The Goat Trilogy- U.S. Tour!

THE BACKSTORY

After finishing my dissertation and Graduation film, I fancied making a new film for fun. So with my good friend Dan, discussed making a spiritual sequel to another film we made (The Corpse)... I decided I wanted to make a film about a goat. Because, lets face it, goats can be hillarious! I have always loved animals and my favourite part of The Corpse had always been getting licked by that cow in the final scene so why not make a film with a cute animal in EVERY scene!?

I spent my Easter holidays searching for a goat. Phoning up shelters, emailing santuaries before finally coming across a very kind and friendly farmer called Ella. We asked if we could borrow one of her goats from her goat farm 'Goats n Roses' for 24 hour and surpginsly and very trustingly, she said yes. And we have been friends ever since!

We were introduced to Number 5 the Goat when she was only a month old and immedietly formed a bond! But little did we all know that she would actually become such a star, boasting much more acting talent than anyone else in the film! Number 5 was cast as James' best friend, Goat.

So with a budget of £100, a few good friends, volunteer crew and 24 hours. We filmed THE GOAT.

It was a crazy shoot and the stories to go with it are arguably just as entertaining as hopefully the film is.

It went down very well and after a few shares from American magazines on Facebook, such as GRIT and Mother Earth News, it soon had over 45,000 views! And a loyal and supportive fanbase on a Facebook page.

A fortnight before Christmas, I decided to make a sequel (after being nagged a lot!) and manged to raise £352 on Kickstarter in a couple of days. This money was used to create The Goat's Christmas...6 months after the original shoot.

The film was made with a skeleton crew with Callum Baker returning as DOP, Kristian Domingo on sound and of course Dan, Goat and I in front of the camera. Again it was a crazy and difficult shoot but Number 5 had certainly improved and stole the show with her performance! I am still so suprised at I wrote the script two weeks before and somehow managed to share it with the world on Christmas Eve! It gained 12,000 views by Boxing Day and seemed to go down a treat.

Six months and a few (non-goat) films later with more nagging and more pressure to conclude the trilogy, I decided to write the final chapter and this time managed to raise a whopping £784 on Kickstarter!

This film was a more ambitious with a very different second half but was met with great feedback and got a very good reaction at its premiere in Chapter. 

THE OPPURTUNITY

Since its release The Goat has had 8 official selections and has been screened all over the world, including Spain, Pakistan, Canada, Guam, the U.S. and even Transylvania! It was screened as part of the BFI Future Film Festival in London and won Audience Choice awards in Cardiff Comedy Film Festival and Screentest.

Then I recieve this email:

"I wanted to let you know that we will in fact be screening all three of your GOAT movies at the 2nd Annual Animal Film Festival, Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the Center for the Arts in downtown Grass Valley, California. Our judges were charmed, moved and delighted with your films. And I, as the Director of the festival, am honored and proud to show your films to our audience.

You had mentioned in a previous email that you hoped to attend the festival. I wanted to assure you that if you can arrange your flights into and out of Sacramento International Airport, we will provide you with transportation and lodging throughout your stay during the festival.

Congratulations on your wonderful films and thank you for submitting them!"

THE PLAN

This is an offer I simply can't refuse! And it helps that I've always wanted to go to America! Which brings me to this campaign...I'm trying to raise enough funds to allow for me to fly to California and then hopefully travel to visit a few goat farms across America and meet some of the friends I've made through these films! It would really be great to get to witness American audiences react to the trilogy that I've spent the last year making.

So if you are feeling very generous and want to support the film that would be so very much appreciated. I plan to keep you all updated on the Facebook page and document the trip!