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MR. BENSON Movie Trailer Funding!

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Thank you for taking the time to view the GoFundMe page for Mr. Benson: The Movie's Trailer completion. Mr. Benson is a grass roots, independent film project 35 years in the making, based on the cult novel that defined a generation of gay leathermen when it first premiered in serialization in the Drummer magazines of the 1970s. Penned by the late John Preston, Mister Benson took an inside look at the hyper-masculine fringe society of gay leathermen in NYC circa 1978.

As editor-in-chief of Drummer Magazine, and original editor of Mister Benson, Jack Fritscher* states: “Thirty-five years ago, when John Preston asked me to edit up his raw manuscript of Mister Benson for serialization in Drummer, I felt the novel had 'legs'. But in 1979 we could not have dreamed an independent film would one day be in pre-production. I've read Mister Benson: The Screenplay twice and found its heart true to the book. Justin John Costello's script looks leather-ready for lights, camera, and action. In the way I edited Benson, I can't wait to see how Costello puts his own written vision up on the silver screen.”

With award-winning film maker and Leather Historian Hardy Haberman serving as Executive Producer, and a cast consisting of Gay Leather Celebrities including Dan Lovell, Shayne Carter, Jack Parton, Hans Berlin, Adam Russo, Matt Stevens and CutlerX, the project is set to move onto the next phase of development by filming a fund-raising trailer this upcoming February, in Dallas, TX. The resulting trailer will have its world premiere at CLAW (Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend) in April, 2015. This is where we need your help.

We have created this GoFundMe page and campaign in order to help get as many of the cast as possible down to Dallas in order to film this important fund-raising trailer. Your generous donations will go to flights, lodging and food for the cast and crew, as well as other materials needed to create the best trailer that we can, and with most of the set cast members. Our minimal goal for this GoFundMe campaign is $4,500.00, and with your generous donations, we know we can do it!

Besides our gratitude to those who donate funds, we are offering special rewards for your donation, based on the level of financial commitment. The Donation Reward Breakdown is as follows:

$5 donation receives a special Thank You Email and our gratitude.

$10 donation receives a special Thank You in the trailer credits.

$25 donation receives a digital copy of the trailer, as well as a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$40 donation receives a special Mr. Benson The Movie collectors pin, plus a digital copy of the trailer, as well as a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$50 donation receives a custom Mr. Benson The Movie coffee mug, collectors pin, as well as a digital copy of the trailer and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$75 donation receives a custom designed Mr. Benson The Movie T-Shirt, along with the coffee mug, collectors pin, digital copy of the trailer, and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$100 donation receives a cast signed full-sized Mr. Benson The Movie Poster, along with the T-Shirt, coffee mug, collectos pin, digital copy of the trailer and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$150 donation receives a set of 5 Mr. Benson Custom Labeled Cigars, along with the Mr. Benson The Movie signed poster, T-Shirt, coffee mug, collectors pin, digital copy of the trailer, and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$500 donation receives a special 30 minute Skype conversation with Mr. Benson himself, Dan Lovell, as well as the custom labeled cigars, poster, T-Shirt, coffee mug, collectors pin, digital trailer and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$1000 donation receives an Associate Producer Credit on the Fund-Raising Trailer, along with the set of Mr. Benson custom labeled cigars, the signed poster, T-Shirt, coffee mug, collectors pin, digital copy of the trailer and a Thank You in the trailer credits.

$2500 donation receives an Associate Producer Credit on the Fund-Raising Trailer, as well as a Special TOPMEN Dinner with Stars and creative staff of the Film, including Dan Lovell, Dirk Caber, Adam Russo, Hans Berlin, Matt Stevens, and CutlerX  in Dallas TX on Sunday, February 8th 2015,  They will also receive the cigars, poster, T-Shirt, coffee mug, collectors pin, digital trailer and Thank You in the trailer credits! (Doner is responsible for travel and lodging to and from Dallas, TX)

On Behalf of the cast and creative staff of Mr. Benson: The Movie I want to extend our sincere gratitude for helping us take this special passion project to the next creative level. For more information on the development of the film, please check out the Mr. Benson: The Movie Facebook page, and we look forward to working hard to see this special and historical film to completion.

Sincerely,

Justin John Costello
Screenwriter

*Jack Fritscher is the Founding San Francisco editor-in-chief of Drummer, author of Leather Blues, Some Dance to Remember, Gay San Francisco, and Leather Walk of Fame: The Rise and Fall of Drummer Magazine. (http://www.drummerarchives.com/)
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $100 
    • 9 yrs
  • TopMen LA Attendees
    • $800 (Offline)
    • 9 yrs
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Organizer

Justin John Costello
Organizer
Kingston, PA

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