A Starchild Lovechild Productions Documentary

ONE STRING

The Story of the Diddley Bow

THE DIDDLEY BOW MAY HAVE ONE STRING, BUT ITS STORY CONTAINS AN ENTIRE WORLD.

One String: The Story of the Diddley Bow explores an extraordinary instrument carrying generations of Black memory, ingenuity, craftsmanship, experimentation, and musical possibility.

HOW DOES A FOUNDATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN INSTRUMENT GET ERASED FROM HISTORY?

“Untold and often overlooked stories.”
Smithsonian Institution
“Communities of color historically underrepresented in the Library's collections.”
Library of Congress
“Recordkeeping practices have underrepresented and marginalized people of color.”
National Archives

THE DOCUMENTARY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

ONE STRING: MARKET OPPORTUNITY

TAM$6.01B

Global documentary market

SAM$3.5B

U.S. documentary market

SOM$500K

Initial institutional licensing target

HOW ONE STRING MAKES MONEY

LICENSING

Film, educational and institutional licensing.

SCREENINGS

Museums, universities, libraries and cultural institutions.

EDUCATION

Curriculum, teacher training and Diddley Bow programs.

EXPERIENCES

Performances, lectures, panels and cultural programming.

One String. The Story of the Diddley Bow...

WHAT DOES IT DO?
Restores the Diddley Bow to its place in American history.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
The instrument narrates its own journey across centuries and continents.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Music history lovers seeking the stories history neglected to tell.

FROM ANCESTRAL MEMORY TO FUTURE SOUND. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

FOLLOW THE STRING.

One String: The Story of the Diddley Bow is a documentary using music, historical investigation, personal narrative, archival material, instrument building, interviews, and contemporary performance to restore this instrument to the larger story of Black music and American culture.

The mission is not simply to document what the Diddley Bow was. The mission is to reveal what it represents and explore what it can become.

Our Difference Is Integration

There are documentary companies.

There are music education platforms.

There are museums and archives.

Original StorytellingLived Cultural PracticeMusicFilmEducationInstrument BuildingLive PerformanceCommunity EngagementExpandable Intellectual Property

WE ARE NOT SIMPLY PRESERVING THE DIDDLEY BOW BEHIND GLASS. WE ARE KEEPING THE STRING VIBRATING.

PRELIMINARY PRODUCTION BUDGET

Initial Ask: $72,200

One String: The Story of the Diddley Bow · A Starchild Lovechild Productions Documentary

Working Production Budget

$480,920

Total Working Budget · Fundraising Target $500,000

Valuing Creative Labor · Coco Elysses

Director

$35,000

Project Fee

Producer

$35,000

Project Fee

Composer and Original Score

$25,000

Project Fee

Total Coco Elysses Creative Compensation

$95,000

The $95,000 is included within the $480,920 total working budget.

Preliminary Production Budget · Continued

EXTENDED BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Coco Elysses Creative Leadership

$95,000

Production Management

$60,000

Interviews & Oral Histories

$20,000

Development & Research

$15,000

Production Personnel

$50,000

Equipment

$20,000

Travel & Locations

$20,000

Archives & Rights

$30,000

Post Production

$65,000

Accessibility

$7,500

Legal, Administration & Software

$16,200

Marketing & Distribution

$25,000

Theatrical & Awards Strategy

$28,500

Core Production Budget

$437,200

10% Production Contingency

$43,720

Total Working Budget

$480,920

Fundraising Target

$500,000

Preliminary working budget. Amounts remain subject to revision as production scope, schedule, locations, archival requirements and distribution strategy are confirmed.

WHAT DOES THE AUDIENCE SEE DIFFERENTLY AFTER ONE STRING?

Before

A simple homemade instrument.

After

Cultural technologyHistorical witnessMusical ancestorArtworkEducational toolLiving instrumentPlatform for contemporary experimentationIntellectual property with cultural and economic potential

ONE STRING: FIVE YEAR VISION

One film. Three pathways for cultural and economic impact.

01 | EDUCATION

Make Diddley Bow America's accessible first instrument.

Public school teacher training and curriculum licensing.
Diddley Bow construction, history and performance programs.

02 | LICENSING

License The Diddley Bow Empress instruments and educational products.

Partner with schools, museums and cultural institutions.
Expand into kits, curriculum, media and branded experiences.

03 | THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Bring Diddley Bow history into national conversations.

TED Talks, conferences and keynote presentations.
Panels connecting music, history, education and cultural preservation.

FILMCLASSROOMINSTRUMENTCULTURAL MOVEMENT

ARTIST. STORYTELLER. ENTREPRENEUR. CULTURAL BUILDER.

WHY ME

COCO ELYSSES

Producer • Narrator • Composer • Diddley Bow Artist

FILM & STORYTELLING
Thee Debauchery Ball - The Director's Cut
A Doula Story
Silverroom Block Party Official Selection
Empire

AWARD WINNING ARTIST
Jeff Award
ALTA Award
35+ year international/multidisciplinary artist

LEADERSHIP & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Former Chair, AACM Chicago
Increased AACM Chicago operating budget 756% over three years
Founder, The Learning Prism
Creator, The Multi Genre Artist Creativity Tool Workbook
MBA Student, OneDay Business School

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
Selected among 25 global women leaders, Symphonic Distribution Women Empowered & Mentorship Program
Mutual Mentorship for Musicians, M³ Cohort Member

STARCHILD LOVECHILD PRODUCTIONS

One creative company. Eight interconnected engines.

The Multi Genre Artist Creativity Tool Workbook

Connects multiple creative disciplines into one practice
Organizes ideas, projects and creative goals
Entry point into the Multi Genre ecosystem

The Multi Genre CEO Coaching

Coaching for multidisciplinary creative entrepreneurs
Transforms creative practices into sustainable businesses
Builds strategy, leadership and multiple revenue pathways

The Learning Prism

Sensory based learning tools for diverse learners
Connects creativity, cognition and multisensory learning
Develops educational tools and classroom applications

The Diddley Bow Empress

Handcrafted Diddley Bows as playable cultural artifacts
Expands through instruments, curriculum and licensing
Connects music history with hands on learning

CREATIVE IP → EDUCATION → COACHING → PRODUCTS → MUSIC → FILM

STARCHILD LOVECHILD PRODUCTIONS

One creative company. Eight interconnected engines.

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Upcoming historical documentary
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Preproduction begins Fall 2027

Starchild Lovechild Productions Music

Original composition across film, theater and multidisciplinary projects
Original scoring for film, documentary and visual storytelling
Music production spanning multiple genres and creative collaborations

Elythia

Original visual art rooted in culture, memory and storytelling
Art licensing for products, media and creative collaborations
Creates collectible works across canvas, vinyl and mixed media

Fifty Year Old Pussy Podcast

Cross generational dialog of baby boomers, gen xer's, and millennials on the wisdom, humor and sexuality of the maturing woman
Acquired by ALIVE Podcast Network, a Black founded podcast network
Expands through guests, partnerships, live conversations and media

CREATIVE IP → EDUCATION → COACHING → PRODUCTS → MUSIC → FILM

KEEP THE STRING VIBRATING.

One String is seeking the partners, funders, distributors, cultural institutions, educational collaborators, and strategic relationships necessary to carry this story forward.

Partner With Us Support The Film Bring One String To Your Community Explore Educational Partnerships Connect With Starchild Lovechild Productions

ONE STRING. MANY ANCESTORS. AN UNFINISHED STORY.

PRESERVE THE MEMORY. EXPAND THE STORY. BUILD THE BUSINESS. KEEP THE STRING VIBRATING.