Filmmaker Seeks Support for "Wisconsin Rising" Film

Hundreds of thousands surrounded the Wisconsin State Capitol building a year ago in response and protest of Governor Scott Walker's radical agenda, including his proposed "budget repair bill" to balance the budget on the back of state workers. There to document history in the making, was independent filmmaker Sam Mayfield from Burlington, Vermont. Sam was seen everywhere with her high definition camcorder, at Walker press conferences and climbing though Capitol windows with protesters. In the many months she was in Wisconsin, she obtained hundreds of hours of footage -- often at moments when hers was the only camera present. Among her hundreds of interviews with newsmakers and protesters, the Center for Media and Democracy's Mary Bottari was interviewed for the project on the role that ALEC played in shaping the Walker agenda. "People really need to pay attention to this and start bird-dogging these institutions, these legislators and these corporations and taking back their democracy," Bottari said of ALEC.

But in order to turn her footage into a feature-length documentary, Mayfield needs financial support. She has launched a "kickstarter campaign" to raise $40,000 of the $200,000 needed to complete the film. Kickstarter is an online funding tool for creative projects. If she does not receive that full amount in pledges by January 21, she won't receive any of the funding. According to Mayfield, the film is important in documenting "the story of how Wisconsin became a testing ground for the nation in a political environment where corporations have greater and greater clout and ordinary citizens are losing their ability to obtain redress.... Badger State residents are demonstrating the strength that comes from a shared sense of identity and pride, and that these bonds can shake even the most powerful political machines."

As the anniversary of the Wisconsin uprising approaches, Mayfield is seeking support to kickstart her project. You can see her trailer and make pledges to support "Wisconsin Rising" by clicking here to access the kickstarter website.