Making Connections

Since the Kickstarter success (thanks again to all who helped) we have been looking at other key funding opportunities to allow us to produce the Emma Gatewood documentary. We have applied for funds from the Ohio Humanities Council, The Fledgling Fund and now we are looking at “Good Pitch”.  “Good Pitch” is run by the Channel 4 BritDoc Foundation. Last year they organized several opportunities for filmmakers with projects in varying stages of completion to compete for real production dollars. With “Good Pitch” a producer or director enters their project for possible review to be included in the pitch process. Once a film is selected for “pitching”  film makers get the opportunity to connect with commissioning editors and funders in a highly organized three day event.

I mention all this because a key component to “Good Pitch” is outreach. We are excited to be working with the Buckeye Trail Association. The Appalachian Trail Museum and Appalachian Trail Conservancy have also been very supportive as well. But this film has several deeper areas of social discussion that we don’t have any outreach partners with yet. As I was completing the “Good Pitch” application it occurred to me that we need to connect with groups that promote Senior issues like AARP and Road Scholars ( formerly ElderHostel) and Appalachian advocacy groups like the Christian Appalachian Project and Episcopal Appalachian Ministries.

But most central to this story is the spousal abuse that Emma endured.  Her positive life story and the success of hiking the AT at age 67 is the stuff role models are made of. She should be a spokesperson for battered women. This could be a key part to our out reach. We need to share Emma’s story with groups like Violence Against Women, Battered Women’s Justice Project and the Department of Justice. If you have connections to any of these groups, please share this project with them.

Finally there is the connection to sponsors and partners. Some ideas that come to mind for us include the Converse Sneaker Company, Armour Meats (Emma ate cans of Vienna Sausages on the trail) and certainly any outdoor outfitter like Eastern Mountain Sports, REI Coop, or Cabella’s. The connections to this story are out there. Sometimes asking out loud helps.