Chocolate is NOT Better than Sex Rom Com Feature Film
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 10:14 pm
Advice sought about where and how to start my campaign.
Chocolate is Not Better than Sex is my first feature film that I'm producing. I've produced several shorts, music videos, skits, etc. I've been cast, crew, done 48 hour film fests, but best of all, I've experienced what we all, who seek to find love, experience: laughter, horrible blind dates from hell, romance, heartbreak and the aftermath of a chocolate hangover. This film is a very real romantic comedy, fun and hilarious because we recognize ourselves in the characters, unlike Bridesmaids or other comedies which make very crude unrealistic characters for shock value only. I am the sort dedicated to a more fun classic comedy, witty dialog, true almost crazy incidents and a film dedicated to loving life and all its foibles.
Short Synopsis:
When single mom, Monica Robinson, dares to plunge back in the dating game, she turns to her
friends, Ally, the pickup artist, Dori, the professional match-maker, Jeanie, the mousy and petite
latch-on with a penchant for bad boys, Hedda, the budding wine connoisseur, and her own mother,
a former Misses America, for advice.
Monica feels destined to kiss toads and nibble chocolate her whole life as she falls victim to a
slew of horrible blind dates. After a whirlwind cougar-cub office romance, she finds there is no
one suitable for her. She and her friends realize that women are too serious and they divulge their
innermost and hilarious secrets while high on chocolate cake. Monica discovers the way to Mr.
Right’s heart is by trusting her own.
In 2007, I wrote this script and it's gone through 11 drafts since then. I know this is the right one. In 2010, I got laid off from my job at a small magazine publisher and decided I was going to produce this full throttle. I never knew how hard it would be to get money.
I created my own website, http://www.chocolateisnotbetterthansex.com I shot a no-budget teaser trailer. I created car magnets and drive around with them everywhere. I get thumbs up from everyone who sees them, or calls out from cars, "I want to see that!" So, I know it will work. Anyone that gets my card wants immediately to see the movie or says, 'Wow, I love it. I'd see that!" I also created a 20+ page information pdf document with marketing plans, statistics, etc...I am incredibly organized. Sony pictures even had interest in the script. But, with super heroes, horror flicks, and action movies being the big draw, studios don't seem to want to take chances on Indie Rom Coms.
Over the years I've met with a lot of people who've given me false hope and promises of big money or wanted to change the script in a very detrimental way.
I have 2 other dedicated producers involved, with more seeming to want to take part every day (and have their cut, of course), I have some talent attached, and a small sum in the bank from prior & current campaigns totaling about 7K. It's hardly enough to shoot yet. But we plan on shooting in December. (I say we, I am putting it out there, I'm sure the others are nervous.) The show must go on. I am on http://www.kapipal.com/chocolate which is a different kind of fundraising site. It doesn't take the fees that kickstarter takes but it's not as well known or public as KS is. I'm a bit torn.
I have these ideas:
Separate my needs and run them on different platforms:
i.e.
Funds for crew on KS
Funds for cast on Indiegogo
etc...
OR
Put EVERYTHING on KS. Meaning the TOP SHEET of the BUDGET (or at least a good snippet of it). Be real, show people it costs money to make a film. BUT, will they honestly look at that?
What do you think about these things? I would love some honest feedback.
I, honestly, get scared putting up a number on KS and saying it's towards a "skeleton crew" or something. Maybe people will be turned off by a small amount (10K for example) for a small crew (really, it'd only pay for about 4 people). I want to be realistic, I want to have the chance to get seen by people who don't know me or my project and kickstarter seems to function well that way. Notoriety, news, making it big, reaching name actors, etc...it all "seems" like it would be possible on KS, whereas with kapipal, I don't see that happening at all and although, I did do an Indiegogo campaign in 2011 when I was less known (still not widely known) I only secured 1100.
July 31, I held a live red carpet fundraiser which was really fun and helped but didn't make what I'd hoped it would (I doubled what I spent.) You can see in these, 2 minute clips, I really put in a lot to that event (just like I will for the film). http://chocolateisnotbetterthansex.blogspot.com/2014/08/great-videos-here-red-carpet-interviews.html We plan on doing a speed dating fundraiser/dinner in November-but that's awfully close to my shoot date of Dec 1.
Would appreciate input, ideas, referrals, etc... I haven't started the KS campaign yet as I thought it best to ask you your advice.
Aleisha Gore
Writer, Director, Producer
[img]aleishagore1.jpg[/img]
Chocolate is Not Better than Sex is my first feature film that I'm producing. I've produced several shorts, music videos, skits, etc. I've been cast, crew, done 48 hour film fests, but best of all, I've experienced what we all, who seek to find love, experience: laughter, horrible blind dates from hell, romance, heartbreak and the aftermath of a chocolate hangover. This film is a very real romantic comedy, fun and hilarious because we recognize ourselves in the characters, unlike Bridesmaids or other comedies which make very crude unrealistic characters for shock value only. I am the sort dedicated to a more fun classic comedy, witty dialog, true almost crazy incidents and a film dedicated to loving life and all its foibles.
Short Synopsis:
When single mom, Monica Robinson, dares to plunge back in the dating game, she turns to her
friends, Ally, the pickup artist, Dori, the professional match-maker, Jeanie, the mousy and petite
latch-on with a penchant for bad boys, Hedda, the budding wine connoisseur, and her own mother,
a former Misses America, for advice.
Monica feels destined to kiss toads and nibble chocolate her whole life as she falls victim to a
slew of horrible blind dates. After a whirlwind cougar-cub office romance, she finds there is no
one suitable for her. She and her friends realize that women are too serious and they divulge their
innermost and hilarious secrets while high on chocolate cake. Monica discovers the way to Mr.
Right’s heart is by trusting her own.
In 2007, I wrote this script and it's gone through 11 drafts since then. I know this is the right one. In 2010, I got laid off from my job at a small magazine publisher and decided I was going to produce this full throttle. I never knew how hard it would be to get money.
I created my own website, http://www.chocolateisnotbetterthansex.com I shot a no-budget teaser trailer. I created car magnets and drive around with them everywhere. I get thumbs up from everyone who sees them, or calls out from cars, "I want to see that!" So, I know it will work. Anyone that gets my card wants immediately to see the movie or says, 'Wow, I love it. I'd see that!" I also created a 20+ page information pdf document with marketing plans, statistics, etc...I am incredibly organized. Sony pictures even had interest in the script. But, with super heroes, horror flicks, and action movies being the big draw, studios don't seem to want to take chances on Indie Rom Coms.
Over the years I've met with a lot of people who've given me false hope and promises of big money or wanted to change the script in a very detrimental way.
I have 2 other dedicated producers involved, with more seeming to want to take part every day (and have their cut, of course), I have some talent attached, and a small sum in the bank from prior & current campaigns totaling about 7K. It's hardly enough to shoot yet. But we plan on shooting in December. (I say we, I am putting it out there, I'm sure the others are nervous.) The show must go on. I am on http://www.kapipal.com/chocolate which is a different kind of fundraising site. It doesn't take the fees that kickstarter takes but it's not as well known or public as KS is. I'm a bit torn.
I have these ideas:
Separate my needs and run them on different platforms:
i.e.
Funds for crew on KS
Funds for cast on Indiegogo
etc...
OR
Put EVERYTHING on KS. Meaning the TOP SHEET of the BUDGET (or at least a good snippet of it). Be real, show people it costs money to make a film. BUT, will they honestly look at that?
What do you think about these things? I would love some honest feedback.
I, honestly, get scared putting up a number on KS and saying it's towards a "skeleton crew" or something. Maybe people will be turned off by a small amount (10K for example) for a small crew (really, it'd only pay for about 4 people). I want to be realistic, I want to have the chance to get seen by people who don't know me or my project and kickstarter seems to function well that way. Notoriety, news, making it big, reaching name actors, etc...it all "seems" like it would be possible on KS, whereas with kapipal, I don't see that happening at all and although, I did do an Indiegogo campaign in 2011 when I was less known (still not widely known) I only secured 1100.
July 31, I held a live red carpet fundraiser which was really fun and helped but didn't make what I'd hoped it would (I doubled what I spent.) You can see in these, 2 minute clips, I really put in a lot to that event (just like I will for the film). http://chocolateisnotbetterthansex.blogspot.com/2014/08/great-videos-here-red-carpet-interviews.html We plan on doing a speed dating fundraiser/dinner in November-but that's awfully close to my shoot date of Dec 1.
Would appreciate input, ideas, referrals, etc... I haven't started the KS campaign yet as I thought it best to ask you your advice.
Aleisha Gore
Writer, Director, Producer
[img]aleishagore1.jpg[/img]