Extravagant Ones:
Below is a marvelous letter of thanks from IWFF Executive Director Janet Rose addressed to each of us who participated in Extravaganza 2008 and its affiliated International Wildlife Film Festival summer camp earlier this month. Kathy and I had lunch with Janet and her staff yesterday and, more than my earlier wildest wishes, we have truly bonded the Extravaganza with IWFF.
Please take a moment to read this letter as it is your reflection that you will find in it; also, tomorrow, I am hand carrying home the original of "Extravaganza 2008: A Journey to the Soul" and will have son Tyler begin the duplication process that should find this magnificent work of art in you hands within the next week or so (along with all of the digital images taken by your Group--some more than others, I might add!).
As for me, once a year I set out downstream on Rock Creek for my own personal Journey, and today is that special day for me.
Fish on!
Best to all from the remnant scene of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
Now that Extravaganza 2008 has come to a close, I want to share with you and your wonderful colleagues and friends, a few afterthoughts of our experience together (Extravaganza & the Montana Film Academy of the International Wildlife Media Center.)
While I personally had to be out of town during the actual filming of the Extravaganza, I followed its progress before, during and after via email and of course by seeing the phenomenal film at your July 4th personal “extravaganza.” As you know, for six young people and our staff, it was a life-changing event. Never before, have students from our Montana Film Academy had such an intensive experiential film journey in which they traveled from the initial days of building a concept to producing nothing less than a tour de force or Journey to the Soul. More than anything, this film represents almost the soul of nature – how people come together, share an experience in nature from which a myriad of amazing things can and do emerge. This film, Journey to the Soul, exemplifies the very nature of that experience and speaks directly to our organization’s mission – to promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of wildlife, habitat, people and nature through excellent film, television and other media. The staff of the International Wildlife Media Center and Montana Film Academy, cannot begin to thank you and Kathy enough for making all of this possible. Where words leave off, I hope this film conveys what this experience has meant to all who were touched by or part of Extravaganza 2008.
I also want to take a moment to share with you, some recent and exciting developments and updates from the International Wildlife Media Center & Film Festival and the Montana Film Academy. As you know, our headquarters is in one of Montana’s oldest theaters, the historic Roxy theater. Several years ago we moved in to what was virtually an empty space and began building a year round, international organization within its beautiful walls. We have recently learned that not only is this theater being officially re-listed on the registry of historic buildings, but with the completion shortly, of our historic restoration, we expect to be awarded a special plaque this fall, that will forever designate this building as a landmark theater in the historic University district and will be listed I believe, on the federal registry.
In addition, we are now in the final phase of our global community capital campaign to purchase and officially own this amazing facility (see attached pictures). To that end, we are fundraising madly (but happily) to raise the final $50,000 - $60,000 to both own the theater and complete its restoration that will enable it to mimic very closely, its original splendor when it was first built in the 1930s.
With three theaters under one roof, our campaign has offered donors (both individuals and foundations) an opportunity to have the theater named after them or their foundation. We are now just one theater away from completing this effort. To date, the Blackfoot River Theater has been sponsored by the Engelhard Foundation; the Missouri River Theater has been sponsored by the Turner Foundation and and now there is just one more theater, which can be the Clark Fork or the Yellowstone River Theater (donor’s choice) to be sponsored in order for us to complete the campaign. Perhaps most significant, this third theater houses the Montana Film Academy. In addition to being a screening theater where all of our students films are publicly premiered, it is also home base to our editing bays, camera training and workshop meeting rooms. This is Montana Film Academy Central!
In addition to the theater sponsorship, our lobby, as you know, includes the Roxy Wall of Support that greets all who enter the historic theater – this magnificent, hand-painted wall of wildlife tiles, features wildlife images that represent different levels of support. Last year, when we first met and you toured the Roxy, you and you alone noticed the single moose tile that had no sponsor name. There is quite a story behind this. Every single tile to the best of our knowledge, had a donor name associated with it. The moose tile, as shown below, is one of the most prominent wildlife tiles on the wall. You immediately zeroed in on this particular tile and said something to the effect, “that belongs to Extravaganza 2008!” As I say, it was the ONLY tile without a name. It is almost as if the moose appeared by magic, because you entered our lives and our organization with such enthusiasm, goodness and generosity. As of today, that tile is just $2,500 shy of being permanently, forever engraved with a plaque named for Extravaganza 2008. That tile is reserved for you and Extravaganza 2008!
The following information below this email, is about our campaign, our efforts and the long road we have traveled to become one of the first, if not the only International Wildlife Media Center in the world. We would be honored if you would share this with your friends and colleagues around the world, because we really want to spread the word far and wide, about what we do and the incredible impact we can have to celebrate, teach and acknowledge this beautiful planet we all share.
Every year, for example, we work with over 5000 young people, their families and teachers. We work with schools, museums, zoos and wildlife education and conservation programs all over the world. Our two film festivals – IWFF in the spring and CINE in the fall, showcase the greatest films ever made on wildlife, nature, the environment, topical issues and the natural world as a whole. Our library, called EarthVision, sends hundreds of films to communities across the globe through our Festival Tour Program on the road. The Roxy Theater, our permanent home, is the center of it all. And now Ron, you are officially an integral part of the International Wildlife Media Center as an Advisory Board Member as is Extravaganza 2008 – you have contributed and continue to give so much to this organization. Thank you does not begin to express our gratitude.
The following information details the purpose, history and background of the Roxy Campaign. I hope you will share it with friends and colleagues in the hopes that we can continue our forward momentum to promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of wildlife, habitat, people and nature through excellent film, television and other media. We live in such a beautiful part of the world; it is wonderful to be able to share it around the globe.
If you or your friends and colleagues have any questions or would like to become more involved, I hope you will never hesitate to contact me anytime by email or telephone as there is nothing I love more than to share the mission and the excitement of this unique organization. I think that there is no other like it anywhere in the world!
Thanks to you Ron!
Your Friend,
Janet Rose
Executive Director
The International Wildlife Media Center's Save the Roxy Campaign is our initiative to purchase the historic Roxy Theater in downtown Missoula and maintain this landmark building as an international wildlife media center.
As of today, we are just $50,000 - $60,000 shy of completing this effort. The following detail the various levels of support.
Roxy Community Tile
Campaign contribution levels are:
* $50 - Blue Heron
* $100 - Beaver
* $250 - Trout
* $500 - Red Tailed Hawk
* $750 - Deer
* $1,000 - Mountain Lion
* $2,500 - Coyote
* $3,000 - Black Bear
* $3,500 - Big Horn Sheep
* $5,000 - Wolf
* $10,000 - Moose
*$25,000 - Grizzly Bear
$50,000 – Theater Sponsor with Permanent Name Recognition
These Roxy Community Tiles depict animals that correspond to various levels of support, and they have been hand crafted locally by Melanie Jeffs of Workshop Wonders. The Roxy Community Tile is a great way to have your name or a remembered loved one's name part of the historic Roxy Theater forever with a commemorative plaque. You may also sponsor a theater seat at $1,000.
Our vision of an International Wildlife Media Center will provide unsurpassed opportunities for children and young audiences of all ages to learn, experience and appreciate wildlife and our magnificent natural world through exceptional films and television programs on a year round basis. The IWMC is a place for children, filmmakers, educators, scientists, artists and audiences of all kinds for our programs:
International Wildlife Film Festival
Montana CINE International; the last best film fest
Kids Wildlife Artwork Club (KWAC!)
Montana Film Academy & Filmmaking Workshops
EarthVision Film Library & Archive
Festival World Tours
Kids Wildlife Film Safari
It is our greatest hope that you will help us to secure something valuable and lasting for the local community and for the community of natural history filmmakers, biologists and all of us who care deeply about the natural world. Please join us and help us to create something permanent and lasting for decades to come. Thank you.
Janet Rose,
Executive Director
International Wildlife Media Center
International Wildlife Film Festival
Montana CINE International Film Festival
718 S. Higgins Avenue
Missoula, Montana 59801
Tel: 406.728.9380
Fax: 406.728.2881
Cell: 406.880.0683
iwff@wildlifefilms.org
www.wildlifefilms.org
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