Executive Produced by
creative Summary
This short film is an important part of CWC’s present and future, and will provide an emotional and triumphant anchor point to upcoming fundraiser event where it is to debut on 9/18/25.
This film will cover patients’ journeys from rescue through rehab and release, and clearly communicate the important roles that volunteers, interns, staff, board members, donors, and the general public play in making these releases possible.
How this is filmed and the subject matter it covers will be sure to resonate with current and future donors, and inspire future volunteers and conservationists to get involved in protecting and caring for wildlife throughout Southern California and beyond.
Fadeout media, lead by a CWC volunteer/frequent media contributor, is grateful to be partnering with California wildlife center and their executive director to produce a short documentary that makes us all even more proud to be a part of this incredible organization, both now and in the future. This is going to be a fun project!
mood board
The following videos, films, links, images, etc all may have some influence on how this short film/documentary will be filmed, edited, and received by audiences. This list will fluctuate and eventually be narrowed down, based on input and ideas from CWC staff during pre-production meetings with Fadeout Media. Some of it isn’t at all related to what we are doing, but I just find something to be beautiful and inspiring. We will not be copying the work of others, just drawing inspiration from them and ensuring that our work both fits in stands out among other great works.
Fadeout Media’s Inspiration:
Beautifully filmed in nearby Malibu, this is one of my favorite edits. Both the trailer and the mini series itself. Its moving exploration of character growth and artistic vision is wonderfully done
Saw this a couple years ago at The Topanga Film Festival. The filming and editing are incredible, and the story arc and character development are enthralling.
I’ve yet to see this actual film but the trailer keeps showing up in my Youtube algorithm and I. love how it looks and feels.
In my old mid-western life I did a lot of filming and photography with a close friend named Frank. He works for the Army Corps and we’ve captured restoration sites around the midwest. Frank showed me this incredible film and how USACE is slowly adapting….
I don’t believe in ghosts but this is some of the finest architectural and interior filmmaking
this trailer is ok but the film itslef is some of the finest cinematography I’ve ever seen. I don’t think it dangerous to expect our film be just as beautiful even with smaller scope and budget.
This is one of my favorite documentaries ever. I weep every time I watch it. To dedicate ones work to worthy causes and have a lasting impact on others, is a dream for many creatives. It’s not lost on me the opportunity presented to me through this project; a chance to create my finest work about a subject that is a huge part of my life.
I could add a dozen more including anything with David Attenborough as narrator, but I so love tis bird doc on Netflix, its so fun and lively. I also strongly agree with other comps shared below!
CWC’s Inspiration
This project is already in motion!
Though our Rpoject plans are still evolving throughout June, we have already started filming…
Let’s take a look at what’s on the trail ahead of us,
And how the support of CWC team and donors can impact this film and its overall reach.
Project Timeline
Early June 2025: Preliminary filming will take place throughout this process even before formal agreement is in place, so we don’t miss some key early development moments of certain species. We will also be seeking equipment sponsors, finalizing production staff roster to accommodate other volunteers with production skills to share, and we will be seeking financial supporters for this film and future media projects at CWC. Through efforts of Fadeout Media and CWC staff, this film is going to be good no matter what, but volunteers and donors can have a real impact to help make this film great, and help provide a path to future photo and video projects that help with outreach, education, and fundraising.
Mid to late June 2025: Complete several pre-production meetings via phone and zoom, and in person location scouting. Finalize creative, technical, and budgetary goals via electronic contract between CWC and Fadeout Media. Continue preliminary filming and finalize pre-production for major filming dates with cinema gear.
July 2025: Complete principal filming of patients and facilities; complete all pre-edit and file tagging of all footage captured until this point
August 2025: Creative edit will be in full motion all month; re-shoots/pickups/add-on shots for late blooming species and dramatic releases. Use this time to release a couple trailers/teasers that will help sell tickets to gala, and make sure select bits of this footage is useful before the main edit is even complete.
September 1 2025: Delivery date of 5 min short film from Fadeout Media to CWC. Producers and directors will be in sync throughout the process, but this is the official date that CWC can share within creative leadership group and ask for any last minute notes on continuity, shot choices, pacing, etc.
September 10, 2025. Final date for completing revisions. The film is complete and ready for playback in front of audience 8 days later.
September 18, 2025: CWC fundraiser gala and film premiere
Pending submission dates and fees, it would be great to submit this to the Topanga Film Festival and other local film festivals and film clubs...
Pre-production
some of our filming will be improvised, and some great moments just can’t be planned for.
But A great deal of discussion and careful planning will provide a clear path to a successful film production,
and ensure that the impactof this film on fundraising, wildlife conservation, and volunteerism is both immediate and ongoing.
During our pre-production time in June our team will:
•Organize direct and indirect resources that can help bring this production to even greater heights and further reach
•finalize budget & project agreement to ensure creative, logistic, & financial expectations are met
•Secure additional rental equpiment (Possibly via sponsor or donor)
•Schedule principle filming dates for August, while continuing to capture auxilLary footage
•Coordinate with CWC senior staff and VETERINARIANS to ensure project has no impact on Patients
•Finalize shot lists, working story board, and Voice OVer Copy
sort & repurpose legacy Media
It will be important to include some legacy media to even briefly acknowledge a few key founders and supporters, and include several important historical images/videos that provide context for how far CWC has come and how far it can go.
With the acquisition of two 4TB backup hard drives and a 2TB working solid state hard drive dedicated to CWC media, Fadeout Media will be providing CWC with access to backup copies of all media produced for CWC to date, as well as access to dailies, edits in progress, and all selected clips that were great but ended up not making it into the upcoming film. Currently Fadeout Media is storing 843 gig of CWC photo and video files and will ensure clean and organized backups for CWC to access.
If needed Fadeout Media can also help with CWC’s own photo/image catalog to tag and sort the prime data and keep it alongside our new stuff. CWC’s staff does great photo and marketing work already and Fadeout Media is proud to help provide some extra media to work with, which can help draw awareness and donations that make our high standard of patient care possible. This prep work and organization of legacy and current media will help us have access to media for this project, and also as inspiration to make new things from sometimes forgotten moments.
Interviews and Voice OVer of select CWC Staff and volunteer team
Though there may not be much screen time to include interviews that might conflict with main voice over, it will be great to have some backup footage of emotional responses to questions about how they found CWC and how its a part of their own growth and healing journeys. This footage/audio can be repurposed for future marketing and outreach efforts. We hope these personal connections and the film in general will encourage donors and volunteers to continue their dedication to providing the best patient care possible.
Patients’ journeys through CWC care
We will be following patients and patient groups through their time at CWC and on release dates, and will need to spend several days on principle filming to ensure thorough and compelling coverage to provide to our editing department.
Every effort is being made to capture compelling and cinematic footage of our most important subjects and to ensure that the production has little impact on staff, and zero effect on patients.
Additional filming dates for B-roll and establishing shots and patient updates will happen several times throughout the summer, to provide more depth and context to patients’ journey, and staff/volunteer dedication.
CWC Facilites and future dreams
there so much love for this building and location so let’s make it looks its best, and show off everything it and the staff are capable of.
Though We may also need to project a future with expanded facilities and even deeper roster of stafF, we have an awesome team right now.
We plan to capture the facility in the morning, day, and evening, to show empty rooms ready to be in service, and then the symphony of coordination and hard work that takes place at rapid pace throughout the day.
Our donors are everything. They make sure we can get the most out of our current facilities and treat over 3500 patients a year.
They are also important part of helping us plan for upgrades and expansion necessary to properly serve our community in the coming years and decades.
LEt’s show them what they’ve helped to build, and how they can make an impact now to ensure a bright future!
Post-Production
Editing is an ongoing process that begins on day one of shooting, but once filming and file prep are completed, some of the most exciting creative processes take place….
Cutting down all available new and old footage will take a few days, primary creative editing about a week, and a couple days for finishing final graphics, color and sound. This whole phase is very important part of the project, where some of the toughest decisions are made, and the full potential of our effort of 5-10 days of filming is realized.
Fadeout Media’s editing team can’t wait to bring all this footage together, and put the finishing touches on a visually stunning story of patients and humans helping each other grow.
Production details: Gear list and budget
Fadeout Media has committed to donating a great deal of time to make this project happen, and is working hard to get the best out of this project regardless of final budget or possible patron investments or gear rental donations. There will be some fixed costs like equipment rental, some crafty now and then, and possibly small food/gas stipends to make it easier for any additional freelance helpers to donate their skills and time. But the goal of this film is to raise awareness, and fundraise for CWC, by making sure to produce something quite great but at as little expense as possible.
We are exploring options for equipment sponsors and patrons of this production to help cover some of Fadeout Media’s donated time and help offset some fixed expenses, but we’re making this happen no matter what and it’ll just be a different kind of awesome. We’re trying to make it the best thing we can and everyone’s help and support and signal boosting will be appreciated. Donating directly to CWC patient care or to help enhance this project would be a grand gesture, but sending us some love about the fundraiser on social media, and/or pizzas on a filming day…. would bring just as much as happiness!
Below is a projected budget that accounts for rental expenses and creative fees. This is a work in progress and reflects projected amount time needed to complete this film at high level we all are expecting, without spending too much time on it and getting in the way of CWC patient care. Any and all efforts by staff, volunteers, and donors to help make this production a success are of course deeply appreciated!
Projected Filming Budget (not including any paid assistants/food/stipends/incidentals): $11,000
Cinema gear rentals: $2500
• 5 days @ approx $500/day]
• (actual camera and lens choices still being discussed. Red Komodo X, Sony FX3/FX6 combo, Black Magic 6k, are primary choices as of now..)
• (B-Cam rig, GoPros, Drone, and Audio Rig are included in Fadeout Media fees)
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Fadeout Media production time and creative fees: $8500
• Principle filming days with A-Cam: 5 days @ $500/day
• Secondary filming with B-Cam or audio rig for VO (half days): 4+ partial days @$250/day
• Pre-Editing and file mangement: 3 days @ $500/day
• Creative editing and revisions: 5 days @ $500/day
• Finishing edits (graphics, color and sound): 2 days @ $500/day
• (more days may be needed, but Fadeout Media doesn’t bill for overtime beyond what is typical amount of time for a pro editor to complete a similar project).
Thank you!
…To donors and volunteers For your passion for conservation, your dedication to supporting our mission,
and your valuAble presence at our outreach events and fundraisers!
You literally mean the world to us and we can’t wait to share this film and future media projects with you!
