As news anchors say after the day of an election….results are still trickling in. But at this moment, I can confidently report that our “$25k in 25 days” campaign was a resounding success.

Between Buy-A-Frame, merchandise sales, and fundraising events, we were able to raise $24,100.

What does this mean?

I can now continue filming Joe Faris’ extraordinary story. I can pay a Detroit-based crew without asking for too many volunteers. And I don’t have to blow up my credit rating to do it.

But this is just one of a long line of future successes. So keep spreading the word on Twitter. Keep encouraging people to become a producer on Facebook.

Then if they ask why, show them this video from the producers themselves.

We’re doing it!

Peace,
Erik Proulx
Director, “Lemonade: Detroit”

Yesterday was another awesome day. Because of the passionate efforts of people who believe in “Lemonade: Detroit”, we raised an additional $1100, which puts us just $6400 away from the audacious, no-one-said-it-could-be-done goal of $25,000 in 25 days.

Well, today is the last day of the campaign. There are just 24 hours left to raise the rest. It’s the final push. And, man, it’s going to take a Herculean effort and a little bit of luck to get us there.

So spread your magic Twitter dust. Summons the Facebook Leprechauns. Wish upon a star. If you have to, go door to door pretending you’re selling Ginsu knives, then bait and switch them to buy frames instead. Do whatever voodoo you do to do this.

Raising the Last $6,400
With just a few seconds of your time, you can get us there. Here’s how:

Send this Tweet (or edit as you see fit): This is the final day of #lemonadedetroit’s “$25k in 25 Days.” Be a producer of the filmEbert calls “gob smacking!”  http://bit.ly/25in25

Tell your Facebook Friends (then cut and paste the following):
You might have heard me talking about a film called “Lemonade: Detroit.” It’s about the resilience of a city that much of the world left for dead, and all the incredible stories that are proving them wrong. Well, today is the last day of their “25k in 25 days” campaign, and they’re only $6400 away from their goal! This is an important project that Roger Ebert called “a gob-smacking 17-min short.” And we can help make the full-length version together. Just visit http://bit.ly/buyaframe to become an IMDB-credited producer of “Lemonade: Detroit.”

Send the following email (or similar) to your friends:
You might have heard me talking about a film called “Lemonade: Detroit.” It’s about the resilience of a city that much of the world left for dead, and all the incredible stories that are proving them wrong. Well, today is the last day of their “25k in 25 days” campaign, and they’re only $6400 away from their goal! This is an important project that Roger Ebert called “a gob-smacking 17-min short.” And we can help make the full-length version together. Just visit http://bit.ly/buyaframe to become an IMDB-credited producer of “Lemonade: Detroit.”

A Video By Producers, For You
I can spew on and on about why Detroit deserves your attention, or why others should become producers of “Lemonade: Detroit.”  But to hear it first hand from Detroiters, or others who believe fully in its potential, is to understand why we’re on this mission together.  You can share this with people here.

Here’s what we’ve raised since February 8th:

Merchandise: $2811
BuyAFrame:  $5600
Corporate Contribution: $1500
Fundraisers on March 2 & 6 : ???

Clearly, we are putting a lot of hope against the upcoming fundraisers. Conservatively, I’m guessing they’ll yield about $5k. It could be more. It could be less. But assuming that’s close, it means that we still need to raise $10k more in the next four days.

Sounds scary, right?

Not if you break it down. $10k only means that 417 people need to spend $24. That’s it. Considering our collective reach is in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, that doesn’t seem so impossible after all.

So if you’ve been meaning to become a producer, now’s the time. If you’ve thought about buying a shirt, now’s the time. And if you’ve been reluctant to tell your friends and the socialsphere until just the right moment, now’s the time.

HERE’S HOW

• Buy a shirt or bumper sticker. (Or both!) T-shirts are $24. Bumper stickers are $10. We even have a new design available for pre-order, as well as a women’s fit cut on the standard logo tee. Every purchase also earns producer credit on the film.
• Become a BuyAFrame Producer for as little as a dollar. (Or become a mythic legend for a thousand dollars.)
• Tell Twitter how awesome it would be if they drank the Lemonade.
• Tell Facebook the same.

I knew this goal was agressive coming in. But to paraphrase the Steve Jobs biography, I’m trying to impose a reality distortion field to make this happen.

I also happen to know how passionate people are to change the narrative about a city that clearly deserves our collective energy. That passion is our secret weapon.

So, once again, thank you for everything. Let’s get this done!

Best,
Erik Proulx
Director, “Lemonade: Detroit”

So you can imagine how excited I was Friday night to learn that the godfather himself told his 600k Twitter followers that “Lemonade: Detroit” was a ‘gob smacking 17-minute short.’

You know, independent filmmaking has its ups and downs. One day, the pace of progress can feel glacial and frustrating. Then the next, the universe is kicking doors open everywhere you look.

Today, the potential positive impact of “Lemonade: Detroit” has been affirmed by a renowned movie critic who has seen it all. And I’ve never been more thankful or optimistic of my role in the telling of Detroit’s incredible story.

Sincerely,
Erik Proulx
Director, “Lemonade: Detroit”

PS: If you aren’t already a subscriber, I would highly recommend joining The Ebert Club, which is Roger Ebert’s premium newsletter that you can’t get on his free blog or main website. The content is worth far more than the $10/year he charges. Plus you get to hear about movies you would have never been exposed to otherwise. (Like Lemonade, for example.)

I would certainly call the first leg of our “$25k in 25 Days” campaign a success.

Here is the 7-day tally:
65 merchandise orders for $1622
4416 frames bought for $4416
Four Corporate Sponsorship Inquiries for $?
A fundraiser at the Ann Arbor office of Google on March 2: $?

We’re overwhelmed by the support so far. Thousands of dollars (not to mention the tweets and FB updates) is a huge initial accomplishment.

But we still need more – much more – to reach our goal. Like any microfunding campaign, there’s always an initial batch of excitement, then a lull, and then a surge as the deadline approaches. But this deadline is only a couple of weeks away, and there’s no time for an extended lull.  We NEED to raise an additional $19k in a little more than two weeks.

“WHAT CAN I DO NOW?”

• If you haven’t already, buy some merch.
• As before, the best possible thing you can contribute is a few moments of your time to help spread the word. If you bought a shirt, wear it in public. If you’re on Twitter, tweet about it. If you’re on Facebook, tell people that way. If you tell two friends, they’ll tell two friends, and on and on it goes.
• If you want your name up in lights, become a producer for as little as a dollar and as much as infinity.
• And if you work for an organization that can match individual contributions, email me. We even have a fancy PR engine that will make sure it is money well spent. (More of which I’ll tell you about when you email.)

I also want you to know about a personal commitment I made literally five minutes ago.

Yesterday, I was offered a two-week freelance opportunity in NY that would have kept me extremely busy right up until the day I leave to film in Detroit. It would have meant late nights at an ad agency, virtually ignoring everything else in my life. Including the preparation to film Joe Faris and Fashion in Detroit.

Financially, I’m in no position to be turning down gigs. But I did, because the film requires it. Why am I telling you this? I want you to know that I’m all in. And because for the last three years, time and time again, the decision that felt right but created the most uncertainly was, universally, the right one. I’m jumping with absolute faith the net will appear.

And your support in this endeavor means everything.

AND LASTLY, ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• I’ll be holding another Google+ Hangout tomorrow (Thursday) at 12:30 PM EST. Last week went very well. And I’d love to continue doing that on a weekly basis.
• “Lemonade: Detroit” now has its own Facebook Page. Fan/Like/Subscribe here
• There will be a new t-shirt added to the Lemonade: Detroit collection in a few days. Click here to see the new design. (Not yet available for order.)

The last announcement (and the one I’m most excited about) is that in the coming days we’ll be asking our producers to make a little video telling us why they contributed to “Lemonade: Detroit.” When we get the first batch submitted, I’m going to edit the best ones into a broadcast-able format. At the very least, there will be an extended video for the website. But you could also see a 30-second commercial air on TV. (Late night buys are dirt cheap.) Perhaps there will be a pre-roll commercial on Hulu. Who knows?

At the heart of it, “Lemonade: Detroit” boils down to amazing stories. And the stories of why people contribute are amazing in and of themselves. Stay tuned in the next day or two for more about that.

That’s it for now. Thanks again everyone.

Sincerely
Erik Proulx
Director, “Lemonade: Detroit”