Not Currently Funding | Offering: Reg CF
The German King
2,134 people raised $912,540*
Overview
The German King previously ran as a short film at various film festivals and won many awards including Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Short Film. We intend to expand the vision of the short film into a multi-season series.
The Woman King recently did $97 million at the worldwide box office,** which shows the audience's desire for stories of courage in the face of overwhelming persecution. This also indicates that there is more interest than ever before in seeing people of color as leads in the stories of their heritage.
Podcasts, TV shows, and movies that show a forgotten side of history–Revisionist History, When They See Us, and Hidden Figures–have millions of viewers and fans.
The Story
In the hands of oppressors, the history of the oppressed will slip away.
The German King is a story of the heroism it takes to hold onto a people’s lost history. Set during The Scramble For Africa leading up to the First World War, The German King is inspired by the true story of Rudolf Douala Manga Bell–a German-raised African prince who becomes king after his father’s death. Estranged from his homeland, Rudolf returns to Cameroon only to find oppression, grief, and death. Confronted with injustice and compelled to act, Rudolf leads a rebellion against Kaiser Wilhelm II, a man Rudolf once counted as a brother.
This is a moving series about one of Africa’s greatest forgotten heroes. Our vision is to tell Rudolf’s story in such a way as to reclaim and immortalize a royal heritage of bravery, nobility, and love.
Perhaps more than any other time in modern history, we need true stories of what it means to love your neighbor, even when that neighbor least deserves it. We believe The German King offers viewers a previously unseen view of African valor. Steeped in the dramatic history of the European conquest of Africa, The German King is the powerful story of one man’s heroic defense of the Cameroonian people against all odds.
Previous Runs
You may have heard of The German King before. It has been in film festivals all over the country winning awards like Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Short Film. The short film took home the award for Best Production Design and was the winner for Best Actor (Adetokumboh McCormack) at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. We were thrilled to have multiple film news outlets review the short.
“It becomes very clear that The German King needs MORE screening opportunities. If you want to see an authentic, beautiful and greatly performed film about history, then you should support The German King for sure!"
- Just Celebrity Magazine
“M’Cormack’s vision sets the precedence of authenticity and gathering historical pieces by aligning the sentiments of how the state of war can change the perspectives of family and one’s duties.”
- Black Star News
“It is clear that Rudolf is unlikely to succeed in his attempt to free his people yet M’Cormack never instills him with any sense of failure; rather a deep belief that what he is doing is right and that if he can do one thing, it is at least to set an example to his son and the people of Cameroon that they must struggle against oppression and that one day they will succeed.”
- The Consulting Detective
What Will The Show Be Like?
The German King is part Braveheart, part Black Panther, part 1917, part The Crown.* The story’s intrigue lives between the mores of Victoria or The Gilded Age and the epic feel of Game of Thrones.* It’s the timeless tale of the hero’s journey in a period piece.
We believe this story’s blend of high-stakes politics and personal valor creates a compelling world that will draw fans from several genres. The German King celebrates the royal threads and fantastic settings that make up the tapestry of African culture. Our hope is that we can pull back the veil of underrepresentation and showcase the forgotten worlds of the African diaspora.
*Success in other projects does not guarantee success of The German King. Revenue does not guarantee profits. There can be no assurance that the projected results will be obtained, and actual results may vary significantly from the projections.
**Revenue data for these projects are from Box Office Mojo, found at https://www.boxofficemojo.com.
Adetokumboh M’Cormack
Creator, Executive Producer, Actor
Adetokumboh “Ade” M'Cormack is an award-winning actor and filmmaker originally from Sierra Leone and lived in Nigeria and Kenya before moving to the United States. He graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Acting from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film at SUNY Purchase. His acting credits include the Oscar-nominated film Blood Diamond, Battle: Los Angeles, and Captain America: Winter Soldier. M’Cormack voices “Isaac” in the hit Netflix animated series Castlevania for which he received two Voice Arts Award Nominations. He also won the Best Actor Award at The Oregon Cinema Arts Film Festival for his portrayal of Henry “Box” Brown, in the film Boxed. M’Cormack has also starred in The Chosen, Blood of Zeus, NCIS, Lost, 24, Gilmore Girls, and Heroes.
With a passion to tell diverse stories that shine a light on the underrepresented, M’Cormack wrote, directed and produced his first short film, Irish Goodbye, about a Syrian refugee fleeing persecution. The film screened at Cannes, won numerous best of festival awards and can currently be seen on Amazon Prime Video. His second short, The German King, executive produced by NCIS star Pauley Perrette, also screened at Cannes, qualified for Academy Award consideration, and earned M’Cormack a Best Actor Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. M’Cormack also wrote the epic graphic novel Orishas: Legacy of Shango which is set to be released in 2023.
Chris Freeman
Producer
Award-winning filmmaker Chris W. Freeman began his career under iconic directors Wolfgang Petersen, Michael Mann, and Tim Burton. Since then, he's written and directed five features, produced over a dozen, and has worked intimately with executives from Fox, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, and Universal. His dystopian graphic novel, So...I Survived the Zombie Apocalypse and All I Got Was This Lousy Podcast, was published by Dark Horse Comics to rave reviews, and his latest feature film was an official selection of Grimmfest and awarded Best Horror Feature (Toronto Independent Film Festival), Best Comedy Feature (Kapow), and the Silver Award at The Hollywood Independent Film Festival. Chris recently adapted the best-selling novel The End of Temperance Dare for the screen with Kathryn Nawrocki and is currently developing several episodics with Shaun Redick (Get Out) and Yvette Yates (Dayshift) of Impossible Dream Entertainment.
Glenton Richards
Executive Producer/Writer
Glenton Richards is a Writers Guild-nominated television and film writer living in Los Angeles. During his time in Los Angeles, he has had the opportunity to work on TV shows such as the Emmy award-winning show Fargo and on the Emmy-nominated TV show American Crime, under the supervision of Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridley.
Glenton attended Texas Christian University where he received a B.S. in Radio, Television, & Film and a minor in English. After graduating, Glenton began pursuing his dream in Los Angeles and most recently served as a writer on the Amazon Prime series, The Expanse, and the spin-off web series, The Expanse: One Ship, for which he received a nomination from the Writers Guild of America.
Stephanie Filo
Editor
Stephanie Filo, ACE, is a three-time Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV/Film Editor and activist with over 15 years of experience editing and producing both scripted and unscripted content. She is based in Los Angeles and Sierra Leone, West Africa.
In 2021, she won a Primetime Emmy award for her work on HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show, making her team the first all-Women of Color editing team to take home the award for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming.
Hanna Sturwold
Producer, Editor
Hanna Sturwold was born and raised in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles. She is an accomplished Producer and Editor who has worked for the top production studios and advertising agencies such as Disney, Killer Films, and Warner Media.
Constance Ejuma
Actress
Constance Ejuma is an award-winning actress and producer. Born in Cameroon and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, she started acting in her teens and went on to study theater at the University of Toronto. Constance has credits in theater, film, and television and her work has given her the opportunity to collaborate with prolific artists like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and Academy Award Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. Constance is best known for Ben & Ara, a feature film in which she starred and subsequently received an AMAA award (fondly referred to as the African Oscar) for her efforts as a producer. Years later, she had a role in Marvel’s Black Panther as a Dora Milaje warrior for which she received a SAG Award. She has also been featured in music videos for artists like Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce.
Deeply Rooted Values
The German King is a thoroughly human story. From plot to characterization, this show hopes to highlight the humanity of all people. Regardless of geography, race, or cultural background, the highest human calling is to treat another with acceptance, respect, and ultimately love.
We want to showcase the human condition, not just the beautiful, the good, and the true, but those undeniably uglier parts of us that we can learn from. It’s our hope that in doing so, what’s heroic can be emulated, what’s good celebrated, and what’s unjust renounced. The truth will out.
It’s worth mentioning that this story is a passion project born from a personal connection. Like the show’s protagonist, Rudolf, the show’s creator, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, grew up under colonial influence. Both were indoctrinated into a foreign culture, losing relationships with their own. Both came to an awareness of colonialism’s atrocities. For both, that awareness developed into a call to action. The German King is an expression of that personal connection and a testimony to the power of finding something of yourself in the story of another.
The Challenge
As our favorite African proverb says, “the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter until the lion speaks.” The creator of The German King, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, spent his younger years growing up in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Kenya. It wasn’t until he left Africa that he began to learn about history before the German colonization. It never even occurred to him that there was history to be learned. That experience is what drives Adetokumboh’s passion to tell this story. The German King examines these real experiences being told through film for the very first time. Most importantly, it is an African story being told from lived experience.
By partnering with Angel Studios, the creators of The German King won’t have to compromise this view or surrender creative control to industry trends. We will have full creative control to tell this story the way it’s meant to be heard. Even though this series will examine hardships through Rudolf’s life, The German King is not meant to attack any group or historical choices; it aims to present humanity in its truest form. History is people, and it’s worth seeing this story told from a special perspective. We believe that Rudolf’s story is as epic as any Marvel superhero movie.
Angel Studios Model
The German King plans to bring this series to life in a way that traditional Hollywood has never done before, utilizing the innovative model of Angel Studios. Angel Studios is a film studio platform that helps creators come together with viewers to create high-quality TV and film without the Hollywood guesswork. How do they do that? Producers like us use the Angel Studios’ platform to pitch TV content to you, and then you --the audience-- chooses which projects qualify to be potentially distributed by Angel Studios. By partnering with its affiliated crowdfunding portal Angel Funding, Angel Studios has also innovated a way to let the audience invest in these projects to help fund their creation and for investors to share in some of the profits of films and TV series that are profitable.
GENERAL DISCLAIMER: Investing in these early-stage companies involves a high degree of risk including the possibility of the total loss of your investment, and there is no guarantee of any return. You should consult with your advisors prior to making an investment decision.
FAQ
Yes, we are happy to accept ACH transactions.
Yes, but only for those investors investing larger amounts (due to the higher processing fee) of over $3,500.
Yes, you can now invest from one of these entities. Just select that option when moving through the checkout process.
There is no subscription plan to buy securities and all purchases of our securities are a one time payment. Subscribers are simply other investors that have purchased the securities. A "subscription agreement" is a legal term for the contract between an investor (you) and the issuer (us), it details the offering of securities and explains your rights and responsibilities when deciding to purchase our securities.
Every country has its own securities laws. We are offering this Regulation CF round under the laws of the US and so we know what we need to do to allow US citizens to invest and be compliant with those laws. We don't have the resources to be able to identify and comply with the securities laws in other jurisdictions, so we limit investments to US citizens.
In the event that we do not reach our minimum target of $300,000, all the money invested will be returned to the investors.
No. Investment in early-stage companies/shows is extremely risky, and you should consult with your independent financial advisor before making a decision on whether you want to invest. In any case, you should never invest more than you could afford to lose!
Unfortunately, we aren't able to consider submissions or auditions for actors through this platform or via our social media platforms. Our casting will be done through our preferred casting director.
As part of Regulation CF, we are required to file annual reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We will also send out regular investor updates via email to let you know all the latest news of the company.
Yes, there is a way to do that - you should reach out to support@angelfunding.com to work with Angel Funding.
You may invest as many times as you would like until you reach your investment limit under Reg CF.
Angel Studios is our distribution partner. They are the studio platform responsible for bringing you The Chosen, Dry Bar Comedy, Sound of Freedom, and more.
Because you’re making an investment and not a donation. The escrow agent is subject to banking regulations when they hold your money, and we will need it for tax purposes.
Our ability to offer our Units to the public is possible due to legislation known as the Jobs Act. This law limits the amount that investors can purchase based on your annual income and net worth. There is no limit, however, if you are an accredited investor. If you have additional questions regarding this limit, feel free to ask in our Q&A tool at the bottom of the main page of this offering.
We maintain the number of Preferred Units and Common Units and record them in our transfer agent's Company register - KoreConX (https://www.koreconx.com/). Please take the time to register an account on their platform, which is free, and you can update your details, transfer your shares, and download a certificate of ownership.
Angel Funding (VAS Portal, d.b.a. Angel Funding), is a regulation crowdfunding portal that helps filmmakers like us in the sale of securities. They primarily work with film production companies that want to raise money to fund their projects.
The content distribution agreement with Angel Studios to release DAVID was terminated in October 2024 however, the termination of the distribution agreement does not affect the contract with Angel Funding and will continue throughout the crowdfunding.
If you are a US citizen but living outside the US, there may be a way to invest. You will need to reach out to Angel Funding using the help tool below. If you are not a US citizen, then unfortunately, this offering is not open for you. However, we are excited to build a global community of investors, fans, friends, and followers and we have some exciting plans around opportunities for global involvement as we produce and eventually release The German King. Please follow our social media channels to join us on this journey.
Unlike securities purchased on a stock market, such as the NYSE or Nasdaq, there is no public market for shares. Therefore, it is highly unlikely you will be able to sell your investment. However, you may receive distributions of cash from The German King if it generates a profit.
If the first season is a success, The German King will reinvest proceeds into producing subsequent seasons. The hope is this will help the long-term health of the potential return on your investment.
Perks
$250.00 or more
BTS Photo Album
Exclusive access to behind-the-scenes (BTS) digital photo album - regularly updated as we embark on our journey of filming the first season of the series.
$500.00 or more
Early Access to Season 1 Episodes
See the season 1 episodes before they're available to the public (includes previous perks).
$1,000.00 or more
Name in the Credits
Your name listed in the credits of season 1 as an investor (plus all previous perks).
$3,000.00 or more
Merch Box and Signed Poster
Get a signed season 1 Poster and merchandise from the show. (Plus all previous perks).
$5,000.00 or more
VIP Virtual Meet & Greet
Hop on a video call with Creator/Director, Adetokumboh M’Cormack. Ask him anything about The German King creative process (plus all previous perks).
$10,000.00 or more
Be an Extra
You can be on screen in the background of Season 1 as an extra in the series in either of our African or European locations. We'll update you with filming times, locations, and availability as soon as details are finalized. Remember, you have the full responsibility of travel and lodging to get to the location (plus all previous perks).
$15,000.00 or more
VIP Guest on the Red Carpet
Be our VIP Guest at the red carpet premiere of the first episode of season 1. Meet key talent and crewmembers, take photos on the red carpet, and feel the excitement of being in the first group to see season 1 come to life. Remember, you have the full responsibility of travel and lodging to get to the premiere (plus all previous perks).
$25,000.00 or more
Exclusive 1-Day Full Access to the Live Set of The German King
Spend a day seeing movie magic happen on a real set as The German King is filmed right in front of you in either one of our spectacular African or European locations. We'll give times and locations for the possible dates when the details become available. You'll be given tours of set pieces, see the inner workings of props and wardrobe, have lunch with the cast and crew, and be able to see all the amazing pieces come together in front of you. Remember, you have the full responsibility of travel and lodging to get to the filming location (plus all previous perks, including a separate day of being an extra).
$50,000.00 or more
VIP Investor's Lunch
You and a guest are invited to an exclusive Investor’s lunch with the Creator/Director, Adetokumboh M’Cormack and key members of The German King team. We'll give times and locations for the possible dates when the details are available. Remember, you have the full responsibility of travel and lodging (plus all previous perks).
$100,000.00 or more
Associate Producer
Receive an Associate Producer Credit for the first season that will be included in listings on IMDB. Receive a copy of the episode 1 script signed by Adetokumboh M’Cormack, at least one of the producers, and one of the main actors after the episode airs (plus all previous perks).
$250,000.00 or more
Co-Executive Producer
Receive a co-executive producer credit for the first season that will be included in listings on IMDB. Includes all previous perks (except the associate producer credit).
Offering
Livestream
The German King Special Announcement
The German King German Story
The German King Final Livestream
Issuer Q&A
Christine Rew
Jul 14, 2023Looking so forward to this being made! Invested what I could for now and really can't wait to see where this goes, what an amazing story to tell. ❤️
Christine Morales
Jul 13, 2023Thanks to Instagram algorithms for knowing that I would want to know about and support this project. I’m only comfortable with the $100 investment I just made. But I’m sure you’ll be successful. Good luck! I’m looking forward to seeing the final project and sharing in its success! Where (city/country) will the show be filmed?
Vince Wagner
Jul 12, 2023Chris thank you for your responses. I like that the investments are setup as equity like and more of a partnership. I would rather not use attorneys if at all possible (as might everyone?). That being said after the investment is made and the company is operating I am trying to look ahead and envision what it would look like. Possibly a private facebook or other chat group? If we don't use an attorney (which I prefer) I would be looking for a lead(s) investors to have an area we can air any concerns or ways we can help the company succeed (sales, hires etc..). Just curious if your company has given this any thought or if this would also be up to us to privately organize. In that case can we have access to general emails to figure it out?
Mary Notess
Jul 11, 2023What are the "units" invested? When I completed the form, it had the total amount I entered and then "units" which came to half that number. I assume this doesn't mean that amount will be paid multiple times...
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 11, 2023Hi Mary. "Units" simply just refers to the number of shares in the company you are purchasing. You are correct, it does NOT mean you are paying multiple times. Rather the shares being sold in this offering are at a price of $2.00 per share, so you should get exactly half as many shares as dollars invested.
Michael Kunzmann
Jul 09, 2023Are you looking for native German speaking extras? Where are you planning to shoot the film? Located in California.
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 10, 2023Thanks for the question, Michael. The German King is a show that spans multiple continents, cultures and languages, so we will need extras and featured talent with all types of language, dancing, stunt skills and backgrounds. We're exploring various ways of delivering portions of the narrative to the audience regarding multiple languages, subtitles, etc., and are tentatively planning to shoot in Africa and Europe.
Richard Franolich
Jul 06, 2023I've invested in two other Angel Productions with pleasure. I've been looking forward to investing in this one as well, but am still awaiting answers on this site for two questions I legitimate questions I posed on 22 & 23 June. Two weeks is a long time to wait for an answer, given the short window for crowdfunding. Perhaps it concerns others as well, given that with only 9 days left the crowdfund for German King is only at 15% of goal.
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 06, 2023Hi Richard! We appreciate your interest and commitment to Angel productions and want to be certain that we answer all of these questions throughly and accurately while we are working on our plans for the shoot. Thanks for your patience and be on the look out for the answer to your other question ASAP.
Vince Wagner
Jun 30, 2023Hi Mr. Freeman, I appreciate your responses. I realize my contribution would be very small and I think the idea of this type of fundraising has promise. Will shareholders have access to legal advice? I would like to keep updated on the financials and any diluting issues that could arise in the future. Example: after our 120% is paid back are there restrictions on taking massive debt or issue millions of new common shares so we have much less profits to split? As a busy self employed person I do not have time to read through all financials and legal disclosures on an ongoing basis. I do get excited about the overall project I am just wanting to have a healthy relationship with ownership as a more passive investor that can no legal voting rights on operations of the company. Best way to do that is to share legal costs and have a friendly legal rep that can break down any updates over the years in easy to understand language? Thank you in advance Chris Freeman, Producer- The German King Jun 22, 2023 Hi Vince! Great questions. You are correct. Once the 120% of preferred shares investment is returned, common and preferred investors then split profits para-passou. In regards to the selling of private shares to another person and your question as to if the record keepers would allow that, the answer it... not necessarily. The Company must approve of any secondary sale of the shares and such sale could only be done with the Company's permission and in compliance with applicable securities laws. Regarding the other question pertaining to the buyout of preferred shares, the Company does not have the unilateral right to force a preferred shareholder to sell their shares back to the Company. Any repurchase of the shares by the Company would need to be properly authorized by the Company and at a fair market value agreed upon by the Company and such shareholder. I hope this answered all of your questions.
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 09, 2023Thanks for this great question, Vince. We don't consider any contributions to be small because we need all of them in order to bring this story to fruition properly. I certainly understand how hard self-employed individuals work as I've been one most of my life. With that said, we would love to offer some solutions for your concerns. Attorney are costly. Unfortunately, attorneys who work for the company are conflicted from giving advice to company shareholders. Each investor is encouraged to obtain their own legal and tax counsel that can help them answer any specific questions they have when reviewing the documents and ongoing disclosures. I wish I could offer a more positive answer, but these protections are in place for a reason and benefit all parties in the long run.
Richard Franolich
Jun 23, 2023Hello again. Given your response that we are actually buying into shares of TGK Production Company, to find them for the season 1 release of The German King: is there the potential for offerings of preferred investments in season 2, season 3, etc., Which would then dilute our ownership in the company and returns?
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 09, 2023Hello again, Richard. This was slightly involved but I'll do my best to answer it. The company has intentionally set shares aside for future offerings in an effort to minimize any further dilution. The current capital structure of the Company contemplates the following, ultimate ownership allocations of the company's stock: founders - 50%, crowdfunding investors - 25%, and other private investors (if needed) - 25%. Therefore, the intent is, assuming the Company reaches a full subscription of $5 million raised from sale of its crowdfunding shares, that the crowdfunding shareholders together as a class would own no less than 25% of the Company's stock on a fully diluted basis (and maybe even more than 25% depending on how much other funding is needed). Of course, there is always the potential that additional shares will need to be allocated beyond the current structure that would cause dilution to all shareholders, but the intent of the Company is to avoid this and fund any subsequent seasons with revenue generated from previous seasons to the extent possible. In the event additional shares do need to allocated, this is something that would require notice to all shareholders and majority approval of the voting shareholders in accordance with the Company's governing documents.
Richard Franolich
Jun 22, 2023How does the project make money if it is only released on Angel.com? Is there a calculation for % of Angel.com subscription payments that are applied to the income tally for The German King series, to determine payments to investors?
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 06, 2023Important question and thanks for asking, Richard. Since you indicated that you have some experience investing in other Angel productions in your previous question, you will have a greater understanding of how Angel projects make money than most, but here's the quick version: Basically, if someone subscribes to Angel (becomes a Guild member who pays monthly), then that monthly subscription amount is allocated to filmmakers (and then distributed to investors para passu) based on what shows the subscriber views. In addition to that, one time pay-it-forward payments and merchandise sales are other components of a robust monetizing strategy with Angel Studios. There is also potential for theatrical release revenue down the line and further licensing opportunities once the show has garnered an audience. I hope that covered this one and thanks for your patience. I'm sure you can understand that some of these questions posed on the portal require additional legal input and clarification from Angel before the responses are posted.
Miracle Davis
Jun 22, 2023Hello, I want to help with the project but I had a couple of questions. I was wondering why is the amount to be a background extra is so high as opposed to having a few lines on camera? My second question is I have a lot of owned equipment like the Red Komodo (it’s accessories and lenses), easy rig, DJI Ronin 2 gimbal, Aputure D lights, etc, and I was wondering, is there was a possibility to help out financially and physically on the project?
The German King TeamChris Freeman
Jul 06, 2023Hi Miracle. We really appreciate your question and desire to help with the series. We are planning on shooting a great deal of the series on location in Africa and Europe and therefore needed to set the contribution amount to be on-screen as an extra/background at an appropriate amount that would help keep our overall plan feasible. I hope that makes sense. As for your equipment, congrats on owning some great gear. We are certainly open to discussing ways you could participate physically on the shoot once we begin to formalize that part of the process. Be on the look out for a way to reach the production once this funding round closes and thanks again for your enthusiasm for the show.
Not Currently Funding | Offering: Reg CF
The German King
2,134 people raised $912,540*