New Great War Film Needs Your Help!

[bu6512]

Hi all, I've been on the forum now for a few years and I must admit I do read more than I post. I am currently starting a new project, a short film called

We That Are Left.

The Film follows a young war veteran who has returned to civilian life after his service in the Royal Sussex Regiment. The film deals with his reaction to the arrival of his war medals, an event that forces him to relive his actions during the war.

I have been studying the First World War for meany years and regularly go on Battlefield trips to France and Belgium. So this film is a culmination of studying The Great War and my time in the Army, hopefully resulting in a really unique short film.

I am trying to raise funding on Kickstarter a crowd funding website so please have a look,

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/243838328/we-that-are-left

I am not only looking for funding but also for your support. So please feel free to comment as I would like to know what you all think?

Mark

[Andrew Upton]

I am not only looking for funding but also for your support. So please feel free to comment as I would like to know what you all think?

Sounds like a good project, nice to see Khaki Devil Ltd named as well.

One small point that struck me though on seeing the medals - when posted, the ribbons as received would not already be attached to the medals. A short (usually 8-inches or so) length of the relevant ribbon would be included, neatly folded into thirds, and the medals themselves would each be in a small paper envelope to protect the finish in transit. The length of the ribbon allowed enough for the recipient to have the medals swing mounted, with usually a little extra to make ribband bars.

[bu6512]

Thanks Andrew for your reply, When we did the test shoot i had packed the medals as close to the original issue as possible, so i would like your opinion if it looks right?

When i came to making the kickstarter video I just chose a couple of stills from the days filming we did. if im lucky enough to get funding i will use some replica medals with the correct size ribbons so they really will look newly issued!

Im also glad you mentioned Khaki Devil as they have been fantastic, Taff has been really helpful and i spent a long time up at his site. I really hope we do get the opportunity to film there as he really dose have everything we need!

[Mr Pighills]

Mark,

Looks a very interesting film so just done the Kickstart thing.

Andrew's point on the medals and ribbons struck a chord, i have my Great Grandad's medals which are still in their original envelopes, the ribbons were never attached and are still neatly folded in their box.

Oh and i've done a share thing on Facebook as well.

Best of luck with raising the funds and i look forward to seeing how the project develops.

Cheers.

[Andrew Upton]

Thanks Andrew for your reply, When we did the test shoot i had packed the medals as close to the original issue as possible, so i would like your opinion if it looks right?

When i came to making the kickstarter video I just chose a couple of stills from the days filming we did. if im lucky enough to get funding i will use some replica medals with the correct size ribbons so they really will look newly issued!

It's not too bad, but could be improved a little...

I've canabalised a few pictures from the web:

http://postimg.org/image/qtlx8d8kn/

http://postimg.org/image/onxl7ps69/

Medal were sent by Registered Post (the Recorded Delivery of its day), and had to be signed for. So what the recipient would have received was a small packet crossed horizontally and vertically with a line. The version in the lower picture is probably the most common, but as the top example shows this can vary. This would naturally carry the recipients address (the soldiers address in the case of survivors, or his next-of-kin for those who had died).

Opening this would reveal a small white cardboard box. This would have the details as inscribed on the medals themselves typed on gummed paper, with details of the medals included rubber-stamped. The box had a seperate lid and base, so the gummed paper would be wrapped around one or both ends to seal it together.

Inside the box would be the medals in their seperate paper envelopes, with the ribbon folded beneath. There would also be instructions as to the wearing of the medals (what order, which ribbon for each, etc), and a card to be returned to the medal office to show the medals had been safely received.

[Pighills]

Good luck with this Mark, I hope you raise the needed funds.

[bu6512]

Mark,

Looks a very interesting film so just done the Kickstart thing.

Andrew's point on the medals and ribbons struck a chord, i have my Great Grandad's medals which are still in their original envelopes, the ribbons were never attached and are still neatly folded in their box.

Oh and i've done a share thing on Facebook as well.

Best of luck with raising the funds and i look forward to seeing how the project develops.

Cheers.

Thanks James for your very generous contribution, one of the hardest things is getting ball rolling so thank you for backing the project so early.

Andrew, Thank you for the fantastic information, the medal scene is so important, an event that a lot of people will relate to as thats how the majority of veterans would have received their medals, so It's really important to get the scene right. The photos will really help in making some accurate reproductions of the packaging as one of my aims is to get all the little bits right so this is really helpful.

Thank you Kim for the support hopefully I can get the funding!

[bu6512]

Here is some more information about the project,

We That are left , A short film about a Great War veteran

The Project;

We That Are Left is the story of our grandfathers and great grandfathers and is dedicated to all the men who served during the Great War.

Our film focuses on a young war veteran and the day he receives his war medals and the memories they evoke. Set in the 1920's he is taken back to 30th June 1916 and a largely unknown battle, The only battle he fought in.

The Battle Of Boar's Head.

At dawn on the 30th June the 12th and 13th Battalions Royal Sussex Regiment attacked a salient in the German lines around the village of Richebourg l’Avoue in northern France. The battle was a diversionary attack for the Battle Of The Somme that started the following morning. In a morning's fighting the volunteers from Sussex suffered appalling casualties with 379 killed and 749 wounded.

With the memories off that terrible day our young veteran struggles to control the horrors of the past.

Whats different with this film from other ww1 films.

Unlike many resent First World War films this isn't a love story, this is a story of the fighting man of The Great War. We want to show the fighting up close and personal, to show the true reality of fighting in the trenches, Confusing and frighting with bomb and bayonet. Realistic hand to hand combat and the horror of advancing over open ground under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. What is remarkable to me is not the fact men didn't cope but the fact they did, the vast majority of men just did what they where ordered to do, often in the most appalling circumstances. This is what we want to explore, How men returned home from war and just got on with their life's and how they dealt with what they did and what they had witnessed.

Please have a look at the website http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/243838328/we-that-are-left 100% of funds pledged will go to the project.

[Fattyowls]

Mark

This is a very interesting project; there are several experts on the forum with a real interest in the Royal Sussex in general and the Boars Head action in particular. It's certainly a story worth telling. Might I suggest that you add a tag to the thread with the keywords to make finding your plans a bit easier; I think it deserves the attention.

Pete.

[bu6512]

thanks Pete its a really good point but I can't work out how to tag a thread that's started? it's it bad form to start a new thread with appropriate title, tags links etc?

[Fattyowls]

thanks Pete its a really good point but I can't work out how to tag a thread that's started? it's it bad form to start a new thread with appropriate title, tags links etc?

Mark, check out Skip's guide in post 36 here. Apparently most people don't use them but I just think anything that draws your project to the attention of the Sussex massive (and beyond) is a good thing. Pete.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=199428&page=2

[bu6512]

Thanks Pete Tags added!

[Fattyowls]

Thanks Pete Tags added!

Mark,

Totally triumphant and most non-heinous. If there is anything else I can do to help then let me know; I have another friend who is a film maker and I've helped him, mainly as a sounding board for ideas although I do a lot of pedantic script editing. Go and make your own WW1 movie is a perfectly acceptable answer; we have one in mind as it happens but it's a concept at the moment, as Woody Allen says in Annie Hall we are hoping to get funding to raise it to the status of an idea.

Pete.

[Jim Hastings]

Best of luck with this Mark, looks a great project. Made me wonder how for many Lambs Boar's Head must have been their one and only experience of battle, with the many wounded, and how traumatic that must have been, those memories and scars for the rest of their days. Many Lambs from around my way, including Edmund Blunden and a DoW from Boar's in the beautiful local churchyard.

All the very best Mark

Jim

[MichaelBully]

Hello Mark

Good luck with the project.

If I can help, please let me know, I live in Hove so will think of sources of publicity in the area.

Will message you.

Regards

Michael Bully

[bu6512]

Mark,

Totally triumphant and most non-heinous. If there is anything else I can do to help then let me know; I have another friend who is a film maker and I've helped him, mainly as a sounding board for ideas although I do a lot of pedantic script editing. Go and make your own WW1 movie is a perfectly acceptable answer; we have one in mind as it happens but it's a concept at the moment, as Woody Allen says in Annie Hall we are hoping to get funding to raise it to the status of an idea.

Pete.

Thanks again Peter, I think the general public have a real misconception of the First World War and in my opinion the more accurate films made the better! But as you said funding is always the problem!

Best of luck with this Mark, looks a great project. Made me wonder how for many Lambs Boar's Head must have been their one and only experience of battle, with the many wounded, and how traumatic that must have been, those memories and scars for the rest of their days. Many Lambs from around my way, including Edmund Blunden and a DoW from Boar's in the beautiful local churchyard.

All the very best Mark

Jim

Thanks Jim, when I was first researching into the project it did really make me think. For the original Lambs it had been nearly 2 years since they joined up and apart from some line holding Boar's Head would have been such a shock, seeing so many friends cut down in just a few hours. If I'm lucky enough to raise the funding we need 'We That Are Left' will accurately portray the battle and deal with the aftermath. It may be a short, low budget film but that doesn't mean it will be small in scale!

Hello Mark

Good luck with the project.

If I can help, please let me know, I live in Hove so will think of sources of publicity in the area.

Will message you.

Regards

Michael Bully

Hi Michael thanks for the support, any publicity is greatly appreciated as at the moment my biggest aim is to get people on to kickstarter and to look at the project! 480 views of the thread but according to kickstarter only 50 have watched the video! I've got no hope of funding if no ones even looking!

Regards to all

Mark

[bu6512]

If you have a minute, please have a look at the project http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/243838328/we-that-are-left

[bu6512]

We are almost half way through the kickstarter campaign and unfortunately their still is a real lack of interest. Getting funding for a film is always going to be difficult especially if you haven't a large portfolio to show off your work. I was hoping I could attract some like minded supporters who are interested in seeing a realistic and accurate war film. kickstarter is a great way of funding but the way it works is also an issue, projects are listed by popularity rather than time remaining. So at the moment if someone is just looking through the site is unlikely for them even to find the project as you have to scroll through pages of films before you find We That Are Left.

So to try and get interest I am dropping the price of the film for anyone who pledges through the link on this site. If you pledge £5 you'll get a digital copy of the film. I was thinking if you see a Great War Film in Sainsbury's for a £5 your more likely to take a risk and buy it!

(you will only be charged the £5 if we reach the funding target so you won't be out of pocket.)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/243838328/we-that-are-left

Thank you for reading this and I hope I can get the opportunity to show you a really original film.

[MichaelBully]

Wishing you much success and please keep us updated. Regards, Michael

[bu6512]

10 days to go...... We still have a huge amount of money still to raise.

centenary news have posted an article on their website.

http://www.centenarynews.com/article?id=1253

I am very grateful for all your support

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/243838328/we-that-are-left

[MichaelBully]

Good luck in the final week Mark. Glad that Centenary News showed an interest. Regards, Michael

[Fattyowls]

Mark

Good luck matey but have you explored other funding possibilities? I've been talking to one of my mates and he's suggested some alternatives. Hopefully you've already considered them but if you like I can send you a personal message with what he suggested.

Pete.

[bu6512]

Thanks Pete,

I do have a few alternatives but I always welcome ideas so please PM me.

As the kickstarter campaign is drawing to a close I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for your support. Kickstarter is only one funding source so it's not the end of the project.

Mark

[MichaelBully]

Let's see what happens on the final day but if 'Kickstart' isn't going to happen do please keep us in the loop as it were as regards further funding appeals. Will PM message you. With best wishes.

Thanks Pete,
I do have a few alternatives but I always welcome ideas so please PM me.

As the kickstarter campaign is drawing to a close I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for your support. Kickstarter is only one funding source so it's not the end of the project.

Mark

[bu6512]

Hi All,

A big thank you for all your support for the project. As you may have seen the Kickstarter campaign was unsuccessful, however it's not the end of the project! Kickstarter was always a 'nothing to lose' attempted at fundraising and it has been a really useful experience.

So what's next, I've got two very short and very low budget films i want to shoot to show off what we are all about, (the lack of previous material was a big factor in the campaign) so watch this space!

Mark