Local Film Maker Making Documentary about Chernobyl Disaster in the Ukraine

Hello everyone,

My name is Steve Hamilton, and I'm a film maker from the area. I grew up in Winters and live part time in Dixon.

I'm undergoing an ambitious project to raise awareness for the victims of the Chernobyl disaster. My way of helping them is to bring the struggle of the victims of the disaster to light, and show others how they can help. I'm raising funds for this project with the assistance of a kickstarter crowdsource fund raising platform.

VIEW THE PROJECT PAGE HERE (VIDEO)

The crowd funding part of this project is officially under 20 days now, and we are not as close to the goal as I would have liked to be at this point. So I ask all of you for a favor. If possible, can you please post the link to the project on every possible social media outlet you can, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogs, Message Boards, Reddit, Blogger, etc? I have found in my experience that philanthropic people tend to be friends with other philanthropic people, so I would like to get the word out to others. As most of you know, personal experience from one friend to another is the most powerful marketing tool ever. If you or your friends are in any sort of media, I am open to being interviewed about the film as well. This includes podcasts, broadcast, newspaper, etc. I'm open to anything. 

I truly feel that this documentary needs to be made. I have changed the scale of time allotted a bit so that it covers the victims a little more while still paying homage to the history of what happened as well as the new confinement shelter. I plan on having roughly half of the documentary set to cover the victims, the reason for the birth defects and cancer rates exploding exponentially in the areas around Chernobyl and the care required for daily life of the victims, specifically the children. I have a family that is eager to tell their story. The father was a Chernobyl liquidator, and had 3 children after the accident. All of which had severe health issues. Their story is very touching and will hit home for people. Roughly 40% will be about the accident. I have hired a illustrator to create an illustration of what happened as well.

I think this will help the flow of the film as well. I have a few other surprises I'm chasing as well. 

• Round trip airfare from SFO to Kyiv, Ukraine $1600 
• Hotel accommodations in Kyiv 12 days @ $85/day $1000 
• Hotel accommodations in Gomel, Belarus 2 days @ $80/day $160 
• Food 14 days @ $19/day $266 
• Transportation $600 
• Tour guide to Prypiat and Chernobyl $300 
• Catering at Chernobyl site $250 
• Rental of safety gear $200 
• Purchase of safety gear $100 
• Rental of "Red" cinema camera 3 days @ $200 $600 
• Various filming items $100 

$5176 has been paid out of pocket by me personally.

• 12 day Ukrainian federal filming permit $1200 
• Kyivs’ka oblast’ permit $500 
• Special exemption filming permit (Chernobyl exclusion zone) $1250 
• Government chaperone at Chernobyl exclusion zone 2 days @ $250/day $500
• Belarusian federal filming permit $500 
• Belarus work permit $250 
• Special donation to Gorbachev charity $500 
• Translation services $250 
• Pay to survivors for interview time $ 500 
• Donation to "Friends of the children of Chernobyl" for filming consideration $1000 

$6450 - Less the Kickstarter fee leaves a whopping budget surplus of $150.

I asked for this so that this story can be told properly. I don't want to go into foreign lands and film there without making sure that I am following their laws to a tee. I want to make sure that I get adequate time to film so that I can get the best possible footage for the film. 

- Thank you again! 

Steve Hamilton, Director

PS - Please feel free to email me directly at shamilton@redhollywoodstudios.com if you have any questions!