.

Fully Funded!

Upon inception I had about 25 - 30 percent of the funding I needed to make Scrapped from people that saw the last project I did of this kind and wanted to help make it happen. All of them were amazing people that pretty much wrote checks for as much as they could and expected nothing in return. They were happy to give me a hand, believed in me and the project and knew how tough it is to get things rolling.

I was initially hunting down another $40k in funding from a corporate sponsor which seemed like a good fit because I also wanted to feature some big scrapbooking industry juggernaught to go behind the scenes with and blow peoples minds while we roll through mountains of boxed product heading all over the world. I wanted to fnd out how companies get their ideas for form and function, etc. It seemed like corporate sponsorship was a great fit.

Within three days of sending out an email with the script concept I recieved a call from one of the rock stars of the scrapbooking world. She was on board and was planning on helping get the company she help build on board. She wanted to help personally pick up the remaining $40k and we moved forward with the company. Initially the head of the PR department said no. I said pretty please and sent more info, then the PR woman said maybe... well, no.

We were holding out hope until yesterday as my friend moved her way up the ranks, pitching the Scrapped concept to the top brass she reached the pinnacle person who had the deciding vote who was apparently very enthusiastic but had to say no because there wasn't time to really evaluate. DOH! I guess they are going through some big decisions and transitions in their company and can't throw any time at it. That meant it would be uncomfortable for my friend to fund a movie her company passed on being in so I was 5 weeks out with no funding and no behind the scenes segment!

During this time I was contacted by other companies which expressed interest in the project so Connie and I thought it would be a safe bet to just take out a home equity loan and fund it ourselves not making it brand specific in hopes that being generally about scrapbooking it will have a wider appeal and bring different factions of the scrapbooking world together. Ooo, sounds beautiful. ;0)

Anyone suggesting I'm "cashing in " on scrapbooking with this movie should feel what it's like to take out a loan for $40 - $50,000 with nothing but your house as collateral. It leaves a big lump in your throat.

Man I hope somebody likes this pig.

wes

posted by wes @ 8:33 AM