To all the beautiful raindrops (see below)... Here's most of the email Caitlin sent me...has the details on being a host for the film ....
-----Original Message----- From: Caitlin Hicks [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, 12 January 2002 9:41 AM To: Vicki Chan Subject: BONES 2002 * Queensland, Australia www.fatsalmoncinema.com >>For many, the thought that we could reclaim our births (indeed our >>lives) and change the way our children come into the world is too much >>to contemplate. I firmly believe it can happen and it is by each >>playing our part... then coming together, weaving the strands, >>rekindling the stories, restoring the faith.. it can and must happen. ONe of the characters in SINGING THE BONES says to the midwife: >"You are like one raindrop in the ocean, so small as not even to be >noticed at all, what difference can you make? Yet, even a raindrop >creates an echo that is felt at the edges of the shore." Dr.Sara, >SINGING THE BONES If you send me your address, I can forward to you a publicity package for the motion picture -- which could help you if you commit to being a host for the presentation of this work in Australia. There are two others down under who are interested in hosting and once I realize where you all are in relation to each other, I will put you in touch with them. I would love to see the work of your friend, Nic Edmondstone -- is it available anywhere? I would love to talk to you in person; my phone number is (604) (Canada) and I am on the west coast of Canada, Pacific Standard Time. Or you can give me your phone number and let me know when is a good time to call you. If it doesn't work out to call, we can email -- it's also cheaper! Please give me your comments on this proposal. * 2002 * INTERNATIONAL MIDWIFERY DAY RELEASE of SINGING THE BONES This model of releasing SINGING THE BONES the motion picture concentrates on getting the word out -- to a more general audience -- starting with the birthing community and expanding awareness of birth issues into the general public with the presentation of this feature motion picture. Here's the summary: We've decided to use the model for theatrical presentation to show our film. Based on our experience locally, using this model, it is possible for the hosts to actually make a significant 'profit' from the screening of our motion picture, at the same time give this work the attention and audience it deserves. We would receive a guaranteed fee, and with multiple presentations, both the host and the filmmakers could make back some of their costs. The fee that we charged to present SINGING THE BONES the PLAY was $1,250 U.S. per showing. (This was our tour fee several years ago). Hosts for the play also had to raise enough money to bring the actor and stage manager to their location, (travel and lodging) as well as pay to rent the theatre, pay for any advertising and get the audience out. Usually we'd discount any additional showings to say, $800 per extra show. Many hosts have been quite successful raising monies from ticket sales, sometimes from conference fees, as well as in some cases, sponsorships. The going ticket price ranged from $8 - $15/per person. As compared with stage plays, MOST FILMS make their money from box office receipts. However, films which are million dollar blockbusters have already spent mega bucks in the advertising and promotion of their films. Coupled with a good distribution network, a film can be quite profitable for the filmmakers and distributors under this model. As independent filmmakers, our resources are limited, and we don't have the deal-making clout of the major studios. We've found that it's the small filmmaker who gets cut out of any profit. So we've taken our film back and are trying to combine our limited (but enthusiastic!) distribution network, our lack of advertising and promotion funds, with our very excellent product -- and lots of creativity! We don't need to make all the money from box office receipts, providing we can make something back -- and give the film exposure. So, for SINGING THE BONES, the feature length motion picture, we would like to charge a similiar fee ($1,650 U.S.) for the FIRST showing of the motion picture, plus postage or courier costs for promotional materials, shipping and return shipping of the DVD itself. The host would have the right to show this motion picture ONE TIME for this fee. HOWEVER! if the HOST showed us a plan for PUBLICITY AND/or ADVERTISING, and receipts for expenses of publicity/advertising to get the word out about the film, they could then have the right to show the film for up to an ADDITIONAL FOUR screenings at no extra cost. The sixth screening would be free provided the host showed actual "ink" in local papers, or provided actual tape of television/and radio broadcast IN ADVANCE of the screenings -- i.e. articles about the film creating interest to the general public about it. We understand that the success of an event such as this relies on good word-of-mouth, and that this detail has to be attended to from the start. A job well done in promotion and advertising helps the host re-coup their costs -- more people know about the film and the issues it raises, more come to see the film, more discuss the film's content. Because there are costs to produce the poster on our end; we would supply posters (they're gorgeous! see web page) for an additional charge - essentially what it costs us in paper and ink to produce the poster. This could be included as part of host budget for promotion and advertising to help host qualify for free screenings. Because I don't know what is a realistic budget for promotion and advertising around the world, and because I know that a good publicist can make a dollar stretch, I am leaving it open as to what kind of budget be spent IN PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING, with the caveat that in order to qualify for the additional screenings, the host must hire a publicist whose sole job it is to GET PRESS. What we need to know is that you, as a host, are taking seriously the need to get the word out about the screening. I need to see a plan for how you intend to get this done. Strategies, dates for implementation; staff or volunteers who are responsible for what tasks in the promotion of this event. We also need to see results in the media prior to the screening, listings, articles, mentions etc. WE can work with you on this. Obviously, the host would also be responsible to make any arrangements with the theatre: rent, donation, split of box office - whatever you can work out; proper projector and deck to interface with the projector for a DVD presentation. (We can advise you specifically, once you sign on. We are going to try to work on a potential sponsor of the PROJECTION equipment -- but that is not guaranteed). Locally, we had a GALA PREMIERE of our film here on the Sunshine Coast. Please look at our website: www.fatsalmoncinema.com, click the link to GALA PREMIERE and FILM FESTIVALS. Our model could work for you. We gave away many tickets for the GALA, (those who provided services to the event) (we also sold many at $15 each). It was billed as a FAUX HOLLYWOOD DRESS TO THE MAX event, and as such, it attracted an audience who wasn't necessarily interested in the content. This worked for us, it could work for you. The place was virtually sold out, many people came for the EVENT of it, but once inside the doors watching the film itself, they were happily suprised at HOW GOOD THE MOTION PICTURE IS --they told their friends, and the following night the 275-seat theatre was again SOLD OUT at $8 a ticket. We could have done two or three more shows, (we will be doing another screening in May to co-incide with the world release) We live in an area of only 25,000 people! We did receive a lot of in-kind donations: the rental of the projector the limousine, the theatre rental, snacks and drinks donated by local restaurants and shops -- and I'm sure you might have similar luck in your area. The coordination with INTERNATIONAL MIDWIFERY DAY allows you to create a very special event -- with lots of participation from anyone working in birth... If you go beyond six screenings, then we'd like to have some percentage of ticket sales from any additional screenings. Please let us know how you and your organisation might work within this model. We want GET THE FILM OUT THERE, and the many issues surrounding birth that it raises -- that is our chief desire. We are willing to work with you and anyone else who might make this a reality. Please give us input. I look forward to hearing from you! Blessings, "Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark." - Agnes de Mille Caitlin Hicks Playwright/Performer/Producer web page at (604) 886-3634 www.fatsalmoncinema.com ______________________________________________________________ SINGING THE BONES, feature-length motion picture *World premiere at FESTIVAL DES FILMS DU MONDE, Montreal, August *U.S. premiere at TAHOE FILM FESTIVAL September 28 & 30 *MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL October 6 & 7 *PLANET BIRTH Conference, 2001, Calgary, October 27 *SUNSHINE COAST PREMIERE Raven's Cry Theatre * November 7 & 8 *OJAI FILM FESTIVAL Nov. 9 & 11 _________________________________________________________________ __________________________ >Subject: interested in presenting >Sent: 12/1/20 12:41 PM >Received: 10/1/02 11:28 AM >From: Vicki Chan, [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Dear Caitlin... > >You take my breath away! > >I am a mother and a midwife, recently returned from an six month >Australia wide tour (puntuated by a whirlwind trip to childbirth >conferences both the UK and the States), talking to people on matters >of birth, presenting both orally and by way of sharing beautiful vilms >( 'video' does not give the work justice, yet 'film' is too big a word >to describe the work created by my friend Nic Edmondstone) > >For many, the thought that we could reclaim our births (indeed our >lives) and change the way our children come into the world is too much >to contemplate. I firmly believe it can happen and it is by each >playing our part... then coming together, weaving the strands, >rekindling the stories, restoring the faith.. it can and must happen. > >I thank you for your work. > >I would love to see, feel, know your film... has it yet been seen in >Australia? Maybe the time has come. > >Warm wishes from the "Sunshine Coast" of Queensland, Australia! > >Vicki Chan > "Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark." - Agnes de Mille Caitlin Hicks Playwright/Performer/Producer web page at (604) 886-3634 www.fatsalmoncinema.com ______________________________________________________________ SINGING THE BONES, feature-length motion picture *World premiere at FESTIVAL DES FILMS DU MONDE, Montreal, August *U.S. premiere at TAHOE FILM FESTIVAL September 28 & 30 *MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL October 6 & 7 *PLANET BIRTH Conference, 2001, Calgary, October 27 *SUNSHINE COAST PREMIERE Raven's Cry Theatre * November 7 & 8 *OJAI FILM FESTIVAL Nov. 9 & 11 _________________________________________________________________ -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
