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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRequest for Funding - Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains DocumentaryCITY OF PALM DESERT COMMUNITY SERVICES STAFF REPORT REQUEST: For funding for the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary. DATE: June 10, 2004 CONTENT: Request Recommendation: By Minute Motion: 1) Concur with the Marketing Committee's recommendation and approve funding of the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary in the amount of $50,000; 2) Appropriate $50,000 from the unobligated General Fund Reserve to Account number 110-4417-414-3222. Background: Attached please find a request for City funding, along with other pertinent information about the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary. When the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains was designated a National Monument in October 2000, it received the highest honor bestowed on natural areas. The Coachella Valley has yet to capitalize on the beauty and meaning of this National Monument in terms of education and promotion to Valley residents and visitors. A documentary film is currently in production. They have 45 hours of footage that will be condensed into both a 25-minute and a 52-minute version. Shot in high definition, it is the highest, most sought after quality of filming in today's market. The production team is researching opportunities for national and international television programming, as well as film festivals. In the future, with education and promotion, it is this National Monument that will set the Coachella Valley apart from other destination resorts. This documentary can be seen as the first step in this process. The documentary encompasses the geography, anthropology, political/economic, biology, and archaeology, of the area. Experts in each discipline will be interviewed. The Bureau of Land Management has contributed $25,000 towards the project. Please see the attached outline of Contributor Participation Opportunities for details. The Marketing Committee concurred with Staffs recommendation to contribute $50,000. A contribution at this level would include credit on the promotional poster, credit at the end of both versions of the documentary, website credit, tickets to the screening, as well as 500 copies to resale or distribute as desired. Staff believes this documentary would be a popular item to sell at the Visitor Information Center, and be an interesting, education piece to show in the new Visitor Center theatre. Funds are not available in the Marketing budget and would need to be appropriated. Submitted By: 612 140-z cL Cam. Kristy Knifing Marketing Manager Approaral: a_A//4(1fr"--- Paul Gibson Director of Finance Sheila R. Gilligan Assistant City Manage Carlos L. Ort City Manag MRY—?4J-1U04 MON 03;16 PM PSL - AD SALES PAX NO. P. 01 SANTA ROSA & SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS rJ A T I o N A L MONUMENT DOCUMENTARY Via Facsimile #340-0574 Kristy Kneiding Sheila Gilligan City of Palm Desert May 10, 2004 Dear Kristy and Sheila: A monumental treasure exists here in our own backyard. On October 24, 2000, legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Mary Bono was signed into law and the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains became a National Monument. The highest honor bestowed on natural areas and a momentous opportunity for our valley. In an effort to Illustrate the abundance and vitality found in these mountains, a documentary film is currently in production. Shot in HDTV format, the Monument'e natural resources will bo personified and will be utilized as a unique marketing and educational tool shown at visitor centers, museums. and classrooms benefiting our valley immensely. In addition, The Coachella Valley will enjoy Ell intemational presence when negotiations are finalized for public television and other broadcast avenues. Financial assistance is crucial to bring this effort to completion. The Bureau of Land Management has already contributed $25,000, however much more is needed to bring this project to the level of completion that will render it timeless and effective at communicating its Intention. We are asking the City of Palm Desert to match this contribution. However, contri- bution levels era not limited to this amount (see attached). As a contributor, the City of Palm Desert's donation is tax deductible as it is made out to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Friends of the Desert Mountains. Further, you will receive sponsor credit on all versions of the film as well as all collateral materials associated with its promotion, including media releases. Your support in preserving the environment and recognizing a responsible way to care tor and promote this unique land will help the Coachella Valley continua to distinguish itself as the unique place that it is. 1 look forward to mooting with the City or Palm Desert's marketing comrnitteo to outline the complete scope of this effort including the many ways it will benefit tho city. Thank you for your consideration. Since rank Jones 3 li 3 NilI N I) r A N C: A N Y f1 N 17 Il I v E PALM S r I. I N r s, C: A r I, r R r\ I A q 2 2' Received May-10-0A 03:3Spm From - To -PALM DESERT CITY CLE Page 01 reit-w-cuu4 fIUN u .10 rn riL - Hl) JHLI;J PHA NU. r. 02 CONTRIBUTOR PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES • Premier credit on 311 printed collateral ,associated with the documentaries promotion including. Brochure promotional pamphlet Poster Postcards Invitations DVI) &VHS enclosed pamphlets • Single screen credit at the cad of both versions of the documentary - 5 second presence • Web -site credit with hotllnk • Opportunity to speak at promotional screenings • Credit on all press releases • Inviratihns and tickets co VIP screening • Credit on all promotional advertisements for documentary and DVI) & VHS promotional ads. • 1,00(1 DVD orVHS copies of short or long version TOTAL INVESTMENT: 5100,000 • Credit on promotional poster • Credit at the end of both versions of the documentary with other contribu- tors at same Level - " •cored screen presence • Web -site credit •VIP tickets to VIP screenings • 500 DVD orVHS copies of long or short version TOTAL INVESTMENT: $50,000 - Credit on poster • Scrolling credit at the end of both versions of the documentary • Web-sice credit • VII' rickets co VIP screening • 250 DVD orVHS copies along or short version TOTAL INVESTMENT: $25,000 CUSTOM PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES ALSO AVAILABLE Received May-10-04 03:35am From- To -PALM DESERT CITY CLE Page 02 Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary INTRO The Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is one of the most lived with and least known national monuments in the country. The mountainous terrain literally walls the southern, western and northern fronts of the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs Desert Resorts, California). Three hundred fifty thousand residents and 3 million annual tourists enjoy constant visual reference to this protective and distinguished land. These mountain ranges are the driving force of the geography, climate, economy and lifestyle of this area. Their visual beauty and landmark nature also creates a sense of place that is grand, comforting and unique the world over. Last year, the attached printed piece was created as an initial step toward organizing and introducing the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument to the public. On a local and regional level, its success has been unparalleled. Our intention to follow this piece with a documentary and further this effort is now under way. The documentary will distinguish this land environmentally and culturally on a national and global perspective. The documentary will appear in two versions. The first will be a 25-minute spectacular pictorial and factual overview that will create an understanding for people of all ages and levels of sophistication. The 25-minute format will work well in our cultural and visitor centers to inspire further inquiry and provide a more important dynamic as people travel into this stunning land. The second version, a full-length 52-minute documentary film, will include in-depth interviews and further educational components to give the viewer a more significant understanding of the land, the people, and its future. The full-length documentary will be marketed to public and travel television regionally, nationally and internationally. The Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains documentary will define the Coachella Valley from a new and refreshing perspective. Concentrating on the natural beauty of the land, its cultural and historic diversity, people will come to know the Coachella Valley as not only a great place to rest and recreate but as a habitat as significant as it is beautiful. Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary FORMAT The documentary will be shot in high -definition digital. The 25-minute version will be enough to touch on the vastness of the monument and is the perfect length for educational format. Further, it is just enough time people would be willing to commit on a visit to the Highway 74 National Monument Visitor Center or other place of information such as the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, Tahquitz Canyon Visitors Center, etc. The 25- minute format travels well to classrooms, lectures and conferences. It is also appropriate for fundraising initiatives. The 52- minute version will be excellent for DVD, VHS and television programming. The plan is for broadcast on a national and international level. The latest in cinematic photographic equipment is perfectly suited to bring the natural beauty of our landscape to life. CONTENT In addition to dramatic, beautiful cinematic photography to capture the vastness and diversity of this land, its people, and its animal and plant life, the documentary will contain: Geography — diversity & history, interesting facts of orientation Anthropology — Native American habitation and early human history and settlements PoliticaVEconomic — Monument was first to be a congressional act Biology — Wildlife, flora and fauna Archaeology — Artifacts Experts in each discipline will be interviewed and filmed Key points of interest will be explained, photographed and supported with animated 3-dimensional map illustrations of boundaries, trails and geographic highlights, supported by photo imagery to bring the land alive. Due to the rugged and severe slopes within the National Monument, the film will provide opportunity for access that may otherwise be unavailable. The film will include a rich sound texture including desert breezes through the palms and sage, trickling streams, birds and the great silence the Monument offers. Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary VOICEOVER One strong narrator throughout will be supported by a series of voices from a diverse group of people spanning the spectrum from the innocence and charm of a young child's voice, all the way to the warmth and sincerity of a Cahuilla Indian tribal elder. We will weave these distinctive voices together to create a compelling story. SHOOTING STYLE The stark beauty of the land will best be captured by shooting in the widescreen HDTV format, shot both on land and from the air. In most cases, each segment of the piece would begin with an Ansel Adams -style of photography shot with a wide-angle lens in black and white and then slowly transforming to color, at which time the narration of that particular segment would begin. Our goal will be to create a gorgeous program to watch, even if the sound is off. MUSIC Even though we will create beautiful imagery, the music will be a powerful underscore. It would be, at times dramatic, at times poetic and starkly pristine, but always simple and natural. We see a Native American influence. Added to the music bed, we realize that even in the quiet and still of the desert, lies a cacophony of nature's sounds, and these would be utilized to complement and enhance the on -screen documentary and audio. AERIALS Capturing "winter" in the Monument is an important part of the story. As well as spring and fierce summer, we will have a few days of crystal blue clear skies with incredible views of the snow-capped mountains that will provide the perfect picture -postcard look at the area. Aerials will be shot with the helicopter, HD mount, HD camera package, and HD recorder. GROUND SHOOTING Ground shooting will detail the picturescapes including the wildlife and expert interviews. Time-lapse will be used to dramatize shadow and sky movement over this rugged terrain. The endangered bighorn sheep will be captured on HD video for the first time. This and many other perspectives will be brought to life. Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Documentary USES Visitor Centers Museums CVA/Tourism • Cities Classroom Education • TV/PBS (Local, Regional, National, International) Fundraising/Land Acquisition • DVD, VHS CONCLUSION The National Monument is three years old in its organization, and the time has come to communicate its splendor. The implications of this awareness are long and varied for the Coachella Valley. Its importance is immediate as change seems to be moving faster than time. These 25- and 52-minute film versions will help encapsulate the importance of this land and offer us the opportunity to better manage its future. The documentary will strengthen education and expand existing preservation efforts. The preservation of this land will create further recognition and continue to distinguish this area as the extraordinary and unique place that it is.