Original Webseries Recap

The initial webseries run was an incredible growth experience, seasoning the ideas first explored in the TED talk with a broader, global perspective. At the same time, this nascent iteration had fledgling flaws which limited its reach and impact. We are proud of our virgin run with its humble beginnings, seeing how it would lead to this stage. Whether through posts, messages, or in person, we’ve heard countless stories of life-course changes, bold moves made, and key adventures chosen by people after having watched the series. We met many people on the journey sharing the festival experience with their parents for the first time—hearing how The Bloom helped convince their folks to attend was greatly affirming. Learning that the series inspired the first transformational festivals in places like Texas, India and Jordan (yes, in the middle east) was deeply encouraging. Additionally, witnessing screening partners—from west coast to east, midwest to south, Europe to Australia—step up and bring their communities together to share the experience of watching The Bloom was exhilarating. 

L to R: Inshala Festival (Alberta); Lightning in a Bottle (California); Synthesis (Mexico)

All the more remarkable when you consider that all of this would be “organic reach” given the virtual absence of a marketing budget. For a total budget of well under $100,000, we produced 3.5 hours of quality video for a global audience, who resonated with our story. None of this would have been possible without the sponsorships by companies such as Dr Bronners, Coconut Bliss, PK Sound, Flow Toys and other brands connected to festival culture. Moreover, hundreds of individuals made personal donations to support the making of the series. Thousands of people more shared their excitement and spread the word to their friends and networks online. Without this support, none of what we created could have happened. 

Our humble series involved a huge mosaic of creative contributors: from interviewees (whether legendary artists or first-time participants); to festival producers (who gave us access and took time during their event to offer their insights); the music artists (who provided their songs) and the visual artists (who recorded their paintings in time-lapse for us); to all the contributors of The Bloom Squad team and our partners & friends at Keyframe Entertainment, Elevate Films, and Muti Music. Knowing that great projects are often iterative, all of this can be seen as the start of a much greater journey. The world is ready for our story. We hope you will join us for the next stage of the adventure! 

Did the original webseries have an impact on you?

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