A documentary film team is working on the first feature-length documentary about Ethereum – and they’re looking for ETH donations to fund it.
“Ethereum: The Infinite Garden” will feature interviews with various people involved in the development of the world computer, including the network’s co-creator, Vitalik Buterin, and Aya Miyaguchi, the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation.
The film production company Optimist is behind the documentary, with Carrie Weprin producing and Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple co-directing. Weprin and Ingrasci had both been aware of the crypto ecosystem before getting involved in the project, but the interviews they’ve done for the film have really turned them into Ethereum fans.
Funding for “Ethereum: The Infinite Garden” is taking place on Mirror until Friday, July 16, with a goal of raising 750 ETH (about $1.5 million at today’s prices). As of press time, 67 people had contributed a total of 60.3 ETH.
For the filmmakers, crypto crowdfunding felt like the most authentic way to raise funds for the film, because it allows members of the community to get involved and shape the outcome of the project, which is still currently in the early stages of development.
“I think it’s so exciting that a DAO [decentralized autonomous organization] could be our executive producer,” Ingrasci said. “That would be the first time that’s ever happened for a film. For sure the executive producer will be someone from the community. This is why we wanted to involve the community as early as possible.”
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) designed by crypto artist pplpleasr are available for purchase on Mirror, with each denoting a level of involvement in the project.
Morgan Beller, co-creator of Libra and now an investor at NFX, connected the Optimist team to Buterin.
“I’ve always thought Buterin deserved to have his story out there. The whole Ethereum team is just so pure, authentic, kind and wonderful,” Beller said, adding:
“If you’re first learning about Ethereum and you’re not a crypto person, you don’t necessarily see that side. But I always thought that if the world were able to somehow see and understand where this is all coming from, the heart and thoughts behind it, people would both understand it and be more supportive.”
Weprin said the team hopes to place the film in a major film festival in 2023 and will likely pursue distribution on major streaming platforms.