Why are you making this film?

Our overall goal is to help shape the future of opera as a vibrant form of storytelling through music. This effort is critical because of rapidly declining subscription ticket sales and audience fatigue with repeated productions of the “Top Twenty” operatic titles.

We have three strategies. First, to honor and celebrate the efforts and achievements of the talented and dedicated creators and their new operas. Second, to educate the public about new forms of opera that may challenge their preconceptions and make them more inclined to buy tickets for new works that are unfamiliar to them. Third, to make producers more comfortable in programming new work on their stages and streaming platforms.

Who is the audience for the film?

Lovers of traditional opera are often unaware of new work and its importance. And those who don’t typically attend traditional operas may need to learn about the many new, adventurous works that are being produced. We want new and younger audiences to be willing to experiment with new work despite the misconceptions about the label “opera.”

What is the total budget for the film?

The total budget for the film is $650,000.  This amount includes certain pre-production costs, the production cost, and post-production editing, marketing, and distribution costs.

How much has been raised so far?

$100,000 has been raised so far from twelve donors.  Additional donors have not been approached until now because the producers wanted to be confident that the elements for a successful production were all in place before new donors were asked to contribute.

How much have the producers invested themselves?

Bob Beverage and David Smith have invested more than $50,000 so far. This is a cash amount that does not reflect more than 2,000 hours of their time over the past three years.

What is the funding plan?

The film is intended to be national in scope and the producers want the donor base to be national as well.  In general, we hope to raise about a third of the budget in the Twin Cities, another third in New York City, and the remaining third from other parts of the country, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, St. Louis, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth.  We want our film and our funding to be national in scope.

When will shooting begin?

We hope to begin filming in 2025.  This means we need to have collected funds of at least $400,000 by that time and have pledges for the remaining amount that we feel confident about.

How long will it take to make the film?

We expect filming to last about nine months.  Editing and other post-production activities will take another 12-18 months.

What is the distribution plan for the film?

Peter Rosen has had great success in getting his films broadcast on Public Television. They have also received wide distribution in Europe, Asia, and South America. However, our main area of focus will be the US. We expect to generate earned media for film though submissions to film festivals, and then use a multiplatform approach that incorporates broadcast, streaming and educational markets. Please see Distribution page for more detail.

Will the film focus on any particular parts of the country?

The content of the film is intended to be balanced in several ways: geographically, artistically/stylistically, and in terms of stage of development.  We want to show some avant-garde work and some more traditional work, some made-for-stage and some made-for-video work, and some works that are in earlier and later stages of development.  We also want to feature some smaller production companies as well as major opera companies around the country.

What is Nautilus Music-Theater’s involvement in the film?

Ben Krywosz, Artistic Director of Nautilus Music-Theater, has given Nautilus Film Project exclusive rights to make this film and accept tax deductible donations via Nautilus Music-Theater.  Ben is a key member of our Advisory Committee and will be using his huge base of knowledge and contacts to help us make an authoritative film that we hope will provide a major service to the field.

Are there other similar films out there already?

Not really.  There is a film about the national audition process for the Metropolitan Opera (The Audition in 2007) and a few others, but we have not found a film that focuses on the amazing story of new work in opera in America in recent years.

Do you expect to make a profit on the film?

We are undertaking the film as a service to the field generally, and to “lift all boats” in the opera world. We do not expect the film to make a profit. This is the rationale behind the tax deductibility of your donations.

How do I know my contribution will be tax-deductible?

Individuals can make tax-deductible contributions via our production partner, Nautilus Music-Theater, which is a 501(c) (3) organization. Please see our donation page for more details.

Will I be credited in the film for my contribution?

• At the $5,000 level, donors will be listed in the film credits under the heading “Thanks to our Supporters” unless they prefer to remain anonymous.
• At the $10,000 level, donors will be listed by name in the film credits under the heading “Special Thanks To” unless they opt out.
• At the $20,000 level, donors will be listed as Co-Producers in the film credits unless they opt out.

Donors giving more than $20,000 will be credited in a manner to be worked out on a customized basis.