Gale Anne Hurd is a veteran of the entertainment industry. The award-winning producer got her first big break when she co-wrote ‘The Terminator’ with James Cameron. From there, she went on to produce some massively popular films including ‘Aliens,’ ‘Armageddon,’ ‘The Punisher,’ ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ and ‘Tremors,’ in addition to the first three ‘Terminator’ movies. These days, she’s primarily known for her work on the hit AMC zombie drama ‘The Walking Dead’, but Hurd still dabbles in other areas outside of sci-fi and fantasy. Now, she’s looking to her fans to help make her latest project happen.
Earlier this week, Valhalla Entertainment launched a Kickstarter campaign for ‘Mankiller,‘ a documentary directed by Valerie Red-Horse and produced by Gale Anne Hurd about the Cherokee Nation’s first Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller. This is certainly a departure from the films and TV shows that we typically associate Hurd with, but this is a passion project about a truly influential figure that needs to be shared with the world. Here’s some background information on Wilma Mankiller and the filmmakers’ goals for the documentary:
117 years after the US relocated the Cherokee Nation from their traditional homeland in Georgia and North Carolina – and forced them to walk 2,000 miles in winter to Oklahoma – Wilma endured her own government-mandated relocation from Oklahoma to Northern California. It was there, standing on the front lines of the civil rights movements of the 60s and 70s, that she developed her politically revolutionary mind. She carried that passion for progress with her into the office of Principal Chief decades later.
‘Mankiller’ seeks to capture Wilma’s revolutionary life on film and preserve it for years to come. Our goal is to make “Wilma Mankiller” a household name, to give her the same recognition as the trailblazers that came before her and to serve as an inspiration for future generations. A mix of biography and historical storytelling, it will illuminate, entertain, and galvanize viewers to follow Wilma’s example and rebel against the status quo.
In an effort to reach their $150,000 goal to fund the doc, Hurd has assembled a venerable cornucopia of rewards for backer of the project that span her entire career. Fans of ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ ‘Aliens,’ and ‘The Terminator’ are sure to find some savory incentives worth a donation. For example, there are signed comic from Robert Kirkman, signed DVDS from James Cameron, and Twitter follows from Norman Reedus and other ‘Walking Dead’ cast members. High tiers feature video chats with the filmmakers, passes to high profile events like San Diego Comic Con, the October 2015 season premiere of ‘The Walking Dead’, and the sold out Walker Stalker Atlanta convention.
The coolest rewards though have to be the once in a lifetime experiences. For a pledge of $3,000, you can join Michael Rooker for a day of shooting guns at his personal range. Or if you’re not so into the idea of being around Merle Dixon with an armada of weapons at his disposal, you can enjoy milk and cookies with Melissa McBride in Los Angeles! Carol Peletier may be “Scarol” to Sam on the show, but chances are that McBride will leave the scary demeanor on set for a lovely day of dessert in LA.
The campaign has already raised over $100,000 and is well on it’s way to reach it’s goal before things wrap up on April 8, 2015. Be sure to check out the ‘Mankiller’ Kickstarter page for all the details and rewards so you can not only support the latest project from Gale Anne Hurd, but also support the story of a truly empowering American woman.
