James Franco Needs You!

James Franco Image by Getty Images

By Anne Cohen June 19, 2013

Move over, Zach Braff!

James Franco has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to rustle up funds for his latest project: a film trilogy based on “Palo Alto Stories,” his 2011 fiction-writing debut.

The 35-year-old jack-of-all-trades will not be directing the films himself, Mashable reported, opting instead to recruit three of his “favorite directors at [New York University],” Nina Ljeti, Vladimir Bourdeau, Bruce Thierry Cheung and Gabriel Demeestere.

Franco said he has put his own money into “Memoria,” “Killing Animals” and “Yosemite,” he’s just asking for “a little more help” to cover production costs for all three. All funds will be divided equally, and proceeds from the films will go to Art of Elysium, a a non-profit that helps actors, artists and musicians to work with children facing serious health conditions, he pledged.

“This process is very exciting; this is the best way to make movies, because in this way, the movies we want to make get made in the ways that we want to make them,” he said in the campaign video. “The only considerations are to make the best movies possible, and I see the projects as great opportunities for all kinds of collaboration.”

As of today, the campaign has raised $45,619, with 29 days left to go.

Not convinced? Take a little spin around Palo Alto with James:

Anne Cohen was the Forward’s deputy digital media editor. When she’s not looking for the secret Jewish history of Voodoo in New Orleans, or making lists about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she writes for The Assimilator. She graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S. magazine concentration in 2012.

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