New Goal of $12K!

Exciting Update: We hit our minimum budget goal for A Tangled Tale in less than a month! Now we've stretched our goal to $12,000 by November 7th. See below to find out how we'll use the extra money!

Our original goal of $8,000 was the bare minimum we needed for post-production. If we reach $12,000 before Nov. 7th, I'll have the great joy of expanding our budget in the following directions:

• Music Madness: I've been talking to one of my favorite musicians about the score for the film and I'm thrilled he will be composing for us. We're still working out the contract so extra dollars will just sweeten the deal.
• Sounding Off: Sound is at least 50% of the cinema experience. Some would argue more! Getting a sweet surround sound mix involves a lot of people - sound designers, mixers, recording technician and foley artists.
• Going Green: we want our marketing materials and backer rewards to be environmentally friendly, but green printing adds to the budget. Extra funding will help us keep our commitment to being green.
• Festival Frenzy: The average festival entry fee is around $35, and most filmmakers submit to at least 100 festivals! Once a film is in, there's shipping prints, marketing materials and travelling, which all add up. But getting a short film on a big screen near you is our goal, and the more we can put in our festival budget the better chance we have of getting "A Tangle Tale" on the next Oscar list!
• Production Deadlines: Why stop at $12K? If we double our goal, I will be able to take a month off from freelance work and focus entirely on getting the film done ahead of schedule. That means you get your rewards sooner and the party starts early!

These are all working artists and technicians that make the cinema experience and they deserve to earn a living. Consider yourself a patron of the arts by pledging your support! Thank you again, for getting us past the "bare minimum" goal. We are very excited to see what we can do with a larger budget. 150%, here we come!

Sand Painting

A a special incentive for backing A Tangled Tale on Kickstarter.com I've created 2 sand paintings, done in the hand-tinted style of the film. The first is the Maroon Bells, near my home in Aspen, CO.

"Bell Shower"

"Tallac Tack"

There will be 25 signed limited-edition 8x10 prints of each of these painting available to backers only and only while they last! All it takes is a pledge of $75.

Additionally, backers at the $1,000 level have the opportunity to commission a single-edition sand painting (i.e. you chose the size and subject and will have the only print in the world!).

Again, (can I say it enough?) thank you so much for your support! I have no doubt we can make and even exceed that $8,000 mark well before Nov. 7th. All it takes is a little push, a little share-the-luv. So email, blog, tweet and tumble these new works of art in support of the film!

Kickstarting- A Tangled Tale

3...2...1...LAUNCH!

Post-production is expensive so we are reaching out to our social networks! Check out A Tangled Tale on Kickstarter.com

Ottawa, fair Ottawa!

I've just returned from the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Read my review of the films and festival gossip on the ASIFA-Colorado blog.

MOPS Reach More Moms Grant

With the wealth of information on the web, more small companies are looking for a way to engage their target audiences. Telling a simple story with animation taps into the power of our visual and emotional memories. Done right is can be immensely more effective than scrolling through pages of text and links on a website!

Mother's of Preschoolers (aka MOPS) is a non-profit group based out of Denver. In order to get the word out about a new grant opportunity for their members, they opted for a short and sweet story rather than a big write up. And they hired me to do it!Tell me, do you get the picture?

Animation Station at Art in the Park!

Saturday, July 9th was hoppin' in Basalt! Saturdays LIVE in Basalt is a summer street festival that happens every second Saturday in our little town on the Frying Pan. There is live music and local food stalls, runners finishing the Aspen Marathon, and Art in the Park, featuring an outdoor Animation Station! This month, we made another community animation project, similar to last December's Yulefest. Check out the results of our efforts over the course of the day!

More info...

"Snow" at the NZMFF

This year, Thom and I are staying in sunny Colorado to enjoy our first ever summer together (in 3 years of togetherness!) But to keep the kiwi connection, I'm sending a sweet little short film to our friends at the New Zealand Mountain Film Festival. You can see "Snow" on opening night of the festival, July 1st at 7pm in Wanaka! If you are nearby, don't miss it!