Six Inches of Soil Film - Post Production

Aim: Help us complete the first major documentary feature film about the regenerative farming revolution in Britain.

The Story of the Film

Our current food system is both a miracle and a disaster. 

Since WW2, industrial farming has transformed Britain’s rural landscapes, through generous government subsidies, mechanisation and agrochemicals which has resulted in a food culture shaped by cheap food. This miracle, however, has come at a massive and often hidden cost: the UK is one of most nature depleted countries on the planet, with rising food inequality and related public health issues. 

But there is a quiet revolution taking place, and it is coming up through the soil. Pioneered by a small but rapidly growing regenerative food and farming movement in the UK and globally, which seeks to overturn how we have farmed and eaten over the last 70 years. Our film, Six Inches of Soil, tells the story of extraordinary farmers, communities and small businesses, who are leading the way in transforming how our food is produced and our land cared for.

Here is the official teaser trailer for the film: 

The Six Aims of the Film

• Reveal the magic and importance of healthy soils
• Give a voice to young British farmers
• Promote familiarity with agroecology, regenerative & organic farming
• Explore the barriers and opportunities for change at an individual level and a system level
• Show how we can build regenerative food markets in the UK
• Promote policy change that connects food with farming, the environment, local economies and public health
• Explore how we can rediscover our regenerative nature

Why are we crowdfunding (again)?

Last year we raised funds to cover the cost of shooting the film. Our small team filmed on the road for 42 days, shot over 120 hours of footage, in all weathers, in 9 different English counties - Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Suffolk, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Oxfordshire. 

We interviewed over twenty farmers and other experts, attended farming conferences, protests, filmed with sheep, pigs, cows as well as with our unsung heroes - the microbes, fungi, dung beetles, earthworms and other critters of the soil community. 

Now we need your help to weave the elements of the film together and tell this complex story in a compelling way. Our post-production process will take 6-8 months and involves: 

• Logging and editing over 120 hours of footage into a coherent story
• Composing original music
• Storyboarding and producing animations
• Sourcing and licensing archive footage
• Sound mixing 
• Colour grading 
• Multiple reviews of the edits
• Fact checking
• Legal clearance 
• Subtitling & closed captions 
• Digital Cinema Package (DCP) conversion  
• Test screenings with our close supporters and integrating feedback

Our total target budget for post production is £62,750, half of which we need to fund through this crowdfunder. The funds will pay for a team of specialist freelancers to deliver the film to a high level of production value.  

Ultimately, hitting our funding target means we can deliver a better film experience for you. One that brings us all closer to igniting the public conversation around food and farming and driving the changes that are critical for our future on this planet. 

How do we plan to distribute the film? 

We want our film to reach multiple audiences, so our distribution strategy includes a cinema release, release on an online streaming platform together with memorable in-person screening experiences. We are also developing a cohesive plan to show our film in schools, corporate boardrooms and to key policy-makers.

This autumn we are planning twelve ‘launch’ screenings across the country that will include a Q&A session with farmers and the members of the production team. It will include local/regenerative food tastings and a screening pack with local information on how to become more involved with the UK regenerative farming revolution. We will also be submitting the film to various film festivals. 

Next Spring, we are planning another film roadshow.  Since we began talking about the film, we have had numerous generous offers of screening locations, including farms, pubs, stately homes and summer festivals which we intend to take advantage of. 

We are also talking with all our partners to ensure they can use the film in the most effective way to bring about change, by getting it seen by as wide an audience as possible.  We are open to your ideas for screenings, especially if you have existing screening equipment, experience with public events and a venue! 

Who we are?

We are a small independent production team who share a passion for the natural world. We believe in the power of films and stories to change hearts and minds. Our team includes experienced documentary filmmakers, scientists, farmers, food and environmental campaigners.

Over the last two and half years we've done extensive research and networking - broadening our knowledge of food, farming, health, policy, agroecology and its relationship to climate change. This pre-production phase was unfunded and done in our spare time. We’ve taken the time to build trust with the UK farming community, listening to what farmers have to say and respecting differences of opinion on how best to move forward in the face of the biodiversity and climate emergency. We’ve been featured in the national press, on radio, on podcasts, met The Princess Royal, been nominated for awards, and perhaps most importantly to those who gave to our first Crowdfunder, we have finished all our filming.

You can also find out more about the project on our website.

Who are our partners?

We have formed strong partnerships with the major not-for-profits organisations working on soil health and agroecology, alongside select corporate brands who share our values. They will also use our film as a campaigning tool, with screenings up and down the country with accompanying campaigning materials. Our NGO Partners include: The Soil Association, Farm-Ed, Sustain, Groundswell, Sustainable Soils Alliance, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Organic Farmers and Growers Association, BASE, the Pasture for Life Association and the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. 

Please help us finish the film by donating and sharing this Crowdfunder, following us on social media, signing up to our newsletter and getting the word out!

All our love,

Colin, Claire and the Six Inches of Soil Team

This project successfully funded on 16th June 2023