I got an email from Andrew Chung of Jaded Media, a writer, filmmaker, illustrator and fellow Torontonian (woot! woot!), telling me about a film project that he’s been working on for years.
Described as a mix between Entourage and The Sopranos, MILLIONS is a proposed web series that would follow the story of six suburbanite Asian North Americans who are spurred to pursue their dreams to become rich after one of their friends dies. Andrew writes:
It’s ultimately about a group of friends that just want to make something of themselves, and how money can fuel or destroy that. It’s an entirely Asian cast, so like you I’m just trying to do my part in changing things in North American media.
Andrew includes an appeal for funding, and a (kick-ass, awesome, slick, effin’ cool) trailer in this YouTube clip. Now, I’m no film-maker, but I am absolutely blown away by the sophistication of the trailer that these guys have thrown together. I’m stunned at the quality and polish (specifically, visually) that Andrew and company achieved without funding; imagine what they can do with a budget!
(Fangirl’s note: Also, mad props for use of the word “Snkt”, bub. Also, I seriously want Brandon’s shirt from this scene.)
Now, here’s the nuts and bolts of it: the filmmakers are hoping to raise just $8,000 to bring this project to life. $8,000 would cover the production budget for the series’ first episode. To achieve this fundraising goal, the filmmakers are using a KickStarter account to facilitate support from our community.
On KickStarter, you pledge to donate a sum of your choice at different donor levels(anywhere from $1+ to $2500+). If the project is able to collect enough pledges to reach their goal of $8,000, your credit card is charged for your pledge amount on October 29th. Even better, each donation level comes with some great incentives, ranging from shout-outs, free memorabilia, and even producer credit and an invitation to the Toronto launch party.
Furthermore, you will not be charged money if the fundraising goal is not reached before October 29th.
But frankly, I really want to see more from “MILLIONS”, not only because I’m impressed by the trailer embedded above, but also because we should all do our part to support Asian American arts and film projects like these that are dedicated to telling unique stories from within the Asian American community.
ACT NOW! Please join me in pledging money to help fund “MILLIONS” and go to www.millionstheseries.com to find out more information about the project.
