IMDb & Cafe Press Update

IMDb

For the actors (or their parents) who sent in changes, all errors created by the automated system have been submitted. The email confirmation we got back states that, depending on the queue, changes might be approved tomorrow or 28 days from now. Please keep checking back with the page! Thanks, everyone!

Cafe Press

We'll be launching the new Cafe Press store (mugs, t-shirts, mouse pads and more) with a new style of "Ghost Sniffer" merchandise. The new graphics will be rendered in a sketch style and feature Forge, Maxo, Spark, and Maximilian beside some of their most memorable quotes (or incantations). We love the new ideas and hope you will too :)

Thank You, Black Wolf

What a warm and supportive environment we discovered in the cozy den of the Black Wolf Paranormal folks and all their friends. The Q&A panel went wonderfully with the entire time packed with questions, applause and laughter. It was such a great feeling to be accepted by this community -- actual ghost hunters and open-minded individuals -- even though, at its heart, "Ghost Sniffers" really isn't about the paranormal at all :) As Kattie, who introduced us, put it so beautifully, "'Ghost Sniffers' is about building awareness of our special kids and helping them find acceptance." New super heroes -- empowering our kiddos and teens to empower others.

Kattie, Colette, and even Jennifer and her kids who attended the April 12 screening -- everyone at Black Wolf was a pleasure to work with. These sniffers felt very comfortable kickin' it with the wolves :)

Schedule & Location Needs

Just a quick reminder, Kristie, Faith, Maxwell, Brianne, Cris and I will be speaking at Black Wolf Paranormal's Haunting for Hope event today in Silverdale at 5pm. The event is free -- just bring along a donation of shelf-stable goods. See you there!

Writing Schedule Update
Episode 9 script will send to actors on Tuesday night.
Episode 10 script will send to actors on Thursday night.

Shooting Schedule Update
Cris began gathering (calling and emailing and texting) actors' availability dates on April 1 and she is still waiting to hear from several people so we can firm up all specific dates. Thank you, everyone, for your patience.

Location Needs
We are still searching high and low for an auditorium space we can shoot in for four hours (stage and house needed). Ideas? Email or text Cris!

Screening Success & More

The total revenue earned for Episode 7 at the April 12 screening was (drum roll, please!): $221

With the ticket sales paying for the theater in its entirety, we are able to put the full $221 toward the Episode 7 goal bringing the total needed for the episode to only $229. Incredible work, everyone!

Overall, despite the wild curve balls we were thrown at the last minute, the screening was a resounding success. The audience was receptive and full of praise and the cast and crew in attendance were delighted. One of the twists of the night was a chance to see Episode 4 and Episode 5 uncut and in their entirety. This was a real treat for me as Episode 4 is my personal favorite.

Other treats included selling out the four mini book light, flash drive B.O.O. models and both the coral tie-dye plush krakens... plus a great many marshmallow kraken snacks :) At Kristie and Ryan Gronberg's advice, we'll be adding the B.O.O. models to the website store in the coming weeks as well as a new and improved version of the plush kraken.

To come back around to the Episode 7 funding goal, let me point out to everyone that our website funding widgets have changed. As we all know, we only need to raise $500 per episode with the remainder of the funds (about $1500) provided by our angel investor, Anne. Her stipulation is simple: We have to raise the $500 before she makes a donation triple the size. This shows her the interest in the episode and all of our dedication to the series.

But Anne has revised her guidelines to make the series even more viable -- meaning, we can take each episode farther and on a schedule. Anne will now donate her funds as soon as the script is written. We can then shoot the episode, begin to produce the DVDs and bound scripts, create the captions, buy any stock footage and effects, and much, much more.

What will happen when the $500 funding goal is raised? The episode will post online -- free in HD for everyone.

Okay, actually, the episode will post just seven days after the goal is raised -- because the final steps will be paid for in full at the point of the goal being met.

So... if you look at the funding widgets at the website, you'll now see new information. The episode's wrap date (when it's done shooting). Any time after the episode wraps, an episode can reach its funding goal and post online in seven days or less. If the episode funds BEFORE the wrap date, that just means it will post seven days after the wrap date.

I think this is great news and an amazing opportunity for all of us. I hope everyone else is as excited as I am. We're really showing our investors that they can trust us to stay dedicated and stay focused on delivering the best episodes we possibly can -- episodes that are better each time.

Step Right Up!

The last screening of Episodes 1 through 6 is finally here and the entire family is buzzing about to put the final touches in place. Faith and Maxwell got up extra early to start school so they could chip in when the time comes to mold and dip the fresh marshmallows kraken treats :)

Here's the skinny on the vendor table (since that's what most of my questions are about this morning):

--Even if you're not a ticket holder coming to watch the episodes, you can purchase from the vendor table. The lobby will remain open and the vendor table will be manned even while the episodes are airing.

--The vendor table will feature:

Scripts for $12.99 (complete set for $50)
DVDs for $9.99 (complete set for $50)
Episode Posters $2 (complete set for $10)
Monster Pins $1
Glow Bracelets $1
B.O.O. Book Light Mini Flash Drives $15
Plush Krakens $5
Marshmallow Krakens $1/for two
Raffle Tickets $1/for two (raffle is for a sniff hat, plus any one DVD and any one script)

--All funds made at the vendor table will go toward funding Episode 7, "Apple & Eve." So Faith, Maxwell, Jocelyn, Sierra, Emma, Emerson, Tressa, Sarah C., Hannah, Sarah B., Kyra, and Christopher can all be joyous that their episode will be made due to the generous sales we make tonight. I'll update the finding goal on the website around midnight.

--The episodes shown tonight will be the captioned, shortened versions of Episodes 1 through 6 with the full-length Episode 6, just like shown at the premiere.

--There is no red carpet tonight and no photos being taken outside so come right in out of the cold. Seating begins at 5:00 as we're setting up and the show starts at 5:30 (this is different than what most tickets say, so be aware of the change -- which we also emailed to everyone).

--It is required that everyone have fun :)

See you there!

April 12 Screening is a GO!

Nothing worth celebrating (really, nothing worth doing at all) comes without effort. And usually, we're not talking about a small effort :)

By the incredibly hard work and support of Rebecca, Kyra, Bridget, Anne, Carol and Cris, we sold the tickets we needed to pay for the Dragonfly Theater. This means that the event can happen and that all funds earned at the vendor table (the sale of DVDs, scripts, marshmallow krakens, mini Boo flashdrives, plush krakens, and posters) can be folded right into Episode 7 (just like the sales at the premiere funded Episode 6).

I would also like to thank those of you who have been helping Cris secure locations and actors for the forthcoming episodes (and also did their best to help spread the word about the screening) -- Sarah, Marie, Mark, Jessica, and Connie.

It isn't easy to sell things or secure spaces for free. It's not easy to sell cookies, tickets, anything -- even for a good cause. It doesn't take a salesperson -- someone slick and pushy. It takes someone who exudes sincerity and a dedication to the project. Someone who can transfer their own real excitement to another person. You can't buy, bribe or create people like this. They are either on your team or not.

I feel so blessed so have angels like these.

Jennifer

April 12 Screening... Cancelled?

In 24 hours we'll know whether the April 12 screening will be cancelled. We're within twenty tickets of our break-even goal so our fingers are crossed and we're calling friends, family and even enemies ;) Heck, we might even be calling complete strangers picked randomly out of the phone book!

*ring ring*
"Hello?"
"Hi! This is Jennifer at Ghost Sniffers. Would you like--"
*click*

Hm... they hung up. I'll try again.

*ring ring*
"Yo."
"Yo! You want to attend the Ghost Sniffers screening for just $6.25?"
"You'll pay me $6.25 to go to the movies?"
"Err... well, I was hoping you'd pay the $6.25 to help pay for the theater space."
"I don't believe in sniffing."
*click*

Okay. One more call then...

*right ring*
"Who is this?"
"Uh, Jennifer at Ghost Sniffers."
"What do you want?"
"I have twenty half price tickets to the last big screen showing of Ghost Sniffers, Episodes 1 through 6. Would you like to buy one for about the price of a latte?"
"I can't live without my latte."
"Yeah, I often can't either. But this is a really good cause."
"When is it?"
"This Thursday night."
"I clean my stove on Thursdays."
"Oh. I understand. ... Wait! What if I come clean your stove?!"
"Fine. But I only want one ticket."
"Great! Thanks!!"

Whew! Now we only have to sell nineteen more tickets! Hm... I wonder how you clean a stove. Will Windex do the trick? ;)