As we zoom into the third leg of our crowdfunding campaign to kickstart production on Murdered on the Fourth of July, we wanted to take a moment to answer some questions that have come up over the last few weeks from both current and potential supporters and provide a more thorough reminder of what this campaign is all about.
How is the campaign doing?
As of this writing, we’re 65% funded–almost $7,900 pledged–thanks to a handful of new supporters joining our cause over the last few days. But we only have 9 days left to meet our $12,000 campaign goal, which means we’re slightly behind schedule.
So how much more needs to be raised?
The way that Seed&Spark works, you have to reach at least 80% of the overall goal in order to get any of the funds. That means we only have $1,755 left to raise just to hit that 80% threshold by November 1, which will unlock all the funds that have been pledged so far and allow us to get back to work on this film and stop asking for money.
What happens if the campaign doesn’t meet its goal?
If we don’t meet at least 80% of the goal by the end of the campaign, we don’t get any of the funds that have been pledged. That doesn’t mean the film doesn’t get made. The film is going to get made no matter what. It’s just going to take us longer and will require us to go back to the drawing board to get these funds.
We believe that won’t happen, though. This campaign will be a success because people like you are passionate about it. If you’re reading this update right now, that means you care. That means you want to contribute or you’ve already contributed. And if you have already contributed or shared this (or you’re going to share this), thank you so much.
What are we raising money for?
You can find more details on our Seed&Spark campaign page (click on “Wishlist”), but the basics include: paying for (and feeding) the people who are going to make Murdered on the Fourth of July, including our cinematographer, Winston Moon, a sound recordist, a production assistant, grip equipment as needed on location, travel and lodging for those who require it, production insurance, and then just paying for the associated costs of running this campaign.
What does someone get in return for contributing to this campaign?
Now, of course, the subject matter of this film is pretty serious. The murder of two anti-racist activists by neo-Nazi skinheads does not exactly lend itself toward creating fun swag for such a thing. However, I think we’ve come up with some tasteful, thoughtful ways to recognize your contributions to this campaign and to thank you for your support.
That includes things like recognition on our website, in the film, and/or on IMDB, depending on the level that you come in at. For just $25 pledge, you would receive a digital copy of the film when it’s complete. If you wanted a DVD or a Blu-ray, $50 will get you that, plus a digital copy as well. If you want an opportunity to weigh in on the film before it’s even finished, for $250, you’ll get early access to a rough cut and have the opportunity to provide feedback and actually help shape the final product.
There’s even an incentive for director Pj Perez to give you a personalized masterclass in documentary filmmaking, independent filmmaking, or any aspect of filmmaking you’re curious about (or just ask him questions for an hour or so and discuss whatever you want).
If you’ve ever wanted to be a producer on a film, we actually have several contributing producer, co-executive producer and executive producer levels that you can come in at that are actually significantly lower proportionate to the budget of the film than if you were to come in outside of this campaign.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes! This project is fiscally sponsored by the International Documentary Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means that contributions in support of Murdered on the Fourth of July may be partially or fully tax-deductible as allowed by law (minus the fair market value of any items received in return for your donation).
What if I want to make a donation outside of Seed&Spark?
Several people have asked about contributing “directly” to avoid us losing any money to credit card or platform fees. While we appreciate that, the fact is, running a campaign like this gets the greatest number of eyeballs on our project and when people see it building momentum, it gets them excited about joining and helping as well. So it’s important that every donation through November 1 is contributed through the Seed&Spark campaign to ensure we don’t miss our goal. Seed&Spark takes no platform fees, and only a small (less than 3%) amount is taken by the credit card processor.
That said, anyone interested in giving financial support after the campaign is over or who would like to become an actual investor can contact us directly for more details.
What if someone wants to help but cannot give financially right now?
First and easiest? Just share the campaign–share it with people on your social media, send emails, talk to your family or friends about it, and let them know why you’re passionate about it, why you support this project, and why you think it’s important to tell the story of what happened to Dan and to Lin and why it still matters today.
Also, you can also make a “loan” of goods or services. If you can provide any of the items listed on our Wishlist (such as grip equipment, or your time as a production assistant, etc.), you can actually choose to “Loan Item” instead directly from the campaign page.
Why does a story about 25-year-old murders still matter today?
Part of the reason that we went kind of quiet on promoting this campaign last week is because of what’s been happening in the Middle East, more specifically because of the impact it’s been having elsewhere–including here in the United States. We’ve seen a rise in hateful rhetoric and hateful violence against people because of their faith or their ethnicity. And that’s exactly the message that we’re trying to get out with this film, to show the devastating consequences of hate when it’s left unchecked. This is more relevant than ever, unfortunately, and that’s why it’s really important for us to tell this story.
I made a pledge, but I wasn’t charged for my contribution, only for the “tip” to Seed&Spark.
That’s because the card you used won’t be charged for your donation to our project until the campaign is over and receives the green light! Assuming we’re successful, know that the credit card you used to make your pledge will be charged on or shortly after November 1.
We hope that answers some questions and explains a little more about what this campaign is for, why we’re raising the funds, what we’re going to do with the funds, how you can help with this, and just what the goal of the film is overall–besides just telling a tragic story, it’s to hopefully generate a lesson out of this project, and build a community around it that comes together, heals together, and hopefully makes the world a less hateful, less violent, more empathetic and more understanding place together.
Thank you again for your support, for reading this, and for sharing the campaign. Nine days to go!