Dear fan of the Silent Clowns Film Series,

We hope this holiday season is a joyous one for you and your loved ones. We're grateful for the support you've given us throughout 2007, in attending our shows, bringing your children or your friends, and spreading the word about what we do. We've had a fun and exciting fall/winter season of programs, and look forward to announcing our line-up of shows for 2008 to you.

In planning our 2008 programs - to meet the steadily rising costs of producing our shows - we have had to tighten our belts a little. In our Spring 2008 season we will be presenting five shows (instead of our usual six) and will only include films that do not require licensing (titles that do were released in 1923 andbeyond, like Safety Last or Wings, both of which were shown this past fall). Rest assured...our February, March and April shows will be just as exciting, informative and laugh-filled as always!

Ticket sales alone cover less than a third of the cost to put on each of our shows. While we do get financial support from NYSCA and from private charities like the Ira M. Resnick Foundation and the Edward Handelman Fund, we depend on our members - the Friends of the Silent Clowns - for the balance of our funding. Your contributions print brochures, buy film cleaner, make new silent era slide reproductions, rent and ship rare prints from collectors, license copyrighted films, and compensate our
talented staff.

You can help not only preserve the shows of winter/spring 2008 for Silent Clowns Film Series, but also restore programming to its full potential (and more!) for next Fall. If you've attended our shows during the year but aren't a Friend of the Silent Clowns yet, we hope you will consider making a contribution at this time. Your 100% tax-deductable donation entitles you to discounted admission when you present your Friends membership card at our box office. If you feel a bit more generous in helping us, this year we have increased the benefits given to those of you who contribute at the "Contributor" level ($100 or more). Starting in 2008, all Contributor-level Friends and one guest will be granted free admission to our shows. Donate $125 or more and, in addition to free admission, receive a free bonus...a limited edition Silent Clowns DVD. This collectable DVD will not be available in stores or online; it will contain rare comedy shorts not currently available, and will have commentary tracks by the Silent Clowns historians and theatre organ scores by Ben Model. This special Silent Clowns DVD is being produced right now and will be sent to you at the end of January 2008. You can donate securely online by clicking on this link: http://www.silentclowns.com/donations.html.

This web page also has information to mail in a check, if you prefer that method of contributing. Thank you again for taking part in enjoying with us the fun and wonder of silent film at the Silent Clowns Film Series. We look forward to seeing you and your family as well as many new friends at our future
shows. Our best wishes for a wonderful and happy new year!

Sincerely,

Ben Model and Bruce Lawton

The Silent Clowns Film Series