Documentary 'Do the Dance' hits fundraising goal

The crowdfunding campaign in support of Sacramento-based documentary ‘Do the Dance,” on Thursday reached its goal of raising $10,000 in 30 days -- just hours ahead of it’s deadline.

The project, led by veteran newspaper reporter Ed Fletcher, explores a racy Sacramento 1969 court case to take a broader look at the limits of free expression.

The indiegogo campaign received 92 contributions totaling $10,479 as of this publication. The campaign went into the final 16 hours needing an additional $716 to reach the goal.

“I’m excited to have met our goal. Now we can get back to focusing on making this film,” said Fletcher.

Director Damen Quincy Hayes said the campaign provided more drama than needed, but was glad to get there.

“I just want to get out there and make this film now,” Hayes said.

While the money generated through the crowdfunding campaign gets them a long way down the road, as Fletcher explains, they will need additional capital, likely from equity investors.  

The colorful trial over “bottomless” dancing at Orangevale’s Pink Pussy Kat will help to tell a broader story about the limits of free expression then and now, filmmakers say. The impactful Sacramento trial went national when Judge Earl Warren Jr. decided to take the jury to the club see the dancers “do the dance.” The case helped write the rules for exotic dance in California.

Fletcher, who grew up in Orangevale, learned about the Pink Pussy Kat trial from an older editor and soon found himself buried in old news clippings.

Do the Dance explores these issues:

• Self-promotion vs Free expression
• Female empowerment vs  Sexual exploitation

Historic photos, audio and background materials: dothedance.net

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Drive to do 'Big Things' prompted crowdfund campaign

I've always believed I could do big things.
In high school, I built the "ram shack" student store.
In college, I took the school weekly newspaper daily during the Bayou Classic.
As a newspaper professional, it's been more of a challenge. Big ideas die because of cost, time involved or they don't fit the company plan.
Several years ago, I stumbled across the Pink Pussy Kat trial and believed I could make something interesting creatively with the story. Over the years, there were ample opportunities to decide the road was too hard and put it down. For years, I kept waiting for a big money backer to emerge or someone in Hollywood to call.
My last visit Burning Man (2016), I was in a funk. A year had passed and I was no closer to my goal. This year, I vowed to move it forward come hell or high-water. Rather than wait, I decided to make my own magic. This crowdfunding campaign forced us kick our project into high gear. We developed some amazing digital assets (poster, trailer). We also began the long process of telling people about this project with radio, television and print interviews.
Despite some obstacles, which I won't detail, we're within striking distance of our goal: raising $10,000 in 30 days.
At present, we have 16 hours to raise the final $714. Thank you for helping me do big things.
- Ed Fletcher, Ed is a Sacramento-based journalist and filmmaker.

Click here to visit campaign page

Free expression documentary fund nears 70 percent

San Francisco topless legend Carol Doda performs during Sacramento indecency trial 

The online campaign funding a Sacramento documentary exploring the 1969 strip club indecency case that took the jury to the club is approaching 70 percent funded with 9 days remaining.

Using the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, Fletcher and his team are trying to raise $10,000 by March 22. Through March 15, the month-long campaign was at 68 percent of goal.

The feature-length documentary will use the colorful 1969 trial over “bottomless” dancing at Orangevale’s Pink Pussy Kat to help to tell a broader story about the limits of free expression then and now.

The impactful Sacramento trial went national when Judge Earl Warren Jr. decided to take the jury to the club see the dancers “do the dance.” The case helped write the rules for exotic dance in California.

Sacramento journalist and filmmaker Ed Fletcher said he was confident the team will hit the goal.

“There is so much Sacramento love for a deeply local story. We will get there,” said Fletcher.

The reaction to the campaign has been mostly positive, Fletcher said.

“Some people don’t want to talk about it or maybe they think it’s anti-women. To me, it’s just history,” Fletcher said. “This happened and we want to tell the story. I’m not pro-strip club or anti-strip club. I’m a journalist. But at the same time you can’t be afraid to show a little leg in marking if you’re making a project about free expression.”

Directing the project is DQ Hayes, an emerging filmmaker and former musician from the band Shakedown.

"There is love for this project from all over. We get people hitting up our page from UK, Spain, Sweden. Free expression and women's empowerment is universal," said Hayes.

More information at: Dothedance.net

CLICK HERE to contribute

Carol Doda, Big John Misterly clash in coming documentary film

Video clips furnished by the forthcoming documentary film "Do the Dance," which uses the Sacramento 1969 trial over "bottomless" dancing to tell a broader story about the limits to Free Expression. Do the dance is currently raising funds via indiegogo.
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Former Sacramento County sheriff lays out how women should be covered under a new ordinance being discussed in response to the full nude performances he deemed indecent.  As a result of the case, the county and state officials enacted new rules.

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San Francisco topless legend Carol Doda was called to testify during the Pink Pussy Kat trial. In this 1969 clip she talks about the difference between Sacramento and San Francisco.

Campaign to fund free expression documentary film hits 30 percent

An online campaign to help fund a documentary about the limits to free expression is under way lead by Sacramento journalist Ed Fletcher.

Using the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, Fletcher and his team are trying to raise $10,000 by March 22. Through March 4, the month-long campaign was at 30 percent of goal.

The feature-length documentary will use the colorful 1969 trial over “bottomless” dancing at Orangevale’s Pink Pussy Kat to help to tell a broader story about the limits of free expression then and now.

The impactful Sacramento trial went national when Judge Earl Warren Jr. decided to take the jury to the club see the dancers “do the dance.” The case helped write the rules for exotic dance in California.

"We are excited to be bringing this forward at a time women's rights and civil liberties are in the public conversation,” said Fletcher, a longtime reporter at The Sacramento Bee. 

Directing the project is DQ Hayes, an emerging filmmaker and former musician from the band Shakedown.  

The team kicked off the project with a fundraising party on Feb. 21 in Sacramento.

More information at: Dothedance.net

GIVE HERE