From sizzle promo video, to show concept to then PLEASE give me money. Ha. Listen, I completely, and absolutely, get the beauty and the wonder of new media funding. Not only does it allow you to utilize friendships, family and other outlets to fund your idea/project but it also allows complete strangers to get behind your vision…which is GREAT, BUT… I continue to go back to what I said over 10 years ago in terms of preparation and pre-production. I’ve long since made an analogy about how much time it truly takes to put a Thanksgiving dinner spread on the table for ohhh…say 10 people. We’re talking on some level, several days of effort depending on what you’re having. But from thinking, planning, shopping, prepping food, recipes etc. the bottom line is that putting out that type of effort is extensive and then you sit down to eat and what…it is completely trashed in 20 minutes.
That is my exact point about life. I mean take a flight to Vegas from Burbank. Think of the time you take just to book it, then print the boarding pass, then pack/prep, then travel to the airport, go through security…for a 42-minute flight. You probably have a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio on the preparation to the actual flight of getting there. My reason for bringing this up is the phrase that I’ve been saying since the turn of the century: “Just because something is possible…doesn’t make it a good idea.” Now allow me to be clear I’m not saying an idea YOU have…is bad. Nope, not my point, but my point to your idea is HOW MUCH time are you truly taking to plan, prep, pre-produce, develop, workshop, test, table read and FLESH out the entire vision and project you have…BEFORE you go and create a Kickstarter page or IndieGOGO effort to raise funds for it?
I must be honest that I’ve seen, viewed a ton of these over the last 5 years and even if you were covering a subject matter near and dear to my heart…I’d likely not even take the time to give $5 because those programs give me a chance to see “how seriously” you seem to be taking yourself. You’re asking people to FUND you so do you not think it would be FAIR to have them be able to truly see your vision and that it is well-designed and fleshed out? I’m not being harsh you guys…I’m trying to, as I have for over 22 years, get ARTISTS to realize that you’re doing BUSINESS. Sure if you’re only trying to raise $500, then maybe you’ll get away with just slapping something up there your Grandparents will “give money” to regardless…but it sure isn’t a rousing credential for yourself as a producer or creator.
I am MERELY trying to get you to realize how NOISY it is now in this space of self-funded projects…and it is LOUD. Again, about 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube EVERY minute of EVERY day. Good lord that is a lot of lousy content, or lifestyle weird content, or just silly stuff or sometimes…actual projects that are legit content and entertaining. Just like having thousands of “so called” actors in L.A. that simply CLOG up the process of those of us who are serious, you now have that in this KICKSTART-GO GO space and you’ve got to take this more seriously. Want my solution?
Two things: Time and Experience. Give yourself MORE time to flesh it out, and get a few more people involved who actually have SKILLS and experience and stop just thinking you know or can do it all “just because you had an idea.” I’m always happy to “consult” anyone with regards to their project, because it just bums me out that more folks don’t give themselves a legit chance to “make their vision” happen…merely out of lack of experience, ego or more notably just because setting up one of these pages…is both available, easy and requires nothing. Be kinder to yourself, respect those who know more than you, and exercise some patience. I bet’cha your fund raising will go better and so will the result.
Always on your side. @theKevinE
www.actorbizguru.com, www.gettingthejob.com & www.kevinewest.com