Film Concept

v5.1 (last update: May 27, 2020)

based on The Wire podcast interview by Chris Grow with Kevin Whilden.
And input that comes from SeaTrees and the work of Sustainable Surf, and its founders Kevin Whilden and Michael Stewart.

Filmmaker: René von Gunten

Genre / category / viral catalyst

Documentary Film / Environment & Science / David vs Goliath

What about statement (topic or logline)

A surfer who is concerned about earth feels overwhelmed and helpless until he comes across the solutions that change his/her life forever.

THE STORY Arc

1. Climate science tells us: The problem is dramatic.
   Making climate change science visceral and tangible, and showing how we have very little time left to truly solve it.

2. Earth recovery is the solution: Explaining solutions that enhance the Earth’s own healing mechanisms.
   Reducing emissions: resolve environmental pollution
   Abbauen existing CO2: deal with climate change

3. Individual leadership: Giving real world solutions that individuals can follow that play a critical role in the overall solution strategy.

Relevancy

Actuality: We must act now to fix this. Or it will be too late.

Film style

The film has a simple and clean visual style.

Project Timeline

• n/a

Audience & Distribution

Intended Audience

Surfers who are concerned by climate change and environment pollution. (The key is to address the people who are ready to take action.)

Call to Action

What do you want the viewers to do right after watching the film:
Make surfers wipe out their own carbon footprint using the SeaTrees Program as a first step.

Distribution and Marketing Strategy

n/a
(Intended distribution life. Specify plans for festival, theatrical, screenings, and plans for securing broadcast and distribution.)

Filming

language

English

camera work

Wides (immersive), CUs for hands, faces, etc. (intense and personal)

Technicals

4K, f8, 24fps

Beats

Currently working on…

Interview ideas (incomplete):

• Kevin Whilden, Geologist, Co-Founder at Sustainable Surf,

• …

Editing

Viewer’s emotional arc

What does the audience feel when walking out of the theatre?
Feeling relieved and empowered because the film showed exactly what they can do to become part of the solution.

Exposition

• Location and date

• Main characters

• Character goals

• What’s at stake

Techniques: Text (Title, cards, chapters), speech, VO, Action

Runtime

90 minutes

Deliverable

4K (3840x2160px), 24fps

Bios of Key Creative Team

Shaping…

Producer: René von Gunten, …
Director: René von Gunten, …
Screenwriters: Kevin Whilden, René von Gunten, …
Script Editor: n/a

Fundraising

Fundraising Strategy

n/a

Funding to Date

n/a

(List of all sources and amounts raised to date. Distinguish between potential and secured amounts.)

Grant Impact

n/a

(Describe how any granted funds would be spent and how it will help to move forward the project.)

Financing Credit Tiers

• 50% or greater - Presentation credit
  Applicable to a distributor, broadcaster, company or individual. Affords a static or animated company logo (if applicable) at the top of the film and up to four individual Executive Producer credits in the main titles, if requested.

• 20% or greater - In association with credit

  Affords a static or animated company logo (if applicable) at the top of the film and up to two individual Executive Producer credits in the main titles, if requested.

• 10% or greater - 1 executive producer credit

  Affords a credit in the main titles and a static company logo (if applicable) in the logo section of the end credits. Financiers who typically invest as a duo (e.g. a married couple or business partners) may be treated as a single entity. Additional individual Executive Producer credits can each be acquired for a supplemental 2.5% of the total budget.

• 7.5 - 9.99% - Co-Executive producer credit
  Affords a credit in the main titles or in the end credits, and affords a static company logo (if applicable) in the logo section of the end credits.

• 2.5 - 7.49% - Contributing producer credit
  Affords a credit and a static company logo (if applicable) in the logo section of the end credits.

• 1% - 2.49% - “This film was made possible with the support of” or “Additional funding by”
  Affords inclusion in this section of the end credits and/or a static funder/company logo (if applicable) in the logo section of the end credits. Note that this is often the primary section for grant-making organizations.

Expenses

Comprehensive Expense Budget

n/a

Trailer(s)

Trailer 1

Story Arc

• Reframe how we think about the problem. During the last 30 years we have utterly failed. (Showing what we did wrong)

• We need to radically change our approach. Here’s how we should think about it: It’s all about feedback loops. Tell the ‘alien story’.

• And here’s what you can you do on an individual level. Understanding how nature works. Ex. milkweed plant is what monarch butterfly eats. They will come and find it. Nature wants to rebalance.

(Describe the sample. What should viewers be looking for? What is present or absent in the sample, and how will it differ as a finished film.)