An intense, cautionary cinematic fable, deeply relevant to our times.
About the Film
Terrorist attacks and biological-warfare continue to escalate. Urban areas have become unsafe. Jessica, and her husband William, flee the city seeking safety. Upon reaching their newly purchased ranch, in the middle of nowhere, they discover a Mexican ranch hand already living there. Just as the property dispute escalates to a dangerous level, a massive terrorist attack causes widespread, catastrophic destruction – the world, as they know it, no longer exists.
An intense, cautionary cinematic fable, deeply relevant to our times. The film takes a brutal, unflinching look at mankind stripped bare of the thin veneer of social convention. It is a daring, bold, often painful journey into the darkness of our primal, carnal selves, ultimately asking the audience to answer the question “What will it take for us all to awaken?”
What We Need & What You Get
Our goal is to raise $65,000 for the final post production finishing funds for the feature film, Awaken, broken down into the following categories:
$20,000 – To scan the 35mm film negative to 4K digital files, so that the movie can be released on streaming platforms. In this process, we are restoring the cinematographer’s original vision, which has never been seen before. Numbers are based on a bid from the film laboratory doing the work.
- $2,500 for 4K resolution scans of 60,500 35mm frames from “lab rolls”
- $3,000 for 4K resolution scans of original cut negative, 12 reels at 101 minutes
- $4,700 for film laboratory services, (labor) including, inspection of splices, cleaning of 102 total 35mm rolls, both the lab rolls and original cut negative, and prep all for scanning.
- $4,500 for lineup negative for scanning – 90 lab rolls for selected takes (more labor).
- $2,400 for data archiving, and transfer data to client hard drives.
- $900 for four hard drives for above copy scans onto 2 originals and 2 backups.
- $2,000 contingency to cover unknown costs of negative splice repair, re-leadering 35mm rolls, broken sprocket repair, scanning additional frames beyond estimated 60,500, and truck rental to transport many (heavy) boxes of negative to the film lab and back.
$16,500 – Sound design & mix, which involves cleaning up the dialogue tracks, removing background noises, building out the sound effects, and doing a 5.1 sound mix, as is typical for a film to be released. (Anyone familiar with sound editing costs will see we are pulling in a lot of favors at these rates).
- $9,000 for sound editorial team to complete sound design, dialogue editing, sound effects editing, ADR editing, and Foley editing for a period of 6 weeks total.
- $3,000 for Foley effects for the entire film.
- $4,500 for three-week final sound mix to blend the music, dialogue, and sound effects, as is standard in the industry.
$14,500 – Original music score – highly experienced music producer and a diverse group of musicians from various musical backgrounds and locations around the world, to create a compelling music score that greatly enhances the power of the film and its message, plus recording costs / equipment rental.
- $5,000 music producing services, including recording, engineering, and mixing
- $2,500 studio rental space to record the music tracks
- $4,000 musicians final payment
- $2,000 license fees for existing tracks used in the film
- $1,000 equipment rentals
$4,500 – Graphic design of the main title and poster, PR services to help us position the film in a way that its message reaches the most widespread audience, social media/fundraising support staff.
$4,000 – Editorial costs – editing the 4K scans to match the rough edit of the picture. Please note $2500 of this is for a new MacMini necessary to edit the 4K material. (We’ve been cutting the film on a six-year-old laptop that will not be able to play the files once they are scanned at 4K, or run the editing program to do the over-cutting). The remaining $1,500 is for editorial assistant labor to import the new files, and then sync them up with the existing cut. (Again, anyone who knows post-production costs knows with these rates, most of this work will be done for free by the team).
$3,250 – Indiegogo fees (the 5% percentage Indiegogo charges)
$2,250 – Indiegogo prizes/ incentives
We’re hoping to exceed our goal, which will allow for a professional and more comprehensive color correction process, as well as releasing an official Awaken soundtrack album, featuring world class musicians from various musical lineages located all around the world!!!
The first funds raised will go to the digital scanning process, as that requires expensive and complex equipment. Should we not raise our entire goal, we will reduce the scope of the music and sound design, however, we are optimistic, given the film’s popularity, that we will be successful in raising the full amount needed.
Rewards
Our incentives provide a unique perspective into the filmmaking process, and include some really rare opportunities to connect directly with the actors, producers, screenwriter and director. If you prefer to support us without receiving an incentive, you can click the “Back It” button to lend your support. We are inspired to build a sense of community and create a movement around this film, and hope that you will join us!
Private/intimate video calls and small Q&As with the actors/team are designed to provide you with an opportunity to learn more about the filmmaking process, directly from professional artists working in the industry.
The VIP in-person screening with the team will happen at a time that is in alignment with CO-VID 19 precautions TBD.
The Impact
During this time of uncertainty on the planet, we believe that stories have the ability to inspire shifts in consciousness that are crucial to our future as a human race. The film’s intent is to reach widespread audiences, and encourage us all to look at ways that we can make different choices in our lives. It encourages us to move away from the ongoing conflicts that we have grown accustomed to, and towards a more unified future for all.
Risks & Challenges
The team has decades of filmmaking experience, both in commercial mainstream and independent films, providing strategies for working with different budgetary restraints. Awaken has already been on an extensive journey, and is very close to being finished, thus minimizing the risks involved with contributing.
Successful Track Record
Bob Degus (director/producer) produced the triple Academy Award-nominated film, Pleasantville, starring Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire, which explored deep social issues of racism and feminism. He’s also the producer of two Academy Award nominated short films, one starring Brad Pitt, that addressed issues of social divide.
He’s a long-time voting member of the Oscars, and has had a lengthy and successful career producing in Hollywood.
Michele McGuire (screenwriter/producer) is an Academy Award-nominated producer and award-winning screenwriter, and worked for 15 years in the Hollywood film industry.
Our cast (Gabrielle Anwar, Henry Ian Cusick and Dave Baez) are top level professional actors with long and successful careers in film, television and theatre.
We are committed to seeing this project through, and inspiring real changes in our society through the powerful medium of filmmaking. The film is already impactful, and is receiving a lot of attention. In an earlier version titled 9/Tenths, the film was honored to be included in the Library of Congress for its social significance, and won a best screenwriting award, but was never released in the United States.
Thus, your contributions are allowing us to walk the final mile, with the goal of releasing the directors cut, (which honors the writer’s intention) to the public for the very first time.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please support us on social media and share our mission with your friends and family.
www.facebook.com/thefilmAwaken
https://twitter.com/awaken_film
#AwakenFilm
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm!
