For many filmmakers, running a crowdfunding campaign has become an essential phase of the film financing process. A few days ago, Filmmaker Rory Delaney reached out about his second feature documentary, Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue.
Jason Brubaker
Tell us about your latest project and yourself.
Rory Delaney
Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue is my second feature documentary. Prior to this, my feature documentary Toxic Soup played the film festival circuit and aired on Free Speech TV, Explora TV and Ushuaia TV.
Jason Brubaker
And you just did a short between features?
Rory Delaney
Yes. My most recent short doc Virtual Iraq Redux was named one of 100 semifinalists in the 2012 Focus Forward Filmmaking Challenge.
Jason Brubaker
And on top of all this, you're finding time to manage the web at MovieMaker?
Rory Delaney
Yeah. I am the managing web editor at MovieMaker Magazine, and before that, I worked with Jon Reiss at Hybrid Cinema.
Jason Brubaker
Why did you decide to do this film?
Rory Delaney
Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue came about because I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. As a kid, I remember the endless arguments in gym class about which school had the superior basketball program. Was it the University of Louisville or the University of Kentucky? Red or blue?
Jason Brubaker
Sounds like an ongoing heated discussion.
Rory Delaney
That's putting it lightly. This is a constant point of contention. And that's a passion that has never left me.
Jason Brubaker
Even with all your moving and moviemaking?
Rory Delaney
Yeah. Even after I moved to Dallas, then New Haven, London, New York, and finally, Los Angeles, I made the effort to watch the annual rivalry game in the hopes that my Cards would thrash the Cats, and thus, secure year-long bragging rights.
Jason Brubaker
Do a lot of people share this passion?
Rory Delaney
Totally. All of my friends and most people I know from Kentucky are exactly the same way about their basketball. Every December when the annual UofL-UK game is played I spend about a quarter of the game trading texts with my Wildcats fan friends.
Jason Brubaker
So at what point did you decide to make this your next feature documentary?
Rory Delaney
Three years ago, I was under siege from producer Wade Smith, a diehard UK fan from Paintsville, Kentucky who befriended years ago in the Toxic Soup days, and that's when the idea finally hit me. This is the best college basketball rivalry in the United States hands-down!
Jason Brubaker
So Wade became your producing partner?
Rory Delaney
I texted Wade: UofL-UK documentary? He called me immediately, and we got to work. What's remarkable is that we ended up filming the documentary at what is arguably the pinnacle of this heated college hoops feud. In 2012 UK won it all after defeating UofL in the Final Four in New Orleans. And in 2013 Louisville went on a run, clinching back-to-back Big East Championships before putting the cherry on top: the 2013 national championship. The gods were smiling on us.
Jason Brubaker
So it's a very timely subject. And now you're doing a Kickstarter campaign.
Rory Delaney
Yes. Because of the popularity of college basketball in Kentucky and around the world, we decided to take Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue to Kickstarter, the world's most popular fundraising website. This allows the most rabid fans to participate.
Jason Brubaker
When do you expect the movie to be ready?
Rory Delaney
If we are able to successfully raise the finishing funds, the movie should be done by Christmas.
Jason Brubaker
What is your promotional strategy for the Kickstarter campaign?
Rory Delaney
We have completed several local radio and TV appearances in Kentucky in promotion of the documentary and the Kickstarter campaign. In addition to this, there are a lot of websites and blogs who have promised us continued coverage throughout our campaign to help us get the word out about what we are doing.
Jason Brubaker
That's great. And what are you doing to incentivize supporters?
Rory Delaney
We have a series of photos, videos and new rewards that we will be unveiling as the 40 day campaign unfolds. By releasing these assets at critical junctures, we believe that we will be able to maintain our momentum and reach our $40,000 goal.
Jason Brubaker
Once you finish the movie, what are your plans for distribution?
Rory Delaney
We are planning on releasing Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue in theaters big and small across the state of Kentucky in December 2013 in advance of the annual Louisville-Kentucky basketball game. Because UofL and UK won back-to-back championships, passions will be at a fever pitch for this year's game in particular.
Jason Brubaker
So you're making the movie available to the fans at a critical time.
Rory Delaney
Yes. By releasing Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue in this window, we hope to capitalize on the preseason hype surrounding the two teams and their rivalry.
Jason Brubaker
What will you do after the screenings?
Rory Delaney
We are looking to make domestic and international television sales of Kentucky Rivalry: Red V. Blue, as well as to release the documentary both digitally and on DVD.
Jason Brubaker
I think it is super exciting to make movies where your fan base is well defined.
Rory Delaney
Even outside of the base, we want to let the world in on Kentucky's biggest secret: The State is home to the best college basketball in the nation!
Jason Brubaker
What can we do to help you?
Rory Delaney
Please consider donating to our kickstarter campaign and sharing this one-of-a-kind movie with college basketball fans, documentary lovers and the check-out guy at the grocery store. Seriously. Every eyeball counts, and we need your help!
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Rory Owen Delaney grew up in Louisville, KY but currently lives in Los Angeles, CA where he founded Man Bites Dog Films. Rory co-produced the documentary Bomb It 2 after writing, directing and editing the feature documentary Toxic Soup, as seen on HULU and Free Speech TV, among others. His latest short documentary Virtual Iraq Redux was named one of 100 semifinalists in the international Focus Forward Filmmaker Challenge. In 2010 Rory was named an honorary Kentucky Colonel by Governor Steve Beshear. Delaney holds a BA in English from Yale University and an MFA in dramatic writing from New York University. He is currently the Managing Web Editor at MovieMaker Magazine.
