With six days left to go, the Kickstarter campaign is going from strength to strength. After the stressful two-year process of creating the book and the film, flying by the seat of our pants throughout, James and I are now in the slightly more comfortable position of being able stop and to look a little further ahead.
My long-term aim for the Janapar project is to take it on the road; to hold gatherings in parts of my home country which will be completely new to me, meeting new people. It’ll be a different kind of travelling; one with a purposeful mission to share a story through screenings and conversations.
To raise funds and interest kick this off, I want to draw attention to three of the limited-availability ‘rewards’ that are still up for grabs on the Kickstarter campaign.
Pledge £500 or more (5 of 5 left)
As well as a signed hardcover and DVD for you, I will travel to your location in the UK or Ireland and host a special one-off screening and Q&A of the feature-film for you; your friends and family; or your club, society or organisation. I’ll also make DVDs and books available at the event.
Are you a member of an organisation with at least fifty members? A contribution of £10 from each member would secure an event anywhere in the UK or Ireland. A hundred members need only chip in with a fiver each. My travel and other expenses are covered too, so the only task remaining for you would be to arrange a venue. (Hint: Bars and pubs love this kind of thing mid-week, as they’ll benefit from the guaranteed trade.)
Pledge £1,000 or more (3 of 3 left)
As well as a signed hardcover and DVD for you, I will travel anywhere in continental Europe and and host a special one-off screening and Q&A of the feature-film for you; your friends and family; or your club, society or organisation. I’ll also make DVDs and books available at the event.
The same deal, with the important difference that I’ll go anywhere in continental Europe (that means to the Arctic Circle, the Straits of Gibraltar, the Greek peninsular or the Russian Urals) to host the event. Heck, let’s throw in all the islands as well.
Pledge £1,500 or more (1 of 1 remaining)
I will cycle and wild-camp the full distance to your door, wherever in the UK or Ireland you may live (and whatever the weather), bringing the story directly to you in person. You’ll get a one-off specially-designed hardback version of the book, a copy of the DVD, and I’ll host a special one-off screening and Q&A of the feature-film for you; your friends and family; or your club, society or organisation. I’ll also make DVDs and books available at the event.
So ridiculous it might just work? That’s what I’m hoping, anyway!
For the record, I am currently based in Cumbria, so this could entail riding to Skaw (~550 miles, including a ferry), St Agnes (~525 miles, again with a ferry), or Clear Island (~500 miles, and yes, a ferry).
I am secretly hoping, of course, that some entertained philanthropist will decide to set up an event slightly closer to home than the Shetland Islands. But if they do happen to inhabit the UK’s northernmost settlement, I hereby give assurance that I am a man of my word. And I would love to visit the Shetland Islands — even in February.
So my question to you is this:
Are you part of a community or organisation whose fellow members would be interested in such an opportunity? And if not, do you know someone who is?
If so, I’m ready to hit the road, and you’ve six days left to act — go!
Is this sheer lunacy? Will it ever work? I’ll let you know next week when the deadline is up…
Something to add?