A new documentary, a new film fundraising venture, and a party invitation
There are two things that I’d like to share with you that I’m starting: a documentary called Make Use of Suffering and a new initiative to help Triangle filmmakers fundraise for short documentaries called Film Fundraising Partners (www.filmfundraising.com) part of the quiet war I am waging against the algorithms. Oh, and you’re invited to a party! Tickets and info are here.
But first… a quick thought about Bilbo and a dragon..
This image was created with Chat GPT. The prompt: “Can you create an image of a small hobbit in a dark tunnel before he has to face Smaug the dragon? Ideally it feels very much like a small person against a big foe.”
“It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterward were nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.”
- J.R.R. Tolkien, excerpt from The Hobbit
This quote is taken from The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is from the moment when Bilbo is alone in the tunnel as he approaches the ferocious dragon Smaug. Unknown dangers lay ahead, but as Tolkien writes, Bilbo’s decision to continue forward was the bravest thing he did, not taking on a dragon all alone.
The decision to act was the real battle.
I think independent filmmakers feel a bit this way when they start on a project. I know I do. There’s a fear of what’s next that blends with a desire to stay hidden in the dark. Will the story develop the way we need it to? Will we raise the money? How much of my life will go into this? How much sacrifice will it take? Anyone who starts a film or starts on a big creative project of any kind knows this anxiety. What if it bores people?
The things that “happen afterward” are nothing compared to the bravery to just start.
So, with the image of Bilbo alone in the tunnel before Smaug in mind, there are two things that I’d like to share with you that I’m starting: a documentary called Make Use of Suffering and a new initiative to help Triangle filmmakers fundraise for short documentaries (www.filmfundraising.com) part of the quiet war I am waging against the algorithms.
First the documentary:
At its core, Make Use of Suffering is a portrait of how Lynda Simmons became an artist. It's a story of how beauty can be found in suffering.
Lynda Simmons lost two of her three sons tragically over the past two decades, and since then she has dealt with an unusual amount of death: her close friend drowned, a family member died of COVID, and a couple others passed unexpectedly. To help cope with the deaths of those close to her, she turned to painting and collage, which she credits for saving her life, saving her from a depression that may have otherwise consumed her.
Make Use of Suffering will tell a bit of her story and will honor her work as an artist and some of the work she does in her community. To get the film made, we will be launching a crowdfunding campaign, which you can learn about here, and you will be receiving more emails from me about…
Which brings me nicely to the film fundraising initiative:
As of last month, along with my brother Paul, I founded a company called Film Fundraising Partners: www.filmfundraising.com. The sole purpose of this initiative is to help established filmmaking teams raise money for short films.
Here’s why we did this:
Much of my career has been spent trying to get independent films made and helping other filmmakers do the same. And, over the decade of doing this, I have noticed some challenges. There is a huge gap in the market for why more documentary projects are not made and distributed. A drying up market for indy-documentaries and an attention economy that favors celebrity influencers churning out short clips leaves little room for long-form, complex storytelling. This trend, along with a hugely fragmented production market (all mom-and-pop production companies), results in thousands of filmmakers with roughly the same issue: very talented at filmmaking, and very bad at fundraising. So, I figured it’s high time to try to do something about it.
And we need your help! Film Fundraising Partners will help facilitate small crowdfunding campaigns for Triangle-based filmmaking teams. We will be focused on building community around the films, hosting events and screenings, building partnerships, doing community outreach, etc. I would love it if you took part in this journey with us.
So how can you get involved?
Well, first, we are hosting a party! We will be launching the crowdfund of Make Use of Suffering as well as the crowdfund of an incredible film called Ranger of the North on July 23rd, which you should come to! Tickets are available now and all proceeds will be split between the two films. Get your tickets here. I would love it if you would come and learn more about these two films and this new initiative.
And secondly, if you have communities that you think would be interested in learning about Make Use of Suffering or Ranger of the North please reach out! I’m building a list of folks who will be willing to spread the word about the campaigns when they launch. The more the merrier!
Lastly, stay engaged with our posts, and please reach out to me with any ideas of places to share our content/have meetings, parties, etc. I envision a world where it’s a lot easier for filmmakers in the Triangle to get films made, and I want you to be a part of that.
Stay in touch!
And when you find yourself alone in a dark tunnel afraid of what’s ahead… just take the next step. There’s no guarantee whatsoever in what happens next, but there’s great bravery in the decision to move forward. And that’s something.
-David