PBS Documentary Film Project "Ethan Allen - The Man & The Myth"
Project Overview
We are producing and our-long PBS Documentary that explores the importance of Ethan Allen's life contextualized against our Country's history. Collaborating with notable historians, organizations, museums, archives, authors, and experts we will present the various aspects and perspectives of Ethan Allen's life and his place in the fight for independence. We are partnered with the Vermont Historical Society and they are our fiscal agent. Vermont Public, Th Humanities Council, Ethan Allen Homestead, and Fort Ticonderoga have all signed on as endorsements for the film. There has never been a documentary film on Ethan Allen. See our Project Over View at https://rickmoulton.com/ethan-allen-project-2023-1
Grant Request
15,000
Total Project Budget
175,000
Applicant Information
Name of Applicant / Organization / Business
Rick Moulton Productions & Vermont Historical Society as Fiscal Agent
Mailing Address
109 Moulton Drive PO 97
Name of Project Coordinator
Melinda Moulton
Contact's Email Address
VHS Endorsement
Telephone
8033166666
Organization's Website URL
EIN
001363750
Applicatant / Organizational Description
The Vermont Historical Society engages both Vermonters and "Vermonters at heart" in the exploration of our state's rich heritage. Our purpose is to reach a broad audience through our outstanding collections, statewide outreach, and dynamic programming. We believe that an understanding of the past changes lives and builds better communities. Vision statement
Through its rich collections, dynamic programming, effective outreach and resolute leadership, the Vermont Historical Society preserves the past, informs the present and promotes Vermont's shared legacy for future generations.
If you are applying on behalf of an organization, what is your total organizational budget?
Project Film's Budget to complete is $175,000 5% flows through to Vermont Historical Society
Project Information
Detailed Project Description
ETHAN ALLEN – THE MAN & THE MYTH
PBS Documentary Film Project
Projected Release - Spring of 2025
Rick Moulton Productions - Rickmoulton.com
Made in partnership with Vermont Historical Society as our Fiscal Agent
Rick Moulton Productions is producing an hour-long PBS documentary that explores the importance of Ethan Allen's life contextualized against our Country's history. Collaborating with notable historians, organizations, museums, archives, authors and experts, we will present the various aspects of Ethan Allen's life and his place in the fight for independence. The film will be released in 2025, a year ahead of the 1776-2026 American Birthday, in line with the 250th anniversary date of Ethan’s famous 1775 capture of Fort Ticonderoga. With Ethan Allen we have a character with worldwide name recognition whose life provides an opportunity to examine the civic, ethnic, racial, and gender perspectives during this time in American history. Our documentary will provide a down the middle, fact-based, and balanced view of this pivotal activist and will attract an inclusive and broad audience. To quote Vermont writer, Glenn Fay and historian, Angie Grove: "Ethan Allen does not have to be shown as a hero to interest people in his story. On the contrary, his story will generate more interest by showing his more nuanced human side. Intriguing and insightful interviews will be interwoven with visuals that tell the story of Ethan Allen's life. The production will be an impartial depiction of this complex man and his impact on the American Revolution and Vermont's struggle to statehood. The project is made under the auspices of the Vermont Historical Society as our fiscal agent and partner. The materials collected: interviews, film outtakes, and research will be given to the Vermont Historical Society along with the film for their use. In fact, this film, after the premiere and PBS release, the film will be free to public for all time. We are also working with the Ethan Allen Homestead, Vermont Humanities Council, Vermont Public, and the Fort Ticonderoga Museum as important players in this project. We will collaborate with the Vermont Agency of Education to make this film part of their curriculum in schools across the state. Additionally, Vermont Public will help in distribution throughout the nation on the PBS National Network. There are tremendous resources to draw upon in making this film. We will be working with primary sources available from multiple collections including UVM's Special Collections, Philadelphia's American Philosophical Society, Vermont State Archives, as well as collaborating and utilizing resources at Fort Ticonderoga, Montreal's Stewart Museum, and The Vermont Historical Society. Our film, "Voice of America - Lowell Thomas and The Rise of Broadcast News" released in 2019 was distributed to 89% of the Nation's PBS networks. Why? Because to protect Democracy, citizens needed to be enlightened on the importance of protecting an independent and free press and the values inherent in the factual presentation of the news.
This Ethan Allen film will shine a light on his life, examine his activism amid Vermont's march toward statehood with its own representative Government. "Ethan Allen: The Man and the Myth" will try to weigh - using factual data: was he a patriot, a rebel or a terrorist? Vermont is a beacon for the rest of the country because of our progressive and collaborative form of government that protects and encourages citizen participation. Was Ethan Allen a populist advancing the interests of the common man or was he just seeking to line his own pockets? Today - all eyes are on our little state of Vermont as we move forward with policies that protect liberty, freedom, and individual rights. We are in the forefront of environmental and climate justice, racial justice, reproductive freedom, liberty of our press, LBGTQ rights, forward thinking sustainable farming, entrepreneurship, and the list goes on and on. Ethan Allen's writings provide the foundation for the activism that Vermont is known for today, and as we go forth with tenacity and strength understanding his life, we will be offering a warning and sobering appreciation for this way of life that has come to define our beloved Green Mountain State. – Melinda & Rick Moulton
Project Timeline
We are looking for three grants.
$5,000 for the 1st year
$5,000 for the 2nd year
$5,000 for the 3rd year
The film will be released in May of 2025.
We have preproduction which we are involved in now
production which will be the filming and continued research
postproduction which is editing, etc.
and administration which is ongoing.
Project Champion
Vermont Historical Society has endorsed and joined us in this project because they believe this film needs to be made. They will be the repository for all the outtakes, interviews, photography, and research. Vermont Public, Ethan Allen Homestead, The Humanities Council have all joined in on this project with endorsements. There will be an educational component to the film and the research and film will be part of the State's curriculum. PBS will show the film across the country with the help of Vermont Public. We have over twenty historians on our Advisory Team. Our narrator has signed on as well as the voice of Ethan Allen. We are moving forward looking for other grants, individual and corporate donors and people are really excited about this project.
Project Budget Narrative
Pre Production
Production
Postproduction
Administration
Rick Moulton Productions will be providing between $30,000 and $50,000 in in-kind to make this film.
Ethan Allen - The Man & The Myth Documentary Film Project 174940.185
BUDGET
RUNNING TIME: 56 minutes
Description Units Number Rate Total
Personnel
Rick Moulton Productions LLC - RMP
Rick Moulton, - RM - Director / Co -Producer
Melinda Moulton - MM – Co Producer/CFO
Michael Couture – MC – DP Camera & Editor
PRE-PRODUCTION
RM & MM Co Producers - Research, Project Coordination, Film & Image selection and interview prep Hours 150 60 $9,000.00
Pre Production Meeting (RW, MM, TBD) Meetings 5 150 $750.00
Production & Travel coordination (MM) Hours 16 75 $1,200.00
Writer & script prep (outline) (RW, MM & TBD) Hours 120 75 $9,000.00
Research Assistant (person to be appointed) Hours 60 40 $2,400.00
Pre Production Travel:
Research Travel (RM) Estimate Milage 1000 0.55 $550.00
Research Travel (RM) Estimate Per diem 10 45 $450.00
(RA) Travel estimate Milage 600 0.5 $300.00
(RA) Research Travel per diem Days 6 45 $270.00
Mis Expenses, up-loads, FTP sites, storage/access Estimate $500.00
SUBTOTAL PRE-PRODUCTION $24,420.00
PRODUCTION
Director/ Producer (RM & MM) Days 11 650 $7,150.00
DP Camera (MC) includes equipment Days 11 650 $7,150.00
Sound & Grip Days 8 300 $2,400.00
Drone Days 2 700 $1,400.00
Digital Scans Hours 18 80 $1,440.00
Production Travel
Travel days: RM and MC In hours 60 40.00 $2,400.00
Locational Scenics & Interviews Estimates
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Milage 3800 0.56 $2,128.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Per diem 16 60 $960.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Accommodations 4 400 $1,600.00
Washington DC
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Airfare 3 650 $1,950.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Per diem 3 60 $180.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Accommodations 2 400 $800.00
Oklahoma
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Airfare 3 1000 $3,000.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Per diem 3 60 $180.00
Production Travel (RM) (MC) Estimate Accommodations 4 300 $1,200.00
SUB-TOTAL PRODUCTION $21,940.00
POST-PRODUCTION
RM Prod/Director and Michael Couture Editor
Reviewing interviews (RM logging) Hours 50 75 $3,750.00
Roughing out edit (RM, MM & MC) Hours 200 150 $30,000.00
Covering narrative ( MC) Hours 200 150 $30,000.00
Music search, scoring – SFX and mix (TBD & MC) Hours 24 150 $3,600.00
Scratch narration,Script Review&revisions (RM & MC) Hours 30 150 $4,500.00
Stock / Maps / Narration / Music
Stock image rights Images 50 200 $10,000.00
Purchased feature footage Optional $5,000 Estimate $0.00
Music Score (Purchased-All Rights) Show 1 5,000 $1,600.00
Narration Day 1 600 $600.00
Narration Recording Day 1 1,000 $1,000.00
Transcripts adjustment Hours 20 75 $1,500.00
Animations / Maps – 2 & 3 D - After Effects Per rendering 8 600 $4,800.00
EDITING – Expenses
Array Drives Units 5 450 $2,250.00
Program Sweeten & Audio balancing Hours 24 75 $1,800.00
Fine Cut Narration & SFX (lay back cut in) Hours 8 75 $600.00
Color Correction Hours 26 75 $1,950.00
Compressed web rendering (H264) Hours 12 75 $900.00
Rendering Master Files Hours 12 50 $600.00
Approval files - Steaming compression Days 8 200 $1,600.00
Promo trailer Hours 10 150 $1,500.00
SUB-TOTAL POST PRODUCTION $102,550.00
ADMINISTRATION
Postage and Freight 12 100 $1,200.00
Hard drives, thumb drives, other office expenses 1 400 $400.00
Accounting, (MM) Hours 65 80 $5,200.00
SUB TOTAL ADMINISTRATION $6,800.00
Subtotal Prior to Contingency $155,710.00
Contingency (7%) $10,899.70
TOTAL $166,609.70
.05% pass-through fee for Vermont Historical Society $8,330.49
Productions Total Cost $174,940.19
ASSUMPTIONS
A 56 minutes master file of the Film, edited in Premier will be delivered as HD Apple Pro Res
The Film maybe submitted to Emmy Awards & showcase Film Festivals
Copyright will be the property of RMP
Other associated costs
Educational program development
Web & Video Streaming
Emmy application
Festival submission
E & O Insurance
Project Budget - Itemized
Income Category
Total
Applicant
EDC
Other
In-Kind
Expense Category
Total
Applicant
EDC
Other
In-Kind
What will success look like?
Success will mean that we raised the funds to make the film and ultimately created the first full feature Documentary on Ethan Allen - The Man & The Myth. We will get it out to PBS stations across the country and into school curriculums as part of American History teaching. We will parse the truth from the chaff and put forth all perspectives highlighting the honest accounting of the man. Our research will take us to actual documents, letters, pamphlets, legal proceedings, et al in order to show the truth in the time that Ethan Allen lived and how that time is perceived today. We will share the perspectives of these times on Women, Native Americans, and People of Color. Success for us will be realized when this film can be seen by anyone for free and when all of our out takes, interviews, filmed interviews etc are available to be seen at Vermont Historical Society. We will know we achieved our goals when we finish the film and it is hailed as the first and only definitive nationally distributed film on Ethan Allen.
Community support for this project
We are reached out and engaged over 20 historians from across the country and Canada to serve on our Advisory Team.
We have secured endorsements from Vermont Public, Vermont Historical Society (our partner and fiscal agent), Vermont Council on the Humanities, Ethan Allen Homestead, and Fort Ticonderoga. We have reached out to 48 Vermont businesses and individuals to begin our funding campaign and the interest is overwhelming. I expect to get the endorsement of Peter Welch, Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders, Howard Dean, Becca Balint and other in support of this endeavor. Every day we are accumulating interest in this film.
Community support for this project
We are just beginning to reach out for funding and we have no doubt we will succeed in raising the necessary funding.
VHS Endorsement
ETHAN Allen Homestead
