A primary character of the film is Gene Sharp, founder of the Albert Einstein Institution; and a 2009 and 2012 nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.

"[8] Other main characters include Jamila Raqib, a former refugee who fled Afghanistan and the Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution;[9] Colonel Robert "Bob" Helvey;[citation needed] Srđa Popović, leader of the Otpor!

In explaining his motivation to make the film, Arrow stated: Here was this old man [Gene Sharp] sitting in a crumpled house in Boston and that is where revolutionaries go for advice.

Several high-profile figures are credited by the producers with supporting the crowdfunding project, including director Richard Linklater and actress Miriam Margolyes.

[7] The premiere was held in Boston on 18 September 2011, the day after the Occupy Wall St protests officially began in New York.

[25] The New York Times[10] called it a "noble documentary" but criticised the absence of historical context of nonviolent struggles pre-dating Sharp.

Variety described the film as "straightforward", "informative", and "with potential to be updated as world events unfold", stating it "should have a long shelf life".

[32] The academic premiere was hosted by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School on 11 October 2011,[33] and In February 2012, How to Start a Revolution was screened to an audience of MPs and Lords in the UK Houses of Parliament by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues, which was attended by Sharp and Arrow.

[35][36] On January 22, 2017, after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the PBS America channel screened How to Start a Revolution immediately after a Frontline investigation into his election.

[38] A "Revolution Monitor" is also included, which fuses Google Earth maps with Twitter displaying tweets and YouTube links from revolutionary groups and individuals when countries of interest are touched by the viewer.