I always find it a challenge when I’m working on documentaries to take the time to develop my synopsis and treatment. What usually puts a spark behind my film strategy, besides having the passion to explore the issue at hand, is funding. Seeking a fiscal sponsor that will assist you in free fundraising workshops and mentor your project is not an easy find. It takes a great deal of researching organizations to find the right fit. Does their mission statement fit with your own? Does that fiscal sponsor support your type of project?
For this project I will be reaching out to Women Make Movies for support – one of the staff here at Flower City Arts Center suggested them as a fiscal sponsor for my film. I feel strongly that my film “Violated Women” is the right project for Women Make Movies to support not just because I am a woman but because of the content of the film. The film is a catalyst film for healing to educate and inspire other women who may share the same situation of being a rape survivor.
Last week I met with a consultant on the project Dr. Catherine Cerruli a very organized woman well rounded in her commitment to women and justice. Kate introduced me to other mental health professionals and volunteers in the field. I met with over 16 people and they shared their opinions and comments on the subject at hand. They also suggested a few titles for my project after it was pointed out that my current title may scare away my audience due to being too aggressive and unapproachable – they have a point, but my title “Violated Women” does get to the point of why I liked that title to begin with – because it forces the audience to ask themselves, “how was she violated?” This group was also informative on funding opportunities which I found helpful.
I also brought on a new intern to my team, Crystal Knight, a senior in high school who I met here at Flower City Arts Center while I was teaching in the Studio 678 program. I am so excited to have her assisting me in the project! She is a true thinker with great ideas. I’m also happy to share that fellow Flower City Arts Center artist-in-residence Stephanie Mercedes has agreed to come on board to assist me with writing my proposal and funding applications. I am so grateful to know this project is bigger than me.
My goals for this week are to send out my proposal to Women Make Movies in New York City and have my application and proposal ready for two funders.
Next week my team and I plan on interviewing a few survivors of violence which we plan to use in the introduction of my film. I’m also researching statistics of rape in America and globally that I can incorporate in to the end of “Violated Women”.