Captain Banana

Hello!

I'm long overdue for a bananas.org update about my banana documentary. Previously titled "Captain Banana", the film is now called MONDO BANANA. Since I last posted on here, we have filmed in China, Finland, Malaysia, Thailand, and India - covering everything from religious uses of bananas in India, to banana folktales and ghosts in Malaysia, to wild banana species in China.

Production on the film will wrap in October, after another shoot in China and a trip to follow Markku Häkkinen to the forests of Sumatra to look for new species of wild Musa...

We've just begun a campaign on the "crowd-funding" site Kickstarter. And, there's a new 2.5 min teaser video on the project page, which will give you an idea of what the film's going to look like.

Here's the link: MONDO BANANA by Ryan White — Kickstarter

Kickstarter functions entirely on a grassroots, word-of-mouth basis - and it's an all or nothing situation. That means that if we don't make our goal by the deadline of August 10, we don't get anything. Even if finances are tight, you can help out ENORMOUSLY by simply spreading the word!! If you want to see this film completed, please post the Kickstarter link on your Facebook, Twitter, and/or blogs. Or just let your family, friends, colleagues & co-workers, classmates, students, or anyone else who may be interested know about the Kickstarter campaign (even if it's just to watch the new video). And, encourage them to spread the word too. Thanks for your help!!

There's also a website/blog for the documentary, where you can stay up to date on the film's progress, see photos from our shoots, watch more video, etc. The link for that is: MONDO BANANA | Take a journey on the banana boat…

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your time!

All the best,
Ryan

Ryan White
Director/Producer - nothin' films

email: lookslikenothin@hotmail.com
ph: +66(0)870273931 (Thailand)

Currently in production, MONDO BANANA:
MONDO BANANA by Ryan White — Kickstarter
http://bananamovie.wordpress.co

RobG7aChattTN

Well, it looks interesting to me. I've feel better about donating if you were closer to your goal. Is there no type of public funding available? How about looking for a sponsor?

Captain Banana

Hi,

Thanks for writing and for your interest in the banana documentary! We started the Kickstarter campaign last Friday (June 24), so things are just warming up - it takes a little while to get the word out. The good thing for people backing the project is that Kickstarter only charges you & disburses funds if we make our goal. For now, people simply make a pledge of support, and then, if we DON'T make our goal by the August 10 deadline, Kickstarter won't charge you anything... The pledges show your belief in and support of the project, and the more people believe in the project - the more likely we are to succeed!! EVERYTHING helps push us closer to our goal, even $5 or $10...

In answer to your question about public funding: as you've probably heard, independent filmmaking is a huge challenge!!! Believe me, I wish that acquiring funding were easier! I'm American, and it's a Herculean task trying to convince US funders, broadcasters, and producers that there is ANY worth in making a movie about bananas!! Until you can show them how a banana documentary could actually be compelling entertainment, they're simply not interested. It will be a different story when we have a rough cut of the film to show - and then possibilities of completion funding arise. So, the MONDO BANANA team has taken the initiative to make this project on our own, because we see the worth in a movie about bananas! Since Spring 2009, I've been working on this project, funding it entirely out of my own pocket and from small donations made by people who believe in the film. We are almost finished filming - Production will wrap-up in October, and with the film 80% "in-the-can" this Kickstarter campaign is absolutely critical to help us move on with the documentary.

Kickstarter was created for this very purpose - to help independent artists and filmmakers take fundraising into their own hands, so that they can control the fate of their work!

I hope that that answered some of your questions?? Please feel free to contact me with any future questions/concerns/ideas. I'm all ears!

Thanks again and all the best!

Ryan

RobG7aChattTN

Here's a question: If I donate some money and the film gets made, is there some sort of guarantee that I'll be able to watch the film somehow? I'd hate to donate and then find out that it only was broadcast on public TV in Finland and I can't access it on the internet.

Captain Banana

Hi again,

And thanks for this question too!! There are different levels of pledges that you can make to the film, and they each come with a reward. With any donation of $20 or more you will receive a DVD of the completed film. So, supporting the film is also sort of like buying the DVD! When you pledge, you provide a certain amount of information that Kickstarter sends to me once we have met our goal. And after the film is finished, I will mail out all the DVDs and other rewards to the backers of the project...

Of course, the film will also screen at international film festivals (my previous documentaries have shown in the USA, Mexico, Italy, France, Canada, Vietnam...), so there's also a chance that you'll have the opportunity to see the film on the big screen in a city near you!

Thanks again for asking about this - I'm sure that you aren't the only one who would like some clarification on how this whole Kickstarter thing works!

All the best,
Ryan

MONDO BANANA by Ryan White — Kickstarter

Captain Banana

Please click the link below to see an update about the ongoing MONDO BANANA production. We're currently in Thailand filming traditional banana leaf art, and the update includes photos of this ancient and uniquely Thai practice from our recent shoot in Bangkok...

MONDO BANANA by Ryan White » Updates — Kickstarter

We still need help finishing MONDO BANANA, so please consider pledging to the Kickstarter campaign and keep spreading the word!!

All the best,
Ryan

Captain Banana

Some more photos and info from the shoot about banana-leaf art in Thailand have been posted. Here's the link: MONDO BANANA by Ryan White » Updates — Kickstarter

The film's campaign is now 64% funded on Kickstarter!!!! We still have a ways to go, so if you want to see this banana documentary get made, please help spread the word about the campaign and/or make a pledge if you can...

Thanks and all the best,
Ryan