KANAKA is an experimental documentary feature that will be filmed on location, mostly in Honolulu--the most isolated big city and also one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse spots on earth--and the Big Island (aka Hawaii)--the ancestral and spiritual home of the Native Hawaiians and one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders of the world.

Sound design update for the film KANAKA 

As the title of the film makes it obvious, this project is about people. It's not about achieving fame or wealth. As one of our cinematic heroes John Cassavetes once stated, "There are many other ways to make money than making movies. If you need to make money, please find some other way to do it. You make movies to lose your money. That is the purpose of making a movie—to put your life into something—not get something out of it."

The Film

Eden and Matilda, a young couple are broke and threatened to be evicted by their landlord. Their Housing Benefit and Jobseekers Allowance have been turned down and they struggle to become members of a Society they never wanted to be part of to begin with. They don’t have the job opportunities they are hoping for, and try in vain to become a part of a system where you can’t survive if you don’t want to meet the requirements of a “standard life”. 

Matilda eventually finds a job in a sleazy night bar called “Juicy Girls” making a small living through keeping company with middle-aged men who pay to have drinks and conversations with girls. She hates her job and the customers and working at nights puts a stress on their relationship, however things become worse when a brutal serial killer murders more and more girls working at the Bar. But when she buys a pet spider for Eden, the real troubles start!

About us

We are a team of experienced and passionate film makers, actors and artists committed to creating an outstanding high quality film on a low budget. Our cast includes well known and nationally renowned actors such as:

Rusty Goffe (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Star Wars, Harry Potter ) Actress and Alternative Model Sophia Disgrace (Three's a Shroud, Kung Fu and Titties, The Shadow of Death), Victor Sobchak (The Jackal, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Ghostboat) renowned Greek TV and Theatre actor Theofilos Vandoros (Singles, Ambitions, Vice Squad) plus Britain’s Drag Queen sensation, the fanatabulous Tiffaney Wells in her acting debut. The music was composed by acclaimed composer, author, actor and performer Jeff Kristian.

The Impact

Each member of our production team has put forward a large amount of time, money and personal investment to create this feature film. After accounting for the personal funds of more than $100,000 we have already contributed to the cause, and we have finished shooting most of our footage, but now our team needs to raise a further $25,000 to complete our goal in making our film. We cannot do it alone. We require the help of the independent filmmaking community and film lovers in order to finish our project.

The Perks

We have taken a lot of effort to create an assorted collection of donations and prizes to ensure that every individual who donates to our cause goes home a winner!

Please check out our list of donating options, as well as the rewards associated with each level!As an extra bonus, a huge number prizes used in the film will be put into a Prize Draw open to all contributors offering $20 and more. A list of the items can be seen at: http://www.spidarlings.com/ All items in the Prize Draw are original props used in the making of the film.

The Prize Draw will take place after the completion of production. Make sure to check often for new prizes and giveaways.

Note: Prizes do not stack up but are limited to the individual levels of contribution.

Other ways you can help

You can help us reach our goal by spreading the word to your friends and relatives and by posting our campaign link on your social networks. Thanks.

The Film

KANAKA: A Native Hawaiian word meaning human being, man, person, individual, party, mankind, population.

KANAKA is an experimental documentary feature that will be filmed on location, mostly in Honolulu--the most isolated big city and also one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse spots on earth--and the Big Island (aka Hawaii)--the ancestral and spiritual home of the Native Hawaiians and one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders of the world.

This film is NOT about Hawaii as a tropical paradise or a tourist destination. It's the antithesis of films like Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii and Alexander Payne's The Descendants starring George Clooney. It is a film about the people who call these islands their home, and it will strive to tell their stories with the nature and spirituality of the islands as an integral background.

Even though the film is a documentary, it will not present facts. Instead, it will strive to present small moment of what the great German director Werner Herzog--and one of our chief influences--has termed "the ecstatic truth", "something deeper, a kind of truth that is the enemy of the merely factual."

What We Already Have

We already have the basic equipment needed to make this film.

Cameras:

Canon 5D Mark ii

Canon 60D (two)

Lenses:

Canon EF 50mm 1.4 (two)

Helios 58mm 2.0

Nikon 50mm 1.4

Nikkor 105mm 2.8 Macro

Sigma 17-35mm 2.8

Sigma 80mm 2.8 Macro

Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 Aspherical

Support:

Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs (two)

Manfrotto 305HDV  Fluid Head

Manfrotto 701HDV Fluid Head

Sanford & Davis V12 Fluid Head

Indisystem Indisquare

Glidecam Pro 4000

Audio:

Tascam DR100

Sennheiser ME66 Shotgun Mic and K6 Power Module

Rycote Pistol Grip

Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder

Rig:

Ikan Focus Gear Follow Focus

SmallHD DP6 Field Monitor

What We Need From You

Now I realize that none of the above makes any sense to those who are not filmmakers. But in other words, what we want to relate to you is that we possess the equipment needed to make a film of high technical quality. For example. the Canon 5D Mark ii was one of the cameras used in Jean-Luc Godard's Film Socialism.

Now we realize that we are no Godard, but we want to use all of this great equipment to make the best film possible. And this is where you come in. Even though the times have changed and independent filmmakers like us have access to the same cameras as cinematic legends, we lack the funding.

The film is currently being independently produced by its director Blue Un Sok Kim, its director of sound and music Tobias Elijah Morgan, and its director of photography JP Schmidt. All of them are working pro bono. Since the film is a documentary--albeit a highly non-traditional one--the subjects featured in it will either be paid nothing or just a nominal per diem for their time.

Yet even with many of the traditional expenses being less of a burden on this project thanks to its nature, we still face enormous financial difficulties in making this film. For example, while the project will be filmed mostly on location in Honolulu, we will be making a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii in order to shoot the majestic volcanic activities of Kilauea. We have also made arrangements to shoot an actual enactment of the Kumulipo chant and dance (Kumulipo is the Native Hawaiian creation chant you hear at the beginning of the pre-production trailer) on the very peak of Mauna Kea, the highest mountain in the world when measured from its oceanic base and the spiritual home of the Native Hawaiian people.

The filming on the Big Island will mean that we will have to pay for travel, accommodations, rental car, helicopter rides, and so on. And we plan to use the highest quality telephoto lenses for this endeavor. These lenses can run in the tens of thousands. Obviouly we cannot purchse them; however, we can rent them. But even then, the rentals of such equipment can run in the thousands of dollars, depending on the length of the shoot.

This is how we have arrived at the sum of $5,000 as the absolute minimum amount we believe that we need to deliver a high quality end product. Yet in reality, we can use much more to make this film even better. As a case in point, the music for the trailer you see was created by the London-based Tobias by synthesizing a public domain version of the Kumulipo chant and scattered percussions. This was then synched by the Honolulu-based Blue to the footage he has shot in preparation for the film. All of this creative cooperation was done over countless hours of online interaction. While we believe that the trailer speaks for itself and that we can do the entire film this way, we also believe that we can create an even better film by being able to work together in person. This means travel and accommodation expenses, so we can use every dollar we get beyond the $5,000 we are asking for.

Other Ways You Can Help

As the title of the film makes it obvious, this project is about people. It's not about achieving fame or wealth. As one of our cinematic heroes John Cassavetes once stated, "There are many other ways to make money than making movies. If you need to make money, please find some other way to do it. You make movies to lose your money. That is the purpose of making a movie—to put your life into something—not get something out of it."

We are making Kanaka in order to help people reclaim their humanity. So it is absolutely imperative that you help spread the word about this film, so that many people in turn will talk about and eventually watch it. Our goal is to get as many people out there to see it--to see the fascinating tapestry of humanity in all of its manifestations in one of the most isolated and culturally diverse places on earth.

Please remember that no amount of donations is too small. Every dollar will be appreciated. And if you are not in a position to donate money, please help us by spreading the word. It is time for cinema to reclaim its lost humanity, and we want to be a cog in the wheel that will get rolling to make this happen.

MAHALO NUI LOA

I’ve been making films for awhile now, in all sorts of genres. Each process posing a different set of issues and downfalls. But I’m certain that documentary filmmaking, at least in my experience, is the most difficult of all processes I’ve dealt with thus far. Like all art, filmmaking is very emotional and draining. But documentary filmmaking, specifically social based projects, is much more nerve-racking because it’s not just your future at stake. In most cases, like my own, a social action project comes from a deep place in your heart and the desire to make a difference. My upcoming feature documentary, Gwapa (Beautiful), isn’t about profit or numbers. It’s about spreading awareness and bringing not only hope, but true change to the people who need it most.

But just having passion and dedication isn’t enough. Like all things in life, it comes down to money. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t need a lot of dough to make something great. I’m a firm believer that “Where there is a camera, there is a way...” But what do you do when your inspiration lies across the Pacific Ocean? Fundraise, fundraise, and fundraise some more. My current film, Gwapa (Beautiful), is about two poor Filipino families and their struggle to help their kids with facial deformities. This project started back in the fall of 2010 when Faces of Tomorrow founder, Dr. Brian Rubinstien, told me about these special families and their remarkable stories. We’ve been fundraising ever since.

Last fall, bound and determined, I assembled a dedicated team, Lindsey Rowe, Sabina Padilla, and Carlos Espinoza, and we ran a successful crowd-funding campaign via Indiegogo. This campaign proved to be invaluable in terms of promotion and growing an organic audience for the project. The immense support and backing from our fans helped to keep the fire alive while we were running this tough campaign. People from all walks of life, from all over the world, come out to show their support for Gwapa (Beautiful). We even snagged IndieWire’s “Project of the the Month” for December 2011, winning a consultation with the Sundance Institute and SnagFilms. Although we didn’t reach our funding goal, we raised enough money to bring a small team to Bohol and Pitogo Islands, both remote areas in the Philippines. As you can imagine, that money went fast, but well spent. I think I speak for the entire Gwapa Film Team when I say it was an incredible experience and we captured an inspiring, life-changing film in action. And due to the project's exposure, we partnered up with Rayomar Outreach, the social action branch of the Filipino distributor, Rayomar Marine, who donated $2,000 for a new motorized fishing boat and supplies to the family featured in this film. A once in a lifetime experience indeed.

Now, I’m in the thick of post production, anxiously awaiting a rough cut from my amazing editor, Eamon Glennon. But the fundraising never stops. We’re actively seeking funds to finish and implement this important film. Since we’ve already hit the social networking platforms, we’re trying a more tradition funding strategy this time. On April 5th, we’re holding a fundraiser and call to action event in Los Angeles at Tuff Sissy & Co on Melrose. And, like we’ve seen before, people are lining up to support this great cause. It’s wonderful to watch so many talented people come together like this. Here are some highlights we have planned, just to name a few! Good friend and comedian, Iliza Shlesinger, winner of Last Comic Standing and Host of CBS’ “Excused," will provide some good laughs. Appetizers by Cooking With Corralez, featured on Virgin Mobile’s “Sparah” Web-Series. Cupcakes by Sweet E’s Bakeshop, featured on FoodNetwork’s “Cupcake Wars.” Blues entertainment by renowned guitarist, Ray Bailey. The world famous Laugh Factory graciously donated tickets to our silent auction too. Likewise, Bill Ostroff of FirstGlance Film Festivals, donated the “Indie Filmmaker’s Startup Package:” VIP passes, lots of merch, 1 year subscription to MovieMaker Magazine, and Gorilla Production Software. We even got a media board donated and we’re actively building a celebrity guest list. Once we put the word out there, people are jumping to get on board. This event is bound to be not only financially successful, but like the online funding campaign, it will bring more eyes to the project and thus help spread awareness. It just goes to show that if you build it, they will come!

If you’re in LA on April 5th, please join me and the Gwapa Film team for a wonderful evening. All proceeds go toward the completion and implementation of Gwapa (Beautiful), a grassroots effort to bring awareness to the thousands of Filipino children born with facial deformities every year. Support a great cause and get a Special Thanks credit on this inspiring film. Join the movement, tell your friends, and spread the word! For more information, please vist www.gwapafilm.com and be sure to join our Facebook Invite too!

Meg Pinsonneault is an award-winning filmmaking and screenwriter in the LA area. She is the founder of Thirsty Girl Films and the director/producer for Gwapa (Beautiful). She is easily excitable and her passion for filmmaking is known to be contagious. She believes that with inspiration, dedication and passion, anything is possible.

For more information:www.thirstygirlfilms.com.  Follow Meg on Twitter:@ThirstyGirlFilm

The Story

“October” is based on the true story of Olga Romanova. 

On the 24th of October, 2002, Olga put her life at risk by confronting 41 Chechen terrorists at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, in order to help 900 people, including more than a 100 children, who were held hostage at the auditorium.

Why this film?

When I heard about Olga Romanova and what she did, I knew I had to tell her story.A person who willingly confronts 41 terrorists, who puts her life at risk in order to save many others...Was she a hero? Was she crazy? Is this the story of an irresponsible person or was she a fearless idealist?It's been 5 months of intense research. And we have also interviewed Olga's mother and her best friend.Now, I know that I'm able to present accurately Olga and what happened that night, and then let the audience decide who Olga Romanova was.

Who are we?

We're a group of young filmmakers, with more than 4 years of professional experience, who have been working every dayfor the last 5 months to make this film happen.

Gonzalo Caride is the Writer and Director. He studied at the New York Film Academy, is an award winner cinematographer and in the last 4 years he has been working in more than 50 professional projects in the US, UK and Spain.

Kuba Gogolewski is our Producer. He has 6 years of professional experience, working in more than 40 projects in 8 different countries. Actually, he's also studying at the Polish National Film and Television School (PWFSTviT) in Łódź.

Oleksander Podznyakov is theCinematographer. After working for "New Materials" and "Reuters", he enrolled in the PWSFTviT in 2009. Since then, he has proved himself as an outstanding cinematographer, shooting more than 15 projects in 35mm.

Kamila Pściuk-Gogolewska is our Art Director and Set Designer. Since 2003 she's been involved in the production of more than 60 films, working with people as Ewa Braun (Academy Award Winner for "The Schnidler's List"), John Kent Harrison and Wojciech Marczewski, among many others.

So far, we’ve been able to assemble a crew of more than 40 professional filmmakers.And the list keeps on getting longer!

Where's your money going?

These are the prices for the 3 shooting days on location.

Renting the Equipment - RED EPIC, Lenses, Lights, Sound (you know how it works) | $2,400

Wages - For the Electricians and Drivers (they never work for free, do they?) | $800

Set Design - Dressing the auditorium, the apartment, and all other locations (it's going to look like the real thing) | $600

Production Costs - Food, Travel Expenses & Insurance (yes, we do have to feed the crew) | $1,700

Renting the Theater - For the films' last scene where she confronts the terrorists | $1,500

We will add it up for you: $7,000

We need your help

For the last 3 months, we have gotten in contact with many different companies and institutions that were interested in helping us finance this project. Many of them haven't made their final decision yet. The others, although interested in the project told us that they are "not comfortable backing up a film that deals with such a controversial subject matter".

We want to tell the story of a woman not to give any political statement or to talk about ideologies. We are not explaining what happened before or after Olga got in the Theater. Those are very important historical facts, but they don't belong to our film.

That's why we think that you, as an individual, not as a business organization with commercial or political interests can make a big difference.

Other ways you can help?

You don't have money? Well, welcome to the club!

But we all have friends, family, we know somebody who knows somebody who maybe knows "that" person. Exactly!

Let them know about our project!

Send them the link to this page!

Every dollar counts!

Check out our Official Website:

http://octoberthefilm.weebly.com

And also our Facebook Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/Octoberthefilm

The big news in the crowdfunding world is the U.S. House passing the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act. It was a rather overwhelming vote, which means that somehow Congress has found something Democrats and Republicans agree on. All by itself this is shocking. What the bill effectively does is open crowdfunding up to equity investments. Almost everyone thinks this is a fantastic thing.  

Everyone except me.

SEC regulations aren't even remotely my thing, so I'm not going to pretend I fully understand what the bill means. Other people, smarter than me, can do that for you.   They can tell you about what the new regulations would do, what extra paperwork it would inevitably involve. They can tell you more about that worrisome part where the individual states get involved. But I do have some idea how the film world works and some idea how crowdfunding works.

Let's assume for a minute that the bill allows you to sell equity stakes in your film via Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. That seems to be what everyone thinks it means. On the surface, this seems like a pretty good deal. As it stands now, people back projects for a variety of reasons, but essentially they do it to support an artist in his or her quest to create something. They don't expect anything in return, other than the promised perks. But imagine if they could make money on it. Wouldn't they be willing to give more? If there was a chance that they could get behind the next PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, logic dictates it would make it much easier to raise those funds. No one doubts that.

And really, that's kind of the problem.  

People see dollar signs and their brain just shuts off. People need money to make their films and anything that makes that easier is automatically viewed as a good thing. I understand that. Money is a great motivator. But there's more to it than that.  

The relationship between a backer and a creator is a unique one. The backers collectively give an artist the ability to create something on their own terms. The filmmaker then delivers that film and the strength or weakness of it determines whether or not the backers would be willing to support them again. Make a good film and the relationship continues. Make a shitty film and it probably won't. At the end of the day, it's the work that matters.  

Contrary to what some people will have you believe, this relationship can theoretically go on forever. If the filmmaker keeps delivering the work and keeps engaging with those backers in a meaningful way, it stands to reason that the backer pool will get deeper over time. Someone with a track record attracts a bigger audience. You could have a director make an entire career's worth of films, all of them crowdfunded, completely free of any studio system or any interference from people concerned with how their film will fare in a marketplace.

That's never before been possible. And now it is. It's the hope that there's an actual future where indie filmmakers can sustain themselves with their work.  

That's a really big deal.   

Now add a profit motivation to that.  

Money changes everything. Tell people they can make money off something and it becomes all they can think of. Instead of giving a filmmaker $50 and then watching from afar as they make the work, people take a more active approach to following the progress. After all, that's their $50, maybe their $100, maybe more. The entire expectation changes. They go from being benefactors to investors. And investors vote with their wallet.  

Let's say your film has 500 backers. You now have 500 investors to keep track of. 500 people who, on some level, want your film to turn a profit. 500 people who all have different ideas about how to do that. In short, you're just like a studio filmmaker, only you have to answer to a lot more people and you have a lot less money to work with.  

But in good news, it'll be easier to convince the guy you went to grade school with to give you $50. So that's something.  

Really, I don't imagine for a second that Congress has any idea what the hell they're doing. And I'm sure the law will be littered with loopholes designed to help the 1% continue fucking us all over. I'm skeptical that this reform isn't more trouble than it's worth, and I don't really see the upside. Seems to me we're just tearing down the best opportunity to create a system for filmmaker sustainability in our lifetime. And for what?

One of the discussions Kieran Roberts and I have every so often about UP COUNTRY is how to best finish the movie. It's a common discussion that every film has. Our approach is simple. Since we have no investors and no one to pay back, we can do whatever we think is best for the film. We have final cut. It's 100% up to us. We have some interesting things in the film that we can do simply because of the creative freedom given by our Kickstarter backers. Or, as I say to Kieran, "if we can't do this on a $4,000 Kickstarter film, we'll never be able to." It's really a liberating feeling. It's not something I want to give up.  

And maybe if those 108 backers were investors, that wouldn't change. I'm pretty stubborn, after all. But my gut tells me it would. I know it would muddy up the water quite a bit. I see meetings and large votes on stuff like the font of the title sequence and what festivals (if any) to submit the film to and really a bunch of nonsense that has nothing to do with making films. It's middle management. I used to work in middle management. It's neither fun nor productive.  

Filmmakers don't need that sort of group think mentality telling them how to do their jobs. Not when the system in place has so much potential for greatness.

16 days left of the year 2011, 17 days left in Moderngrumble’s campaign to fund the Trailer Shoot and world domination. However, we’re at a standstill with only 6.2% of our total goal raised. Why is that?

      So here we are, a few weeks before Christmas launching a crowdfunding campaign for money to shoot the teaser trailer for Moderngrumble. This is something that was supposed to happen in late summer, early fall and we were to have already shot the teaser by now so that we could use it in conjunction with our business plan for presentations to more traditional investors so as to raise the more substantial budget for the feature film. All by the time the snow was falling. Several months later we find ourselves soliciting funds for a baroque, artful, horror film . . . during the holidays . . . in this economy. Some may call it bad taste to even think of asking people at a time like this for their hard earned dollars. Fortunately, I’ve never had much taste and so once again, here we are.

My partner in this endeavor thought we should just wait until after the Holidays to launch for the reasons listed above and I clearly see and understand that argument. However there are a few factors that argued for taking action now:

    First of course are the personal appeals made to our closest friends, family and supporters, preferably face to face if at all possible, followed by a phone call, then email and finally online if the other options are not feasible. Second, the inception and maintenance of the projects presence online via periodic but not overwhelming updates on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other such sites; one a day regarding a new aspect of the project is good with a possible second one regarding something tangentially related to the project but keep these brief, interesting and fun if possible. Third, participation in discussions with others online about issues related to your project or theirs. This is something you should already be doing well before the launch of your campaign if possible. Fourth, support of other projects however you can. Fifth, and actually this should be First but; an official Press Release if you can swing it, and really don’t let that scare you, they are pretty simple to write and you don’t have to get it in a national paper or major online journal to be legitimized though it doesn’t hurt. Your local paper works just fine (and can result in possible interviews or stories on your project) or utilizing a site like feoamante.com which has a wide audience and is very supportive of indie filmmakers especially if your project falls within the realm of horror, thriller, cult and the like. Once you have a published press release you can list the project on IMDB which while the merits of this avenue can be debated does help bolster the seriousness of your project in many people’s eyes, especially in the independent film world. Sixth, updates directly to your contributors, the more personalized the better. Seventh, if you have managed any type of media exposure, be it virtual, print, or television share it!

    All of this will help mobilize your network and up the IndieGoGo factor but I’ve left out a big aspect of a successful crowdfunding campaign and that is the Perks. While there are those out there who will contribute without need of a reward, perks are right up there with your Pitch Video in getting people to take the project seriously and contribute. You have to be original, personal and generous with these but there is a fine line you must walk so as not to run across any tax issues (especially if you are actually incorporated, as we are, and not just a lone wolf or non-profit) or worse, unintentionally being found guilty of securities fraud. While the laws for what is and is not considered a security are different in each state (and as an online offering you could very well be subject to any or all of them) it’s a safe bet that if a contributor is under the impression that they will undoubtedly receive a monetarily valuable reward simply for their investment you could be found guilty should someone want to prosecute. This grey area tends to keep most campaigns from going anywhere near offering anything of real value as a perk and that is probably for the best. Such fears drive creativity and help keep perks personal and meaningful.

    Lotushead Productions, Inc. has decided however to do both. Each of our perks are related to the project at hand as well as being personal, thoughtful gifts that reflect the inspiration we took in the creation of Moderngrumble, as well as reflecting the pride we take in our home state and its role in the film. On top of that each Perk offers public appreciation, and a chance to earn cool stuff like tickets to music festivals, gift certificates and even an iPad2, not guarantees or promises.

    After all of this however, we still face the same hurdle every campaign faces; internet laziness. Perhaps I’m alone in having this problem but I suspect otherwise. In our online world most of us are inundated with so much information, news, and the promotion of someone else’s passion project that the tendency can be to just scan everything, at best. In the online film community it’s a real problem, the number of crowdfunding campaigns that cycle through our community is mind boggling and after a while even if you are an avid supporter, we tend to grow a little dis-enchanted with the whole process, and your average Joe on the street is probably even less interested. So, how do we cross that divide and actually get our network to care and share but your network as well? Just getting someone to share a link on their wall or blog at times seems like a Sisyphean task and yet it’s such an easy thing to do. Call me cynical but I believe the key to crossing that divide is by creating incentives for sharing. Everyone familiar with crowdfunding knows about perks for donating but what if we created perks for simply sharing a link with your network? If we create a simple and workable method of rewarding anyone who shares our campaign widget or links to us with a chance to earn something they actually want at absolutely no cost to them, but based purely on good will, I believe our chance to exponentially grow our audience has much better odds for success. So in service of that theory, Lotushead Productions is offering a chance to earn cool gifts to anyone who shares our campaign widget and interacts with us through a comment or tweet.

    It’s an experiment to be sure and may very well fail, backfire or be a success but as I considered running this campaign during the Holidays, I realized that as much as I want to raise the budget we need, I also just want to reach as many people as possible with the project. To see how many would just simply share. For me even if we do not succeed in raising our budget, I will still consider it a success if we have been able to increase our audience, even by a few. To that end I will be keeping track of all statistics, including new fans gained so at the end of the campaign we can return for a campaign post-op for all to see what worked and what didn’t – something that should be quite insightful and helpful for anyone running a campaign in the future.

Last Saturday marked the launch of Thirsty Girl Films' second crowd-funding campaign to complete our documentary, Gwapa (Beautiful). This is the first feature length documentary dedicated to bringing awareness to the high number of children born with cleft deformities in the Philippines and the great need for free reconstructive surgeries in poor countries. This stunning and remarkable film will draw you into a powerful tale of strength, love, determination, and hope. Gwapa, meaning beautiful in Visayan, is the fitting title of this vibrant, real-life story that follows two Filipino families and their struggle for a healthy future. Every year, 4,000 - 5,000 Filipino children are born with cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. Cleft lip and palate are two the most common and curable of birth defects. Sadly, most clefts go unrepaired in developing countries. Just one surgery can change a child's life forever. Gwapa (Beautiful) will serve as an educational resource to help perpetuate local, national, and international discussions pertaining to cleft issues in developing countries like the Philippines. Since many people in wealthy countries aren’t aware of the problem, this documentary will shed light on a culture hardly explored and how its poorest deal with personal strife. Not only will this film spread awareness to other countries, but it will act as a tool for families affected by cleft deformities in developing areas. The main cause of clefting starts with lack of information and medical care. This film will serve as a beacon of hope and a positive resource for achieving a healthy future for all families affected by cleft deformities.

Gwapa (Beautiful) is a story that needs to be told because every child deserves the chance at a beautiful and healthy future. In honor of our generous donors, we've secured amazing perks from companies like Dyson, SodaStream and Crosley, and even a Carnival cruise for two! Stay tuned as we release these perks over course of the campaign! Ultimately, we hope this project will reach people who care about issues like this and  who want to help change lives for many generations of Filipino kids to come. To help make this film a reality, please visit www.indiegogo.com/gwapa-film.  Please consider liking our Facebook Fanpage and sharing it with your friends. Join the conversation on Twitter by using #GwapaFilm hashtag. Please be sure to spread the word about this campaign on all our favorite social sites. Together, we can make a difference!