Here is the sequence BBC Midlands Today did about my fund raising venture:
This went on air on Thursday 14th Dec 2009 at around 5pm and since then I have been amazed at the amount of people who saw this and bought my "Discover Warwickshire" DVD because of it. Sales are increasing as we near Christmas, but I'm fairly sure we will not have raised enough cash to shoot in the early new year as I would have liked.
However, we have had some very encouraging news. Warwick Castle (Central England's leading tourist venue) has agreed to stock the DVD from early January, Compton Verney, a leading Warwickshire Art Gallery, are going to stock it, Nuneaton Library are stocking it, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum are stocking it, and today, I was informed that Waterstones, the Bookshop, will be stocking it. This will be at the Nuneaton branch to start with and then all of the stores in Warwickshire from January 2010, which is fantastic news. In the new year I will continue finding new stockists around the county to help raise the cash I need to get Final Reel made.
I have to keep reminding myself that the film has only been finished for the last three weeks. Since then it has been a whirlwind, selling it at markets and promoting it around the region. From today I have eight more markets to do before Christmas. These are the Solihull, Stratford Upon Avon, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton and Southam markets.
And from January onwards, I will continue selling the film at various markets for two days a week (depending on my freelance work) and put this money into the Final Reel funding pot, until we have raised enough cash to shoot the movie. I'm hoping it won't take to long!
If you are wondering what to buy someone this Christmas, do consider "Discover Warwickshire". It's a lovely 98 minute film, about the home of Shakespeare, some spectacular Castles and it is warm, tender, fascinating, moving, inspiring and hugely entertaining. Not only that, it looks and sounds beautiful and Warwickshire really has never looked better - Please don't worry if you don't live here, you'll certainly want to visit after watching this and anyone you buy it for will be eager to come and see the place. (Please note: the DVD is currently only available in PAL, so right now it won't play in the US or Canada. There will be an NTSC version in the new year - sorry about this).
All of the money raised goes into the pot for getting "Final Reel" up and running and if for any reason you're not happy with it, just let me know and I will provide a full refund. Check out the trailer on the top right hand side of this blog.
Many thanks and merry Christmas - Simon
