Trailblazer Tuesday Crowdfunder of the Week: Click Here: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Start Loving Movies by Nicole Malek

Click Here, director Pete Chatmon’s sophomore project, is a crowdfunding campaign right up our alley: made by film lovers (evident from the get-go: the title is, of course, a wink to Kubrick fans) and fueled by that quintessentially American ethos of stopping at nothing to make your dreams a reality.

The Seed&Spark-supported film follows Pete Chatmon and Candice Sanchez McFarlane, a duo whose screenplay, $Free.99, competed at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. The industry jury loved the project and Chatmon was awarded the “Creative Promise Narrative Award.” But the five years since have seen Chatmon and McFarlane struggling to get the film made or, as Chatmon puts it, “navigating the unpredictable borders of the film industry.” The two learned that a compelling and well-liked script is just the beginning of the difficult journey to producing an independent feature film. To tell the story of that journey—theirs and that of countless other artists—Chatmon and McFarlane are producing Click Here, a documentary about the process of getting from page to screen.

Though the subject of how-an-indie-movie-is-really-made isn’t exactly untraveled territory (hell, we’ve been writing about that for years!), Click Here stands out in its dedication to researching and documenting the views of industry leaders, media-makers, and storytellers from across the country. In addition to the 30 interviews already filmed in NYC (as partially seen in the—admittedly rough—trailer), the team vows to travel to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and then Austin for a whopping 70 more interviews. The diversity of subjects and sheer number of voices chiming in is inspiring, and will surely combine into a multi-faceted, complex portrayal of the independent moviemaking experience.

Ambition of this scope has a price, though, and in this case it’s $50,000, with donations funding camera equipment, post-production services, and travel expenses. Really big donor incentive levels tend to scare us a little, personally, and this campaign’s are decidedly on the high side (with – gulp – $35,000 being the top rung of the ladder). But it’s nice to note that the incentives are obviously targeted at moviemakers and other members of the industry—with a number of rewards featuring consultations, production workshops and even the chance to purchase the limelight for yourself by becoming one of the documentary’s subject. So you, too, can be a part of the journey! Everyone with a story is welcome. You just have to Click Here (yeah, we did).

Synopsis: Click Here is a feature length documentary that follows several emerging mediamakers as they navigate the minefield of taking a project from script to screen. It’s do or die for these artists and you’re riding shotgun on their journey.”

Campaigners: Pete Chatmon, director

Target amount: $50,000

Amount currently raised: $6,035

Campaign closing date: November 15, 2013 (24 days left)

Funding goes toward: Camera accessories, data storage, post-production sound and composition, travel and living expenses for core team

Donor reward highlights:

$100: Digital file of “Double Down Film Show” Podcast (82 hours of interviews w/the likes of

Zoe Saldana, Issa Rae, Ava DuVernay, Anthony Mackie, and more…) and all $25 and below rewards

$500:  90 minute “Ask Me Anything” Call with Pete and Candice. Your choice of $100 level podcast or $150 level e-book, all $25 and below rewards.

$1,500: One hour consultation to create a 5-7 page marketing plan for your product, founding producer credit, your choice of $100 level podcast or $150 level e-book, all $25 and below rewards.

$3,500: Feature your project, platform, or service in Click Here and you will be interviewed by Pete and Candice. Founding producer credit, $100 level podcast or $150 level e-book, all $25 and below rewards.

$7,500: A 3-5 minute marketing video for your company, brand or product, directed by Pete Chatmon, Associate Producer credit, two VIP tickets to NYC premiere, special edition Associate Producer t-shirt, your choice of $100 level podcast or $150 level e-book, all $25 and below rewards.

$35,000: “Presented by” credit, two VIP tickets to NYC premiere, marketing video for your company, brand, or product. “Presented By” t-shirt, your choice of $100 level podcast or $150 level e-book, all $25 and below rewards.

MovieMakers, keep them coming! We welcome any crowdfunder campaign submissions for spotlighting consideration in our Trailblazer Tuesday series. Email info@moviemaker.com with your pitch! Help us to help you get your films made.

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