Angels, the Wings of Change.

Hi fellow Eden residents, investors and newcomers to Spaghetti Western. 

I am Louise Tait and I am one of the Elles Belles, the small band of women who answered the first rallying call to support Jessica and Diana in their vision for this unique film venture.

My background is in the media, print and broadcast TV and radio journalism, so like others I was hooked in by the narrative. It’s a great story, and that’s central to the appeal.

However, I’m not just talking about the script, which is visionary, but rather the whole idea of funding a film differently. 

Jessica, has put women at the centre of the whole plot, funding it, making it and starring in it. Turning the whole idea of a Spaghetti Western in on itself and making it about food for the first time, the creation of great Sicilian food, that can bring a community together against the odds. Genius! For me, all of that was enough to hook me in. 

I like to think my diverse background offers an understanding of narrative structure, audience engagement, and the critical importance of a cohesive, well-executed vision—all qualities essential for successful, category-defining filmmaking…but not an industry I have known much about, until now.

After 20 years working in the media I founded a company, coaching leading executives and a range of organisations dealing with difficult stories and how best to get their message out to the world. It was successful and we had great clients, but I eventually realised it wasn’t lighting my fire anymore, so I pivoted again to become an artist, beekeeper, coach of Creative Living helping clients to choose and live the life they’d love.

You can probably tell I thrive on variety in life, and go all out to enjoy it.

For the last 10 years I have also been an angel investor. I am now invested in over a dozen companies at all different stages of growth, with a particular interest in those led by women and with diverse management.

I knew raising the money for this project was going to be a challenge, but experience told me that setting a challenge like that to women has powerful results – and we are already seeing that with Spaghetti Western. 

When I was a producer at Scottish Television, making a topical live TV series (Scottish Women) -that had an audience of over 60 women in the studio every week in addition to an all-female research team, - I was regularly astonished by what we delivered, by how much the audience enjoyed it, and what a lot of fun we had doing it. We women are a powerful force to be reckoned with when we set our minds to it.

We want to be seen, heard and appreciated for what we do, the stories we have to tell and the way we want to tell them. Who wouldn’t want to support us in doing that in whatever way they can, and who better to understand that than other women?

When investing, I tune in to the people, the idea, whether it will disrupt the market, and what potential there is for a return on my investment. Spaghetti Western had all the qualities I look for…and it needed a leap of faith to literally get the wagons rolling. 

I heard a great quote recently from Mary Portas OBE, the doyenne of the High Street, she said;

“Every £1 we spend is a vote on how we want to live our lives”. 

Over the last decade I have become more and more conscious of how I live, how I spend my money and the legacy I want to leave. I am more aware now than ever before, of the struggle female creators, and especially film makers, are having in getting their stories funded. More often than not, their voice and their creation is dismissed or diluted by male funders imposing their views on how a story should be told.

That’s where we female angel investors can come in. I believe it’s not always primarily about financial returns, but about making a difference and spreading that out into the world. 

Spaghetti Western and the Female Film Fund that will follow will be game changers.

This will be the first film ever to be funded by female angel investors. We’ll be making connections where they have never been made before – the essence of creativity. 

Female angel investors may still be a minority, but boy do we have potential to disrupt. If you haven’t already thrown your cowgirl hat into the Spaghetti Western ring, please consider joining us in this unique opportunity to change the face of female film making. 

If you have invested – thank you, and welcome aboard. We’re in for an exciting ride.

Wagons Ho!