Legend of Black Lotus

JUNE 23, 2010

It’s been a busy week, month, couple of months and I’ve finally gotten time to relax and plan a forward strategy.

As you know, the Indiegogo campaign ended a few days ago and the project  reached about 20% of its funding. I’m grateful for that because along with that money came sincere interest from many people who want to see this project made. So, we’re moving right along!

First order of business is to discuss the postponement of the shooting schedule. Originally I’d planned a festival strategy that stemmed from shooting the film during the last week of July.  This would leave ample time for editing and post production, with enough time to meet the submission deadlines for major festivals in 2011.  However, as I work on other funding options it’s necessary to push the schedule back. **The new schedule is October 1-9th**

This postponement is timely because activity on my other projects has picked up. Additionally, we have ample time for set design, wardrobe fittings, hair and make-up tests and rehearsals.

The Key Hair and Make-up person is Stacey Miller, whom I was lucky to hire for four of  my film projects. Wardrobe will be handled by Faith Rosander; Faith expertly managed the wardrobe needs for my rom-com “Broken Hearts Club.”  Production design/art direction will be coordinated by Reed Johns and Claudia Craciun who did a brilliant job working on “Resurrection of Serious Rogers.” This week I meet with Gabriel Diniz, an award-winning DP, whom I’ve worked with on four film projects. I’ll also be meeting with a potential storyboard artist. I’ve also hired a composer to write an original score for the film. And of course, my First AD is Kevin Huie. Kevin and I have worked together on probably seven films.

Here’s what else is happening: an industry professional read “Legend of Black Lotus” and strongly suggested I enter the screenplay into the Slamdance screenwriting competition.  After I submitted the script I discovered that the short script contest winner has their screenplay produced by Slamdance in time for the 2011 film festival in January. If LOBL won, Slamdance would fund the production and the cast/crew would be in chilling in Park City,UT — adjacent to the Sundance Film Festival — for Slamdance, which is arguably the most fun festival on the West Coast.

Not a bad dream, huh?

Phase Two of Funding

I’m still collecting donations for Legend of Black Lotus — if you want to donate please use the PayPal link below. Perks for donations will be commensurate with the perks here www.indiegogo.com/blacklotus.

If you’d like to help with the production any amount you can give will help. Thanks in advance for your donation.

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Welcome to the $5 Starbucks Venti Latte Film Funding Blog!

If you’ve reached this page it’s because of one or two reasons: you come here often, or, you received an email from me asking for your donation of $5 to help me reach my film funding goal of $9500 to make the independent epic fantasy, Legend of Black Lotus.

By the way, retweeting this page on Twitter or posting the link on Facebook and Myspace helps spread the word and is a big help too! Go ahead. Share the info with your friends!

www.AngeloBell.com/Black-Lotus

Legend of Black Lotus is the short film version of a feature film I hope to make next year. In its simplest form, the project is a revisionist telling of the legend of Mulan, the Chinese girl who dressed as a man and took her father’s place in the army.

In Black Lotus, an African American child is born to Chinese parents in Ancient China. It is believed that she will reunite a divided kingdom and free the people from the tyrannical Emperor, who happens to be her father. Despite obvious implications of the prophecy, the girl is demonized because of her dark skin and must overcome the bonds of slavery to fulfill her destiny.

WHAT MAKES LEGEND OF BLACK LOTUS DIFFERENT?

Legend of Black Lotus was written to be exciting, dramatic, suspenseful, intriguing…all those things that make a short film worth twenty minutes of your time. There’s also some cool action sequences. Ironically though, it’s not an all-guy or all-gal film. I cut my teeth in screenwriting by writing detailed action sequences, but as I’ve matured I’ve recognized the value of writing strong female characters. In fact my best characters have been female characters.

The short film addresses the bonds of motherhood (mother/daughter), womanhood (woman/woman), girl-power (empowerment) and sisterhood (sister/sister). But there is enough action and suspense to keep the most manliest of men thoroughly entertained

Here are some informative videos to acquaint you with Legend of Black Lotus:

HOW DOES $5 FIGURE INTO ALL THIS?

It’s simple math! I have 661 friends on Facebook, over 1400 friends on combined Myspace accounts, and 2300 friends on Twitter. If everyone donated only $5 I would have more than enough money to make my film.

Simply put, if you skipped your usual Double Grande Mocha from Starbucks you’d be helping me make my film! But you aren’t merely giving away your hard-earned dollars. You’re getting something of value in return. If you donate $5 you’ll automatically be upgraded to the $10 perk. This means you’ll get a free High Definition digital download of the completed Legend of Black Lotus film, a film credit, a digital download of the short script, a copy of the TREATMENT used for the feature film and free digital downloads of my ultra-micro-budget feature films Sex, Shoes & Unicorns and Nanny and the Professional.

Look at the countdown clock on the upper right-hand side. It shows the amount of time I have left to raise funds for my film. If you’re ready to donate NOW please visit my site at www.indiegogo.com/blacklotus to process your $5 donation in a secure transaction.

If you’re not ready to donate yet, please read on.

WHY SHOULD YOU DONATE YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY?

That’s an easy question to answer. You should only donate if you believe you’ll get some value out of: 1) being a part of a film with an inspiring message, 2) getting a film credit on IMDB, 3) getting some cool film freebies and/or swag including three films, and 4) you want to brag to your friends how you helped make a film!

Okay, I admit it, the paragraph above appeals to your vanity. But let me also appeal to your faith…in me.

Chances are, my request isn’t the only request you’ll get from an independent filmmaker asking you to open your wallets and purses to help make art. I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “Why him?” And your second question is probably, “How do I know you’re even going to make the film after you get my money?” The fact is, it is a miracle that any film gets made, low-budget or otherwise. There are so many factors to consider and so many variables that become fertile breeding grounds for Murphy’s Law.

The fact is I cannot think of one reason why one film should be more deserving than the next. I cannot sit here and tell you that my film deserves your money but someone else film does not. But I am here asking for your donation.

One thing that makes me different is that I’ve navigated this labyrinthine indie film conundrum many times… 14 times to be exact. I’ve written, directed or produced 14 films. I’ve won awards for my films. My films have aired on the IFC channel, on television and toured the world in film festivals. My recent film, Broken Hearts Club was recently greenlit by NBC Universal to air in one of their top ten markets, New York City for a test run. In fact, you can watch six of my short films in their entirety, for free, on the YouTube playlist below:

So, at the risk of patting myself on the back, I have to admit: I am the real deal. My films get made and get seen.

The countdown clock on the upper right-hand side is still moving. If you’re ready to donate NOW please visit my site at www.indiegogo.com/blacklotus to process your $5 donation in a secure transaction and get all the perks of a $10 donation.

THE RIGHT TIME, THE RIGHT PLACE

If you’re like me, you’ve looked back in time and wished you would have taken advantage of past opportunities. Perhaps you wish you invested in Google or Apple stock. Maybe you’re life would have been different if you started your blog sooner rather than later. Or maybe you’re a big fan of web video and wish you were around to help the folks at The Guild launch their incredibly successful web series.

A couple of things have happened recently that tell me that now is the right time and right place for Legend of Black Lotus. Earlier this year YouTuber’s tuned in to The Raven, a sci-fi short film which has garnered national attention for the filmmaker Ricardo de Montreuil. And almost everyone recognizes the film title, District 9 which spawned from the YouTube short film, Alive in Joburg. Most recently there’s been talk of a $30 million production deal for Fede Alvarex who made the exciting YouTube short film, Ataque de Panico (Panic Attack!).

Two years from now when Legend of Black Lotus (the feature film version) is in theaters, wouldn’t you like to say to your friends, I was in the right place at the right time and I helped make that film?

AIN’T IT COOL!

Let’s face it, it’s just damn cool to be a patron of the arts and support the efforts of independent filmmakers! When you support an indie filmmaker like myself you also support our dreams. You tell us that it is okay to go after our dreams, and that you wish us success.

Most importantly, when you support me, you have a friend for life. You’ll have friend-access to many of the insane ideas and plans I have to: make sequels to my films, become the next J.J. Abrams, win an Oscar, make a blockbuster film, work with Jerry Bruckheimer, break records and basically take over the film world.

Please join me in this epic journey to make and epic film. Your donations are greatly appreciated, admired and adored. Thank you for your consideration. I’ll see you at the movies.

If you’re ready to donate NOW please visit my site at www.indiegogo.com/blacklotus to process your $5 donation in a secure transaction and get all the perks of a $10 donation.

OR
You can Spread the Love and Spread the Word by Forwarding this link to your friends and family, and other generous people

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Legend of Black Lotus, aka Black Lotus is an epic fantasy martial-arts fairytale. Written in the spirit of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Gladiator it carries themes of courage, destiny, faith, and unconditional love.

CLICK HERE NOW to see the IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign Page and help me make this film.
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The Legend

The legend speaks of a child who shall be borne of the black forest and who shall rise to become a great leader and unify a kingdom divided against itself. In the story, a child is born to a barren queen, condemned to servanthood and demonized because of the color of her skin. But with her mother’s unconditional love she secretly rises to become a great warrior and fulfills her destiny to become Empress.

Legend of Black Lotus is the biggest , baddest most-awesomest film project I have ever undertaken. This is saying a lot because I’ve completed over ten films that I’ve funded myself, out of pocket.

Black Lotus is a promo video project — a short version of the feature film. I’ll use it to show investors, production companies and financiers how bad-ass the feature film will be.

Black Lotus presents an incredible opportunity for me, the independent film community and artists alike.

• The film showcases the talents of people who are often under-represented in films: Asians, Asian Americans and African Americans.
• I am tapping into a local pool of indie talent to produce, shoot, score and edit the film. Moreover, when I obtain financing for the feature film, which is budgeted at $4M, I’ll bring that talent with me on the larger gig.
• For me filmmaking is about creatively challenging myself. I’ve made films for $1000, $10,000, even $100,000. Now it’s time dig down deep for a bigger pair of cajones and jump to the multi-million-dollar level. But I only need $5000 from my potential fans to get started.

If you’ve ever hated the thin plots and poor storylines of genre films, fear not. Black Lotus has it all: drama, love, jealousy, kick-ass fighting sequences, sacrifice, spirituality and some of the best “how are they going to get out of that!” scenes since Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

Visit IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign Page
Sso YOU can help me make this amazing film.
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