We know what you’re asking: “Why should I contribute to help fund ‘Henry Miller’s Paris: A Film,’ especially now that you’ve exceeded your goal?” (Kickstarter donation page is here, btw.)
Well, first off, THANK YOU to everyone who donated and helped us reach our goal!!!
And secondly, the aforementioned question is a valid one. So we came up with nine pretty compelling reasons to give. And they are:
1. The extra funding will help immensely. If you perchance scan the other film projects on Kickstarter, you’ll see that our goal of $6,500 is rather modest in comparison. In reality, there are, of course, other expenses at play and any additional funding will certainly not go to waste. It will be used for critical production-related costs, such as transportation and lodging for the filmmakers, production costs such as rentals of audio gear and lenses as well as post production costs such as hard drives, color correction, and score.
2. The film perfectly aligns with our mission. As a 501 c 3 non-profit arts center, the Henry Miller Memorial’s primary goal is simple to: “promote the legacy of Henry Miller.” Just ask the IRS; they have the paperwork. We do it every day in our tiny little corner in Big Sur (that’s us on the right), and last year we did the same in Miller’s home borough of Brooklyn, which brought us to the next logical step: extending our charter to the place where he made a name for himself: Paris.
3. The movie will bring our amazing archives to life. Indeed, the Library owns some of the most impressive Miller archives in the world, including letters, postcards, and manuscripts sent by Miller back to the states while in Paris (the famous “Schnellock Collection.”) The film will weave these critical documents throughout its narrative, bringing to life Miller’s inner thoughts and artistic evolution from 1930-1939.
4. Great prizes! For example, a donation of $250 gets you TWO FREE TICKETS to any 2014 Henry Miller Library show in Big Sur – even the sold out ones! (Only five pairs available!) Previous bands include Arcade Fire, Flaming Lips, Pixies (at the Library, below left), Fleet Foxes, etc!
5. We’re blessed to work with an Emmy-award winning, NY-based production company. Don’t get us wrong. If left to our own devices, we alone at the Library would probably create a pretty cool movie (you’ve seen those Hippie Sven films, right?)
But we’re partnering with House of Nod (right, with award), an award-winning production house out of Brooklyn, who also was part of 2013’s Big Sur Brooklyn Bridge festival. In short: these folks are legit.
6. The stars have aligned! As bohemian as it may sound, we’re not heading off to Paris with a dog-eared Lonely Planet and a fanny pack stuffed with traveller’s checks. More profound machinations are at work.
The filming will coincide with Aller Retour Paris, the first-ever celebration of Henry Miller in the City of Light. As such, we’ve rounded up some of the world’s most acclaimed Miller scholars (Mary Duncan, Katy Masuga, Ida Therén, Jim Haines), and two of the most pivotal living individuals in Miller’s life: his British publisher, the famed John Calder, and Georges Hoffman, head of Miller’s Paris-based literary agency. As previously noted, the stars have aligned!
7. It’s a subject very much worth revisiting. This video, for example, has Henry talking about Paris in his own words; the only problem is that it was over 30 years ago. This isn’t to say it isn’t enlightening. It’s just, well, kinda old.
Our video will literally retrace Miller’s steps in 2014. Filming will take place at rue Anatole France, the very street that Miller walked everyday, 80 years ago, as well as the streets near Place de Clichy.
House of Nod will meander about the wine-soaked, coffee-fueled tables of Caves du Chalet, Cafe Wepler, and Rue Lamartine, where Miller worked at the Offices of the Chicago Tribute. It’s what we in the industry call documenting living history.
8. We don’t really ask for money that much. The Library is blessed with a sustainable funding model built on book sales, event income, and naturally, donations. As a result, we rarely “fundraise” in the traditional sense. (In fact, the last time we did it was three years ago when we built a new stage.) Only on very rare occasions do we rev up the PR machine and try to raise money like many of our 501 (c) 3 counterparts. And this is one of them. (Obviously!)
9. Your donation is tax-deductible. For what it’s worth, you can write-off your donation since we, as a 501 c 3, are a non-profit tax organization.
Sold? Not sold? On the fence? How about just visit our Kickstarter page and seeing what happens?
We know what you’re asking: “Why should I contribute to help fund ‘Henry Miller’s Paris: A Film,’ especially now that you’ve exceeded your goal?” (Kickstarter donation page is here, btw.)
corner in Big Sur (that’s us on the right), and last year we did the same in Miller’s home borough of Brooklyn, which brought us to the next logical step: extending our charter to the place where he made a name for himself: Paris.
4. Great prizes! For example, a donation of $250 gets you TWO FREE TICKETS to any 2014 Henry Miller Library show in Big Sur – even the sold out ones! (Only five pairs available!) Previous bands include Arcade Fire, Flaming Lips, Pixies (at the Library, below left), Fleet Foxes, etc!
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