Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Douglas McGinness Launches $35,000 Kickstarter Campaign to Create Short Film The Epic of Hershey
  • USA - English


News provided by

Double Hugh Productions LLC

Sep 18, 2014, 03:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX


The Epic of Hershey is based on the viral “Myths Over Miami” non-fiction article that details a brand new urban mythology spreading amongst the homeless children in Miami

Post this

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 18, 2014 -- Today marks the first week of the Kickstarter campaign to fund the film The Epic of Hershey, based on an article published in the Miami New Times in 1997 that went viral last year. The article details a new mythology that the homeless children in Miami created to help explain and cope with the crushing realities of their world. The film stars Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts and is written and directed by Douglas McGinness, whose work has been featured on viral social activism sites such as Upworthy, ThinkProgress, and The Advocate. The film will be shot in New York City, and is being created with full permission and cooperation from The Miami New Times and journalist Lynda Edwards.

The campaign raised 33% of the budget in the first 4 days of launch, and yesterday McGinness announced that the campaign has partnered with youth homeless charity No Kid Hungry; every donation for the next seven days, up to $10,000, will be matched and donated to the national organization, who is working to end child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day.

In the myth that the children of the non-fiction article created, God fled Heaven to escape an audacious demon attack -- a celestial Tet Offensive. The demons smashed to dust his palace, and in his place the most evil demon of all - La Llorona - took over. Her reign over the world is how the children explain the dark reality that they live in, growing up in an often-times chaotic life where access to food is not guaranteed and there's virtually no educational resources at their disposal. The children believe that a beautiful goddess that lives in the ocean, that they have nicknamed 'The Blue Lady', has the power to save them from La Llorona. If one were to ever speak her true name (which none of the children know, as it has been cursed) then they would be saved right then and there. The Epic of Hershey is about a young homeless boy named Hershey who goes on a journey to find the Blue Lady's true name... to save them all.

Just one year before, September 2nd 2013, the article appeared on the popular news aggregator site Reddit, where it quickly reached the front page under the submission title “TIL [today I learned] that in the mid-1990s homeless children in Miami developed a vast, elaborate, and consistent mythology spread by oral tradition throughout the community as a coping mechanism.” The submission garnered thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments expressing sympathy for the plight of the homeless children. It has since been shared on over 1,000 blogs and continues to be posted on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Before its new life as a viral article, Disney/Touchstone optioned the rights to create a horror film based on the article, to be directed by Clive Barker (Candyman, Hellraiser), in the early 2000s. That deal fell through, and the rights to the article reverted back to the New Times. McGinness’ short film will be the first film adaptation of the script ever made.

Proceeds from the Kickstarter campaign will be used to secure location permits, to pay cast/crew wages, reserve equipment, and to design the elaborate underwater sequences featuring The Blue Lady and La Llorona that are essential to the myth. Anything raised over the goal amount will be spent on promoting the film and getting it into film festivals.

Once completed the film will be shown in Miami at an event for the homeless youth community that will feature other short films as well. The campaign creators are currently speaking with several organizations in Miami to handle the details for making this event happen.

The Epic of Hershey Kickstarter page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/73211059/the-epic-of-hershey

About the director: Douglas has been writing since he was 15 years old, when he took home Best Writer for the state of Kansas by the National Young Authors Competition in 2006. An alum of Sarah Lawrence College's creative writing and film program, Douglas has directed commercials and music videos since graduating, for bands such as Duran Duran, Big Tree, and, most recently, Great Caesar. His work has been featured on Upworthy, ThinkProgress, and The Advocate.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Douglas McGinness, please email douglas.mcginness(at)gmail(dot)com

Douglas McGinness, Double Hugh Productions LLC, +1 (316) 253-4207, [email protected]

Modal title

Kickstarter Poster
Kickstarter Poster
Douglas McGinness, the writer/director, and Meliki Hurd, the lead actor, on the set of last year's Don't Ask Me Why
Douglas McGinness, the writer/director, and Meliki Hurd, the lead actor, on the set of last year's Don't Ask Me Why
Double Hugh Productions
View PDF
Double Hugh Productions
Kickstarter Poster Douglas McGinness, the writer/director, and Meliki Hurd, the lead actor, on the set of last year's Don't Ask Me Why Double Hugh Productions

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.