When Kickstarter was founded in 2009, it was built on the concept that small-time artists and inventors don’t receive the attention from big investors to make their projects come to life. The idea was to bring these creators into the coliseum of public opinion and let the people decide.
While the idea is well meaning and Kickstarter has funded several projects that would never have come to fruition without the help of the public,but like anything involving money, people will exploit it. Several other crowdfunding networks have been started since 2011, most notably GoFundMe and IndieAGoGo. Unlike Kickstarter these two networks will still give campaigns a portion of their profit even if they don’t meet their minimum goals for the project.
The biggest and most publicized issue with Kickstarter has been (rich) celebrities funding their dream projects through Kickstarter instead of putting up their own money or simply finding a producer who believes in the project. Most notably Scrubs’ star, Zach Braff, appealed to his massive fan base for $2 million to produce his film “Wish I Was Here”, away from the constraints of a “hollywood” film and maintain creative control.
A noble cause, if only A: Zach Braff wasn’t worth upwards of $20-million and B: Focus Features hadn’t cut Braff a check for $2.75 million just a day after the campaign launched. No money was returned to Kickstarter funders so now Braff’s “quaint” independent film boasts a budget of $5.5 million and stars “indie” actor Kate Hudson.
Now this might also come from my general disdain for Braff’s directing style, Garden State was a fun, indie, but really set the stage for every film with a manic pixie dream girl and a Fleet Foxes soundtrack to be shoved down my throat by every girl with a behind-the-ear tattoo for the past 10 years. If Braff really believed in the project he would have made it with his own money, instead of asking us to do it. He’s going to be getting Scrub’s syndication checks for the next ten years, I think he can handle it.
But this wasn’t supposed to be an evisceration of an event that happened over a year ago. Other celebs have funded their projects with questionable motives including Amanda Palmer and Whoopi Goldberg.
I also understand that major studios can actually use Kickstarter to gauge a target demo for marketing and to see if they should invest even further into the project. Additionally, we can’t really blame Braff for exploiting his fanboys/fangirls into literally giving him money, even if it’s under the guise of a “soul project”. These people willingly gave their money for the opportunity to be a “featured extra”, there was no guilt associated with the donation. They were happy to do it.
It’s just a bit disheartening the way he did it. Like he’s struggling to make it in the industry and that he’s being held back by the colossal “powers that be”. It hard to view Braff as the “oppressed creative” when he’s shilled himself out to do water filter commercials.
Check in for article number 2 on the crowdfunded culture and smaller projects.
