TED Fellows

10 Days of Social Media That Shook Us Up!

December 10, 2011

"We Are Many", a documentary about the amazing story of the largest protest in history, and its legacy witnessed in current social and poltical movements around the globe, reached its fundraising target on Kickstarter in the early hours of today. What's more heartwarming and remarkable is that this people powered film is continuing to exceed its target every minute as it approaches its campaign deadline of 5:35 am (EST) Tuesday 13th December. The film has clearly captured the public's imagination surpassing all our expectations leaving us speechless with gratitude and a strong sense of belonging to a fantastic community.

10 days ago on 1st December on this blog I wrote the following:

10 DAY COUNTDOWN CALL TO ACTION

Many TED Fellows and subscribers to this blog and their Facebook friends and Twitter followers have backed this important documentary by either pledging and/or helping spread the word. The production team of We Are Many are grateful for your generosity and support. Together we have raised $20,000 which is fantastic. But we still have a long way to go and need your help in reaching new donors.

We now have 10 days to raise the remaining $50,000 to reach the set target of $70,000.

Raising $5000 per day from today! It is a huge ask but not impossible. Our network of friends and followers, our circles of influence, can do it. This is a true test of the power of social media to do good. Let’s stretch it to its limits in a truly deserving case study: a documentary about people power crowd-funded by people.

The Humanity of the Crowds proved our huge mountain to climb was indeed within reach and then some! We Are Many did raise $5000/day and more. Thank you for backing this project in whatever way you did. We are truly grateful.

But - there's always a but ! - with 70 hours to go we are not resting or complacent.

Now is the perfect time to invite your friends to play a part. Join our already 480-strong community of backers. If everyone of you succeed in getting just ONE friend to play a part, the number of backers will be almost 1000! Let’s go as far as we can. Pass the word to everyone by Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Email, and/or Direct Call! Be the 1000th backer! Help us reach the ultimate crowd!

Can we attract 1000 plus backers? I believe, with your help, WE CAN! It's not over until it's over!

This is the all important link to share

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/733111346/we-are-many

Finally a reminder of what it's all about.

Taghi Amirani

TED Senior Fellow 2010

@tagz23

Filed under // Amir Amirani Amirani Films Aslan Media Iraq War Kickstarter Occupy Occupy Wall Street Peace Protest TED TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

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TED Fellow Needs Your Vote This Weekend For Global Film Project!

December 3, 2011

WE ARE MANY, the people power fearture documentary, executive produced by TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani and directed by his brother Amir, has made the shortlist for Project of The Week by indieWIRE, the leading news, information, and networking site for independent-minded filmmakers and moviegoers. Please consider voting for us. It's quick and easy.

We have less than 48 hours to go before the poll closes. So NOW is the best the time!

The ground-breaking documentary currently on a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign has until Monday 5 Dec 11am EST to win the poll of Project Of The Week. Voting is simple and quick and can be done here

http://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?poll_id=bc6xv1eh

Please take a couple of minutes out of your weekend to vote for We Are Many and set it up for the next big challenge of indieWIRE Project of The Month, which gives it a chance to have a consultation with Sundance Institute.

Vote for us and share the link as far and wide as you can. This is a film about people power and only the people can make it happen.

Thank you!

Filed under // TED Senior Fellow We Are Many indieWire

Posted by Taghi Amirani

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Join Oliver Stone, Danny Glover and Stephen Fry In Supporting Global Protest Film "We Are Many"

December 2, 2011

We Are Many, a documentary on the untold story of the biggest protest in history, launches on crowd-funding website Kickstarter and gets off to an impressive start in gathering support. 256 backers have pledged over $20,000 since the short trailer for the work in progress appeared on Kickstarter.

We Are Many tells the story of the globally coordinated protests against the invasion of Iraq on 15 February 2003, and its legacy, through the Arab Spring to the Occupy Movement. The day that saw an estimated 30 million people in over 700 cities around the world march and give birth to a new global social movement.

OLIVER STONE EDORSES "WE ARE MANY"

Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone has joined the growing list of the film’s supporters with this statement:

"The global protest against the Iraq War on 15 February 2003 was a pivotal moment in recent history, the consequences of which have gone unreported. Amir Amirani's ‘WE ARE MANY’ chronicles the struggle to shift power from the old establishment to the new superpower that is global public opinion, through the prism of one historic day. I urge you to support this film in whatever way you can." Oliver Stone, November 2011

ROCKY HORROR SHOW’S RICHARD O’BRIEN PLEDGES $5000

Among the film’s supporters is the creator of The Rocky Horror Show Richard O’Brien who has pledged $5000. In giving his wholehearted backing to the film O’Brien said: “The greatest tragedy of this event and the reasons surrounding it, is that Bush and Blair drove a final nail in the coffin of democracy on that day.”

Novelist Arundhati Roy said 15 February 2003 was the “most spectacular display of public morality ever”.

HOW RICHARD BRANSON NEARLY STOPPED THE WAR

The ground-breaking documentary has also secured an interview with the British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson who for the first time on camera will talk about his failed attempt to stop the invasion of Iraq by flying in with Nelson Mandela to take Saddam Hussein out of the country. Branson, with the backing of the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, had a plane on stand by at Johannesburg airport for the mission, only for Britain and the US to start bombing. Branson is a great believer in the power of film to change things. On 24 November 2011 he wrote in his blog about films that make a difference.

STEPHEN FRY AND DANNY GLOVER IN TWITTERSPHERE

10 DAY COUNTDOWN CALL TO ACTION

Many TED Fellows and subscribers to this blog and their Facebook friends and Twitter followers have backed this important documentary by either pledging and/or helping spread the word. The production team of We Are Many are grateful for your generosity and support. Together we have raised $20,000 which is fantastic. But we still have a long way to go and need your help in reaching new donors.

We now have 10 days to raise the remaining $50,000 to reach the set target of $70,000. What you can do here and now in less than a minute:

1. Tweet the Kickstarter link to your followers with the hashtag #wearemany

2. Post the Kickstarter link on your Facebook wall.

3. Or if you happen to have a personal blog or a newsletter please consider including a post about the film. You can use this Press Release.

Raising $5000 per day from today! It is a huge ask but not impossible. Our network of friends and followers, our circles of influence, can do it. This is a true test of the power of social media to do good. Let’s stretch it to its limits in a truly deserving case study: a documentary about people power crowd-funded by people.

A final thought from the Olivier, Tony and BAFTA winning actor Mark Rylance currently in Jerusalem in London’s West End

Thank you!

Filed under // 15 Feb 2003 Amirani Films Arundhati Roy Danny Glover Documentary Iraq War Kickstarter Mark Rylance Oliver Stone Richard Branson Richard O'Brien Rocky Horrow Show Stephen Fry TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

Comments [1]

"We Are Many" on Kickstarter kicks off with fantastic momentum!

November 14, 2011

Our documentary project We Are Many launched less than a week ago on Kickstarter has got off to a great start thanks to the TED Fellows spreading the word. Thank you!

Here's another mention for those who may have missed the post. Please take 6 mins to take a look at the trailer and help put it out there in your social media.

To capture the spirit and energy of the spectacular global Occupy movement Amirani Films has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for a major new documentary called We Are Many.

This is the trailer for the film

And this is the Kickstarter page

Like the film on Facebook

Follow the film on Twitter

And visit the film's website

Directed by Amir Amirani and Executive Produced by TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani, the film tells the remarkable story of the biggest protest in history which took place on February 15, 2003. The unprecdented worldwide march againts the impedning invasion of Iraq failed to stop an illegal war based on mass deception. But it drew a new map for protests to come. What happened in Cairo's Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring, and the subsequent global Occupy Movement, have a direct link to what happened on February 15, 2003. A seismic shift took place, and we are only now beginning to understand its impact.

If this movie project strikes a chord with you in any way please give it your support. Of course Kickstarter is all about crowdfunding and you can help in that way if you wish. But we need something more valuable than money; we need your help in reaching your communities. Your Twitter followers, Facebook friends, blog subscribers, website visitors, your mailing list, your real life friends and fanily..Please take a few minutes to share this post and the links below with your network. Share the TED Fellow love and see it reciprocated in ways you can't yet imagine!

TED Fellow and Kickstarter Co-Founder Perry Chen has started the ball rolling:

Special thanks to Perry, Elisabeth Holm and their brilliant team at Kickstarter.
Now it's over to you.

Many thanks.

Taghi Amirani

TED Senior Fellow 2010

Amirani Films

@tagz23

Filed under // 15 Feb 2003 Amir Amirani Amirani Films Documentary Iraq Iraq War Kickstarter Occupy Occupy London Occupy Wall Street Peace Perry Chen TED Fellows TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

Comments [5]

From the Iraq war to Occupy Wall Street...You can connect the dots

November 11, 2011

To capture the spirit and energy of the spectacular global Occupy movement Amirani Films has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for a major new documentary called We Are Many.

This is the trailer for the film

And this is the Kickstarter page

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/733111346/we-are-many

Directed by Amir Amirani and Executive Produced by TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani, the film tells the remarkable story of the biggest protest in history which took place on February 15, 2003. The unprecdented worldwide march againts the impedning invasion of Iraq failed to stop an illegal war based on mass deception. But it drew a new map for protests to come. What happened in Cairo's Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring, and the subsequent global Occupy Movement, have a direct link to what happened on February 15, 2003. A seismic shift took place, and we are only now beginning to understand its impact.

If this movie project strikes a chord with you in any way please give it your support. Of course Kickstarter is all about crowdfunding and you can help in that way if you wish. But we need something more valuable than money; we need your help in reaching your communities. Your Twitter followers, Facebook friends, blog subscribers, website visitors, your mailing list, your real life friends and fanily..Please take a few minutes to share this post and the links below with your network. Share the TED Fellow love and see it reciprocated in ways you can't yet imagine!

TED Fellow and Kickstarter Co-Founder Perry Chen has started the ball rolling:

Special thanks to Perry, Elisabeth Holm and their brilliant team at Kickstarter.
Now it's over to you.

Links to share:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/733111346/we-are-many

http://www.wearemany.tv/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/15-February-2003/300254259003

http://twitter.com//15Feb2003

Many thanks.

Taghi Amirani

TED Senior Fellow 2010

Amirani Films

@tagz23

Filed under // 15 Feb 2003 99% @tagz23 Amir Amirani Amirani Fims Arab Spring Iraq War Kickstarter Occupy Occupy London Occupy Wall Street Peace Perry Chen TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

Comments [6]

"We Are Many" Picks Up Three PUMA Creative Awards at The Good Pitch

October 3, 2010

We are delighted to share the good news that our feature documentary We Are Many presented at The Good Pitch in London on 10^thSeptember 2010 had an overwhelming response and picked up three PUMA Creative Awards. PUMA, through its PUMA.Creative initiative, launched a unique long-term partnership with Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation on September 10. The new PUMA.Creative Documentary Awards will provide financial support, creative counsel and industry recognition to documentary filmmakers whose work address creative, social justice, peace or environmental issues globally.

Directed by Amir Amirani, We Are Many will tell the story of the biggest peace march in human history. On 15 February 2003, in over 800 cities around the world, 30 million people protested against the planned invasion of Iraq. In telling this remarkable story, the film will harness the passion and political energy of this phenomenal movement as a force for good in giving people a voice.

See the 4-min trailer here

The Good Pitch brings together inspiring social-purpose film projects and a group of expert participants from charities, foundations, brands and media to form powerful alliances around groundbreaking films. In the new partnership between BritDoc and PUMA, We Are Many received a PUMA Creative Catalyst Award and two PUMA Creative Mobility Awards.

Maxyne Franklin, Jerry Rothwell (Director, Town of Runners), Amir Amirani (Director,We Are Many), PUMA Chairman & CEO Jochen Zeitz, Taghi Amirani (Producer, We Are Many), Jen Arnold (Director, Writer, Producer, A Small Act), and PUMA.Creative Director Mark Coetzee at the PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation Gala Awards Ceremony

Together with pledges of support and collaboration from Saatchi & Saatchi, Avaaz (6 million members), CND, The Elders and Greenpeace We Are Many has received a great boost on what will be an extraordinary global journey.

To join in or simply keep up with the latest developments on this project become a fan of our FB page and follow us on Twitter@15Feb2003. There will also be news on the Amirani Films FB page. If the film strikes a chord please spread the word.

Taghi Amirani TED Senior Fellow @tagz23 Amirani Films

Filed under // 15 Feb 2003 Amir Amirani Amirani Films Avaaz BRITDOC Documentary Jochen Zelts PUMA PUMA Creative PUMA Creative Awards Peace Saatchi & Saatchi TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani The Elders The Good Pitch War We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

Comments [6]

Good News, Good Film, Good Pitch, Good People

August 12, 2010

Good News

Our feature documentary We Are Many has just been selected as one of eight projects to be presented at The Good Pitch in London on 10^th September 2010. The Good Pitch brings together inspiring social-purpose film projects and a group of expert participants from charities, foundations, brands and media to form powerful alliances around groundbreaking films.

Directed by Amir Amirani, We Are Many will tell the story of the biggest peace march in human history. On 15 February 2003, in over 800 cities around the world, 30 million people protested against the planned invasion of Iraq. In telling this remarkable story, the film will harness the passion and political energy of this phenomenal movement as a force for good in giving people a voice.

Good Film

You can see a 4-minute trailer for the film below

And a longer 8-minute version here.

Good Pitch

The Good Pitch is just one of many fantastic initiatives run by the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, a new social entrepreneurship organisation bringing new thinking to public service delivery. This is what the good people of BRITDOC say: “Films are the best medium for changing hearts and minds and lives, by bringing stories and issues to the widest possible audiences. Films inspire people to engage and act. That’s why we broker relationships between Foundations, Charities, NGOs and Filmmakers.” Over the past three years BRITDOC have supported two projects at Amirani Films, and we love them for that. So a big shout out to Jess Search, Beadi Finzi, Maxyne Franklin, Elise McCave, Sarah Ross, Katie Bradford, Matt Jones and Sarah Mosses.

Good People

That’s you and your friends. Please help spread the word about We Are Many to as many people as you can. Come on board early and be part of the movement that gets the ball rolling on this important social action project. With your help we can make this film a catalyst for a global dialogue about the fundamental right of citizens to have their democratic voice heard when it comes to governments’ decision to go to war. Let’s put peace firmly on the agenda and ask: is a referendum before declaring war the only answer? Transparency and accountability must become the watchwords.

You can become a fan of the Facebook page, follow the film on Twitter, contribute to the content of the film’s website, blog and tweet about it. Even share your own story and perhaps take part in the documentary. If you have ideas for making this work we would love to hear from you. Whatever you do, however small, will make a difference.

Wish Amir and his film luck on September 10th!

Thank you.

Taghi Amirani

TED Senior Fellow

@tagz23

@amiranifilms

Amirani Films

Filed under // Amir Amirani Amirani Films BRITDOC Documentary Iraq Peace Protest TED Senior Fellow Taghi Amirani The Good Pitch War We Are Many activism

Posted by Taghi Amirani

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Countdown To Zero with Tony Blair

February 13, 2010

OK, listen, I actually haven't yet seen Countdown To Zero, Jeff Skoll and Lawrence Bender's new documentary making a compelling and stylish case for nuclear disarmament. But judging from the impressive and heart-pounding trailer we were shown on the TED stage yesterday, I can say for sure if there's one thing more scary than the horror of nuclear annihilation it is the sight of Tony Blair in a documentary warning us about "rogue states" and the urgent need for removal of WMDs.

I thought by coming from London to TED at Long Beach I could get away from British politicians for a few days. But no such luck. First David Cameron shows up live from the stage of The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) - a venue more used to actors pretending to be people they are not - saying he's going to give power to the people. Then Blair appears in Countdown to Zero using words that sounded too much like banging the drums for war like he did at the recent Iraq Inquiry.

So, let me use this coincidence to announce Amir Amirani's new documentary project We Are Many. (Yes, he's my brother).

See another side of Tony Blair in this documentary that is currently in development. Compare and contrast Blair's words now, to those in 2003. Listen to Brian Eno's words about Iraq's WMDs.

And if you believe in real people power, please join the website, support our film and spread the word. People stop wars, not politicians. Remember, We Are Many.

www.wearemany.tv

Taghi Amirani

TED Senior Fellow 2010

http://amiranifilms.com/

@amiranifilms http://twitter.com/amiranifilms

@tagz23 http://twitter.com/tagz23

PS Now I must hurry to catch Countdown to Zero. It looks like a compelling film; important, globally relevant and beautifully made, like most of the work that comes out of Participant Media. http://www.participantmedia.com/films/coming_soon/countdown_to_zero.php

Filed under // Amir Amirani Brian Eno Countdown To Zero Iraq Participant Media We Are Many

Posted by Taghi Amirani

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