WHY I LOVE MY GERMAN SHEPHERD - a 4K Documentary

Aim

Please help us finish the edit and bring the ultimate GSD love letter to cinemas and living rooms.

THE FILM

I'm Nicholas Jones, a BAFTA film producer with 30 years of making documentaries. My life changed in 2015 when my wife bought a German Shepherd and named him Nanouk. Another vivacious puppy joined us in 2017, called Tosca. Yet when she was four, her weight dropped by half and she could not stand. Our vet expected her to die but we kept fighting for Tosca - and she recovered.

Her suffering made me realise just why I love my German Shepherd - and inspired this 85-minute 4K documentary. I've been filming our own Shepherds in Spain for it since 2022 and in the trailer above, you can see Nanouk and Tosca on our first day of shooting. Now, I'm filming diverse stories in Britain of German Shepherds and their humans, to complete WHY I LOVE MY GERMAN SHEPHERD. This film will interweave their stories as love affairs between people and their fur babies. It will convey the beauty, magic and ability of the German Shepherd - and the joy and tears created by its unbreakable bond with humans. 

Tosca before her illness.

I'm making this film to cinema standard, for global release. It will be finished in October 2026 and be available then on Blu-ray, DVD and VoD. Three decades as a TV producer enable me to make this film quickly and cheaply. Given my certainty this documentary will be a success, I've financed its filming budget myself. My goal with this Crowdfunder campaign is to pay for the editing and completion of this film. This will require up to £7,500 (US$10,000), which is my campaign goal. May I invite you to help, in return for the rewards on offer - like the film's Blu-ray and the personalized T-shirt in our pictures below?

To learn more about the film, please visit www.germanshepherdfilm.com                  

You can also follow us on TikTok, for updates on both this film and our own Shepherds – and to message us https://www.tiktok.com/@whyilovemygermanshepherd                                                                         

WHY CROWDFUND?

It offers me the ideal way to reach out to people who love German Shepherds - and to invite them to support a film they will enjoy and may wish to be part of. The timescale of this campaign will fit nicely with our schedule for post-production, namely the editing and final tasks which are planned for October 2026.

 - and where will your money go?

All money raised will go directly into the film, specifically its post-production. The £7,500 (US$10,000) we seek will be spent as follows: 

A DCP - or Digital Cinema Package - is a digital version of a film's master print but in hard drive format. It contains the files for all completed picture and sound tracks - and enables the film to be shown in a cinema, on TV or in Blu-ray/DVD and via VoD. 

Nanouk adorns the Blu-ray/DVD cover of our film.

THE PERKS

We've created a range of quality rewards to give you in return for your support. The cost of mailing them to you is included in their prices given below. Please note that at checkout, Crowdfunder will invite you to add a tip (which goes to them, not our project). To opt out of paying this, just click on the Enter custom tip link and enter £0 on the box which appears, so you only pay the actual cost of the reward.

• Donate £15 and we'll send you a Digital Premiere Pass to watch a private online premiere of WHY I LOVE MY GERMAN SHEPHERD as soon as it's ready. And after this screening you can take part in a live Q&A with Nicholas Jones to talk about the film - and Shepherds! 
• For £25, you will receive a region-free Blu-ray or DVD, as in the picture above. This will contain our 4K documentary (85 minutes), plus bonus features crafted to appeal to the GSD lover! We will contact you to find which format you prefer.
• For £45 we will also send you a customized mug with your own German Shepherd on. We'll contact you to get the name and an image of your fur baby. Plus you get a copy of the Blu-ray or DVD.
• For £75 you can have a custom T-shirt in 100% organic cotton that shows your own fur baby, like in this image below (with our Tosca). It comes in a wide range of sizes and colours. We'll ask you for the name and an image of your Shepherd. You also receive a copy of the Blu-ray/DVD and a custom mug.
• Also for £75, you can have a customized case for your mobile phone (Samsung or iPhone only), showing your German Shepherd. We'll contact you for the name and an image of him or her - and which model you have. Plus you will get a copy of the Blu-ray or DVD and a customized mug.
• And for £85 we will send you a custom tote bag made of premium cotton canvas that features your own fur baby. We'll ask you for the name and an image of your Shepherd to use. Also, you will get a copy of the Blu-ray/DVD and a customized mug. 
• For £150 you can be credited as a SPONSOR of our documentary, with your name listed on screen just before the end credits roll. We will also send you a Blu-ray/DVD and custom mug.
• For £250, celebrate YOUR German Shepherd on screen, in a ten second clip with your captions in a special section at the film's end. Here, we'll show your photos or video of a GSD who shares your life now - or one who lives in your happy memory. This perk is limited to twelve slots and you'll also receive a Blu-ray/DVD and custom mug.

CONCLUSION

I hope you'll agree this is a great project with huge appeal to dog lovers everywhere. Your support can help it succeed. Please spread the word about this film and crowdfund to your friends and by social media - and if you have any questions, do get in touch with me.

My successful track record in producing long-form documentaries gives me the confidence to say WHY I LOVE MY GERMAN SHEPHERD will be completed on time and budget. My ambition is to make it the definitive film about this awesome breed.

With best wishes

Nicholas Jones

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 14th September 2026 at 10:27am