Mullumbimby-based Trevor Keightley, a producer and director at Under The Sun Media with several documentaries to his credit, is looking ‘to make Australian film industry history’ by seeking $150,000 through the crowdsourcing platform towards his next documentary-drama. This is the largest amount sought through crowdsourcing for a docu-drama project in Australia, according to Keightley.
Rather than giving investors simple posters, hats and DVDs of the film for their support, Trevor is inviting these ‘crowd-producers’ to be part of the filming and scripting process via a dedicated web-based TV channel network. The network will broadcast behind-the-scenes action, production and script meetings and ongoing interviews of the producers and actors themselves. There is even a chance for crowdsourcing producers to play an extra in the movie as well as flights to the film launches and festivals.
‘We haven’t invented anything new here,’ says Keightley, ‘the difference is how we have assembled our design elements and approach. This is not your usual movie. And it makes sense to raise the funds needed from the groundswell of people.’
The film, Occupy Groundswell, is ‘a docu-drama based on the journey of a number of characters that create a compelling and positive image for the future of humanity as they travel the globe seeking their truth,’ says Keightley.
‘Underpinning the story is the fact that over 100 million people globally seek to live a more sustainable and ethical life that will preserve our planet for future generations. The facts for the documentary part of the film are based on the research of American sociologist and Groundswell consulting producer Dr Paul Ray, co-author of The Cultural Creatives with Sherry Ruth Anderson, who has identified over 35 per cent of the US population as being part of a subculture who base their purchasing decisions on values that are ecologically and spiritually founded and are under-represented by mainstream media and entertainment.
‘This figure is comparable in Australia, Canada, Japan and across the UK and Europe, estimating that over 100 million people in the developed world actively seek to live in a more healthy and sustainable way. This is the provable Groundswell audience.’
The core Occupy Groundswell team is located between Sydney, Melbourne and San Francisco and will base operations in the Byron area. In addition to the feature film the team intends to continue providing news, current affairs and entertainment via the web-based digital TV channels on the Groundswell network.
Producer packages can be fully tax deductible as it is a project conducted through the Documentary Australia Foundation. For more information about getting behind Occupy Groundswell’s crowdsourcing effort, visit www.Behance.Net/OccupyGroundswell.
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