Thursday, May 23, 2013

Cliff Robertson Honorary Documentary Update




Thursday May 23, 2013

Hello from Steve Thompson / Thompson Communications:

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, I want to thank everyone who has extended help to us: our donors, the media outlets who have covered our effort so far, and to everyone else who has helped spread the word about our project.

Our IndieGoGo campaign to cover the development expenses ends next Friday, May 31st, so I have installed a Donation button on my Thompson Communications page describing our project, because I will not be giving up after next Friday.

Mary Jones was the first to cover us, by graciously allowing me to appear on her show and talk about Cliff and our project.  Two media outlets that reach the La Jolla, CA area, where Cliff grew up, will be covering our project, but I don't know when those stories will be published.  Tommy Lightfoot Garret has covered our project on his Highlight Hollywood site, as has General Aviation News.

I have written to a number of people who had contact with Cliff, including John Travolta, Harrison Ford, and Michael Caine, asking for quotes on our project, and asking them if they would at least consider offering a few comments about Cliff on camera, in our project.  If any of them even provide me with a quote on our project, that will help us tremendously.

There are expenses in developing a film like this pertaining to consideration of the legal entity that will actually be producing the project, obtaining the rights to include clips of the films we have in mind, then developing a basic script outline that will enable us to formulate a detailed production budget and schedule.

I will not ask my attorney, or our director Brian Gillogly, to provide these services for free.  I too have financial responsibilities, so neither am I in a position to spend a great deal of time on the project without compensation.

Those who know me personally know that I have one guiding force in my life.  I manage our family's business, and I only do things that I know my father would have approved of with our family assets.  I apply the very same principle to our project: Everything I do I believe Cliff would have approved.

My original idea was to raise the development and production funds through crowdsourcing, like our IndieGoGo campaign.  Schedule screenings individually by region through TUGG, then possibly find a distributor to handle DVD sales.

In my opinion, the Development stage is absolutely necessary, so if the IndieGoGo campaign doesn't pan out for us, then I will find another way to fund the Development and eventual production.

For today, I would request that you still continue to help us by spreading the word on our IndieGoGo campaign, and consider making a donation.

I am receptive to comments from everyone.  One comment I have received is that it is possible that asking donors to fund the Development looks like some sort of scam.  I suppose that's possible, but it would be a pretty damned small sized scam, created by someone who can easily be tracked down.

I can assure you that dishonoring Cliff is the absolute last thing on my mind, and I also assure you that I won't be absconding with the funds we raise.

In my mind, nothing about the project has changed:  Cliff Robertson was a terrific man, who helped a great deal of people.  His accomplishments as actor, pilot, and humanitarian are nothing short of astounding.  I will do everything I can to see to it that a documentary honoring him is made.

I believe Brian Gillogly is the one who can take our passion and put it up on the screen for us, and my attorney is the one who can guide us towards attaining our goals by avoiding unforeseen problems.

Thanks again for your help, please let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Best Regards,
  Steve Thompson

Thompson Communications
856-942-4434

s t e v e @ c i n e m a n e w s w i r e . c o m