This is a crosspost from my Kickstarter screenwriting project. You can visit the project here.
Dear Kickstarter,
Two weeks into this, both Mike and I have to admit, we are surprised, excited and grateful. With 71 days to go and over 40% funding, it is hard not to be. The outpouring of support – not only in terms of giving but also who has given – has been overwhelming. Our very first supporter was my High School prom date! I’ll thank Facebook for that (and Erin, of course. Thanks!). We’ve received donations from a couple Mike has not even seen since his Bar Mitzvah. And while my Hebrew is non-existent, I do know that a Mitzvah is a good deed, and Mike and I consider each donation as a deed we will repay – with a finished screenplay and a documentary to boot!
Since the project has been progressing here on Kickstarter so splendidly, perhaps you’d like to hear how it is progressing offline as well. We’re both finishing up some other projects right now, but I have been spending a considerable amount of my personal time researching Poland in general and writing. We’re feeding new ideas off of each other constantly and meet up on G-Chat a few times a week to share our thoughts and develop the individual scenes.
It’s strange where inspiration comes from. Mike sent me a text message in the middle of the night with an idea for a visualization of how Israel Horder’s important letter reaches Joseph. It’s a damn good idea and I don’t have the foggiest clue how Mike came up with it.
I was in a Grad class two weeks ago and a visiting lecturer made an off-hand comment about the American view of history. It jarred something loose in my head and, right there in class, I scribble 5 pages of thoughts and dialogue for one of the most important scenes in the entire film.
So the story is developing and we are moving closer to our goal. What’s next is a trip to New York to meet with some of the records organizations Mike’s grandfather contacted when he first began putting this story together. Mike contacted Jewishgen.org, an organization that traces Jewish genealogies throughout Europe and may be helpful with gathering research. We also plan to visit Ellis Island to shoot some preliminary video and to visit a plaque engraved with Joseph’s name. It’s all very exciting to us – and hopefully you too. And don’t worry, we’ll be sure to keep you updated here on Kickstarter.
For those of you who have given, know that it fills our hearts with joy, our bodies with fortitude and our minds with ideas. Thank you for your support so far, wish us luck going forward and – with almost 60% left to go – tell your friends!
Yours in inspired satisfaction,
Zack Sherwood
Washington DC
May 3, 2010
