Returning from Camino

A short film based on two questions:

What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
How can we best respond to grief and loss? 

This film will center on the legacy left by one man, Simon Forsythe, and more broadly explores how we follow in the footsteps of those who have had an impact on our lives once they are gone.

In 2018, Simon died unexpectedly while on sabbatical, biking the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Simon was the pastor of Life Vineyard Church in Columbus Ohio as well as a husband and father. He was also the personal mentor of the filmmaker Brandon J. Abbott. Following his death, one could not dispute the great impact Simon had left on the lives of those who knew him. 

The main themes of this film is how we pick up the baton left to us by mentors, loved ones, and people who have inspired us once they have died. We will explore this is in three ways.

Mel Forsythe: Simon’s wife and current lead pastor of Life Vineyard Church will speak to the story of Simon, who he was, and the impact felt by the wider community following his death.

Dr. Alexander John Shaia: Author of the book “Returning from Camino,” Shaia will speak to the significance of pilgrimage and rites-of-passage.

Camino Journey: Simon’s Sons, a family member, and the film’s Director will travel to Spain and experience their own Camino. They will travel on the same path as Simon and then continue the journey further than Simon was able. Preparation for the journey, the walk on the Camino, and return home will be documented through formal and informal interviews as well as footage of the journey itself.

What We Need

We are looking for funds to finish this film. These funds go toward production costs, travel, post production and screening. While the film’s director has general experience in all areas of production, the hiring of a more specialized team to produce the film is preferable in order to create the best end product. Should we fall short of our goal, funds will be focused on filming and travel and post production will be simplified.

Here’s the estimated breakdown of costs:

Production
Gaffer / Lighting [Ohio – Mel Interview]: $1,000
Ohio Crew (2 days): $3,000
Camera Rentals: $500
Dr. Shaia Interview: $4,500
Total: $9,000

Travel
Dr. Shaia Interview: $1,000
Spain Airfare: $4,000
Camino Food and Lodging: $10,000
Total: $15,000

Post Production
Video Editing: $6,000
Motion Graphics: $5,000
Audio Mixing: $3,000
Music Score: $3,000
Color Grading: $2,000
Computer Technology / Data Storage: $4,500
Total: $23,500

Distribution
Marketing: $3,000
Festival Submission: $1,500
Total: $4,500

Crowdfunding Costs
Total: $11,000

Total: $63,000 

Plan of Work

Phase 1 (2021-2022)
Film formal interview with Mel Forsythe-Lee. Launch fundraising plan. Editing of this content will also begin at this point.

1a (Jul. 2021)
Capture Mel Forsythe-Lee interview and b-roll.

1b (Aug. 2021)
Edit Mel Forsythe-Lee footage.

1c (March. 2022)
Crowdfunding campaign.

Phase 2 (2022-2023)
Document travelers as they prepare for the Camino, travel, and return home.

2a (Spring 2022)
Interview Dr. Shaia / Edit footage

2b (Aug 2022)
Confirm travelers and book tickets.

2c (Winter 2022-2023)​
Pre-trip interviews with travelers

Phase 3 (2023-2024)
Complete filming.

3a (May. 2023)
Travel to Camino

3b (Aug. 2023)
Return reflection interviews with travelers.

Phase 4 (2024)
Finalize edit of film. Sound design. Music scoring. Color Grading. Finalize all edits.

Begin screening film. We will take the first year to submit to competitive film festivals (For example: Sundance, Tribeca, Cleveland International Film Festival, Calgary International Film Fest etc.). The 2nd year of screening will focus on smaller niche festivals targeted at more specific audiences. During the screening process, we will be seeking distribution opportunities through a variety of streaming platforms.

The Impact

Your contribution really allows us to give this film the production value and polish it deserves.

Risks & Challenges

As with any film, there are always risks and challenges.

The biggest risks and challenges so far revolve around COVID and travel. One of the reasons the timeline is so long is due to COVID-19, which has lead to travel restrictions and challenges with lodging on the Camino in recent years. That said, we expect most travel and lodging challenges to be resolved by 2024. 

Secondly are challenges that may arise should we come short of our fundraising goal. 

Should either of those challenges present themselves, we plan to do the following:

• Dr. Shaia has already been an incredible resource and has offered help, should we need it, in facilitating lodging and accommodations on the Camino. It was partly from his recommendation that the pilgrimage portion of the film is planned for 2023. Unbeknownst to us, 2022 will be a holy year on the Camino and many of the lodgings have closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic which would have made this year a chaotic time to film. Dr. Shaia is helping us avoid issues like this.
• Should we not reach our goal, we will put what has been contributed toward filming and explore doing another round of fundraising. This is one of the advantages of having such a long production schedule. Also, Filmmaker Brandon J. Abbott has experience with post production and can take a more involved role in those areas if necessary.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can’t give, you can still help by spreading the word.

• Share our Indiegogo on your social media accounts so people know about it.
• Remember, even giving $1 will get you signed up for the newsletter to keep up to date with the production.