One Man, One Camera, One Dollar and Two Deaths

Garianno Lorenzo and Jordan Nichols are producers of the new UFC documentary entitled "FIGHT SPIRIT PRIDE" featuring the real life Karate Kid, Mark Hominick

LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2012 -- Mixed Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, because of its Gladiator combat appeal. It's also practiced as a form of self-defense with civilians, police and military. Surprisingly, there are still people that believe this sport is human cockfighting, yet there are more and more MMA schools opening up teaching self-defense. Mark Hominick, who's from a small town of 2500 people, dispels the idea of professional MMA fighters being illiterate backyard brawlers. He is one example of the quality of athletes that populate this emerging sport, to the credit of UFC President Dana White.

Mark Hominick is the real life Karate Kid. He's a small-town boy next-door good kid; who is very polite, well mannered, with a high education. Mark graduated with a degree in business, top 5 (not top 5%) Cum Laude with honors from the most prestigious business school in Ontario, Canada. This film is a document about his life, and the deaths that surround it.

Garianno Lorenzo, a filmmaker, and industry veteran, six years ago was sitting on his couch in Red Bank, NJ watching an uninteresting boxing match, and the decision he made to change the channel, gave birth to this film. He switched to a channel showing an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight between Mark Hominick and Yves Edwards. Hominick defeated Edwards in an outstanding victory. While giving his post victory interview with Fear Factor's Joe Rogan, Mark pushed back tears talking about his father dying of cancer. Lorenzo saw this and was moved into action.

With a camera, and a dollar, Garianno Lorenzo decided to set out on a six-year journey of filming the story of Mark Hominick. Garianno started filming at the time Mark was trying to train for his rematch to regain the title that he had previously defended nine times prior to his father's condition taking a turn for the worse. Lorenzo left his home in NJ, shut down his life and moved into London, ON Canada to film every waking moment of Mark's fight for his family and his career. As a labor of love Lorenzo filmed for three years consistently and three years periodically. He now has more than three Terabytes of footage stored on hard-drives.

Mark's father lost his fight with cancer and Mark lost his rematch to regain his title. Then, Mark was dropped from the UFC and WEC fighting organizations.

While his father was the most important male figure in Mark's life. The second most important male figure in Mark's life is his best friend, manager, mentor and trainer Shawn Tompkins. Just as Mark is coming to terms with the devastating loss of his dad, at his career low point, Mark suffered another blow with the untimely death of Shawn Tompkins late last year. Shawn passed away of a massive heart attack at the young age of 37 years old. In a very short period of time, Mark lost the two most important men in his life at the lowest point in his life, and career. The film captures how Mark fights his way back with the courage of a warrior.

By the time the movie ends, Mark is welcomed back into the UFC; he has a title fight on the horizon with the UFC, marries the girl of his dreams, builds a home, starts a successful business, and has a child. Although, Mark lost his father and his mentor, it's really a story about perseverance, internal strength, passion and heart, and that does take fight, spirit and pride.

The documentary features the most recognizable names in the sport including UFC president Dana White, actor Kevin James, Fear Factor's Joe Rogan, MMA legend Bas Rutten, UFC middle weight champion Georges St-Pierre, Sam Stout, Eddie Bravo and many others.

The film has quite a bit of traction and appreciation for the story in social media. Based on the buzz around the film within MMA and UFC fan sites; fans are eagerly waiting for the film's release. The film is currently wrapping up post-production

Demonstrated by his commitment, for six years Lorenzo funded the movie alone. And now has placed the film on the popular funding site Kickstarter.com. Anyone interested in knowing more about this project should visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fightspiritpride/fight-spirit-pride.

Directed By Garianno Lorenzo
Produced by Garianno Lorenzo and Jordan Nichols for Tyrant Entertainment
In association with Nichols Entertainment

Related Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2304633
http://www.Facebook.com/FightSpiritPride
Sirius Satellite Radio
http://www.FightSpiritPrideTheMovie.com
http://www.Twitter.com/FightMovie
http://www.YouTube.com/FightSpiritPride

SOURCE Garianno Lorenzo

Homesweet Homegrown Authors Launch Kickstarter Campaign to Spread the Word About Growing Organic, Non-GMO Food

Author Robyn Jasko and Illustrator Jennifer Biggs "hit the tracks" in a cross country Amtrak book tour.

PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 2012 -- Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make and Store Food, No Matter Where You Live, is an essential guide to DIY food for the modern homestead. Written by Grow Indie.com founder Robyn Jasko, and illustrated by Jennifer Biggs, this new book published by Microcosm Press is empowering people everywhere to grow their own organic, non-gmo food, whether they live in a high-rise city apartment or an acre in the suburbs.

The authors recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their summer tour to host signings, events and garden demonstrations across the country, and get the word out about how easy it is to grow your own food.

Through April 30, visitors can purchase an exclusive set of rewards that include everything they need to get growing this summer, including signed copies of Homesweet Homegrown, and organic, non-gmo seed sets.

Each seed collection (Herb Garden, Container Garden, Heirloom Garden, and Kaleidoscope Garden) includes 5 packs of organic, non-gmo seeds that were handpicked by the authors as no-fail varieties that can be easily grown anywhere. All proceeds from the Kickstarter campaign will be used towards the summer tour, and planned stops include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Boulder, Chicago, New Orleans, Asheville, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York.

Homesweet Homegrown features eight comprehensive sections (Know, Start, Grow, Plant, Plan, Make, Eat, and Store), in a 128-page guide that takes you through all the steps of gardening, canning, storing, pickling, and freezing your own homegrown food. In addition to raising awareness of GMOS, organics and heirlooms, it also features grow guides for 25 vegetables, easy recipes to use your harvest, DIY garden projects, plans for starting a garden no matter where you live, and more.

Author Robyn Jasko is available for interviews, gardening project and recipe demos. Review copies of the book are also available.

To view the Homesweet Homegrown Kickstarter Campaign, visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1975983630/homesweet-homegrown-cross-country-amtrak-book-tour .

SOURCE Grow Indie.com

Controversial "Pro-Fracking" Documentary Raises More Than $185,000 on Crowdfunding Website

"FrackNation" investigates the health scares surrounding the process, and reveals the startling lack of scientific evidence to substantiate them.

UPDATE to Previous Post.

LOS ANGELES, April 3, 2012 -- A controversial documentary is finishing one of the most successful Kickstarter fundraising campaigns, having raised almost $190,000 from 2,700 backers in just 60 days.

The Kickstarter.com campaign for FrackNation was launched on February 6, and smashed through the fundraising goal of $150,000 early in the campaign.

The campaign will come to a close on Friday, and the filmmakers will continue production until the film premieres this summer. The film is being co-directed and produced by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney, a husband and wife film making couple, and Magda Segieda who worked with them on their previous documentary Not Evil Just Wrong.

The team has announced that in a unique move all 2,700 backers, even those who have donated one dollar, will become executive producers on the film and have their names in the credits.

"This will be a documentary funded by the people for the people," said McAleer.

The fundraising success has been all the more remarkable given that Kickstarter normally facilitates crowdfunding for "pro-environmental," anti-fossil fuel documentaries.

Noting that FrackNation was an unusual fit as a Kickstarter project the Los Angeles Times said the documentary "received an eye-popping $22,000 in donations during its first two days." POLITICO called the filmmaker's Kickstarter campaign "most interesting," and The San Francisco Examiner noted "the financial and emotional support for the film has earned it a top spot on Kickstarter's 'most popular' list," a position the film maintained for almost the duration of the campaign.

Recently, a billboard supporting the documentary went up in natural-gas rich New York, near the Pennsylvania border. The billboard made news asserting "The Water Was On Fire In 1669." The filmmakers "felt it was important to bring to light the truth and counter the common, inaccurate scare stories about 'exploding tap water.'"

"People seem to have decided that they want the truth to be told and they want to be involved in the telling," McAleer said referencing the broad-based support for the film. "The majority of backers have been from the U.S. and pledged between $20 and $35. Instead of going to the movies, they're paying for one. We are so grateful for their contributions, especially when budgets are tight for everyone."

The feature-length film looks at the process of fracking for natural gas, and examines much of the scaremongering surrounding the process and speaks to people who say they are the ignored majority in their communities that overwhelmingly support fracking and the natural gas industry. The first clip from FrackNation, released this month, highlights the misinformation and biased opinions about fracking that are being represented in the media.

FrackNation comes on the heels of a new anti-fracking film due to be released by activist filmmaker Josh Fox. Fox made Gasland, an Oscar-nominated film, which propelled fears about fracking into the public arena. Fox is now planning a HBO-funded Gasland sequel. Fox has received $750,000 to make the new documentary.

"Unlike Josh Fox we can't and won't rely on money from corporations like HBO to make our documentary. This is a film funded by the 99 percent to combat the misrepresentations by the 1 percent of urban elites who want to tell rural Americans how to work and live. We are amazed and thankful for the support we have received from people all over the world who are ready for the truth about fracking to be told," said McElhinney.

The team said the funds will allow them to continue work on the production of FrackNation, with a goal of releasing the film later in 2012.

SOURCE Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer

Controversial "Pro-Fracking" Documentary Reaches Primary Fundraising Goal in Record Time on Crowdfunding Website

"FrackNation" investigates the health scares surrounding the process, and reveals the startling lack of scientific evidence to substantiate them.

UPDATE

LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2012 -- In less than 30 days, controversial filmmakers Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer have raised $150,000 from more than 2,000 backers for their documentary, FrackNation. Since the launch of the crowdfunding campaign on February 6, the outpouring of support for the film has earned it a top spot on Kickstarter's "most popular" list and helped FrackNation reach its $150,000 fundraising goal in half the estimated time.

"People have really put their money where their mouth is," McAleer said referencing the broad-based support for the film. "The majority of backers have been from the U.S. and pledged between $20 and $35. Instead of going to the movies, they're paying for one. We are so grateful for their contributions, especially when budgets are tight for everyone."

The feature-length film looks at the process of fracking for natural gas, demolishing much of the scaremongering surrounding the process and featuring the millions whose lives have been positively transformed by this emerging industry. The first clip from FrackNation, released last week, highlights the misinformation and biased opinions about fracking that are being represented in the media.

But the filmmakers emphasize that the campaign is not over.

"$150,000 is the absolute minimum we need to complete the film," said McAleer. "The more support we get for FrackNation, the better the film will be, allowing the film to combat the one-sided media coverage about fracking by reaching the broadest audience possible with this story of the truth."

See the progress McAleer and McElhinney are making toward funding FrackNation on Kickstarter . com .

In a unique fundraising move, McAleer and McElhinney, a husband and wife filmmaking team, have announced that everyone who donates, even a dollar, to FrackNation will become an executive producer on the film. "This will be a documentary funded by the people for the people," said McAleer.

In order to maintain full transparency and keep the film free from special interests, McAleer and McElhinney have returned all donations from companies or senior executives in the gas industry.

FrackNation comes on the heels of a new anti-fracking film due to be released by activist filmmaker Josh Fox. Fox made Gasland, an Oscar-nominated film, which propelled fears about fracking into the public arena. Fox is now planning a HBO-funded Gasland sequel. Fox has received $750,000 to make the new documentary.

"The Hollywood/environmental establishment has wheeled out big bucks to tell its story," said McElhinney. "We're just asking for small individual donations from people who are ready to see the truth represented. Ours will be a grassroots film telling real stories about real people across America and the world. The new Gasland will be funded and speak to the environmental elite – the 1 percent. FrackNation will be a film by the people for the people – it will give a voice to the 99 percent."

SOURCE Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer