One Project To Open Doors, Realize Dreams, and Bring an Inspirational Character to the World

Time and time again, a strong woman of honor and conviction has been a light to me during dark times.  In fact, she first manifested to me during a very difficult time in my own life, and I know from very personal experience what she can be as a model and inspiration.

Now, I have a chance to bring her to a wide audience in a way that will unleash opportunities, realize dreams, and spread positive energy that will only grow in time.

Her name is Rayden Valkyrie and the project is the Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot Project.  Rayden is the character I most love to write, most deeply relate to, and who I have an unshakable passion to represent in the best way possible in every kind of media she is featured in.

This Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot project seeks to create a television pilot episode starring the Rayden Valkyrie character that will demonstrate the power, viability and potential of a full Rayden Valkyrie television series.  Needless to say, the show will offer the kind of visuals and elements that modern audiences have come to expect.  It will have action, monsters, the supernatural, beautiful scenery, the sensual, and much more that will appeal to fans of fantasy-driven television shows like Game of Thrones.

But there is something more to this project; something far from minor that makes this project a little extra special.

The Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot project holds the potential to be the genesis of a brand new television series to be produced here in my home state of Kentucky.  In every phase of producing an episodic television show, from concept art and storyboarding, to location scouting, to production management, to crew elements involving camera, light and sound, to support elements like transportation and catering, to special effects, post-production departments (including editors, sound mixing, scoring), to marketing and publicity, and so many more areas, a host of new opportunities will come to life.   This represents many instances in which individual dreams will be realized, as a number of talents from the region come together to create a top quality television show.

It will also introduce a character who can serve as a positive inspiration in an increasingly challenging and difficult world.  As those who have read the novel Heart of a Lion can attest, Rayden Valkyrie's inner strength and honor are every bit as compelling, if not more so, than her fearsome ability to wield a sword and ax in combat.  

She is a character who has endured great hardship, adversity and heartbreak, and knows what it is like to feel alone.  Nevertheless, she finds the strength to fight onward, to stand against all manner of evils and wrong doing, to defend those who cannot defend themselves, to stand with those who take up a righteous cause, and to stand alone when her heart holds the conviction that she is doing what is right.
Rayden lives her life with true honor, compassion and a passion for living, despite what the world has thrown at her.  She is real, with faults, moments of doubt and weakness, and longings.

I have no doubt that audiences will find many ways of connecting with her, and many areas in which they can draw inspiration from her.  In this way, I take the position that she can be a valuable contribution to entertainment realms that contain an abundance of vacuous and even negative influences.

In knowing what the Rayden Valkyrie character can represent to audiences and the numerous opportunities that will come to life for so many, I know in the core of my heart that this project deserves a chance to move forward.  To make that happen, we will need the involvement and support of a great many from the general public in the campaign now underway.

While this project will deliver a high quality television episode, it is still a demonstration of a concept, and as such there is no guaranteed series or home at a network just yet.  Without those elements, we cannot in good conscience seek support in traditional investor settings, with projected financial returns, schedules of financial return, and other elements contained in pitches to investors in projects like feature films.

While we have access to some channels of funding, we do need to attain a portion of our budgetary needs through crowdfunding.  To that end we have created a number of levels offering exclusive memorabilia, available only through the campaign (such as limited edition concept art prints, a book version of the screenplay for the pilot episode containing additional content, etc), credited positions (such as co-producer and even an executive producer credit), and event-oriented activities (ranging from activities surrounding the premiere of the episode to a special 2 day excursion with myself and members of the cast and crew to some unique Kentucky sites such as a bourbon distillery and historical site.

It is very important to state that every single contribution makes a difference.  We are not individuals with great personal means, nor do we have big studios backing us, nor are we seeking an unreasonably large budget figure.  We know what it will take to produce a top-quality show and we simply are seeking the resources to make that happen.  With a relatively smaller figure sought to round out our budget, every five, ten, or twenty dollars contributed makes a true difference.

This is a real instance where anyone has the opportunity to recognize potential, support it, and bring it into reality.  It is a chance to make a difference, and be a participant instead of a bystander, an actualizer instead of a spectator.

Get involved, make a difference, and help us make this wonderful project happen.  Join with Rayden Valkyrie and become a part of a project that has the heart of a lion.

To see the full campaign on Kickstarter and make a pledge, please visit: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seventhstarpress/rayden-valkyrie-tv-pilot