When the world changes while you're trying to make a movie?  What if the story of the very country you wanted to make the movie about changes - and you can't help but become swept up in it?

If you are like us, you work to revise the original story and give it that twist that will not only keep up with the times, but also help lead change for the better.

We've been keeping up with the times of Ukraine over the past five years. They are ever-changing.

One thing that we have learned along the way is about how passionate and resilient Ukrainian people are -- and how much they become even more so in the face of adversity.

Can you still make a rom-com while a war is going on? We like to think that we are preparing for better times and focussing on love and hope. It's not denial. Nor is it lack of caring - far from it. We believe that you must spread love to extinguish hate; especially when you are on outside looking in.

No one likes to feel helpless. As filmmakers, we believe that cinema is the way to be the change you want to see in the world.

We've hit a bump. Stopped at 56%. But that's okay - we've got 20 days left and we know people have been busy!

Look, there's lots going on the world today. Interest rates are high. Violence is in every headline. People are worried about whether they should save or spend.

And yet, there is goodness out there. You just have to focus on it and hold it in your heart and mind. Sounds kitschy in a cynical atmosphere, but what you believe does come true.
That's why we want to make this film. We believe that you can rely on hope (and hard word) to get through the tough times.

The good news is that we have backers for post production in Europe! The tough news is that we need to get through production to get to post.

Join us on our journey as we get our next pledges and help us make our hopes, beliefs and dreams a reality!

xoxoxo,
Your LOVE & VODKA Team

We're on Day 17, moving along toward our goal.
There were some issues with Seed&Spark's tech yesterday, so if you (or esteemed friends, family or colleagues of yours) attempted to make a pledge and could not, I'd like to ask you to please try, again.
We are SO CLOSE and really do need every penny for production. I've gone over our budget so many times, I'm feeling dizzy, and it all comes out as the same number $45k. If we put a 7.5% contingency on that, it comes to between $48k and $50k.
In terms of feature films that properly take on insurance, have locations, SAG-AFTRA actors (the minimum on SAG-AFTRA ultra low budgets is $219/day for all shooting days, travel and rehearsal days. We have one SAG-AFTRA actor - our lead actor - and aspire to pay our non-union actors, as well.
Personally, because this project is under my leadership and I really want to get it made, I am deferring my producing and directing fees -- all of them -- and to show how much I REALLY want to shoot in Bay City, Michigan and Grayling, Michigan this summer from June 26th through July 12th, I'm making a pledge in this Seed&Spark Campaign as well.

If you haven't already, consider following us on Seed&Spark for more update.

xoxoxo,
​Your LOVE & VODKA Team

Good Morning, Love & Vodka campers - Thank you for joining us!

We received two pledges yesterday but could sure use some more. We've got to get to $15,600 to make GREEN LIGHT.

Check out our WISHLIST to see what some of the things your pledges will help pay for.

Also, make sure to follow us on Seed&Spark if you haven't already!

xoxoxo,
Your LOVE & VODKA Team

Today on the agenda, we have Part 2 of our Interview with R. J. Fox on the second film that inspired him in the making of LOVE & VODKA, as well as another Interview from the Ukrainian Community in Southeastern Michigan on the topics of "love" and "home."

Stay tuned for an eventful day! If you like the content and project, please consider giving a pledge and sharing LOVE & VODKA with your friends. Also, make sure to follow us on Seed&Spark if you haven't already.

xoxoxo,
Your LOVE & VODKA Team

We've had a great day for our LOVE & VODKA crowdfunding campaign - with several pledges.

Other than that, the interview with producer B. D. Gunnell on her thoughts about the indie film industry as well as advice for LOVE & VODKA's director, Heidi Philipsen, is up on our Seed&Spark Platform as well (no better time than the present to follow us on there!). 

The next following weeks will include more information on how to audition for certain roles in the film, in addition to many more interesting videos and interviews.

Make sure to stay tuned!

xoxoxo,

Your LOVE & VODKA Team

Today we've got an industry interview (nurse - turned make-up artist - turned line producer / producer B.D. Gunnel), a behind-the-scenes update (Casting!!!), and - VERY IMPORTANT - another spotlight on what "home" and "love" means for Ukrainians in Michigan.

Oh, we had three WONDERFUL pledges over the weekend -- though we are having a hiccup with the Seed&Spark program acknowledging our CAMERA and LIGHTING/GRIP equipment LOAN from Kurt Mayry and the Motion Picture Institute, we'll have that corrected in no time. Those loan pledges, along with the generous pledges from Christine Moore and Myron Lauzon have brought us up to 20% (the glitch says 10%, but we know better ;)

Make sure to check out our  Seed&Spark page for more updates.

In any case, please help spread the word about our campaign so that we can continue our behind-the-scenes work in preparing for production this summer. Unfortunately, without you and the help from others to help us reach GREENLIGHT, we won't be able to go into production.

But we will KEEP ON PUSHING until the end. Promise!
xoxoxo
Your LOVE & VODKA Team

Thanks to a generous donation from Kurt Mayry, LOVE & VODKA has reached 20% funded on Seed&Spark. In order to get the green light for making the film we need to be at 80% funded, so that means we only have 60% left to go!

With more content coming in the next couple weeks, there's no better time than now to follow us on Seed&Spark in order to get the updates to come.

Signing off for now,

xoxoxo,
Your Love & Vodka Team <33

It's the morning of Day 5 and we are 9% funded! It would be great if we could get to 10% funded by the end of the day, so we would appreciate any support we could get, including sharing the LOVE & VODKA project with other people you know.

On the agenda for today, we have Part One of an interview with Bobby Fox, the screenwriter of the original LOVE & VODKA, where he details the first of three movies that inspired him.

Remember to stay tuned and check out our Seed&Spark Page if you haven't already!

Signing off for now, but bound to talk again soon,
​
xoxoxo
Your Love & Vodka Team

Today is the 3rd day of @LoveandVodkaMovie's Seed&Spark, and today we have an interview with Bruce Falcon, a member of the producer team as well as an actor in Love and Vodka. 

Find out about how Bruce got his start in the film industry, how he met director Heidi, and more on our Seed&Spark Page!!!