New York, NY — October 27, 2015 | Rowish Productions this week will launch a Kickstarter campaign to support the November 20 theatrical and day and date video on demand release for the festival favorite, awarded-winning film “Altered Minds,” distributed worldwide by Gravitas Ventures. As part of the campaign, a new social funding component named “Kick-It-Forward” will be implemented to entice the crowdfunding community to participate, while promoting their own projects.

“The idea behind ‘Kick-it-Forward’ is that administrators of current and former crowdfunding campaigns can choose to donate a perk from their campaign to ours. We will give them a shout-out on our social media, Kickstarter page and backers. In turn, we hope they will do the same for their backers and via their social media channels,” explains “Altered Minds” writer/director Michael Wechsler.

“We created “Kick-it-Forward” because we wanted to give actual Kickstarter project creators the chance to support our campaign, and in turn, promote their own projects,” adds Wechsler. “It’s really about crowdfunding community building.”

Written and directed by NYU Tisch School of Arts alum Wechsler, “Altered Minds” stars Academy Award®-nominated, veteran actor Judd Hirsch (“Ordinary People”), GIFF 2012 Rising Star Recipient Ryan O’Nan (“The Iceman,” “Freelancers,” “Ray Donovan”) and C.S. Lee (“Dexter”), Jaime Ray Newman (“Mind Games,” “Red Widow,” “Tarzan”), Caroline Lagerfelt (“Gossip Girl”, “Masters of Sex,” film “The Homesman”) and Joseph Lyle Taylor (“Justified”). Most recently, Hirsch starred in the fan favorite, ABC series “Forever” and will star in the sequel “Independence Day: Resurgence,” slated for summer 2016. Newman stars in the new series “Wicked City,” premiering October 27 on ABC.

In “Altered Minds,” Hirsch’s character Dr. Shellner, a father of five, is a celebrated psychiatrist specializing in trauma, rumored to have worked for the CIA during the Cold War. During a family reunion, Dr. Shellner’s adopted son (played by O’Nan) makes the stunning accusation that his dying father, adopted his children not out of love, but for the purposes of dark experiments in mind control. A night of revelations ensues which brings forth truth, disbelief, grief and introspection defining the mask of a loving father against the backdrop of a winter storm.

Having already financed pre-and post-production expenses for the film, the Kickstarter campaign will focus on raising funds for multi-platform marketing and promotion and theatre rentals surrounding the theatrical and VOD launch of the film.

Some of the confirmed Kickstarter perks will include Vince Masuka bobbleheads autographed by C.S. Lee, producer credits, private screening for friends and family, cocktails with cast members, weekend trip to a renowned resort in North Fork, Long Island, and a trip to attend the red carpet world premiere in New York City, including dinner with cast and director.

The “Altered Minds” Kickstarter campaign can be found at: www.kickstarter.com

“Altered Minds” will have its world premiere in New York City on November 18, in conjunction with Psychology Today, and on November 20, 2015, will have an exclusive 10 city theatrical run, including New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Additionally, the film will be featured day and date with the theatrical release on over 40 different “video on demand” cable television carriers, including Time Warner Cable, Comcast Cable, Verizon Fios, Cox Cable, Dish Network, Mediacom, Cablevision, RCN, Charter On Demand, Rogers and many more, as well as by countless “internet on demand” carriers including iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, Xbox LIVE, Sony Playstation, and others.

Screenwriter/director Wechsler produced the film with Shawn R. Singh. Executive producers include Jonathan Sanger (“The Elephant Man”), Rick Porras (“Lord of the Rings”), Wendy Herst and Khush Singh. Terry Keefe is co-producer. Tom Swartwout, who edited Sidney Lumet’s last four films, including “Before the Devil Knows Your Dead,” is the film’s editor. Director of photography is Adrian Correia, while the film’s composer is Edmund Choi.

A favorite on the festival circuit, “Altered Minds” won the special Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Filmmaking at the Gasparilla International Film Festival and Outstanding Achievement Awards in both Screenwriting and Cinematography at the Oaxaca FilmFest in 2013. Actress Caroline Lagerfelt (“Gossip Girl”) also received an Honorable Mention for her role in the film. Most recently, Wechsler received the Director’s Choice Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Additionally, the film was an official selection at the Montreal World Film Festival, the Newport Beach Film Festival, Palm Beach Film Festival, Bushwick Film Festival and premiered in Europe at the Glasgow International Film Festival and Fantasporto in Portugal. Upcoming festivals include Coney Island and Golden Door Film Festivals.

Teaser Link: youtu.be
Twitter: @AlteredMindsMOV
Instagram: Rowish Films
Facebook: Altered Minds MOVIE
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Google+: RowishProductions

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About Rowish Productions

Filmmaker Michael Wechsler founded Rowish Productions with producing partner, Shawn Singh, to develop transmedia entertainment across multiple platforms including motion pictures, television, online and mobile. Rowish produces and distributes rich entertainment media focused on cathartic stories of ordinary people transcending extraordinary circumstances.

Contact Information

Nicole Goesseringer Muj
nicolekultura@gmail.com
310-804-0964
www.rowishproductions.com