From the National Capital Lyme Disease Association:
As you've undoubtedly heard by now, UNDER OUR SKIN has been selected for the Academy Awards "short list" for best documentary feature!
The selection of Under Our Skin for the 2009 Oscars semifinals is fantastic news for the Lyme patient community. Making it into the top 5 finalists will provide enormous exposure to all Americans of the plight of victims of Lyme and tick-borne disease.
Films don't usually make it further without getting the ``Oscar Buzz'' and good exposure to the voting academy members. In the Hollywood Oscar race, that takes funding.
We have an historic opportunity to bring the Lyme message to the American people and our policy makers to balance the message of the medical establishment.
SHORT MESSAGE: WE ALL NEED TO HELP UNDER OUR SKIN MAKE THE FINAL CUT.
HERE'S HOW EACH OF US CAN HELP!
The UNDER OUR SKIN Oscar campaign will cost tens of thousands of dollars. We can reach this goal if every Lyme activist across the country contributes just $10.
With 3 weeks to go before the next cut, we have to act now!
We can do it!
In fact, thousands of supporters contributing to this nomination is newsworthy itself.
Click Here to go to the Under Our Skin site and contribute YOUR $10
We know that it's the holiday season and everyone is stressed for cash this year.
But we are only asking you to send $10.
Let's show the world we can pull together and make this happen. Join this effort by Lyme victim supporters participating from across the United States!
You will not be alone!
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
What specifically is done to get good exposure of the movie to the voting academy members? How will the donations be used? I don't quite understand the process. Thanks!
Posted by KrisKraft (Member # 4329) on :
With regards to the Oscars, we're currently duplicating and mailing screening DVDs to all the Academy members on the Oscar documentary screening committee, key celebrities and members of the press, and all the film reviewer professional societies. (Postage cost $2,000 for the film reviewers alone.) We're going to underwrite another film screening in L.A., open only to Academy members and other film industry societies. We've rehired our excellent PR firm to pitch Lyme-related stories to television and print. Then we'll buy ad space in trade publications closer to the voting timeframe.
We're up against some well-financed studio films, so to even have a ghost of a chance of making it to the next level, we have to work harder. And we never forget that we wouldn't even have made it this far if it weren't for the outpouring of support from the many Lyme patients out there.
Any tax-deductible contributions left over will allow us continue our important outreach program, which includes hosting screenings at medical and community forums; securing distribution on television and online venues here and abroad; and aggressively seeking out media outlets to educate the public on Lyme disease.
Posted by daystar1952 (Member # 3255) on :
Thankyou for the explanation. That makes it alot clearer. Do the organizations that helped to fund the making of the film provide any more money?