one woman's fight to change an entire country's way of thinking by exposing the true stories of its silent victims - the elephants. A former Fashion Merchandising Manager in London, UK, Katherine Connor’s world transformed in 2002. While traveling through Thailand, she discovered the everyday atrocities suffered by the country's thousands of domesticated elephants and was compelled to take action. Thank you, Katherine. You’re an inspirational to us all! Please visit their Indiegogo page to contribute: http://www.indiegogo.com/BLEStheelephants
“...Katherine Connor sits on the curb waiting, the knot in her stomach growing with every passing minute. Something is wrong, she thinks. Then she spots him. The man who agreed to sell Mai Sai, his young female elephant, is walking towards her. But Mai Sai has a large bleeding head wound and the tip of her trunk has been cut off! Horrified, Katherine will not let this go by unnoticed but with no laws to protect Thailand's domesticated elephants or punish their abusers, she is fighting an upward battle.As the founder of Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (B.L.E.S.), Thailand's only true elephant sanctuary, Katherine works tirelessly to raise global awareness to the elephants plight while simultaneously fighting to save every Thai elephant from further abuse. And, oh yeah, she's raising two small children and living in the jungle! Her determination demands that she succeed but time is against her as everyday elephants suffer unimaginable abuse.
Our hope is that BLES the Elephants will inspire you to demand positive change for Thailand's elephant workforce. Once revered and treated like a member of the family by traditional owners, elephants are now completely disposable to their nouveau-riche businessmen owners, whose sole desire is to make money - at any cost. The elephant's health and well-being are irrelevant and these gentle giants are worked until they collapse dead to entertain tourists, then replaced without remorse by another elephant, thus dooming it to a similar fate.
By following Katherine on her journey to save yet another elephant from a life of torture and abuse and sharing their story with you, we hope to inspire you to help us save Thailand's elephants by demanding laws to protect them and punish their abusers (who currently suffer no consequences for beating, starving or killing their elephants).
If our campaign fails to meet its goal, we will be forced to postpone our elephant-tourist camp infiltration thus allowing elephant abuse to continue until we can source our funds in another way...”
Secondly, I’d like to feature a project that is not only ambitious but uniquely inspirational as well. (There’s only a matter of hours to contribute, so act NOW!) I Believe is an experimental feature length documentary about ordinary people who choose to be extraordinary. Filmmakers, Holly Elissa and Nicolay Bastos, are traveling the globe covering 30 countries to ask these believers one question: what do you believe? By sharing their stories of what motivated them and what motivates them to keep going, these filmmakers hope to demystify the notion that an individual needs some kind of superhuman power to be great. Please visit their Indiegogo page to contribute: http://www.indiegogo.com/IBelieveMovie
“...I Believe is apart of a new movement created by and inspired by hard-core do-gooders who believe that absolutely anything is possible. We double dog dare you to believe us. Most people seem to think that they’re helpless. To do great things, they think they need a fancy education, or a better job; a team of butlers, maids, nannies, personal trainers and assistants; or some kind of superhuman power, something other than exactly who they are. Too many people underestimate themselves. They have no idea what they’re capable of because they never bothered to try.
We don't know of anyone who won't feel something after watching this film and the stories of the people we follow around the world. There are so many themes in this film that there's really something for everyone. There are themes of hope, belief, humanity, compassion, community and family, steadfastness and survival - making it against all odds and making it through hard times. We can all relate to that as human beings...”
The next project I’d like to highlight is A Genius of a Place, a documentary about fragility of places in the modern world and the importance of preservation, by Sarah Marder and Mattia Amardori. Modernization has accelerated the pace of change around the world and often has led to places of exceptional beauty being harmed or even ravaged. People only realize what has happened when it's already too late. That's why A Genius of a Place will encourage viewers to act as stewards of their own communities, safeguarding their resources and treasures before they are ruined or destroyed. Please visit their Indiegogo page to contribute: http://www.indiegogo.com/genius
“...Through the story of one little town in Italy, A Genius of a Place investigates challenges faced by communities all around the world. Whether we notice it or not, the beauty, livability and sustainability of countless places are at risk. That's both sad and scary. Yet we don't want to send people on a guilt trip or frighten them might. We're aiming to inspire viewers and we think of A Genius of a Place as a 'wake-up kiss', a welcome gesture that leaves people feeling awake and full of energy, ready to channel their enthusiasm into taking care of places they love. Looking at pictures from fifty or one hundred years ago we are shocked to see what we've subsequently done to these places. We've paved over fertile land to make parking lots, built massive highways, constructed sprawling factories and strewn the world with a tangle of electrical lines. In 1924 Burton Holmes referred to this as the 'disturbing hand of progress'. It's far more evident today than it possibly could have been then. Yet we tend not to notice it or think about it. Sure, we're all looking for economic growth but who's paying attention to the hidden costs? Who's working to develop a place while considering the long-term interests of the place and the people who live there?
Once the film is finished, people and groups will be able to use it as a tool to spark dialogue and civic engagement in their efforts to hone in on the 'genius' of their own communities. They can use the film to start or strengthen their own grassroots movements. Now that we're done filming we're starting to connect with people and non-profit organizations that feel affinity for our mission and messages. By the time we're ready to release the film we envision having a host of people all around the globe excited about using A Genius of a Place to encourage others to discover, nurture and protect the Genius of their little corner of the world...”
Lastly, I’d like to highlight a important film by Carver Moore and Jonathan Park called Finding Balance, about how surfing is changing lives forever. This is a remarkable and uplifting film about the importance of alternative and therapeutic treatments to all sorts of issues. Please visit their Indiegogo page to contribute: http://www.indiegogo.com/FindingBalance
“...Our film follows a man named Kevin Roberts, a lifelong surfer from Manhattan Beach, who started experiencing problems with balance in 2004 and was diagnosed in 2007 with Olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA). OPCA is a neurodegenerative syndrome (also referred to as Cerebellum Degenerative Disease) that causes loss of balance, difficulty walking and slurred speech. OPCA is a fatal disease and there is no known cure. However, Kevin has since found that surfing and being in the ocean helps him through his condition more than anything else could, and helps him temporarily restore his balance.
We will also be driving down the entire coast of California talking to people of all ages about how surfing is much more than a just a sport and how it is changing their lives. We plan on including a experimental surfing program in Southern California that is helping Marines suffering from post traumatic stress disorder find balance in their lives as well as several organizations that teach children with special needs to surf...”
#nerdsunite
Want more from Meg? Check out her shizzy shiznat over yonder! www.thirstygirlfilms.com &www.artworksbymeg.com