After about five days away from my computer, I came back to find a wonderful Bismarck Tribune article by Tony Spilde on the creator of NoDak Films.  The owner, Nathan Anderson, is a North Dakota native with a unique mission.  He wants to produce films that show the world what a wonderful place North Dakota is. 

 I am completely behind that.  NoDak Films is a terrific idea.

Anderson also has a unique funding strategy.  From the article:

Anderson created a company last year called NoDak Films, but has run into that very-Hollywood problem of a lack of funding. He wants to produce movies that bring the best of North Dakota to an outside audience, to people who may not have gotten an entirely accurate description by watching “Fargo.”

“One thing that sticks out, in my experience, is that people have a longing for home that is hard to explain,” Anderson said this week from his home in Berkeley, Calif. “I feel our films will offer a sort of explanation. That’s our goal. For someone who’s left North Dakota, is still in North Dakota or who’s never been to North Dakota, we want to show them how great a place it is.”

Anderson grew up in the farming community of Plaza, before moving to Minot for high school. He earned an English degree from the Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Anderson now lives on the West Coast, where his wife is a graduate student at UC-Berkeley.

It was in California where Anderson developed his idea for NoDak Films. He calls it the country’s first “sustainable filmmaking company.” The movies — he’s already written one script, titled “Last Summer for Boys” — will highlight the positive aspects of North Dakota. More than that, Anderson has developed a unique financing approach that, if it works, will highlight a lot more of the state.

His goal is to get towns, businesses and individuals to donate $100 each. In return, those towns, businesses and people will make it into the movie.

“I’m not looking for 10 people to give $20,000 each,” Anderson said. “I’m looking for about 1,900 individuals, businesses and towns to give $100 each. In return, they become an identifiable part of our first film. We’re comprehensively and purposely using North Dakota, and all elements of North Dakota. That’s what makes our fundraising so unique and interesting.

Needless to say, I’m adding NoDak Films to my blogroll.  It will be fun to keep an eye on this project.