This is how we're working it.
The earliest ideas for THE INVOICE came in the Spring of 2020, during the pandemic, when Dave joined a group of his daughter's friends for a weekly Zoom conference about 'Whiteness.'
Troy joined Dave in December 2023 and Trudy came on board in February 2024.
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Month of June 2026
The team continues to meet weekly. We've survived slow progress and have come up with some amazing new ideas and directions. But we won't be posting them here for a while.
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Month of September 2025
Erin delivered the finished theatrical trailer on Sept. 11.
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Month of August 2025
Dave delivered the extended trailer at the end of August. Start second crowdfunding campaign.
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Month of July 2025–complete transcription of interviews, Dave begins organizing and editing the trailer.
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Month of June 2025– Troy meeting with Jeff MacGregor re funding and PR contacts. Discuss need to find a manager for second crowdfunding campaign. Acquire archival photos and videos from National Archives; jettison TDP website for now.
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Month of May 2025– Consider using "restitution" rather than "reparations"; outreach to celebrities; logging interviews.
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Month of April 2025–Coordinate interview with Dr. Richard America at Georgetown; Trudy to shoot and Troy to interview.
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Month of March 2025– debate over use of second (side) camera; debate over trailer vs. excerpt;
Troy and Dave shoot interview with Calvin Shermerhorn in Tempe, AZ; expand database of production contacts. Initiate process for TDP website and associated emails. Susan handling bookkeeping and tax filings. Udpate to supporters.
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Month of February 2025–Design new logo, apply for foundation grants, shoot Tracie McMillan interview, research streaming platforms, update to supporters.
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Month of January 2025 – Production of key interviews for the tralier: Anne Price (Maven Collaborative) and Pre-production for interview with Tracie McMillan (The White Bonus); Update to supporters; TDP operation guide (quality standards and processes)
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Month of Dec 2024 – Slogging through the business registration and banking details.
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Month of November – Wrote expanded treatment. Got Fiscal Sponsor on board for foundation grants and other tax-deductibe donations. Finished the business paperwork. Working on script and elements for the Trailer. Erin Lee on board as editor.
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Month of October - IndieGoGo campaign goes live
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Month of September 2024 – Prepping for social media and fundraiser to go live. Began outreach to engage a celebrity spokesperson / narrator.
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Month of August 2024 - Troy and Dave shot half a dozen "man-on-the-street" interviews, asking "What will you do with your first reparations check?" The responses will be made into social media sound bites to inspire viewers to support our Indiegogo campaign
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Month of July 2024 - Setting up a business bank account for TRU DAT (the name of our partnership is an acronym for Trudy, Dave, and Troy). Brainstorming ideas for crowdfunding perks, and preparing for a September 4th launch of our Indiegogo campaign.
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Month of June 2024 - Troy takes on setting up the IndieGogo crowdfunding site.
STAY TUNED for the opportunity to invest in this soon-to-be controversial project. Ongoing research; set up TRUDAT business agreements and accounts.
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Month of May 2024 - Completing endless details for completion of treatment, fiscal sponsor, crowdfunding site, bank account, business license, lists of possible grants, etc.
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