Reaching the Goal...and Doing a Little Dance

I've let a little too much time pass since my last post but it has been BUSY! I'm just juggling a million different things and putting this film together is basically like having a second job.  I love it, I just wish it was a second job that paid....Well, actually it does pay, just in a way that has nothing to do with money.  It pays with the amazing feeling of knowing I'm doing something that will ultimately help others.  It pays me with a great sense of satisfaction every time I reach a milestone along the way, especially when I had doubts about making it at all.

Last night I reached and surpassed my funding goal for this short film on IndieGoGo.com.  I set what I thought originally was a modest goal: $3,000.  I figured, no problem, it's obtainable.  Shoot, if I could get 100 people to give $30, I'd get there easily.  But as I wrote in my previous blog, raising money ain't easy especially in a poor economy.  Of course that's logical but you feel it more when you're in it.

Within a couple of weeks of setting up the online funding page, as I saw the numbers slowly build from $100 to $110 to $150 and then eventually stay around $400 for quite a while, I started to kick myself for setting such a high goal.  I've always been a big dreamer and someone who feels like you should set the bar high if you want any chance at doing something amazing.  But then I thought maybe sometimes you can set the bar too high and be a little unrealistic.  Maybe I should have set the goal at $1,500, I thought.  Why would I do such a foolish thing of thinking I could raise double?  People are unemployed or making just enough to cover their needs. I can't even fund this film on my own! At least if I set it at $1,500 I would still reach my goal, maybe surpass it a little and definitely get to keep more of the money (IndieGoGo.com takes a higher percentage if you don't reach your goal...it keeps people from putting up crazy numbers).

Over the past several weeks I probably beat myself up about every other day.  The numbers grew to around $1,400 but then stopped again, further feeding my fears about having set an unrealistic goal. I wish I had at least set the time limit a little longer.  I posted the funding site everywhere: AIDS message boards, HIV/AIDS Yahoo Groups, film message boards, sent out emails weekly, Facebook, Twitter, phone calls, texts, etc.  I was feeling pretty defeated and even stopped looking at the site.

But even though I was frustrated, I didn't give up (and you know I prayed on it).  Over the last few weeks in March more money started pouring it.  Next thing I knew, I was at $2,000.  I figured that's a great amount to walk away with.  And then it grew a little more which motivated me to continue reminding people as the campaign was winding down to the last 5 days.  Then I woke up at 8am yesterday, the last day of the campaign, and saw that after a few new donations, we were now at $2,600!  I was like "WHAAAAT!?!"  So close and still 16 hours left.  I jumped out of bed and got busy.  I spent the whole day juggling work and reminding people that it was the last day to donate.  I felt like I was running a telethon.  "16 hours left".  "Only 12 hours left people, give a little something!"  I was counting down every hour just to make sure anyone who missed one of my messages wouldn't forget.  I know people were probably sick of me!  But to be so close and not make it would have really hurt.  But with an hour to spare, we made it and even went over!  The writer of the film and I were able to raise $3,075 just before midnight.  I've never done anything like this before so the sense of accomplishment feels so great.  I even did a little dance around my apartment...a touch of the running man mixed with something I'm not quite sure how to describe. Luckily, no one but myself could see that...

It felt great to reach a goal I was unsure I could reach.  It felt great to work with someone who was always optimistic about how much we could raise.  But most of all, seeing the list of all the people who dug deep in their pockets to give to this project, well...that just feels more amazing than any words could say.  I know times are hard, no doubt about it.  And to see people still contribute something, sometimes amounts I was surprised about, just touched me so greatly.  Sometimes I do tend to focus on the negative, think about what I should've done or could've done better.  All I can focus on here are the AMAZING and wonderful people who supported me and this project.  I can't thank you all enough.

So, I got another thing to check off the list.  We're still raising money through May so if anyone still wants to contribute, just send me a message.  You know I still have more money raising ideas up my sleeve!  But we're in good shape and I have faith we'll get close to the total amount I need soon.  Thanks for the love and support.  More to come.....

Raising Money Ain't Easy...

So, I'm trying to raise money for this short film on HIV/AIDS I want to shoot this spring/summer.  I know I'm probably annoying people with my many emails, posts and pleas for funds.  But I gotta do what I gotta do.  I think I can be a pest in a nice way (if that's possible).  I'm a freelance producer trying to make things happen and this particular film can make a difference in a lot of ways. Putting together a film of any size is a lot of work, especially when you've got a job.  I figure it can help me in a lot ways to share my experiences here.  I'm sure at the very least it'll be fun to look back on when everything is done.

Basically, "Who Do You Know?" is a short film that focuses specifically on the African American community, the community most affected by HIV in the United States. It explores HIV/AIDS through the eyes of teenagers and emphasizes the importance of getting tested. I checked out the CDC's website and learned that Black Americans account for about 46% of HIV cases in the United States, while only making up about 13% of the country’s population. That's something that definitely got my attention; it should get everyone's attention.

Just because it's not in the news every day doesn't mean it's no longer a problem. Support I get for this film will help to keep the message going.  I hope to use this film to provoke a dialogue, in the African American community in particular, to promote safe sex practices, emphasize getting tested and eliminate the stigma that still surrounds this disease.

But I do need help raising money to get it made.  I don't have a rich uncle somewhere (still looking for one) to loan me some money, so I'm just doing it the old fashioned way - begging for cash.  I'm trying to perfect my begging techniques.....But seriously, things are set up so people aren't just giving money to support a film -- some of the money benefits Women Alive Coalition, a great AIDS organization in Los Angeles that specifically focuses on women living with HIV.  So what folks give is tax-deductible.  Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Anyway, I hope this fundraising campaign works out, this film gets made, looks awesome and has an impact on those who see it.

Anyone who'd like to learn more of contribute: 
-The Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Who-Do-You-Know/144341982274695

-To make a contribution, visit http://www.indiegogo.com/whodoyouknow?a=54364&i=addr

More to come....