{"data":{"type":"company_profile_ai","id":75938,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","attributes":{"canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie","retrieval_urls":{"canonical":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie","json":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie.json","markdown":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie.md","ai_json":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie.ai.json","ai_text":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie.ai.txt","changelog_json":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie.changelog.json","schema":"https://wefunder.com/.well-known/ai-profile-schema.json"},"updated_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","generated_at":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","profile_visibility":{"owner_published":true,"public_search_results":true,"site_search_listed":true,"privacy_mode":"promote","invite_only":false},"company":{"id":75938,"entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","slug":"crohnie","name":"Crohnie Film","tagline":"A heartfelt feature comedy about identity, family, and Crohn's disease.","location":"Los Angeles, CA","website":"https://www.vimeo.com/directorderek","total_amount_raised":0,"total_investors":0,"is_funded":false,"is_active":false},"key_claims":[{"claim_id":"claim-total-raised","text":"Total raised on Wefunder: 0","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-total-raised","provenance":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-22T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-total-investors","text":"Total investors: 0","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-total-investors","provenance":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-22T23:53:41Z"}],"verified_facts":[{"claim_id":"claim-total-raised","text":"Total raised on Wefunder: 0","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-total-raised","provenance":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-22T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-total-investors","text":"Total investors: 0","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-total-investors","provenance":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-22T23:53:41Z"}],"company_claims":{"tagline":"A heartfelt feature comedy about identity, family, and Crohn's disease.","story":"LoglineA young comedian struggles with accepting his embarrassing chronic illness as a life-changing opportunity prompts him to put his most authentic self on stage.Director's StatementI was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at 15-years-old. Over a decade later, I wrote Crohnie out of desperation to be seen and to connect with others who understand the daily struggles of an invisible illness.This project has gone on a journey through the traditional \"industry\" path: development, to financiers, to more development, to the budget ballooning, to industry-wide strikes, company mergers, etc. For a while, I grieved the original love I had for this project that made me want to do it in the first place.After years of working on other projects and forming a creative family, I am ready to make the motto of \"no more asking for permission\" a reality.This summer, we’re making Crohnie independently with the resources, collaborators, and community who have believed in it from the beginning. The goal: make an honest, funny, deeply personal film about illness, identity, and learning to accept yourself. The kind of story that reminds people they’re not alone.We're returning to our original WeFunder supporters to acknowledge the trust and belief you placed in this project from the beginning. We're committed to shooting in June and are seeking additional investments to cover a few unexpected expenses -- namely, adding SAG actors which adds an extra $30,000 for fringes, P\u0026amp;H, agent fees, etc. More than anything, this is about bringing the people who supported Crohnie early along with us as we finally make the film.Supporting CastTonal ComparisonsLike the films above, Crohnie carefully balances comedy and drama by providing a humorous perspective to difficult subject matters such as divorce and chronic disease.Proof-of-Concept Short Filmwww.vimeo.com/directorderek/crohnieOur AudienceU.S.: 45 millionInternational: Exceeds 100 millionReaching Our AudienceWe have gathered the support of numerous Crohn's and Colitis organizations to help us reach our core audience when the film is released.Connecting to Cure Crohn's \u0026amp; Colitis, Girls with Guts, Lights Camera Crohn's, Crohn's \u0026amp; Colitis Young Adults Network, IBD Moms, The Great Bowel MovementArtistic ApproachONCE IN A LIFETIME PERKSAn investment in CROHNIE not only holds the potential for financial upside, but also exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime perks and experiences most other investments can't match.FINANCIER: Investment of $100+, name included in the FINANCIER portion of the credits.GOLD FINANCIER: Investment of $1,000+, one script signed by the writer/director, name included in the GOLD FINANCIER portion of the credits.PLATINUM FINANCIER: Investment of $5,000+, one script signed by the writer/director, name included in the PLATINUM FINANCIER portion of the credits.TITANIUM FINANCIER: Investment of $15,000+, one script signed by the writer/director, name included in the TITANIUM FINANCIER portion of the credits, 2 tickets to the red carpet premiere.ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Investment of $50,000+, one script signed by the writer/director, 2 tickets to the red carpet premiere, and one Associate Producer credit, on-screen, in the end credit roll among all other Associate Producer credits, and in a size, style, placement and duration on a most favored nations basis with all other Associate Producers.CO-PRODUCER: Investment of $200,000+, one script signed by the writer/director, 2 tickets to the red carpet premiere, and one Co-Executive Producer credit, on-screen, in the main titles, on a shared card at Producer’s discretion, among all other Co-Executive Producer credits, and in a size, style, placement and duration on a most favored nations basis with all other Co-Executive Producers.RISK VS. REWARDEntertainment is a “hit-driven business”, which means that it’s impossible to predict whether a movie will make money or not. There are plenty of examples of small-budget films that did huge things at the box office, but it’s important to balance that with the knowledge that many films struggle to get distribution at all. Most independent films lose money, which is why you should never invest money you can’t afford to lose.That said, while every film is a roll of the dice, we believe there are ways to influence the odds:Keep the budget low. Every dollar spent on production generally requires $2-$3 in box office to break even. Keeping the budget as low as possible makes the bar for success easier to clear. With a budget of less than $500K, we believe CROHNIE is in a range that offers us all the best shot at success.Top-quality talent. Getting recognizable faces and proven talent attached is one of the best-known ways to reduce risk in Hollywood.In addition to the commercial risk, it's also important to acknowledge that there are other risks inherent in filmmaking. This includes financing risk (i.e. what if we're not able to raise all the money we need?), production risk (i.e. what if problems in production prevent us from completing the film?), and more (i.e. pandemics, strikes, macroeconomic calamities, etc).But with risk comes potential for reward. Derek Mari and everyone involved with this project are investing our time, money, and passion because we believe this is a film with potential to beat the odds. We're betting we can make this movie a hit - if you can bear the risk and want to join us, we'd love for you to be a part of it.BUDGET \u0026amp; MONETIZATIONOperating on a streamlined independent budget, our tight indie approach is perfect for making a top-notch, high-quality professional film without the crazy cash usually splashed around by Hollywood.The budget has been carefully crafted with several goals in mind:attract premium casting;shoot in Los Angeles so we can utilize our creative network from over a decade of filmmaking in the cityensure the highest possible production value;Bottom line -- we want to spend money on the things that will make the film AMAZING, while remaining lean to increase the likelihood of profitable sale, acquisition, or release.INVESTOR-FIRST TERMSWe’ve structured this deal to utilize INVESTOR-FIRST-FINANCING with the goal of providing transparent accounting to everyone involved.Our writer/director Derek Mari has agreed to defer all fees to make this film a reality. You are willing to take a risk on this film, and so are we.PRODUCTION STATUS \u0026amp; TIMINGFinancing/development: January - March 2026Pre-production: March - February 2026Principal photography: May - June 2026Post-production: July - December 2026Festival submissions: Q1 2027Festival premiere: Q4 2027/Q1 2028Distribution/release: 2028HOW DOES THE FILM MAKE MONEY?Films like this have the potential to earn revenue from one or more means of distribution, including festivals, theater tickets, DVD/Blu-Ray, Video On Demand, streaming, and more. The means of distribution can vary – some films employ a traditional release strategy that includes theaters, DVDs, VOD, streaming, etc. whereas another may go directly to a streaming service like Netflix, AppleTV, or Roku. Some films don’t get distribution at all.Our goal for the project will be to license the film to one or more distributors who will be responsible for distributing the film in one or more regions (e.g. a country like the USA or a territory like South America) over a specified period of time (e.g. 10 years). The distributor’s job is to make as much money from the film as possible. In return they keep a cut of any revenue they earn (and recoup any out of pocket expenses they incur in promoting it) before paying the remainder to us.HOW IS MONEY DISTRIBUTED?All revenue earned by the film is collected by a 3rd party Collection Account Manager (CAM) which is responsible for delivering it to stakeholders according to the \"waterfall.\" The complete waterfall can be found in the Exhibit 1 of the Investment Agreement, and is summarized below.Revenue earned by the film is distributed in the following priority order:First, any 3rd party expenses, fees, residuals, etc. that need to be taken off the top before revenue can be distributed to stakeholdersNext, to paying off of any debt or deferrals incurred by the production (including, if any, senior debt and/or deferred producer/directing fees)Next, to equity investors (including investors in this offering) until they have received 120% of their investment amount.Next to talent for any box office bonuses, etc.As mentioned in the “Risk and Reward” section, there’s no guarantee this film will make any return, let alone profit for investors. Most independent films lose money, so you should NEVER invest more than you can afford to lose. That said, some independent films make money, and some of those make a lot. Win or lose, being an investor in a movie can be a lot of fun, opening the door to bucket list experiences you won’t find anywhere else.We’ve done everything we can to position this film for success. If you can bear the risk and want to join us on this journey, we’d love to have you along for the ride!WHEN DOES THE INVESTMENT END?There is a very broad range of outcomes for an investment like this. Some films are \"bought\" in a single transaction, while others generate revenue in perpetuity (and some don't earn any revenue at all). No matter what happens, your stake in the project lasts for as long as we own the project. If the project is ever sold or transferred, any money generated by the sale/transfer will be treated and distributed just like any other revenue generated by the project.BOTTOM LINEWe’ve done everything we can to position this project for financial success. By keeping the budget tight, securing a top-tier cast, and aligning with large communities that can serve as a springboard for the film, we believe we’ve positioned this project to be not just a critical success but also a financial one.Thank you again for your incredible support and trust and for considering this opportunity. We’re so grateful to be on this exciting journey together and to create exceptional entertainment that serves audiences and film lovers everywhere.","quick_facts":["INVESTOR-FIRST MODEL: Potential to recoup 120% of principal.","AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Seasoned team of highly acclaimed producers, EPs, casting director \u0026amp; more.","REACH: We have a built-in audience of 45M people living with an invisible illness in the U.S. alone","FESTIVAL FAVORITE: Dramedies are amongst the top genre selected at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca","VISIONARY FILMMAKER: Derek Mari has been featured by Vimeo Staff Picks \u0026amp; the 2025 Webby Awards"]},"computed_metrics":{"total_amount_raised":0,"total_investors":0,"team_size":2,"featured_investor_count":0,"faq_count":0,"recent_post_count":8},"quick_facts":[{"claim_id":"claim-fact-1","value":"INVESTOR-FIRST MODEL: Potential to recoup 120% of principal.","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-fact-1","observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-28T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-fact-2","value":"AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Seasoned team of highly acclaimed producers, EPs, casting director \u0026amp; more.","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-fact-2","observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-28T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-fact-3","value":"REACH: We have a built-in audience of 45M people living with an invisible illness in the U.S. alone","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-fact-3","observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-28T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-fact-4","value":"FESTIVAL FAVORITE: Dramedies are amongst the top genre selected at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-fact-4","observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-28T23:53:41Z"},{"claim_id":"claim-fact-5","value":"VISIONARY FILMMAKER: Derek Mari has been featured by Vimeo Staff Picks \u0026amp; the 2025 Webby Awards","citation":"https://wefunder.com/crohnie#claim-fact-5","observed_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","expires_at":"2026-06-28T23:53:41Z"}],"latest_fundraise":{"id":162421,"entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:162421","state":"open","offering_type":"4(a)(6)","structure":"ttw","testing_the_waters":true,"can_invest_now":true,"funding_started_at":null,"funding_closed_at":null},"investor_memos":[],"team":[{"id":1349899,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:1349899","name":"Derek Mari","title":"Writer/Director","role":"founder","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/derekmari"},{"id":6612690,"entity_id":"wefunder:company_role:6612690","name":"Jamie Sanger","title":"Producer","role":"employee","profile_url":"https://wefunder.com/jamie.sanger.1"}],"featured_investors":[],"relationships":[{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_team_member","target_entity_id":"wefunder:user:1302514","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/derekmari"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_team_member","target_entity_id":"wefunder:user:5045095","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/jamie.sanger.1"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:145354","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/145354"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:145093","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/145093"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:144999","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/144999"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:144696","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/144696"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143795","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143795"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143591","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143591"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143304","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143304"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_recent_update","target_entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143100","target_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143100"},{"source_entity_id":"wefunder:company:75938","relation":"has_latest_fundraise","target_entity_id":"wefunder:fundraise:162421"}],"faq":[],"recent_posts":[{"id":145354,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:145354","title":"New short film from writer/director Derek Mari!","preview":"After a year of quarantine, it was an amazing feeling being back on set again.Derek wrote and directed a new short film that is currently in post-production. His team is working hard on getting the project ready for upcoming festivals, but in the meantime we'd like to share some behind the scenes photos!The short comedy stars actors/comedians Hannah Pilkes (Sorry Not Sorry, Vine), Betsy Sodaro (Duncanville, Hubie Halloween, Golden Arm, Disjointed), Jared Goldstein (The Unicorn, Nikki Fre$h) a...","published_at":"2021-05-25T20:50:26Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/145354"},{"id":145093,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:145093","title":"Instagram Live Q\u0026amp;A with Connecting to Cure Crohn's and Colitis","preview":"Join us on Instagram Live this Thursday, 5/20, at 11am PST for an interview with Derek by the wonderful IBD organization, Connecting to Cure.You will also have the ability to type questions into the chat and engage with the Q\u0026A! Hope to see you there!@crohniemovie / @connectingtocure","published_at":"2021-05-18T16:46:31Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/145093"},{"id":144999,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:144999","title":"Interview with Mindful Money Matters","preview":"Derek had the opportunity to chat with Kenneth at Mindful Money Matters about the inception of Crohnie, why we chose WeFunder as our crowdfunding campaign, what kinds of perks we offer to investors, and more!Here's a link to the full interview:\u0026nbsp;https://mindfulmoneymatters.blog/crohnie/","published_at":"2021-05-13T19:57:17Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/144999"},{"id":144696,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:144696","title":"Perks and Where To Find Them!","preview":"We offer our investors a variety of special perks depending on the amount of their investment.You can find our perks by hovering your mouse over the \"Investor Perks\" text under the Investment Terms. They are also readily available in our custom contract.Our perks include your name in the credits, associate and executive producer titles, a visit to set during production, and invitations to special premiere screenings of the finished film!We can't wait to share in the success of this film toget...","published_at":"2021-05-04T17:58:13Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/144696"},{"id":143795,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143795","title":"Writer/director of \"Crohnie\" interviewed by The Great Bowel Movement!","preview":"Derek Mari speaks with an amazing\u0026nbsp;Crohn's \u0026 Colitis organization\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;Great Bowel Movement about finding the freedom to implement his disease into his art.\u0026nbsp;Thanks for the write-up, GBM!","published_at":"2021-04-13T18:45:17Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143795"},{"id":143591,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143591","title":"Early Bird Terms Are Almost Over!","preview":"In just our first two weeks, we've raised over 10% of our minimum budget target of $300k! Thank you to all of our investors!You still have a chance to invest at our early bird terms until we reach $50k. Check out the terms\u0026nbsp;under the \"Invest\" button on our page.","published_at":"2021-04-06T18:47:51Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143591"},{"id":143304,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143304","title":"Comedian Ben Morrison Shares His Support For CROHNIE!","preview":"Comedian Ben Morrison of \"The Comedian's Guide to Crohn's\" shows his support for Crohnie from his porcelain throne!Check out Ben's work on Instagram/Twitter @BenTheMorrison. Thanks, Ben!","published_at":"2021-03-30T18:16:55Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143304"},{"id":143100,"entity_id":"wefunder:feed_item:143100","title":"About IBD Podcast Episode 91 – Derek Mari of Crohnie: It’s Not Impossible","preview":"Our writer/director Derek Mari had the wonderful opportunity to guest on Amber Tresca's About IBD Podcast.\u0026nbsp;In this episode, he shares details on his diagnosis journey, the difficulties of chronic illness in the entertainment industry, how the \"Crohnie\" film came to be, and why E.T. is his favorite film of all time!\u0026nbsp;Listen now on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whichever podcast\u0026nbsp;app you prefer!","published_at":"2021-03-24T18:58:40Z","canonical_url":"https://wefunder.com/feed/143100"}],"provenance":{"source":"wefunder_public_company_profile","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","claims":{"total_amount_raised":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#amount_raised","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"total_investors":{"source":"FrontCompanySummary#number_of_investors","last_verified_at":"2026-06-21T23:53:41Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"active_raise_states":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil)","last_verified_at":"2026-05-14T02:16:16Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"high"},"latest_fundraise_state":{"source":"Fundraise.visible(nil, nil).order(funding_started_at)","last_verified_at":"2026-05-14T02:16:16Z","as_of":"2026-06-22T01:11:12Z","confidence":"medium"}}}}}}