Don Cheadle has been working toward playing Miles Davis for quite some time, and now he’s enlisting the help of the Internet. The actor has created an Indiegogo for the long-gestating biopic, seeking $325,000 by July 10. In the campaign’s video, Cheadle talks about how Davis rejected the term “jazz” as a descriptor for his music, and instead defined his work as “social music.” Which is why, Cheadle says, he similarly wants to make his directorial debut a “social experience” via crowdfunding.
The perks for donating to Miles Ahead range from pre-theatrical screenings ($35), to hoodies ($100), to a round of golf with Cheadle himself ($10,000). And if anyone is feeling especially generous, $15,000 will net them a co-producer credit and a free trip to the film’s premiere.
Miles Ahead will not be a broad-stroke biopic touching on various facets of Davis’ life. Rather, it will tell the story of the time he teamed up with a Rolling Stone writer (played by Ewan McGregor) to steal back his own music. In its development, Cheadle has already enlisted the help of fellow jazz legend Herbie Hancock, along with Davis’ son and nephew.
[via The Wrap]