Sponsorship
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Sponsorship Plan v2.5 (145.24KB)Added: 13/11/2009Downloads: 171 The contents of this page and other relevant information |
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Introduction
As part of this sponsorship pack we have included a synopsis of the story and the background information that inspired us to make this film. We have also added information about our promotion and marketing plans, and opportunities for promotion of your business that you will receive in return for your sponsorship. Also you will be helping support the arts and media in Wales and help the promotion Welsh talent on a worldwide platform.
Gareth David-Lloyd has already offered us a number of opportunities for funding through the sale of exclusive items from Torchwood and by offering opportunities to his fan base for them to help us and get something they want in return.
We will do something beyond what has been seen previously from UK short films. We are have looked at new technology, named actors and spectacular locations, to make this happen, we have a fantastic script with a multi character storyline, where each character has their own wants and needs rather than the single character narrative, which is normally seen in short film. The script reflects what we want to do professionally rather than the product of social or political events, or problems we faced in our everyday lives; we have created a story that is a comment on the human condition.
We are looking into the latest CGI techniques and technologies, as well as low budget film making. Everyone who is on board at the start of pre production has offered their time for free, and we hope the future brings more people that share our vision. The film will be no longer than 49 minutes in accordance with festival guidelines for a short feature.
Background and Subtext of the Story
Casimir Effect started its life as a short story back in 2005. It was developed as part of a role-playing game and cyberpunk setting called NeuroSys. The background materials and the world that was developed stayed around to inhabit the world of Casimir Effect. NeuroSys was developed to take a new look at the cyberpunk genre and explore futurism. By looking at the scientific breakthrough of today and thinking of imaginative ways they can change the society of the future.
The story of Casimir Effect is a mixture of classical mythology, Shakespearian tragedy and modern science. We understand that some stories last for a lifetime and other stories have the power to change and teach society. By drawing on these powerful stories and classical mythology, their characters and plot twists, we have woven in elements of the stories of Damocles and Romeo and Juliet. As well at taking ideas from other old stories about self sacrifice and the burden of one who holds the fate of mankind in their hands but are powerless because of this.
The writers wanted to find and new way to tell the classic Hero’s Journey of mythology in a science fiction setting, with the added twist of time travel also issued a huge challenge structurally. While developing the story the writers had to think in multiple levels and in multiple times frames to work out what each character knew and was thinking at any given time. This forced the writers to think outside of the box structurally and try new avenues of circular storytelling.
As a tale of unrequited love, the film can be viewed as Romeo and Juliet but with two different time lines rather than families. Both writers felt strongly that the Casimir Effect that holds subatomic particles together yet keeps them from touching is the heart of the story of Alice and Bob; two people that should be together but destiny must keep them apart for the sake of the universe. We have explored many other elements of quantum physics and modern science and have found ways that uses this as a storytelling technique.
The story of Casimir Effect deals with larger issues of human existence like many science fiction films before it. It is constructed to give the viewer more than just a happy feeling, but to give them something to think about and to start conversations. There are elements of the story left deliberately ambiguous to spark debate about the motivations of the characters. Like in life none of the characters are black and white; instead they are shades of grey each with differing motivations and goals, each with their own unique philosophy and ways of seeing the world.
Quantum Physics and the Casimir Effect, of course also play a key part in the story. The science used in the film is cutting edge theory with a touch of fiction. Time travel, paradox, alternate universes and wormholes are all theoretically possible, as is some of the technology that will be featured in the film.
Beyond all this Casimir Effect is a story of personal sacrifice, salvation and predetermined destiny, in the tradition of classical storytelling, but will break new boundaries in story telling techniques and structure.
Biographies for the Producer, Writer and Director
Lydia Wood: Director, Co-Writer
Lydia Wood was drawn to the dramatic arts at an early age; she joined a small youth amateur dramatics group in North Yorkshire and was lucky enough to have her plays performed. The thrill of seeing actors play out her words still remains.
She spent three years running a small publishing company, gaining valuable experience in editing the work of others. After that she wanted a new way to develop her work, so a long held love of films grew into a passion to make them. Next on the horizon was an Undergraduate degree in Film and Video at the International Film School Wales, specializing in screenwriting and directing.
Casimir Effect has been in development and preproduction for the last six months and is going to be part of her life for at least the next year. Lydia is looking forward to making an innovative and awe inspiring film and sharing it with the world.
Gabriel Strange: Producer, Co-Writer, Co-Director
Accidentally fell into publishing, it wasn’t planned. He woke up to a phone call from a friend saying “we are a publishing company.” From that day forth he was a co-founder of an independent publishing company, devoted to showing new talent and allowing established talent to reach a new audience.
Publishing wasn’t giving Gabriel the creative outlet he needed. So he decided to look into other ways of storytelling. The opportunity to train in film and television presented itself and taught he a few tricks of the trade and creative ways to solve problems. Progressing on to university, the first course couldn’t keep up with his drive and ambition, so he transferred to the International Film School Wales. This course offered a greater scope for development, allowing him to focus his skills and talents.
He is co-writing the script for Casimir Effect which he also producing and co-directing, using his knowledge of dramatic and persuasive storytelling to develop a bold and ambitious film. Working at a professional level paying attention to every detail he will be able to showcase his talents and those of the cast & crew.
Casimir Effect Advertising and Marketing Plan
Currently Casimir Effect has a presence on many of the most popular Social Media websites, and has been accepted by Gareth David-Lloyd’s fan base who wants to see Gareth in a non-TV role. In turn for giving them a backstage pass to the inner workings of film making through our blog posts, galleries and video dairies, they are helping spread the word about the film. Building on this viral marketing platform we plan to offer more ways for fans to interact with the cast and crew, so they can spread the word of the film to others.
We also have a plan to visit a number of science fiction and film conventions and spread the word, in a number of ways. These include Q&A’s, special events, cast photo opportunities and word of mouth. We have recently promoted ourselves at Wales Comic Con and The Hub 3, our plans include the SFX weekender and FEDCON (Germany) are amongst the most prominent. We have a number of helpers who are willing to go to events and help promote in our absence.
We are also looking at the multi-platform aspects of the story, by writing interactive character blogs which will give our audience a deeper insight into the world and events in Casimir Effect. Also we are currently sending press releases out to numerous magazines and news media outlets, keeping a low level buzz in the industry until we are ready to see a greater level of promotion through interviews and articles.
We will offer a local documentary crew exclusive access to create short online documentaries for web distribution. And distribute posters and flyers at any event we can get a representative to.
After filming has completed we will start sending out Electronic Press Kits (EPKs) to magazines and news media, and quickly edit and distribute a number of trailers aimed at key demographics in our audience. During post production, we will be developing printed materials and new viral marketing plans that include an inside the science booklet and corporate materials for Cromwell Jackson much in the same way Wall-E and other films have been marketed.
The trailer will be distributed through numerous channels including Youtube, Hula, Vimeo, and if possible iTunes/Quicktime trailers.
Festival Strategy
We have already started planning our festival strategy which will kick off at Cannes in 2011 and see Casimir Effect tour the world taking in Berlin, Tribeca NY, Sundance, Toronto, Rome and Edinburgh. At these events we will be taking as many of the cast and crew (subject to work commitments), to help promote the film to the fullest. We will submit to numerous smaller festivals dependant on the prioritisation of continental premieres. We will also be using the viral marketing materials develop during post production to spread the word about the film.
The Long Run
We are also looking into a number of other avenues for promotion and Marketing beyond the film, one of these is to look into developing this story and the characters into an eight part TV series. We also intent to exhibit Casimir Effect at the Berlin film market with a view to a limited theatrical release.
Opportunities for your Business
Tax Breaks, under the rather complex and rather murky UK tax law there is tax relief for qualifying films of up to 25% for those involved in financing a film. This is a very fuzzy area of tax law, and we advise you consult your accountant on these laws to make them simple to understand. Below is a link to the HRMC manual for film productions, which gives some overview most of the information your accountant will need is in this document. Any questions regarding this production in accordance with UK tax law are welcome.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/fpcmanual/Index.htm
Based on the Advertising and marketing plan we will be offering logo placement and advertising where appropriate on our marketing materials, flyers and posters. We will have extensive marketing materials which we can offer a number of opportunities through production, post production and marketing, where your company’s info will be seen all over the world. We keep up a twitter feed and regularly post blogs to our website, Facebook and Myspace, where we can offer advertising through ad banner placement, links and posts. Link will appear in up to three permanent locations as well as in posts where you or your company is mentioned. At this time our website is getting on average 300-400 unique visits per day, and over 1000 page views per day, the is expected to increase considerably over pre production.
We will also offer thanks and or a logo placement at the end of the credits of the film, where you would normally see them in the cinema or TV, this frame can then be held for a while before fading. We have limited space for logos at the beginning of the film, these can only be offered by negotiation.
We welcome any contribution you are able to provide to aid the production of Casimir Effect, we have put together a number of sponsorship plans which will illustrate what kind of advertising you can expect. These plans are flexible dependant on the kind of contribution and support given.
Financial Sponsorship Plans
Bronze Plan – £50 to £499
- A thank you in the end credits
- A mention on Twitter, the website and Social Media
- Your link on our websites sponsors page
Silver Plan – £500 to £999
- Individual annotated listing in the end credits
- Your logo & link on our website and Social Media
- Your products and services to be used during the making and marketing of the film
- An opportunity to be an extra in the film
- A logo and link on our websites sponsors page
Gold Plan – £1,000 to £2.499
- Your logo in the end credits, single column (another logo placed either side of yours)
- Your logo & link on our website and Social Media
- Your logo on selected marketing materials
- An opportunity for your products or services to be seen in the background of the film
- An opportunity to be an extra in the film
- Your logo on the trailer
- An annotated logo and link on our websites sponsors page
Platinum Plan – £2,500 +
- An opportunity to be an extra in the film
- Your logo & link on our website and Social Media
- Your logo and web-link in the end credits, double column
- Your logo on all marketing materials, press releases, our letter head and compliments slip
- An opportunity for your products or services to be seen to be used by the main characters
- A thank you in any talks, interviews of speeches given as part of our festival plan
- Other placements of your logo and products by negotiation
- Your logo on the trailer
- A logo and link on our websites sponsors page with selected literature and details of how we are working together
Donation Plans
In the case of donations of materials, props, equipment, etc. we will take the arm’s length value of such items and refer it to the Sponsorship Plans above. We may require assistance with these donations in the case of specialist equipment, this assistance will also be valued as part of the plan.
Your products will feature within the film, and one of the main characters will be using or seen with the product, where applicable to the story. Your product maybe used by a minor character, in some cases the main characters, where applicable to the story. If requested products will be returned after filming has finished.
Here is a list detailing some examples of donations, other donations will be considered dependant on relevance to the story, setting and use during the production of the film.
- Props – Items for our actors to use, these need to be sturdy, and in the case of some items can be display units and or non-functional items. More details can be provided when required.
- Special Effects Action Props – These need to be working items, that our actors will use, they need to be sturdy, or in some cases guidelines for use need to be supplied to ensure proper care. More details can be provided when required.
- Costumes – These need to be appropriate to the character, details can be provided if required. We would need a minimum of two costumes per character and in some cases more.
- Equipment & Workflow – These need to be of good serviceable order, a fully trained crew member will be assigned to the use and care of any equipment.
- Set Dressing – Needs to be non volatile, and in some cases guidelines for use need to be supplied to ensure proper care. More details can be provided when required.
- Set Building Materials – These will be used in the construction of props, set and dressing, that will meet rigorous Health and Safety guidelines. They will be used only by those trained in their use. And in some cases an external examination will be used to verify they are safe use.
- Production Services – Catering, transportation, security, post production and edit facilities, advertising and promotional. Or any other service that can be of use during all stages of production and marketing.
Product Placement
As this is a science fiction film set in 2050 the options for product placement have limits. Part of our research for the film is to see how technology and fashion might develop, and come up with reasonable extrapolations of what this future might look like. But like the wheel something don’t need reinventing, they just need to look from the future, which leaves us open to using many modern items with a modern designer look. We have an extensive props and set dressing list which includes many day to day items, sadly at this time we cannot publish this list publicly, however if you contact us and tell us about your products we can see if there is some way we can work together.
Budgeting Plan
Our estimated budget is £10,000 ukp this would cover the minimum cost of the production, as many of the cast and crew have agreed to work for a non-guaranteed payment this means any sponsorship and donations will go into the production. Food, accommodation and travel expenses will be covered so no one is out of pocket. It is agreed that should the film turn a profit then the expenses and personal investment of the producers will be paid first, whereas the other cast and crew will be reimbursed at the end of each production period. The £10k budget will be spent on props, wardrobe, locations, sets, health and safety, expenses, etc. Our priority is quality and safety this is where the money will be spent first.
Should financial donations and sponsorship exceed the estimated budget this will also be used to improve the quality of Casimir Effect. We are aiming for a minimum art-house theatrical standard in quality, and hope that through your help we can elevate this to the quality you would see in low budget feature films. Any money taken after the last day of filming will be used in post production and marketing.
Our aim is to reserve 25% of all funds sponsored, invested or donated for marketing after the production is completed. This would give us a minimum of £2,500 to ensure the film can be prepared and sent to the festivals and film markets. Any money received in this period will be used for further festival promotion on the international festival circuit. Any remaining funds will be considered profit.
After the film has been in the festival circuit for a period of 12 months we will push the film into a limited release schedule in the UK with the view to having a limited worldwide release. This is where the profits come from, under UK tax law we have to aim for a minimum of 5% of the profit to come from cinema sales, we hope to make considerably more.
Should the film be picked up by a distributor or studio, a suitable fee will be negotiated to see that all expenses and payments are covered.
Because accounting costs would constitute a considerable part of our budget, the accounts will be managed internally by the Producers, One of which has considerable experience running business accounts. At the end of production a paper copy of our accounts will be available upon request to any sponsor or donator. A second set of accounts will be started for film promotion and publicity beyond the end of production, a paper copy will be available on a yearly basis.
Sponsorship Plan v2.5 (145.24KB)Added: 13/11/2009Downloads: 171 The contents of this page and other relevant information |
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