I’m very grateful for this, and excited for the opportunity to build, and engage with my audience while I am making this picture. I plan to talk more about this experience here in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here is a great blog from Kickstater on the success of the project in which I answer several questions about how I ran the campaign.

Additionally, I have been invited to take part in The Conversation: Social Media, Digital Distribution & the Future of Film on March 27 in New York, to speak on a panel about new funding strategies for filmmakers. If you’re in the area I definitely recommend checking out the event, it looks to be shaping up incredibly well in both subjects covered, and the speaker roster.

Currently I have been shooting with Jens daily as we come up on this March 6 bout in Columbus, Ohio, and planning our March production in which I will be conducting a week long (incredibly in-depth) interview shoot with Jens to probe his remarkable life story up to now, his key fights, the world of mixed martial arts, and his future.

I’m very encouraged by the footage I’ve been getting, and must say it’s hard to express what I am learning about Jens, and from Jens, as I shoot this film without relying on some cliches. This guy is so completely authentic, and very much the definition of the ‘real deal’.

I believed it from day one, but it’s reinforced every day. My affinity for him and his plight just grows and grows. It’s so easy to see why he is loved, he’s everyman…a blue collar journeyman fighter, and gentleman hero who would literally give you the shirt off his back.

I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself folks, but I can feel it…this is going to be good!

Be sure to visit makerbot.com.