Zach Braff in his fundraising video on Kickstarter via
The conversations about celebrities using Kickstarter are getting heated these days, eh? I blogged about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign in March. The campaign caused some strong reactions when it launched and quickly proceeded to break records on Kickstarter. Now the Zach Braff campaign is causing a stir.
I’ve been reading a lot and chatting with folks, trying to understand the cause for such strong reactions to these two particular campaigns. Whoopi Goldberg had a Kickstarter campaign last summer for her directorial debut, but no one seemed upset about that. Maybe because she wasn’t raising millions of dollars?
People are heated, no two ways about it.
Defining Kickstarter
Ken Levine, a blogger who’s worked on some awesome and recognizable TV shows (IMDB), recently published a post titled “I won’t give Zach Braff one dime.” It has gotten a bunch of comments: 200+ and counting. (He’s gotten so many comments, he has since written a response.)
In the post, Levine takes the time to define Kickstarter in his own words, saying that it’s only for the folks who otherwise have little or no access to funding:
The idea – and it’s a great one – is that Kickstarter allows filmmakers who otherwise would have NO access to Hollywood and NO access to serious investors to scrounge up enough money to make their movies. Zach Braff has contacts. Zach Braff has a name. Zach Braff has a track record. Zach Braff has residuals. He can get in a room with money people. He is represented by a major talent agency. But the poor schmoe in Mobile, Alabama or Walla Walla, Washington has none of those advantages.
Levine makes some solid points.
I totally agree that supporting the folks who have little access to get their work done is a great idea. I’m one of the little guys, trying to get my own films made, in need of a site like Kickstarter. I look forward to trying it one day, but until then I’m donating to projects of all sizes to see what it’s like to be a backer.
I disagree with Levine’s definition of Kickstarter, though. I don’t think it’s solely for the “little” guys. I feel like it’s open to everyone, even celebrities.
Call me crazy.
To say that only these “little” filmmakers can use the site to raise money is restricting the potential of the site and the folks that use it. Kickstarter is a way to get something creative done by rallying the troops — people who believe that thing should exist, no matter their current social or financial status. This isn’t robbing from the poor to line the pockets of the rich. Backers are people willing to vote with their own money to bring that creative thing into existence and get a small reward in return.
Besides, I think having well-known people, like Zach Braff, use Kickstarter (and make headlines doing it) adds legitimacy to online crowdfunding as a whole. It makes the concept easier to grasp. It makes people think that the perceived risk of becoming a backer is worthwhile. It reduces the barriers of entry for the folks who aren’t already using it.
All of that, in my humble opinion, means that more “little” guys feel empowered to use Kickstarter. It means that they spend less time explaining how Kickstarter works and more time sharing details on their particular project. It reduces the burden. It saves time. And it broadens the potential audience.
On that note, Karla Starr wrote an article titled “Why is Zach Braff’s Kickstarter Campaign Causing Envy?” for Psychology Today. She goes into more detail about these things, particularly towards the end:
Jared and other frightened upstarts are afraid that celebrity power is going to detract traffic and attention from their own projects. What really happens is that the presence of celebrities opens up Kickstarter to a new, less innovative crowd that is unfamiliar with the idea of crowdfunding. What it does is legitimize Kickstarter to the grandmas, grandpas, discerning professors, skeptical parents, and neighbors of the world—and there are a lot of those. What’s happening right now is the diffusion of innovation: Kickstarter’s audience is growing.
The people who are already on Kickstarter get it. They see the potential, they throw in some cash, and they see a project come to life. It’s the other folks that might not get it that will now start to pay attention, you see?
Plus, something else is happening here.
Shifting Paradigms
Celebrities are turning to Kickstarter. Kinda weird, right? What’s going on?
These folks have money to privately fund their projects but they’re turning to the public. Some people are calling that immoral because these folks already have so much money. I get it. But I feel like that conversation is a distraction. It’s one small part of the bigger picture:
Hollywood is changing, y’all.
If celebs are turning to Kickstarter to get their work done, that means their needs aren’t being met by the existing system in Hollywood. These two crowdfunding campaigns, and the heated reactions to them, are symptoms of something bigger. I see things changing drastically.
I also see a group of people at the top trying desperately to find their footing as the sands shift beneath them. I don’t think many folks know how to handle this changing paradigm. I hear it all the time in podcasts, news articles, and panel discussions. It’s been happening slowly for many years. That pace can sometimes make it hard to recognize patterns of change.
No matter what, I feel like change is in the air.
Become a backer
It’s thrilling to donate. Have you tried it yet? Find a project or a person you believe in and become a backer. Kickstarter isn’t the only game in town, so look around to find a project that’s right for you.
I donated to both the Veronica Mars and Zach Braff campaigns because I want to see them succeed. I liked Garden State and I want Braff to make another film. I’m thrilled to be a small part of it. I want those things to exist in the world and I’m willing to put my money towards them.
Likewise I’ve funded people I know personally: local musicians, documentary filmmakers, film preservationists, and fiction filmmakers. I trust them and want to help them make their creative projects come to life. I think the work they’ve done with my cash is incredible. I was happy to be one small part of their success. I’ll keep supporting the little guys just as much as I have supported the celebs.
I think that the opportunity to support these creative people is really exciting. It’s a way for me to vote with my cash and tell that creative person, “Yes, I totally believe in you, here’s some money, go forth and create. I can’t wait to see what awesome thing you do with the cash I’ve just given you.”
Overall conclusions
This, my friends, is a season of change.
I’m trying not to over-react to something we might not fully understand. Instead, I’m focused on appreciating the chaotic space in which we currently live. The paradigms are shifting. It’s a new world. Jump on board and enjoy the ride, eh?
Disagree? Wanna shed some more light on the subject? Use the comments below to continue the conversation. I’d love to chat with you.
Great Links:
- “Wish I Was Here” Kickstarter Campaign by Zach Braff
- Zach Braff on Why Kickstarter is “The Next Best Thing to Actual Investing via BuzzFeed
- Why is Zach Braff’s Kickstarter Campaign Causing Envy via Psychology Today
- Veronica Mars Kickstarter Campaign
- Scriptnotes Podcast Episode 81: Veronica Mars Attacks — excellent argument about celebs using Kickstarter (a reaction to the Veronica Mars campaign)