Serving Life - Documentary - Two Rivers Films

In 1997 there was a guy, EJ, who went to our school here in Sydney, Australia. He was well liked, a  gifted athlete and seemingly from a good home. Around two years later he was a convicted murderer in the United States serving a life sentence without chance for parole and the death sentence pending.

But EJ was given a gift he felt he didn’t deserve; the family of one of his victims chose not to appeal for the death penalty.  Now 19 years on he lives to help others and  has become one of the 'go to guys' for advice in matters of Life and Faith. Recently EJ attained a teaching degree and won an award for helping other inmates. 

In this documentary film we explore with EJ (who has a unique perspective as someone who has taken life and had it given back to him) what was the cause for his terrible decisions and how his heart has changed.

Also one of his victims, an ex-employer, was shot 11 times at close range. His survival is medically inexplicable. His remarkable story will make up part of this documentary and we will seek to learn if he's been able to forgive EJ for the incredible pain caused.

We've done a detailed budget to achieve what we are calling stage 1 - $35000. We are raising this money to go from Australia to the prison in the States to interview EJ on camera and then to interview various other characters associated with his story who also reside in the US.

By all accounts EJ should be fine on camera but once captured on film we'll know what other elements we will need to complete the documentary and thus put together a bigger more detailed production budget.

So this trip is being considered as research and development. It will give us the tools necessary to then create the structure to go to the industry in a professional capacity with a well produced 5 to 10 minute teaser in order to raise the remaining capital (stage 2) to shoot and produce the final film - SERVING LIFE.

We are working hard to go late March, early April, 2020. The funds will be used immediately to pay for flights, film crew, accommodation, car hire, fuel, food, editing and legals.

To show my commitment I'm putting in the first $2000 and then paying for myself to go to the United States.

Only once we raise the finance for stage 2 (production finance), as a token of our appreciation to those who make a contribution over $4000, they will be contacted with an opportunity to consider further financial involvement and a possible Return On Investment within a proper legal framework.

Our vision is to make a film both timeless and special, in a style we developed called - Beautiful Real. Your contribution helps a great deal to make this possible.

EWTN, a TV network based in the US, has expressed interest in showing the finished documentary to their worldwide audience which is approx. 260 million people.

So please come on this journey with us to create this film that will celebrate some universal truths that bring our human family a bit closer together.

Thank you!

James and Seb
Two Rivers Films

Here's a recent cinema released short film James produced and directed The Wait - A Short Film 

Producer/Writer Seb James' Linkedin Profile 

A link to our Director of Photography's page: mpdop.com