Our Educational Mission
See our ambitious plan to educate the American public, including generations of students in high school classrooms.
Job 1: Get the Film Made
As evidenced by the endorsements of our story by nationally prominent Founding Era historians, we have established that Aegis for Dreams is written with historical sensitivity and is wholly fit to be used for educational purposes.
However, unless the film is actually made, and our ambitious educational plans will never be realized.
We set out below the qualities of the film — namely its entertainment value – that make it a compelling educational film project. This is true for both high school students and the American public at large.
Entertaining Stories Educate
We are proud of the fact that so many of the words spoken in Aegis for Dreams — approximately 40 percent — are literally taken from the speaker’s own mouth (or pen). However, as our script reviews emphatically make clear, is film is far from a dry history lesson. To the contrary, it is a highly entertaining film which tells a story with the highest of stakes.
As with all quality dramatic films, Aegis for Dreams plays out the emotional journeys of the characters in a story. The remaining dialogue created by the author — carefully informed by the characters’ own personal histories — is equally important, and is the glue that holds our story together. Here are a few examples of comments from Hollywood professionals on this point:
- “The script captures the cheeky, brash yet brillliant tone of the real Alexander Hamilton.”
- “The writer does a superb job of taking these characters from simply being historical figures and transforming them into tangible human beings.”
- “The relationship between Hamilton and Eliza felt organic and moving. She was a strong female character who would stay with audiences after the film.”
- “The tension in the final scenes between Hamilton and Washington is wonderful, and their story and relationship only became more fascinating as it slowly unfolded.”
Our film industry AI analysis also indicates a high level of entertainment value. That’s important. If this film was merely a collection of historical events with no human heart, no one would want to watch it (or, as we hope, re-watch it). If we touch viewers’ emotions and entertain them, they will internalize the story – and truly know it.
Distribution in American High Schools
The Foundation views it is imperative to make Aegis for Dreams accessible to all American high schools – a program that we hope will span multiple generations – as the most impactful educational element of this feature film project.
The Founder’s grant of perpetual film rights to the Foundation created the following requirement:
“The Foundation shall be required, as a condition of this License, to facilitate the viewing of the Aegis Feature Film by high school students in the United States, in connection with the teaching of history and the humanities, for discounted (or preferably no) fee, and to develop and distribute a teaching guide (after due consultation and/or collaboration with experts/educators in those fields of study).
“It is the Donor’s preference that the Foundation, in carrying out this mandatory provision of this License, facilitate such student viewings in theaters to the extent practicable; provided, however, pursuit of in-theater viewing should not serve as an impediment to such viewing.”
Theatrical Release of Film
Aegis for Dreams is one of many stories that comprise America’s complete origin story, but it is a very important one. We think the exhibition of the completed film should reflect this importance.
Because our story belongs literally and figuratively to the American public, we believe that this film should be exhibited via a theatrical release, where together we can view this story, in a darkened theater, as a communal experience with our fellow citizens. Under the terms of its license rights, the Foundation must attempt to secure a theatrical release:
“Exhibition. The Foundation shall be required, as a condition of this License to use its best efforts to undertake an exclusive theatrical release of the Aegis Feature Film in the United States (preferably to be secured prior to production), immediately upon the film’s completion, it being the Donor’s firm belief that this film should be viewed by the American citizenry in a communal setting.”
We anticipate that production of this film will be very much like other Hollywood film productions. Film distribution is a key element of that production plan and is of interest to all involved parties. Top directors want their films exhibited in theaters. The requirement that we pursue a theatrical release for Aegis for Dreams could be a factor in attracting a top director to undertake this project.
Annual Public Exhibition
In his grant of perpetual rights to the Foundation, the Donor stated that the Foundation shall “use its best efforts to exhibit the Aegis Feature Film in theaters and open-air venues in the United States on or around the Fourth of July holiday, in perpetuity, at a discounted (or preferably no) fee.”
Historical Accuracy Must Remain Paramount
The Foundation will not itself produce this feature film. Our mandate from our founder is that is be made by a “Qualified Production Company” (defined as a company that has completed and distributed two full-length feature film of material historical accuracy having a budget of not less than $15 million).
HIstorians are pleased with both the historical sensitivity and the compelling nature of our screenplay as written. However, films are never produced without changes. Our founder planned for that. As a condition of our right to make this screenplay into a film, the perpetual license grant included the following provision:
“Substantial historical accuracy of the Aegis Feature Film must be the primary goal of the Foundation in its pursuit of its production, and shall take precedence over profit-based decisions. Any modification to the Aegis Screenplay in the production of the Aegis Feature Film must be consistent with that primary goal.”
The above directive on historical accuracy will be a key provision in any production agreement the Foundation enters into.