The good news is, we only need $35,000 to finish the documentary.  We can only do this with your help.  This money will cover the remaining costs of the next 4 months: director, producer, writer, editors, assistant editors, translators, musicians, archival footage, accountant, graphic designer and web maintenance, sound mix, dvd authoring, duplication, advertising, marketing, film festival entries, office rent, utilities and more.

Once the documentary is complete, work will resume on finishing the 100 hour teaching archive in 3 languages.  The goal is to complete the DVD archive in 6 months for just $50,000.  Services needed to accomplish this goal are to employ the director, producer, editor, translators and sound mix, dvd authoring, duplication, advertising, marketing, office rent, utilities and more.

Due to your generous donations over the past 44 months, the project has stayed afloat. Over 70% of the budget has been raised. This money has employed 6 people on a full and part time basis, paid for office rent and expenses, travel and all equipment costs for filming and editing. This is an accomplishment we are all proud of, yet the project is truly in need of the remaining funds to finish the next phases.

For the filming phase, all of us worked on partially deferred salary to ensure the footage was secured while Rinpoche’s health held. For the post-production phase, people have to be paid a livable wage to be able to continue working on the project. We are seeking the remaining amount of $85,000 and with this amount we can finish the documentary by December and hope to finish the archive by mid 2011.

The cost to complete the feature-length documentary and the teachings dvds in 3 languages is $375,000 for a 4 and a half year project. For comparison, the documentary “Yogis of Tibet” cost $500,000 to make in one language, in one year. As you can see our budget is as minimal as possible to maintain a professional standard.

After the costs of the film project have been paid, ALL the profits from the sales of the dvds will be given to the endowment fund for Garchen Buddhist Institue.  This is Garchen Rinpoche's wish. 

We truly need your help to continue. A heartfelt thank you to all who have contributed thus far.

U.S. contributions are tax deductible.

The Drikung Mahayana Center of North Potomac, MD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is the fiscal sponsor for the film project. Go to the DONATIONS / GIFTS and the BENEFIT EXCHANGE page for more information.

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