ITTS Production Playbook 2018
─
ITTS Foundation, Inc. 1566 University Lane, #905 Cocoa, Florida 32922
1
Documentary Overview Young U.S. congressional staffer, risks it all to embark on a journey of faith to unite various ethical, racial, political, and socio-economic groups through conversation. Robbie Sylvester Stokes, Jr., a former NASA apprentice, leads an international volunteer team of young professionals in search of a peaceful world unknown. Facing uncertainty, a small idea of peaceful conversations leading into community building activities build into a young non-governmental organization that tackles complex and challenging social issues across over 30 nations around the world. Beginning as a social movement, ITTS Foundation grows into a multi-national not-for-profit organization which host a variety of conversation focused events that break social barriers and encourages dialogue among various backgrounds and social groups. These conversations begin to teach Robbie the power of conversation which drive him passionately deeper into the organizational mission where he finds himself among local native groups within Canada, Ghana, and Malaysia understanding the impact of the young organization and the personal sacrifices required to continue the mission of furthering the social movement. While in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Robbie meets Polish native, Natalia Białobrzewska, who furthers his knowledge of the origins of global human development and the true impact of the ITTS Foundation. Faced with personal and professional pitfalls, Robbie seeks guidance from Natalia in efforts to restore faith and new meaning of communication and its importance in global development. Robbie requests Natalia's professional support and invites her back to the United States to help further the organizational efforts and local impact within his home community of Brevard County Florida. Natalia and Robbie begin their international travels while documenting their experiences of meeting locals of South East Asian countries and begin organizing events that attract strangers from various backgrounds. Realizing the results of their work, a relationship begin to forge and symbolize the true meaning of intercultural communication and the beauty that lies between distant strangers. After arriving in the United States, Natalia and Robbie team up with fellow volunteers on hosting events and begin to understand their impact of acknowledging individual within their day-to-day travels as people who have stories to share. Realizing the 3-year progress of to the social movement and non-for-profit organization, Robbie then faces difficult decisions of returning back to the settled life of a stable paycheck and personal security or continuing to lead a growing social enterprise with growing concerns of his personal and professional accountability at stake. In an act of faith, Robbie and Natalia mutually decide to continue their efforts and relocate their focus to the city of Toronto, Ontario where they recruit a local volunteer team to continue the event focused initiative of attracting strangers in an effort to prove that peace coexistence could grow worldwide. Facing financial uncertainty, Natalia and Robbie eventually meet various strangers that renews faith into the young international organization. Hosted by strangers, Natalia and Robbie build up the resources and support to rebuild and refocus the vision of '#strangernation' and begin a European and Latin American tour of sponsored projects and events aimed at leveraging 6 years of organizational development into multi year community programs which begin a social shift towards the acknowledgement and acceptance of strangers despite their cultural, social, or educational backgrounds. While visiting Natalia's hometown in Poland, Robbie begins to reflect on the journey's past and the lessons learned. Unknown to him, he becomes filled with joy at the irony of the circumstances he would endure and the true love he would earn and learn to appreciate along the way. I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
2
Documentary Background & Objectives Log Line(s) 1. Bringing the world together one stranger at a time. 2. The world’s first documentary film about strangers funded by strangers.
Background The I TALK TO STRANGERS Film is a 120-minute documentary (currently in production) about human connectivity, the power of conversation, and international community building efforts led by the ITTS Foundation. These powerful conversations, filmed over a six year timespan will capture an evolving attitudes and sentiments of the growing concerns of human expression and the impact of positive conversation among a community of strangers across multiple continents, generations, and cultural differences. While focused around the personal pursuits of a young African American, the film will capture various cultural and historical roots of migration and immigration among past and past and current community leaders in their attempts to build community through current economical and societal challenges. Social isolation and mental illness became an increasing threat among thousands of citizens across various nation states, which begin to attract the attention of national and local leaders as individuals seek hope and inspiration for positive living and a renewed purpose of everyday living.
Objectives Through interviews and the use of rare (and largely unseen) conversational film footage, photos and other archival material, The I TALK TO STRANGERS Film will depict the genuine lives of everyday people and their personal forms of expression through conversation and dialogue. Following a brief overview of the formation of the ITTS Foundation, dating back to 2012, the story of I TALK TO STRANGERS will be told through various testimonies people from diverse cultural backgrounds who live their daily lives connecting with strangers from various backgrounds. Using interviews and footage to be filmed across the United States, South America, Canada, Europe, West Africa, and Southeast Asia the film will document the everyday lives of public figures, citizens, leaders, celebrities, artists, educators, and students of different social, economical, and cultural backgrounds.
Airing & Distribution The producers of The I TALK TO STRANGERS Film will self-distribute the completed motion picture to film festivals, independent television networks and public television stations. Due to the recent popularity and success of the ITTS Foundation -- and because of the state-of-the-art film and digital formats which will comprise the film -- The I TALK TO STRANGERS Film will also be considered as a 35mm theatrical motion picture release, with a portion of proceeds going to I TALK TO STRANGERS Foundation, Inc. in support of local community program, projects, and events, Additionally, the film will be made available to third parties interested in educational use. I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
3
Production Timetable Phase Stage
Description of work
Start & End Dates
Phase One
Pre-Production
January - December 2012
Phase Two
Production
January 2013 - August 2018
Phase Three
Post-Production
September - December 2018
Phase Four
Airing & Distribution
Spring 2019
Production Month
Site Location #1 Week 1
Site Location #2 Week 2
Site Location #3 Week 3
Site Location #4 Week 4
March
Belchatow(Poland)
Lodz (Poland)
Cocoa (Florida)
Sacramento (California)
April
Tepic (Mexico)
Santa Maria (Mexico)
Guadalajara (Mexico)
Mexico City (Mexico)
May
San José (Costa Rica)
Panama City (Panama)
Quito (Ecuador)
Buenos Aires (Argentina)
June
Tokyo (Japan)
Belchatow (Poland)
Split (Croatia)
Timisoara (Romania)
July
Timisoara (Romania)
São Paulo (Brazil)
Santorini (Greece)
Rome (Italy)
August
Reykjavik (Iceland)
Oslo (Norway)
Dublin (Ireland)
Barcelona (Spain)
Production Day
Production Team Tasks
Monday
Production Shoot Prep
Tuesday
Tuesday Talk Event (Shoot)
Wednesday
Local Community Area (Shoot)
Thursday
Footage Review/Backup/Storage
Friday
OFF
Saturday
Weekly Production Meeting
Sunday
OFF
I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
4
Production Budget The following is a preliminary budget for all anticipated, necessary costs of production, travel, supplies, director and editor compensation and support personnel during the pre-production, production and post-production periods of the proposed film.
Pre-Production
Research, initial interviews, project consultants, networking, trailer/advertising
$21,624.00
Production
Domestic and international travel (airfare/hotel/food/car rentals)
$166,520.00
Equipment rentals, tape and film stock and misc. supplies
$15,000.00
Insurance
$7,200.00
Digital and video editing, tape duplication, post-production sound, licensing of archival footage, music rights, titles and visual effects.
$12,900.00
Editor’s compensation, sound mixer's compensation
$30,500.00
Post-Production
Total project budget: $253,744.00 (USD) Total money spent to date: $124,220.00 (USD) Estimate to complete: $129,524.00 (USD)
I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
5
2018 Production Budget March 1 - August 31, 2018
Description
Amount
Unit
Rate
Total
Food
24
weekly
$200.00
$4,800.00
Housing
24
weekly
$780.00
$18,720.00
Transportation (Local)
24
weekly
$500
$12,000.00
Transportation (Int'l)
24
weekly
$1,200.00
$28,800.00
Insurance
24
Weekly
$300.00
$7,200.00
Travel Production Total
$71,520.00
Description
Amount
Unit
Rate
Total
Key Art
1
flat
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
Deliverables / Masters
1
flat
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Music
1
flat
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
Post Production Supervisor
1
flat
$2500.00
$2,500.00
Producer
1
flat
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
Add’tl Photography
1
flat
$2,500.00
$2,500.00
Editor
6
weekly
$1,750.00
$10,500.00
Sound Designer
1
flat
$10,000
$10,000.00
Spotting/Grading
6.5
daily
$600.00
$3,900.00
Subtitles and CC
1
flat
$1000.00
$1,000.00
Main/End Titles
1
flat
$1000.00
$1,000.00
Film Post-Production Total
$43,400
Prod. Company Fee
1
.06%
-
$2604.00
Production Equipment, Clothing, Supplies
1
flat
$12,000.00
$12,000.00
2018 TOTAL PRODUCTION
$129,524.00
I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
6
Fundraising Plan We received our starting funds of $50,000 as result of the private and public fundraising efforts of our Executive Producer, Robbie Sylvester Stokes, Jr. These initial funds allowed us to both develop our story and prepare in pre-production and then do our first round of production in beginning 2012. Additional funds will ideally cover additional post-production work to improve our animations, music licensing, final sound mix, and color correction. We have also been granted the use of a 501(c)3 tax-certificate for fiscal sponsorship through the I TALK TO STRANGERS Production fund which would allow us to receive donations from organizations and individuals to go towards outreach, screenings, and distribution of this story Florida State University along with a Florida-based private cinema has already sponsored our initial screenings of our test screenplay.
I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org
7
Key Personnel Robbie Stokes, Jr. (Executive Producer) Originally born in a U.S. military hospital, Robbie has lived in 5 countries, and visited 30+ in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. With a passion for Intercultural Dialogue and Community Event Coordination, for 12+ years, Robbie has been implementing socially responsible projects growing action-based leaders across local communities worldwide. Earning a bachelor of science in Management of Information from Florida State University in 2010 has been the cornerstone of leveraging technology within Robbie's professional pursuits. Completing a summer internship among NASA researchers has provided much insight of the importance and reliability requirements of secure and dependable information technology systems. Applying many of these research and technical skills into an evolving global market has kept Robbie immersed current with information system security projects. After noticing a need for more professional and culturally enriched events, Robbie established multinational organization ‘I TALK TO STRANGERS Foundation’ to provide events and programming that provide safe environments of conversation to connect people of all walks of life. It serves as a platform to cultivate and encourage relationships with people that you'd otherwise have no connection with, in spite of any social, economic or political differences. Scott duPont (Producer) Scott T. duPont, an American actor, film producer, host and author, has acted in over 3 dozen films and television shows, produced over a dozen films. duPont is best known for one of his first films The Bros. (2007), released by Lionsgate Films and a more recent documentary film What is the Electric Car? (2010), released by Celebrity Home Entertainment. Most of the films duPont produces or is involved with have some sort of positive, educational, or inspirational message to them. He is currently an active member of SAG-AFTRA and the Producers Guild of America and working on a new documentary film currently titled “Confidential Film Project” to be released in 2019. duPont is an advocate for electric cars, solar and other renewable energy, and engaging with and contributing back to society. He has been a long time member of Plug In America and the EAA (Electric Auto Association). duPont is also part of the I Talk to Strangers Foundation and a producer for the upcoming film I Talk to Strangers (2019), which has been filming around the world in over a dozen countries.
Natalia Bialobrzewska (Producer)
I TALK TO STRANGERS® Foundation Community Outreach Office | 1566 University Lane, #905, Cocoa, Florida 32922 P: +1 (321) 328 - 7562 | E: worldpeace@ittsfoundations.org | W: www.ittsfoundations.org