You can view a 10-minute preview of I Adore My 64 here: https://youtu.be/huzRxVdrwUY

It's been said that the victors write the history books. Names like Apple, IBM, Atari and Tandy are well known as the titans of the earliest days of the home computer wars. However, the lesser-known Commodore 64 is, without question, the single most influential force in the birth of the home computer revolution. It remains, to this day, the highest selling home computer in all of history. The impact it has had on millions of people continues to be felt today and is what brings an incredibly large global community of Commodore 64 enthusiasts together. The modern-day power of the Internet allows them to share knowledge and interact with each other on a scale that was never previously possible.

This has not only ushered in a resurgence of interest and nostalgia in the 64 but also driven the ongoing development of new software and hardware. Things that were previously thought impossible for an 8-bit platform have now become a reality.

As vintage, original hardware inevitably begins to fail the community continues to work tirelessly to preserve the history of the 64 and renew its relevance in a modern context, while being careful to retain the C64's identity and legacy they are propelling it into the future. There's an open invitation for anyone who has a love for the C64 to become part of that community. Our film seeks to honor the 64's past and invite people to participate in its bright future.

Other films have focused on the history of Commodore as a company and the major figures within the company itself. By contrast, I Adore My 64 will focus on the community as it exists today.

The film will intertwine a series a of vignettes about individuals who have been impacted by their intersection with the Commodore 64. Collectors, hardware developers, video game and software engineers, preservationists and technology influencers will all share their personal stories about why they came to love this unique machine. While some historical information will be presented for the benefit of the uninitiated, the film's primary focus will be on the community that exists around the Commodore 64 today and their undying commitment to keep its legacy alive. It will not be a biographical film but a love letter to an incredibly influential piece of technology that was decades ahead of its time. To date, we've interviewed four major community figures and featured them in the 10-minute preview. This preview demonstrates the style of our film and the commitment we have to high production quality.

The preview, located here, features:

Bo Zimmermen - a prominent collector, hardware and software developer who also maintains an extensive website with Commodore computer related resources. Bo also leads CTUG, the Central Texas Commodore Users Group.

David Murray - better known on YouTube as The 8-Bit Guy, David has over a million subscribers to his channel. Not only does he has an extensive knowledge of retro computers but he's also coded and sold his own video games. Additionally, David is the visionary behind the Commander X16, a completely new and modernized reimaging of what an 8-bit computer can be today.

Anthony Becker - perhaps best known as being one of the hosts of the YouTube channel "The Guru Meditation." Anthony is a prolific Commodore collector and lifelong enthusiast of the Commodore 64. He has some exceedingly rare Commodore items including the planned successor to the Commodore 64, a Commodore 65 prototype.

Leif Bloomquist - is one of the first people to ever develop Wi-Fi hardware for the Commodore 64 and give it the ability to connect it to the modern-day Internet. This has opened a whole new world of possibilities for Commodore 64 community. Leif has also been active in the leadership of the longest running Commodore club in existence, TPUG (Toronto PET Users Group) and continues to develop new software for the 64 and other platforms today. Leif's early experiences with the Commodore 64 paved the way for his future career in the aerospace industry including work for NASA and being a part of the team developing OSIRIS-REx project, the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid.

We've been in communication with numerous other prominent community figures many of whom have agreed to be interviewed for the film upon the success of our campaign.

• Why a film about the Commodore 64?

If you are engaged with the retro computer scene to any extent you know that the Commodore 64 is by and large the most widely recognized and loved 8-bit machine of the home computer revolution. While a documentary could be created about any number of machines from this era, the Commodore 64 is a personal touchstone for me. I grew up with one and it definitely impacted the course of my life. It’s doubtful that I would be a filmmaker today were it not for my experiences with it and other Commodore computers. I’ve also been an active participant in the modern C64 community for years and I see the film as a way to give back to that community and invite more people into it.

• Why should I place my faith in this team to bring this project to life?

This isn't my first stint as a producer and director. As a career filmmaker with over 25 years of experience I’ve had the opportunity to travel to some of the most remote parts of the world to produce documentary style films (video portfolio). My experiences have allowed me to become highly skilled in taking a project from just a concept, through pre-production, production and post production to delivery. I’ve also gathered a key team of partners around me with whom I've collaborated in the past to help bring the film to reality.

Above: some of the prior locations the producer / director has been privileged to film in (from left to right): St. Lawrence Island, Alaska; Arop Village, Papua New Guinea; undisclosed location in South Sudan; Iquitos, Peru.

• Why now? Is this really the right time for this film?

It almost also goes without saying that there’s been a tremendous surge, globally, in the interest in retro computers generally and the Commodore 64, specifically, in the last 10 years. Perhaps because the people who grew up with them are now middle aged or older and, as can be expected, there's a huge nostalgia factor for them at this point in their lives. It could be argued that there has never been a higher interest and interaction with these machines since they were first created and sold. Without question, the iron is hot and the time to strike is now.

Up to this point, I Adore My 64 has been an entirely self-funded passion project. During this phase we have been able to shoot interview segments with four major figures within the Commodore community. We took those interviews and spun them into a 10-minute preview of the film so that potential supporters could understand the style, scope and quality of the project. We also worked for a few years to build relationships with the online community, participate in community events and promote the film. If you are an active part of the Commodore community, at this point, you are likely aware of the film. We received a a tremendous response upon the release of the film preview. Within the first five weeks the YouTube views jumped to a whopping 69,0000+. Around the world the community is expressing their excitement for the film and their desire to support it.

However, carrying the film the rest of the way through production, post production and distribution won't be financially viable without the support of the community. The best thing about this film is that it is about the community that loves the 64 and for that community. Our goal with the campaign is to throw open the doors and allow everyone to participate in its creation.

When we began this project we had free access to high end production equipment. However, unexpectedly, this invaluable resource was suddenly rescinded (see the production update dated August 21, 2022 located on this page). This had tremendous effect on our ability to complete the film and the associated cost with doing so. However, we decided to forge on and ask the community to help us fill in the gap. This is why a significant portion of our budget will go to equipment acquisition. In most cases, because we anticipate numerous shoots in different locations, it makes more fiscal sense to purchase some equipment rather than to rent.

The second factor that makes this film more expensive than similar efforts is travel. Being that this is a documentary there's a requirement to shoot footage in the locales where the interviewees are located. Those interviewees are literally spread across the USA and Canada. While we endeavor to keep travel costs low there's no escaping the fact that it will cost more than a narrative film that (typically) can gather local actors and crew to a pre-defined locale for production. However, for a documentary project of this scale and quality, the budget is actually relatively low. The funds raised by the campaign will cover the entirety of production.

Because of the dynamically changing availability of interviewees, it is a difficult task to predict exactly when the film will be completely shot. But here is our target timeline for the film:

• Launch our campaign and get funded in the third quarter of 2023
• Following receipt of the funding, immediately begin shooting interviews and supporting footage
• Create a second campaign to fund post production costs; approximately $6k-$10k in total
• Have a complete film by February 2025 and release March 1

In light of anticipating a tremendous response from the community, we've set some stretch goals:

• In excess of our initial goal, we will seek to expand the length of the film and shoot with more interviewees, raise the production values of the film and expand our efforts to promote the film
• In excess of 28,500 we'll provide a Blu-ray version of the film to those that have pledged $75 or more
• In excess of 40,000 of our campaign goal, we will have a professional colorist grade the final film
• In excess of 50,000 we'll also employ an audio engineer to mix the final film
• In excess of 60,000, all of the above and we'll work with a composer to generate original music for some or all of the film

How can you specially help make this film meet or exceed its financial goal?

• Become a financial supporter of the filming by donating to the campaign
• Become an advocate for the film within your own social circles and / or the Commodore and retro computer communities of which you are already a part
• Join us on our social media channels including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter
• Reach out to us if you're a business that would like to talk about some type of partnership or cross promotion

Here are some predefined social media posts you could share as-is or modify:

Do you adore your 64? Your Commodore 64? Help support an upcoming film about its tremendous impact in the history of home computing and the community that remains passionate about it today: https://seedandspark.com/fund/iadoremy64film

The Commodore 64, the best-selling home computer in all of history, is finally getting the attention it deserves. Join the effort to create a film about the 64 and the community that continues to support and develop for it today: https://seedandspark.com/fund/iadoremy64film

The Commodore 64 lives on! A new film is being developed about the 64, its incredible impact in the home computer revolution and the community that still loves it today. Be a part of the effort! https://seedandspark.com/fund/iadoremy64film

From myself, Jeff Schaap, the producer and director of I Adore My 64, and the rest of our team we want to say thank you so much for considering supporting this project. We hope to see the community galvanize behind this effort and create something that will help carry the 64's enduring legacy into the future!