FAQs

I've tried to answer some of the questions that get asked frequently. If your question isn't here, please try our forum or send it via twitter or e-mail. Thanks! - Nirvan (director)

Frequently Asked Questions

Film FAQs

• Is the film really only one-second long?
• What can you see in one-second?
• How did this start?
  
• How did you get so many celebrities involved?
• When will the film be finished?
• How can I see the film?
• How can I participate?

Donation FAQs

• How are donations used?
• Can I donate online?
• Can I donate by mail?
• What do I get for donating?
  
• Are donations tax-deductible?
• Can my company donate?
• When is the deadline for donating?
• Can I add more money later?
• Can other people donate toward my Producer credit?
• Can I buy a producer credit as a gift?
• Can a group of people share a single credit?
• Can I change my credited name?
• What do the Top 11 producers get?
• How do I become a 'Producer of the Moment'?
• Can I become a 'Sponsor of the Moment'?
• How do I get the free producer business cards?

Non-Profit FAQs

• Is The 1 Second Film a non-profit?
  
• Are donations tax-deductible?
• What does The Collaboration Foundation do?
• What charity will the film's profits go to?
  
• What are the future projects?
• How can I help with the future projects?
  

Web Site Help

• Forget your password? Need help using our website? Please check our Site Help

 

More Questions?

Have a question not covered in our FAQ? Try our forum or contact us. Thanks!

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Answers to FAQ

Is the film really only one-second long?

Sort of. The film is built around one-second of animation, made of 12 giant paintings, followed by one hour of credits. The credits will list everyone who participates (Producers, Publicists, etc.), and will include a feature-length making-of documentary detailing the journey of the idea from start to finish.

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What can you see in one second?

There are actually 24 frames in one-second of film. Our film is animated. Each frame of our film is a 5ft x 9ft painting. The paintings were made by hundreds of people in one night during a big party. The 12 finished paintings will each get filmed twice to create the 24 frames in The 1 Second Film. Once the film is finished, the 12 paintings will be on exhibit and then auctioned off to raise money for charity. Preview our 12 frames of animation here

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How did this start?

This is a long story.

The idea started to take root back in 1997 when I was studying philosophy at a small school called New College. I was reading a book called Nausea when I stumbled across an idea of perfect moments. This idea led me to start thinking about the power of small moments.

With this in mind, started getting into animation. As I worked on my first animated short film, I began to get a sense for how much could happen in a single second of film. I thought it might be interesting to make just a one-second film that compressed as much as possible into as little as possible. I took this idea with me to graduate school at CalArts, where I studied Experimental Animation.

While at CalArts, I developed the collaborative structure for The 1 Second Film as a way to bring as many people together as possible. The idea was awarded a $1500 CalArts Interschool Grant that provided seed funds for creating the animation event.

On International Women's Day (March 8th, 2001), the animation was painted during a big party with the help of hundreds of people. Shortly after this, I began thinking of ways to expand the project beyond my school.

Then I put the project on a back burner for a few years to finish  other films and graduate. In 2004, I started working on it again, with the goal of bringing the project online and growing it into a non-profit. To fundraise, I made a flier and started selling $1 producer credits to people on the streets. Money raised was used to make more fliers, and eventually, I raised enough to buy a video camera and build a website.

I began making videos of some of the absurd adventures I was having, and posting them online. Since then, the project has continued to grow.

Our making of documentary will tell the complete story of the idea's journey from start to finish.

Check our production timeline for more details.

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How did all the Celebrities get involved?

I started pitching this film on the sidewalks with a xerox flier. Initially, celebrity support was pursued in guerrilla filmmaker fashion, i.e. sneaking into a film festival party to pitch Stephen Colbert and Kevin Bacon, waiting for Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze after a film screening, or running into Kiefer Sutherland at a restaurant. After developing the project, several celebrities also found the project online, and become supporters.

Having the support of public figures has really helped our project reach more people. There is a unique story for every person involved in this film. Check out our full list of celebrity producers, and click a name to read how each one got involved.

Some Famous Pitches:

MY FAILED PITCH TO GEORGE CLOONEY

My very first celebrity pitch was to George Clooney, who I ran into in a parking lot in Burbank. This was in 2004, back during the early days of credit selling (we only had about 150 producers at the time). All I had with me was flier #2 and a clipboard; I felt unprepared and nervous, but I realized I had to give it a shot.

Clooney was getting into a van with his crew. I said hello, and handed him my flier. I then proceeded to stumble through my pitch. Mr. Clooney was very nice, and laughed at the idea (in a good way). He even read my flier out-loud to his crew. I asked if he would like to donate $1 to become our producer, and he asked if we had a website where he could get more info. He said he had to be cautious about what he put his name on; apparently, a parking lot pitch with a poorly designed flier wasn't how things were usually done. Understandable. I gave him our URL, but if he ever checked, our web design was even worse than our flier at the time, so it wouldn't have inspired much confidence.

While Clooney didn't donate in the parking lot, this failure was still a huge learning moment for me. I realized that with better preparation, I could have landed Clooney to help produce my movie. From that point on, I decided to invest more time and energy into the design and presentation of the project. I started teaching myself photoshop and making better fliers. I also printed the free business cards and began improving our website. With practice, I perfected my elevator pitch and eventually started landed some pretty big producers.

OUR FIRST CELEBRITY PRODUCER  

Our first celebrity producer was Jon Gries (aka Laslow from Real Genius). I was selling credits while at the Mill Valley Film Festival, where one of my short films was screening, and ran into Jon at an afterparty. Laslow is one of my favorite characters of all time, so I recognized him immediately. I gave him a flier and showed him photos of the animation being painted. Jon was super friendly, liked the idea, and gave $10 cash to become our producer! He was producer #277.

I didn't own a camera at the time, so I didn't get a photo from that evening, but a few years later I ran into him again at GOOD Magazine's opening for the WorldChanging book, and got a photo.

HAPPY ENDINGS: BEN HARPER, CHRISTINA RICCI, TOM ARNOLD, ETC.

In 2004 I got an opportunity to shadow writer/director Don Roos on the set of his film, Happy Endings. This came about in a round about way- I had recently written my first screenplay, which caught the eye of a producer named Michael Besman. Besman had produced the Opposite of Sex with Roos, and arranged for me to shadow Don so I could study how a film set is run. This was a super cool learning opportunity, and for 2 weeks I got to watch how Don worked.

It seemed unprofessional to pitch any of the actors T1SF while they were working, so I kept the fliers in my bag, and restrained myself. But then musician Ben Harper came on set one day to visit his wife, Laura Dern, who was in the film. I had met Ben years before after he saw a short film I made in college (The Three of Us) which was set to one of his songs. I ended up getting to meet him backstage at one of his shows, which was super cool. I figured it would be okay to tell him about The 1 Second Film, and as soon as he saw the little business cards that showed the paintings, he took out a $100 bill, and donated on the spot to became an Executive Producer. It was pretty amazing. Ben was producer #336.

On the last days on set, as the production began to wrap, I started to feel more comfortable sharing The 1 Second Film with folks. Jesse Bradford, Bobby Canavale, and Jason Ritter all came on board with whatever pocket change they had. Then on the last day, Christina Ricci and Adam Goldberg visited the set, and decided to split the $11 Christina had in her purse, each becoming a $5.50 Associate Producers. I still didn't have a camera, but when Tom Arnold became our $100 Executive Producer, someone with a camera took a picture of Tom and I.  I ended up using this picture to make flier #3.

ANDY DICK vs. TOM GREEN BIDDING WAR (VIDEO)

A friendly bidding war developed between Andy Dick and Tom Green, with the two comedians outbidding one another for top billing in our credits (producers get listed in order of amount). Here is how this happened...

Meeting Andy

I first met Andy in 2004 by chance while eating at a late-night  diner. I gave Andy our no frills flier, and he liked the idea so much that he started handing them out to everyone in the restaurant. He wanted to become an Executive Producer, but didn't have enough cash, so he drove me to an ATM, got some money, and then donated $111.11 to become our Executive Producer. He was Producer #444.

I realized I really needed to buy a camera and start recording the fundraising adventures. A few weeks later, I had sold enough credits to buy an $800 video camera. I started carrying the camera with me everywhere I went, along with the fliers.

Around this time, I decided to make a new flier (flier #3), that would include the photo of Tom Arnold donating, as well as some of the celebrity names. I went to Kinkos to make photocopies. As I was driving home with the new fliers, I spotted Andy Dick unloading a moving truck. I couldn't believe my eyes. Andy was moving into a new house. I stopped my car, rolled down the window, and told Andy we had some new fliers. Andy, who was still carrying a couch, looked surprised to see me and asked "How the hell did you find where I live?!" It was pretty funny. I had the new video camera, and grabbed this short video: 

 

Meeting Tom Green:

A few months later, my buddy Craig Trudeau and I decided to go to the Toronto Film Festival to try our luck at selling producer credits full-time. We had made our first full-color flier (flier #4), and had recruited nearly 600 producers at the time. We managed to talk our way into one of the festival parties, where we met Tom Green. After a quick look at our flier, Tom saw Andy Dick had donated $111.11, and decided he had to top him. He donated $120, becoming our Executive Producer #635, and Craig shot this video:

 

The Battle Continues

After returning from Toronto, I made a new flier with Tom on top. Since I knew where Andy lived, I decided to go back to Andy's house and share the latest news. 

Tom has since seen this footage, and has outbid Andy again. It's still too soon to say who will be listed on top when the film is finally finished...

SPIKE JONZE & CHARLE KAUFMAN (VIDEO) 

My friend Micheal Brodersen and I went to a Charlie Kaufman retrospective with the hope of pitching two of our favorite filmmakers, Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman. I was pretty nervous again, but the pitch went pretty well, and we added producers #819 and #820 to our crew. Here is a little video of the pitch:

SUNDANCE: STEPHEN COLBERT, KEVIN BACON, PIERCE BROSNAN, STEVE BUSCEMI , ETC (VIDEO)

After our fundraising success at the Toronto Film Festival, Craig and I decided to go to the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 to sell more producer credits. We managed to sneak into a lot of parties, and got hundreds of producers to join our crew, including  Kevin Bacon, Pierce Brosnan, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Buscemi. It had taken a year of credit selling on the street, but we had finally passed 1,000 Producers!

A few big blogs posted links to our website, and donations started to happen online. I then made a little video of the Sundance adventures, and put it on YouTube. The video was somehow featured on YouTube's homepage, and got over 100,000 views. We had an immediate spike in site traffic, and over 700 new producers donated online after seeing the video. We raised over $7,000 in just 3 days; almost as much as had been raised during all of 2004 by selling credits on the streets. The influx of funds also enabled us to hire a programmer to finally automate our website. Producer names were still being entered by hand.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND

One of my favorite pitches was with Kiefer Sutherland. I was at a restaurant in Korea Town eating with a friend who noticed Kiefer come in with a few friends. I started getting nervous because I knew I would have to pitch him The 1 Second Film. I couldn't eat anymore. I had my bag with fliers and photos in it, and also a lenticular card. On our way out, I stopped and said hi to Kiefer and his friends, and asked if any of them had heard of The 1 Second Film. By chance, one of Kiefer's friends was already one of our producers! This totally broke the ice, and after hearing about the project, Kiefer wanted a lenticular card, and wrote a check for $600.23 to become our Executive Producer (#6149).

Here is a little video I shot with the still camera I had in my pocket:

 

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How can I participate?

Anyone can be a part of this project.

The most important thing is to Join Our Crew. It's free to join, and you will get your name in our Special Thanks credits and tools to participate more.

We also need help with fundraising and outreach. Donate or raise $1 or more, and you will get a Producer Credit in our movie. Refer a friend to join, and you will get a Publicist Credit in our movie.

Visit our Participation Page for a longer list of ways to help.

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How are the donations used?

Donations go toward the production costs of creating The 1 Second Film project. Some of our main expenses include the documentary production (editing, equipment, insurance, hard drives, sound, motion-graphics, etc.) and web development.

Because our project is financed by donations, we raise money gradually until we have saved enough to execute a specific project/creative goal.

Visit our budget page for the latest on what we're currently fundraising for and to see some of what we've accomplished so far.

Please note that our total funds raised include donated services. We try to get things donated whenever possible.

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When will the film be finished?

We don't have a specific date yet. The project is financed by donations, so the rate in which we fundraise will effect the speed in which we can complete our remaining creative goals.

Remaining creative goals include completing our documentary, web-development, and organizing our premiere.

If I had to guess, I would estimate between 18 and 24 months. The documentary alone will take at least 12 months to edit once we can afford to start on that full time; we have over 400 hours of footage and counting... it will also take time to fundraise and organize other production goals, i.e. our world premiere.

This project is dynamic and has unique challenges. We may  modify plans based on resources available, and continue to welcome your feedback.

 

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How can I see the film?

We are still figuring out our distribution. Our preliminary plan is to self-organize a World Premiere Event. Cast and crew will be able to purchase tickets to the premiere, which will raise funds for the Global Fund for Women. After our premiere, we will have an art opening to exhibit and sell our 12 frames of animation to raise more funds for charity. We will then explore various options for distribution, from a possible theatrical release, to DVD and/or online digital distribution.

 

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-- Answers to Donation Faq

How do I donate online?

To donate online, click here and enter the amount you wish to give. You will then be directed to PayPal's secure server to complete your contribution. Please note, you do not need to be a PayPal member to use PayPal's service.

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What do I get for donating?

Donations are charitable contributions, so there is no financial return in exchange for a donation. Everyone who donates $1 or more receives a "Producer Credit" in our movie and on our website. Producers will be listed in order of amount donated. We offer 3 levels of Producer Credits:

• Executive Producers = $100 or more
• Producers = $10 - $99.99
• Associate Producers = $1 - $9.99

Producers can also send in for a free business card.

Donations to The 1 Second Film project are a charitable contribution and can be tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by US law.

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Can I donate by mail?

Yes, you can donate by mail using U.S. check or money order. Please see our donate by mail instructions.

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Are donations tax-deductible?

Yes, The 1 Second Film is a non-profit production of The Collaboration Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization. Our Tax ID is #72-1617975

Donations to our project can be made tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by US law. After donating, you will receive an email confirmation that you can save for your personal tax filing. Please see our tax-deductible donation instructions for more info.

Note: our tax exempt status also applies retroactively to any donations made after August 29th, 2008 (US citizens only).

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Can my company donate to become a Producer?

Yes, your company or business can donate to receive a producer credit as per our terms of service.

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When is the deadline for donations?

We have not set the deadline yet. The deadline will depend on our fundraising and post-production schedule. At a certain point, we will no longer be able to accept donations and the list will be locked. We will post a deadline once one is set.

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Can I add more money later?

Yes, you can add more to your producer credit up we stop fundraising. Simply login and click the donate button on the main menu. Adding to your previous amount will move your name up our producer credit list, and is a huge help!

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How do other people donate toward my Producer credit?

You can choose to allow other people to donate directly to your producer credit. To do this, register and create a profile page. Then go to your account privacy and donation settings where you can select to have an "Open Credit." Selecting an Open Credit will add a donation box to your Crew Profile, which will allow others to donate directly toward your total amount. You may then forward your profile URL to friends and family who can chip in to help move your name up. Everyone who donates toward your credit will be listed as your 'benefactor' within your donation history.

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Can I give a producer credit as a gift?

Yes. Gift credits can be made for friends and family. You assume full responsibility for any producer credit that you initiate, including making the recipient aware of your gift. Please review our Terms of Service for more details.

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Can a group of people share a credit?

Yes; you can name your credit whatever you want as per our terms of use. Create a credit for your school, club, organization, business, town, country, sports team, or even just your favorite concept; make it an 'open-credit' so others can donate to it, and see how much your producer credit can raise. You can even start a friendly rivalry!

Note: if starting a group for multiple people, please create a unique account for each individual, and then have the individuals donate toward the group credit as 'benefactors'.

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Can I change my credited name?

No. Once a credit name is registered, it can not be changed later. Please choose your name carefully.

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What do the Top 11 Donors get?

Our Top 11 donors will receive a title-credit before The 1 Second Film begins. These title-credits will also be displayed on our website. Our Top 11 donors may also appear in our making-of documentary, and will be given priority access to our world premiere event.

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How do I become a 'Producer of the Moment'?

To be featured as our Producer of the Moment, follow these steps:

1. Donate (or raise) at least $1 to become a Producer of The 1 Second Film. You can donate online using a credit card or PayPal. If you want to accept donations from others, check out  how to allow others to donate toward your credit.

2. Fill in your crew profile.  <-- you must be logged in for this link to work.

3. Download our flier or make your own. Take a fun pic of you promoting The 1 Second Film in your part of the world, and then upload it to your profile. You can also upload more photos to our photo gallery.

4. After you post your pic, please post a request to be a POTM in this forum thread. Producers of the Moment get featured site wide, and may also be included in our documentary and promos. Thanks!

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How does one become a 'Sponsor of the Moment'?

If interested in becoming our sponsor, please contact us. Sponsor profiles are displayed on our site. We are looking for sponsors for our post-production, cross-country tour, web development, and our world-premiere gala. We are also looking for technology and equipment sponsors for various production needs. If you have useful services to donate, please contact us.

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How do I get my free producer business card?

To get a free producer business card(s), follow these directions. Executive Producers can get an entire set of all 12!

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What does your non-profit do?

The goal of The Collaboration Foundation is to bring people together to create collaborative art. We also want to use the art as a platform for raising money and awareness to ad various social issues. The 1 Second Film project is the flagship production of the Collaboration Foundation, and serves as a vehicle for building a collaborative community of participants for future projects. Once finished, any profits raised by The 1 Second Film will be donated to the Global Fund for Women, a non-profit grantmaking organization that supports women's human rights around the world.

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Are donations to The 1 Second Film tax-deductible?

Yes. Donations to The 1 Second Film can be made tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by US law. Donate online and save your PayPal receipt for income tax purposes, or donate by mail using a check or money order. tax-deductible donation instructions

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What is The Collaboration Foundation?

The Collaboration Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to creating innovative collaborative art that brings people around the world together while addressing various social-issues. The foundation grew out of The 1 Second Film project, and provides oversight to the production. The  Foundation will continue to create collaborative art projects after The 1 Second Film is completed.  Read more about The Collaboration Foundation and our Board of Directors here.

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What charity will The 1 Second Film's profits go to?

Once finished, any profits raised by our film will be donated to the Global Fund for Women, a non-profit grantmaking organization working to advance women's human rights around the world. read more about our non-profit

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What are the future projects?

The future projects are outlined in our 5 Phase Plan. They scale up, and culminate with an ambitious global collaborative art project that will attempt to create an animated feature film by coordinating thousands of live-events around the world; each event will be responsible for painting one second (24 frames) of the animation. We plan to scale up in 5 phases, with The 1 Second Film being the first phase. Each stage will serve as platform for addressing various social issues. To preview our future projects, check out our 5 Phase Plan.

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How can I help with the future projects?

To get involved, join The 1 Second Film. You can Join for Free or join and donate if you can. Web Development for Collaboration Foundation is a part of The 1 Second Film project, so by supporting The 1 Second Film, you will help us build the platform for future projects. After you join our crew, fill in your profile and join our Collaboration Foundation Development Group. You can also join our Collaboration Foundation Facebook Group. There are more specific ways to help here. Let us know if you have other ideas or resources to share. Thanks!

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