VIDEO UPDATE June 2026

Hello everyone!

Summer is here, and I’m excited to share new progress and plans for The Innocent Ones. From upcoming markets to exciting new perks, we’ve got a lot on the docket! And we are going to need your help getting us to our next milestone.

We could not be where we are without your support. Thanks to many of you, we've raised $30,000 this year! Your donations have enabled conversations with sales agents, potential co-producers in Ireland, and executive producers who believe in our film. And with Emmy-nominated actress Sharon Lawrence's attachment in a supporting role, this project now has real momentum.

If you are still considering a contribution to The Innocent Ones, now is a great time to join in as we work to raise $50K by fall.

Our seed funding goal is $100,000. At that level, we can hire a casting director and start building out the rest of the cast. That's the next big unlock. It's what takes a great script and turns it into something investors want to get behind; recognizable actors in the lead roles = credibility to investors. Everything we're doing right now is about reaching that moment and getting this film made independently with full financing.

If we can get to $50,000 by fall, we'll be halfway there.

And this fall, we have a real opportunity. TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) is one of the most important film markets in the world. This market is precisely the kind of environment where investors look for projects to finance. Being there in a position of strength, with casting and momentum behind us, puts us in front of the partners we need to get this film made. So our attendance at TIFF and potentially other select markets like American Film Market and European Film Market, is essential as we develop this film. (Frontières in Montreal was already on our radar, as we mentioned in our last letter, but we've recently expanded our interest to other key players to ensure we're going where we'll have the most impact.) Your donation also directly supports expensive travel costs (registrations, badges, flights, hotels) associated with attending markets like this.

And if you give now through July 31, you can receive original poster art for the film, designed by illustrator and artist, Dan Hale, and made specifically for donors. (Click for details).

As usual, donations are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. 5% of all donations go towards their efforts to empower artists in North Carolina.

Thanks again, everyone. I hope you all are able to enjoy some sun this season, and I'll be in touch again soon with more good news.

Cheers,

Michael