Friends,
I've been peppering stories about the making of our film "Dean and Me," around here for years.
We chose "Dean and Me" as the working title for our film in tribute to Michael Moore and the similarity of our quest to finish my first feature length film and provide a valuable tool for our progressive cause.
The difference, of course, is that I wasn't out to "get" Howard Dean and what he stands for (greed in the case of Roger in "Roger and Me"). I was out to get integrity back into the White House before the traditional media decided for us that Dean was "un-electable."
I was out to get George W. Bush out of Washington before the establishment handed us a candidate that voters decided wasn't different enough from the status quo to be "electable."
I was out to get Howard Dean into the DNC so that the ATM machine worked for us for a change in all 50 states.
Well, I can't relate to Michael Moore on everything, but I sure could feel his pain after reading his recent diary about GM.
Please, let me explain.
Now, I'm not even trying to be Michael Moore as my style of film is Cinema Verite'. That's French for "film reality." I don't give you much narration--I respect your intelligence as the audience to figure it out. I can promise you that every time you watch "Dean and Me," you'll discover something new as it evolves with time--even though, technically speaking, it's not quite finished.
No, I'm no Michael Moore--I can't promise you strangled rabbits--but I can promise you a film that gives you a funny, unique look at how our primary system works. I can promise you a close inspection of some of our favorite actors in the media; Hannity, Fox, Matthews, Tucker, etc.
Yes, I can relate to what Michael Moore was saying about how hard it was to get "Roger and Me" finished after so many years of struggling to keep it alive because you know it will be an important part of our community history and documented people-powered action.
I know what it's like to have invested my entire life, and treasure, into something that's important because, like in "Roger and Me," the title character in "Dean and Me" isn't the only focus. It's about those he inspired to change our country. It's about us!
Now, I can relate to Michael Moore about his trip to Washington, D.C. and remembering what it's like to sleep on the floors of friends to try and get his first film done.
The difference for me I guess is that when I had to get the final scene for "Dean and Me" on President Obama's inauguration day, I slept in a fancy "Georgetown Club"--in a car, in an underground Georgetown parking lot, under a building that was filled with the long gowns and black ties of an exclusive Obama Ball. Cheers!
I brushed my teeth with a canteen of water and trudged down to the mall to get what will be the opening scene of the film if we raise the $25,0000 we need to finish the final cut.
Here's a video teaser:
(*Important Note: The following teaser reveals ONLY A LITTLE OF WHAT ACTUALLY MADE THE FILM CUT. This is NOT cut from the actual film. This is part of a short film we made four years ago and is what made filmmaker Ken Burns excited about our direction and focus on our traditional media friends).
I can relate to Michael Moore when he talks about those tough days trying to keep his dream and the dreams of others alive. We sold all 16 acres of our farmland to a developer to keep this film alive so that you too can see what it's like to be inside the DNC on election night.
Bye Bye Farm:
My production team, Emmy award winner and chair of the SUNY Purchase Film School’s Iris Cahn (editor and co-producer), and Guggenheim Fellow, Emmy winner and SUNY Purchase’s Deanna Kamiel (co-producer), have worked for "progressive cause rates" for the past five years. In Deanna’s case, that means she hasn’t been paid a dime.
Here's what naniboujou (of our community) wrote in a comment after one of my pleas to you to help us wrap up the final cut and deliver it to you by Pre-Ordering the film:
"Did this show in Minneapolis at the film festival last year? If this is the movie I saw (with Ted Mondale in it), let me just say it was a delightful/inspiring movie. We loved it. If that's the movie...you will have a contribution. And be sure to add that it wasn't only my husband and I who thought the movie was inspiring. The entire Minneapolis crowd absolutely loved the movie. As you have implied, "Dean and Me" isn't just a story about one man and Howard Dean...it is a story about all of us who believe in and hope for a better America."
"To those of you who aren't sure whether you want to kick in on this venture--the movie is worth it just to see all the footage of Tucker Carlson! Trust me on this! I just kicked in $50.00. Looking forward to owning my own copy! Done!" --naniboujou
I emphasized her contribution pledge because here's someone from our community who saw the huge crowd at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival we had for a film that, technically, isn't even finished yet. Naniboujou paid for a ticket AND came back to donate to the cause of finishing it and owning it.
Our list of technical needs are at the Pre-order page. We have raised $550 (Thank you Kossacks!) towards the "save our stock footage" drive for the priority $1000 we need to raise to upgrade our studio production system. We will upgrade our "bat" when we reach that goal.
You can view more sample teaser clips on the homepage.
If you want to really get into the director's head about why he did this, read the first part in my continuing series at my blogspot.
Friends, we've been through a lot together over the years. There are many in D.C. who are trying to re-write our history.
Let's not let them get away with it.
Here's a way to make sure it doesn't happen.
For a $40 minimum, you'll be entered into a raffle for a free week stay at a fancy hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But donate what you can, I'm not going to deny you the film when it's done. I've had you guys in mind the whole time we've been making it as I visited Kos everyday to check the pulse and get up to date and informed.
Will you join this effort? Will we be able to give the DailyKos community a nice credit at the end of the film? Can we wrap this up to at least have a chance at earning the honor of sharing the finished film with you at Netroots Nation?
Because--my wife and kids simply can't afford to carry this burden alone anymore. That's our reality.
This is "Stone Soup." So far we have people offering their services with "discounted" sound mix and color correct. We've got people creating IMBD placements, Wikipedia entries for us. That's part of the fun too. But when we actually have the resources to wrap this up--then we can talk about what you'd like to see in the next film.
Thanks. And have a nice day.
PS: I'll never forget being inspired by Michael Moore as a Sophomore at The George Washington University studying journalism in 1989. We got in early for the Georgetown theater premiere of "Roger and Me." It had a lasting impression and demonstrated what a profile in courage the man is.
Sincerely,
Heath Eiden
director
Dean and Me: Roadshow of an American Primary