Dermetel announces Kickstarter fundraiser for their upcoming short documentary, Operation: #BanTheTan

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Non-profit organization Dermetel announced today that they will be raising funds on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter for their short documentary, Operation: #BanTheTan. The non-profit sets out to raise $60,000 on Kickstarter to finish production and distribution for their upcoming film that will expose the indoor tanning bed industry as a level 1 carcinogen and explain why they should be banned from the vicinity of college campuses.

Operation: #BanTheTan will show also the adverse effects of using indoor tanning beds. It will investigate the way tanning bed salons acquire and retain customers, illustrate how tanning indoors has become highly addictive for many, and offer politician-backed solutions for change. To achieve this end, Operation: #BanTheTan shall utilize an all-star, non-partisan interview line-up of melanoma victims, former and current tanning bed goers, politicians, Mohs surgeons, and more. The contributions to the Kickstarter will go towards research, pre-production, film equipment, travel expenses, marketing, editing and post-production elements.

Dermetel's CEO and the writer of the documentary, Misha Kaura, states, "This film is needed because millions of young women across the United States have fallen prey to the unhealthy beauty image propagated by the indoor tanning bed industry. The types of young people who utilize indoor tanning beds the most do not read medical journals that discuss melanoma and its side effects; they prefer popular magazines and films." Kaura is a melanoma researcher who has submitted several research papers to top medical journals and has published eight children's books. She is uniquely positioned to offer a compelling narrative that is sure to inspire audiences to take better care of their skin, from both clinical medicine and health policy perspectives.

Kaura is joined by Cassandra Heikkila, the COO and film producer. Heikkila joined Dermetel in June after graduating from American University with a film and media arts degree. She has been working closely with Kaura to create DermFilms, Dermetel's film production branch. She states, "So many people, particularly women, believe they have to be tan to be beautiful because of the beauty industry standards. This film will show how indoor tanning can become a harmful addiction that can lead to cancer, and hopefully the message will save lives."

For further information, please visit the Kickstarter page at kck.st/1ZL6eVK, email the team at [email protected], or visit the website at www.dermetel.org. 

SOURCE Dermetel

Related Links

http://www.dermetel.org