final_brochure_1-1 - A Voice for Lil Olive

a feature documentary
coming in 2016
speak for those who
have no voice
A VOICE FOR LIL OLIVE
A Voice for Lil Olive is a
new feature documentary
film from Pete Schuermann
that tells the heartwarming story
of the special bond between a
family and its rescue dog, Lil Olive.
Her tale is inspiring people across
the globe to take a stand against the
cruel puppy mill industry.
WHY MAKE THIS FILM?
According to the Humane Society
of the United States, there are
approximately 10,000 licensed and
unlicensed puppy mills in the U.S.
Licensed facilities alone produce
more than a million puppies each year
by breeding roughly 100,000 female
dogs; the figures for unlicensed puppy mill
breeders are unknown. What is known is
that more than 2 million puppy mill dogs are
sold each year.
Lil Olive was once among those statistics.
She spent almost 13 years in a tiny cage,
enduring the abuse and neglect that is the
norm inside a puppy mill. Her only value to
the mill owners was in producing litters to
sell, until her body was too damaged and
drained to continue.
She endured this torture in silence, like so
many hundreds of thousands of mill dogs.
That is, until the day she was rescued.
This film illustrates the indomitable spirit of a
tiny Italian Greyhound, and the inspiring and
loving bond that developed between her and
the woman who adopted her, Pam Horton.
But the purpose of this documentary is to do
more than just that.
The goal of A Voice for Lil Olive, to be released
in 2016, is to encourage everyone to “speak for
those who have no voice.” It asks you to add
your voice to Lil Olive’s and work toward
a better world for humans and animals alike.
WHAT IF A RESCUED DOG COULD TALK?
Pam Horton opened her heart and home to
Lil Olive, wanting to provide her with a forever
family who would surround her with safety
and comfort for however long she had left.
But what unfolded was much more profound,
allowing the two to forge a partnership to
advocate for animals in need.
Pam literally became Lil Olive’s voice by using a
voiceover app that, when combined with social
media, allowed strangers to listen and learn
about their unique relationship. Their following
exploded as thousands tuned in to hear Olive’s
unique voice, and the growth of her fandom
shows no signs of slowing.
We think if rescue dogs could talk, they would
say much more than just “Love me.” They
would ask us to be their advocates. They
would ask us to educate, to bring an end to
the brutality of puppy mills, and to find loving
homes for the victims of mill cruelty. They
would ask us to never give up on them.
A POSITIVE AND UPLIFTING TAIL
In telling Lil Olive’s story, we are working to be
sensitive to viewers. We recognize that images
of the conditions inside a puppy mill can be
shocking — but they are also necessary. What
is important to remember, however, is that
A Voice for Lil Olive is ultimately an uplifting
and inspirational essay on Lil Olive’s post-mill
life and the power of the spirit, both human
and animal.
A Voice for Lil Olive will be viewed for years to
come as the definitive documentary on puppy
mills and those who are fighting to put an end
to them. This film will also inspire people to
examine their own lives to determine how they
can make a difference by speaking for those
who have no voice.
EVERY
DOG
DESERVES
ITS DAY
EVERY DOG DESERVES ITS DAY
Through A Voice for Lil Olive the viewer will learn about:
• Lil Olive the Mill Dog. The average pet owner has no
idea that behind every pet shop puppy, there is a Lil
Olive in a puppy mill.
• Lil Olive the Survivor. When she was first rescued,
Lil Olive was refused treatment by numerous
veterinarians because of her appalling medical
condition. We’ll see how she overcame these obstacles
and so many others.
• Lil Olive the Hero. Through her unique voice and
“supertongue,” this tiny gal has become a hero in
social media, inspiring thousands of pet owners to
take action and advocate for legislative change on
behalf of animals. Her legacy has made her a celebrity
embraced by other celebrities, like the Denver Broncos
Cheerleaders.
WE HAVE A HUMANE RESPONSIBILITY
A Voice for Lil Olive seeks to be a comprehensive film about the bonds we form
with our pets, what it means to be a pet owner, and our social responsibility to
stop animal abuse. As such, the film will also delve into:
• the origins of the American puppy mill industry;
• typical rescue operations, illustrated with
documentary footage;
• celebrity and expert commentary on the puppy
mill industry;
• an exploration, both from professional and
experiential perspectives, of the emotional bond
between human and dog, and a first-hand look at
families whose lives have been transformed by the
experience of adopting a rescue animal;
• behavioral traits of puppy mill dogs, to include both
the challenges faced by adopters, and the rewards
that come from helping frightened animals transform
into loving companions;
• and the power that arises when we “speak for those
who have no voice.”
THE FIRST-RATE TEAM BEHIND LIL OLIVE
Experienced.
Emmy Award-winning.
Professional.
All of the team members behind A Voice for Lil
Olive are uniquely suited to produce a film that
blends advanced technical skills and strategic
web marketing, with emotional sensitivity.
Director Pete Schuermann has an established
international track record in the documentary
genre and beyond, with notable credits
including:
• HAZE — Featuring Robin Wright-Penn, this
documentary about the problems associated
with college alcohol abuse is considered the
standard by which other films on the topic
are judged. It earned six times its production
budget back for producers including the
Gordie Foundation, an organization that
spreads awareness about college alcohol
abuse.
Cinematographer Jeff Pointer and
Editor Dave Wruck are both seasoned film
veterans and multiple-award-winners whose
film credits include such successful titles as
A LEGO Brickumentary, Ink and When the
Dragon Swallowed the Sun.
Executive Producer Thomas Young brings a level
of web marketing expertise rarely seen in film.
Lil Olive became an Internet phenomenon, so it
only makes sense that A Voice for Lil Olive will
primarily be seen and distributed via the Internet.
And as CEO of Intuitive Websites, which has
served hundreds of corporate clients across
the United States and Canada, Tom employs
social media and web marketing to reach wide
audiences. He is the author of Winning the
Website War.
• Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever —
Hosted by Julie Andrews, this Disney Home
Video “Disney Treasures” film features
celebrities such as George Lucas and Roy
Disney.
• The Creep Behind the Camera — Having
screened at top-tier international film
festivals including Imagine: Amsterdam
Fantastic Film Festival, Montreal’s Fantasia
International Film Festival, and Los Angeles’
Screamfest Horror Film Festival at Grauman’s
Chinese Theater, Creep is currently in
large-scale worldwide distribution and can
be viewed on DIRECTV, Comcast, Dish
Network, TimeWarner, Amazon, VUDU,
iTunes and more.
A puppy mill in the
rural United States
THE TEAM
Director
Cinematographer
PETE SCHUERMANN
JEFF POINTER
Pete Schuermann is an established
Emmy-award winning filmmaker
with numerous film festival
acceptances for narrative feature,
documentary and short films that
affirm his credibility as a solid visual
storyteller. Pete was born on Long
Island and is currently a resident of
Monument, Colorado.
Jeff Pointer is a Heartland
Emmy award-winning
cinematographer who
has shot work that has
made people laugh out
loud, cry, or tilt their heads
and ponder. His portfolio
includes everything from
national commercials, feature
films and documentaries,
to independent projects,
slick corporate videos, and
intimate films.
In 2005, Pete was approached
by Disney to direct and edit
Disneyland: Then, Now and Forever,
a retrospective piece celebrating
Disneyland’s 50th anniversary.
Following that, he completed the
nationally acclaimed documentary
HAZE (featuring Robin WrightPenn), which graphically examined
the beer-soaked party scene that
permeates the national university
and college environment. Next
up was the narrative feature The
Creep Behind the Camera, an edgy
dark comedy/docudrama that told
the story about the making of The
Creeping Terror, arguably the worst
monster movie ever.
A personal project for Pete — a
hug dog lover — was the touching
conditional, named “Best Narrative
Short Film” at the Orlando Film
Festival. This semi-biographical
nine-minute film celebrates the
unconditional love shown to us
by our favorite pets, in this case a
small pug.
An easygoing cinematographer with a charming
personality and a clear
mission — using light, lenses,
angles and intuition to aid
the director in top-notch
storytelling — Jeff has a
extraordinary understanding
of the technical and artistic
aspects of cinematography
and believes in mixing
creativity with preparation
and efficiency.
Denver Post film critic Lisa
Kennedy called Jeff “one
of Denver’s best lensmen.”
His feature film credits
include Pete Schuermann’s
The Creep Behind the
Camera, indie cult favorite
Ink, and the much praised
documentary When the
Dragon Swallowed the Sun.
Editor
DAVE WRUCK
Executive Producer
THOMAS YOUNG
Executive Producer
ASHLEY SCHUERMANN
Writer / Researcher
KIRSTEN AKENS
Associate Producer
RHONDA ROBERTS
Activist / Actress / Model
LIL OLIVE
Dave Wruck has spent 20 years
in the editing world, dividing
his time among documentaries,
narratives and commercials.
He’s edited feature-length
documentaries, such as The
LEGO Brickumentary with
Academy Award winner Daniel
Junge, short documentaries
with Rocky Mountain PBS and
Academy Award nominee
Henry Ansbacher, and featurelength films like The Creep
Behind the Camera from
Emmy Award winner Pete
Schuermann.
Thomas Young is passionate
about movies and documentaries
that change lives and make the
world a better place. Tom brings
his knowledge of web marketing
and social media to A Voice for
Lil Olive to build a grassroots,
online movement that will result
in a successful film that makes a
difference.
Although Ashley
Schuermann is a relative
newcomer to the film
world, she has a long
history in banking and
finance, having held a
variety of positions and
earning her FINRA Series
7, 6 and 63 securities
licenses.
Rhonda Roberts is a Certified
Veterinary Technician who has been
practicing in Colorado since 1998.
She has worked in mixed animal
practice, as an emergency technician
for an equine and farm animal
practice, as a surgical specialty
technician, and for the last eight
years an emergency nurse in a small
animal emergency and critical care
facility.
Lil Olive is a well-known advocate for
puppy mill survivors. She brings 12½
years of experience as a puppy-mill
breeding momma to this project, along
with her incredible passion to say
“PPPFFFTTTTT” to those terrible mills.
He is the co-founder and CEO
of Intuitive Websites. He has 25
years of experience in marketing
and sales, including Internet
marketing and usability research.
Tom has worked with corporate
clients around the country and is
passionate about understanding
customers and how they use the
Web.
Ashley’s extensive
academic background
includes a BA in
Psychology; an MBA with
emphasis in marketing,
international business and
finance; and a Graduate
Accounting Certificate,
all from the University of
Colorado.
Kirsten Akens is an awardwinning journalist and editor
whose work has been featured
in newspapers, magazines,
books, online journals, and
internationally followed blogs.
During her seven years as
an editor and writer with the
Colorado Springs Independent
alternative newsweekly, she
was honored by regional
and national professional
organizations for her news
columns, as well as her stories
covering education, health,
and sports.
He is the author of two books,
Intuitive Selling and Winning the
Website War. His clients include
HealthONE, Office Depot, NEC,
The American Funds, Colorado
College, Forbes Industries, Land
Title, Bosca Leather and Intrawest.
Tom’s client list is a testament to
his ability to work with and get
results for organizations.
She’s also an experienced
community volunteer,
working with such
organizations as the
Junior League, the
American Cancer
Society, the Alzheimer’s
Association and the
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society.
Through partnerships with
Made Movement, Plus
Productions, Genesis Inc.,
BravoEcho and Grenadier, Dave
has produced some fantastic
spots for TGI Fridays, Cinch
Jeans, Canon USA, Grand
Rapids Public Museum, and
Case Logic.
Dave’s work has garnered him
five Emmys and multiple Telly
Awards, as well as awards from
the likes of the Starz Denver
International Film Festival, the
St. Louis International Film
Festival, Chamonix Adventure
Festival, Taos Shortz Film
Fest, Mountain Film Festival,
Palm Beach International Film
Festival, and Sidewalk Moving
Pictures Festival.
He has a BA in Communications
from the University of Northern
Colorado and an MBA from the
University of Colorado at Colorado
Springs. He enjoys tennis and is an
avid musician.
Creative
Greg Kleinert
Marco Hernandez
Adrian Collins
While her current writing as
a freelancer focuses primarily
on travel, entertainment and
outdoor adventure, Kirsten
is always on the hunt for
ways to cover social issues
important to her — at the top
of that list, animal welfare and
rescue. For the past 10 years,
she has volunteered with the
Humane Society of the Pikes
Peak Region, walking and
fostering dogs, photographing
and marketing special events,
and writing copy for HSPPR’s
website, annual reports,
newsletters and website.
Production
Assistant
Lori Young
With her extensive experience,
Rhonda will serve as our veterinary
liaison in the creating of this
documentary. Having the film
supported by, and produced
in consultation with, veterinary
professionals will help the filmmakers
and viewers better understand the
plight of puppy mill dogs and the
struggles to help them integrate into
adoptive forever homes.
An equestrian from the tender age
of 4 years old, Rhonda was raised in
Florida by a family of animal lovers.
She has always been surrounded by
her own 4-legged (and sometimes
3-legged) family of horses, dogs,
cats and more…. Rhonda actively
competes as an equestrian in 3 Day
Eventing as well as being an avid
hiker, biker and snowboarder.
Story Consultants
Pam & Kevin Horton
Website
Intuitive
Websites
After leaving the puppy mill
environment, Lil Olive became a
professional diva, lounging in front
of the fireplace and riding in a cart at
PetSmart and Petco to do her weekly
shopping.
Once she discovered social media,
however, she founded the Lil Olive
Facebook page and spent many hours
writing to and interacting with tens of
thousands of friends from all over the
world. She has engaged in many “Meet
& Greets,” letting her fans fawn all over
her while she’s napped.
Lil Olive has volunteered many hours
pawtographing photos of herself to
donate to rescues so they could raise
funds to help rescue other animals in
need, and she has serenaded more
Facebook friends than she can count
on their birthdays. All of her work
to help end puppy mills earned her
the cover of the spring 2014 issue of
American Dog Magazine.
A huge football fan, Lil Olive
regularly offered her skills to the
Denver Broncos as a formative
Waddleback, and as a commentator
and cheerleader on “Denver Broncos
Footyball Whackadoo Sunnydays.”
The
International
Facebook
Sensation!
A Voice for Lil Olive will speak for the
thousands of animals who can only
suffer in silence.
Support this film and help speak for
those who have no voice.
Contact us at:
SHELTER
ISLAND
FILMS
1720 Jet Stream Drive, Suite 208
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
Tom@ShelterIslandFilms.com
Visit our website:
AVoiceforLilOlive.com