So...for anyone who has been living in a cave the past few years, or simply has a life which has nothing to with the industry, the emergence of a phenomenon known as "Crowd Funding" has become ever more prominent. Basically, if you're interested in raising money for a project you're working on - typically a film, TV show, or some other kind of venture in the arts, you can start a campaign. The idea being that people offer up their cash and you offer some reward, like if you donate 10 dollars you get a signed script, or for 500 you get to be in it for a day etc. A noble cause and fantastic way to raise money for your project. If you know a thousand people who can chip in a fiver, you already laughing. Sometimes, of course, you may find the occasional parasite looking for a quick grand because they feel "glum", but more on that another time.
Anyway, for us independent film-types out there, the birth of sites like IndieGoGo and KickStarter were nothing but a blessing. In theory at least. You see, for people like myself or friends in a similar situation - unknown, unfamous, unproven and no "in" with Warner Bros, or The Weinstein Company - it's a nice way to get some money off the ground and edge closer to making your dreams come true.
That was then. This is now.
Yesterday I had the misfortune of stumbling across one
campaign by TV & Film star, Zach Braff. He has decided that he now wants to direct his second feature film (after the decidedly mediocre "Garden State" in 2004). However, Mr. Braff has decided that his fame, fortune, hook-ups to an untold network of producers, actors, agents, distributors, financiers, cinematographers, locations etc etc etc is not enough for his liking. He needs more creative control. So, he decided to follow in the footsteps of people like Charlie Kaufman and, more recently, the "Veronica Mars" franchise (which raised an ungodly 5 million dollars), and start his very own Kickstarter campaign...to panhandle the public with the promise that for the throwaway sum of $10,000, you can meet old Zachy boy and his wacky gang. He has asked for 2 million dollars. He has so far raised, and at this moment of writing he still has 27 days left (yes, 27), $1,967,804. Not bad going, eh?
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| Another award? Oh, go on then. |
Now this might just be me (it often is) but does anyone else out there find it incredibly offensive that someone at his level deems it fit to essentially prey on his fans for money?
"Hey guys, you love me, right? Of course you do. Anyway, the big bad studio wudio's won't let me have final cut and I can't really be arsed to go through the traditional rigamarole of finding actual investors for my newest masterpiece. Sooo, give me some money. K? Yes, I know you're all working stiffs and I'm one of the luckiest men alive whose made a career doing what I love and made a princely fortune doing it, but come on guys, look how quirky and cool me and my friends are." Nauseating.
Stop me if I'm wrong here, but I see the entire point of 'crowd-funding' as being that it exists for people who couldn't otherwise raise the funds themselves. Not mega-famous, mega-successful people to swoop in and take advantage of the good-nature of their fans. Surely that is the very antithesis of what the entire purpose of crowd-funding is all about? But, of course, where there's a good will and a dollar, it's only a matter of time before the vultures start circling. What sickens me most is that, at some point, a conversation must have occurred wherein Braff and his allies calculated that Braff has 'X' amount of fans, times 'Y' the average amount of that fans will donate, then minus 'Z' the amount we don't want to ask for so we don't look cocky, and
equated exactly what they would need to do to maximize the public's goodwill. Which I personally find cynical and exploitive beyond belief.
Minion #1: "But Zach...Kaufman and Veronica Mars tripled their amounts and they're not half as popular as you"
Braff: "I know, but we want to keep in the spirit of the thing, so let's go for two million and we'll probably get ten"
Minion #2: "Well, what are we going to do with the extra money we raise? Offer back-end points, or other financial incentives typically involved with financing a film?"
Braff: "No, I'm buying an Island in the Maldives"
All: "Yaaaaaaaaay"
Because folks, my point is this: I have seen many, many, kickstarter campaigns come and go in the last few years and the difference between the successful ones and the non has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the project, the professionalism of the campaign or the spirit of those involved in the making of it. No, as seems to be the way in this day and age, the key to raising finances is being popular. Or, to put it in context, having a vast network of people to finance from. It makes sense I suppose as the more people you know, the less they have to donate and the more likely they are to do so, again, regardless of the quality of the campaign. I can't tell you the amount of times I've seen friends of mine limp towards financial failure because their honest, noble, tentacles just aren't as far-reaching as they need to be. It's a lot harder to raise what you need than it sounds. Trust me, folks.
But I'm not bitter about that and it's certainly not the case that I don't support the rebellious nature of the whole endeavor, it's not even that I don't support the arts or anything like that. I absolutely do, with all my heart. It's simply that it's hard enough for us bottom-feeders to get any sort of meal in the Serengeti plains of Hollywood. Especially with the emergence of the internet as a new networking medium. The last thing we need is a bunch of already-stuffed Lions swaggering into our territory and feasting on all our scraps too. However, it's a trend that I can only see growing over the next few years.
Well, let's all paint on a smile and furrow forward at a snail's pace.
Rant over.
JB.
