The time has come for us to find the right family for the next step of our film and we need your help!
Many of you know that over the past year we’ve been focusing on interviews with individuals and families who are already homeschooling, including many who have shared valuable knowledge and wisdom from years of experience. But if you’ve read our synopsis, you’ll also know that a big part of our film is centered upon documenting a family who are just starting out; a family who are making the transition from public or private school into the world of alternative education.
We’d like to follow their journey and we believe that documenting their experiences will be an effective way for people in the general public to gain a real understanding of what it means to make the commitment to homeschool. There are a lot of preconceived notions within the general public about what homeschooling is, who does it and for what reasons. We hope that the average person watching the film will be able to relate to this family and by doing so, will have many of their questions answered. They may even be inspired to do the same thing!
So if you know of someone who is considering pulling their kids out of school to homeschool them who might be interested in being involved in our film, please let them know about our film (or ask them if we can contact them). Or if you have recently started homeschooling or are considering doing so, please contact us directly by using this form.
Here are some of the guidelines and answers to FAQ’s you may have:
Q: What part of the country will you be filming in?
A: For practical and financial reasons, it would be easier if you are located somewhere on the west coast, but we are open to finding the right family for the project and will not turn anyone down because of location.
Q: Do my kids still have to be in school?
A: Ideally, you should still have kids in the traditional school system and be committed to pulling them out to homeschool them. But if you’ve recently done that and are relatively new to homeschooling that might work also.
Q: What kind of time commitment will this involve and what will you be filming exactly?
A: In total we have 20 days of filming set aside for this part of the film, but don’t panic, it’s spread out over 8-12 months. Here’s how we see it working: Initially, we would come to your house and film for 3-5 days. This would include on-camera interviews with family members and footage of everyday interactions around your home and neighborhood. We would then go away for a couple of months and return for another 3-5 days to see how you are doing and to follow up. This scenario would repeat 2 or 3 times during the course of a year so that we get a sense of progression and a developing narrative story as you make the transition to homeschooling.
Q: Will we get paid for this?
A: Unfortunately, there’s no pay for your involvement, but we would be willing to pay for consultations with expert homeschooling advisors to help guide you and your family in your decision making process as questions come up. You’ll also get to be the “stars” in the world’s first feature length documentary about homeschooling, and help many people who might also be interested in making this lifestyle choice!
Q: What if we start filming and then change our minds?
A: We hope that doesn’t happen, or we’ll have no film! You’ll be required to make a commitment to see the project through to completion by signing a release form and agreement and we’ll make every effort to make sure you are comfortable with the process as we go along. We are not out to make anyone look bad, or to impose any kind of false agenda. We simply want to present an honest and compelling story of one family’s journey into the word of homeschooling.
We hope this answers some of the questions you might have. We realize it’s a big step to take so if you have any other concerns or questions please contact us by email and we’ll be happy to answer them for you.
Fill out this form to get started. We really look forward to hearing from you!