Producer/Director: Philippe Charluet
Production Company: Stella Motion Pictures Pty Ltd
Investors : Film Victoria (development & Cross Platform
Environment)
Philippe Charluet has made a number of documentary projects:
The Medieval Imagination, Dances Of Life, Wild Swans, Tivoli, Rush,
So Simple So Hard, Alicia, Bill Henson: Dreams of Darkness
His latest project in development is a fascinating exploration of
the life and times of John Friedrich and the National Safety
Council of Australia (Victorian Division).
Remember the NSCA (Vic) - that high-profile search and rescue organization that mushroomed in Gippsland in the 1980s? There are still a few big questions to be answered – how did Friedrich manage to con so many people about his background and qualifications. What
happened to the missing $300m? Was Friedrich’s death really
suicide?
All fertile territory for a gripping doco.
Social media is an essential part of this project.
Philippe Charluet is using internet platforms to:
- Find people who worked with Friedrich or were involved
with the NSCA (Vic) in the 80s who can help him piece
together information about his life and times
- Get these people actively involved in the hunt for other
leads and contacts
- Create a calling card for potential investors and
collaborators.
- Own the space by actually doing it – gathering resources
and interested parties to the project.
Reverse the paradigm.
The traditional path for a doco goes concept
development>research>proposal
documents>financing>execution. This can be a long and tortuous
path, with the danger other parties encroaching on the project
territory.
John Friedrich - Catch Me if you Can, lends itself to
interactive cross-platform adaptation due to the subject’s broad
web of influence. From eyewitnesses to members of its potential
cross-generational audience, this compelling web of intrigue will
infiltrate our lives and challenge us to ask the tough questions
about fraud, corruption and security in Australia.
Philippe Charluet has put a public stamp on the John Friedrich
story from day one. Most of the funding agencies have
development money available for early-stage support of projects
like this. By gaining the trust of a wide community of people who know about the NSCA (Vic) and Friedrich, Philippe’s project also has a head start when it comes to sourcing interviewees and material for the doco.
Phase 1 – The Online Environment: Building
participation and anticipation.
This environment has a three fold function:
A -
The Official Website
Designed by Whyte House for Stella Motion Pictures
To complement the making of the documentary “John Friedrich:
Catch Me if you Can” and introduce its story, a website has been
created, not only as a point of call for potential local and
international TV Networks or distributors interested in the
project, but also to seed interest amongst a growing audience
from the early inception of the project through to its eventual
release.
It features the traditional pages expected in an entertainment
project website such as Synopsis, Trailers, Blog sample, Photo
Gallery, Documents, Production Company and Contacts with the
appropriate disclaimer. But it also links to another important
website…
B-
Social Media Network
A social media network has been created by Philippe to invite
communication with the filmmaker and participation in the
storytelling process. This engages a proportion of the target
audience at a deep, personal level.
This social media network portal informs and shapes the content
of the documentary by providing an ongoing investigative
environment. It also extends an open invitation to potential
contributors to participate in the making of the documentary
(particularly those who have interesting information).
C-
Twittering
Again this has been set up to drive potential audience to the
official website.
Start Now – Monetise Later
It is intended the life of this online environment will continue far
beyond the making of the documentary itself, becoming an
extension of the storytelling where facts, information and
testimonies will continue to build a rich audience experience.
Over the next 12 months, Philippe will provide Media Wave
subscribers with updates on the progress of John Friedich:
Catch Me if You Can and of course would be delighted to hear
from anyone who has information about what really happened at
the time…!
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