Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
04-27-13, 08:13 PM
#52
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Oh, I doubt it'd be something where you could make a lot of money, but I would hope there could be enough transparency that the studio accounting wouldn't kill it. Say a project raises $5 million. That $5 million should be the limit on what they spend for production, salaries, marketing, distribution, etc. If it makes $5 million at the box office, everyone gets their money back. If it makes more, the director, actors, studio, etc. get a cut and the people that funded it get a cut.
The kickstarter system for projects by established, successful people just rubs me the wrong way. With Veronica Mars, for example, you've got the creative team saying in 2010 that they'd pay to produce the movie themselves, but Warner Bros. wouldn't release the rights to them and wouldn't greenlight it. Three years later, Warner's willing to greenlight it if fans pay them $2 million or more and that cash fully funds the movie? Why not just let the creative team fork over the money and structure it so WB gets a good cut of the profits if it's successful?
Anyway, the current model wouldn't fly in most other scenarios. Can you imagine General Mills discontinuing a cereal and then offering to make it available again if people were willing to not only buy it, but also to pay for all the costs of production upfront? People would rightly laugh their asses off. It's just a horrible model to encourage. "We'll sell you a product as long as you pay all of our expenses first, so that every sale is pure profit." At least treat it like a loan and pay me back if you're successful.
The kickstarter system for projects by established, successful people just rubs me the wrong way. With Veronica Mars, for example, you've got the creative team saying in 2010 that they'd pay to produce the movie themselves, but Warner Bros. wouldn't release the rights to them and wouldn't greenlight it. Three years later, Warner's willing to greenlight it if fans pay them $2 million or more and that cash fully funds the movie? Why not just let the creative team fork over the money and structure it so WB gets a good cut of the profits if it's successful?
Anyway, the current model wouldn't fly in most other scenarios. Can you imagine General Mills discontinuing a cereal and then offering to make it available again if people were willing to not only buy it, but also to pay for all the costs of production upfront? People would rightly laugh their asses off. It's just a horrible model to encourage. "We'll sell you a product as long as you pay all of our expenses first, so that every sale is pure profit." At least treat it like a loan and pay me back if you're successful.
04-27-13, 08:35 PM
#53
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Yeah, I agree with max as well. It really is a shame you can't bet on a movie. Whether on the opening weekend or taking an equity stake. You believe in a project, you can bet on it. Would never work though due to the aforementioned budget shenanigans.
04-27-13, 10:27 PM
#55
Banned by request
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Oh, I doubt it'd be something where you could make a lot of money, but I would hope there could be enough transparency that the studio accounting wouldn't kill it. Say a project raises $5 million. That $5 million should be the limit on what they spend for production, salaries, marketing, distribution, etc. If it makes $5 million at the box office, everyone gets their money back. If it makes more, the director, actors, studio, etc. get a cut and the people that funded it get a cut.
The kickstarter system for projects by established, successful people just rubs me the wrong way. With Veronica Mars, for example, you've got the creative team saying in 2010 that they'd pay to produce the movie themselves, but Warner Bros. wouldn't release the rights to them and wouldn't greenlight it. Three years later, Warner's willing to greenlight it if fans pay them $2 million or more and that cash fully funds the movie? Why not just let the creative team fork over the money and structure it so WB gets a good cut of the profits if it's successful?
Anyway, the current model wouldn't fly in most other scenarios. Can you imagine General Mills discontinuing a cereal and then offering to make it available again if people were willing to not only buy it, but also to pay for all the costs of production upfront? People would rightly laugh their asses off. It's just a horrible model to encourage. "We'll sell you a product as long as you pay all of our expenses first, so that every sale is pure profit." At least treat it like a loan and pay me back if you're successful.
The kickstarter system for projects by established, successful people just rubs me the wrong way. With Veronica Mars, for example, you've got the creative team saying in 2010 that they'd pay to produce the movie themselves, but Warner Bros. wouldn't release the rights to them and wouldn't greenlight it. Three years later, Warner's willing to greenlight it if fans pay them $2 million or more and that cash fully funds the movie? Why not just let the creative team fork over the money and structure it so WB gets a good cut of the profits if it's successful?
Anyway, the current model wouldn't fly in most other scenarios. Can you imagine General Mills discontinuing a cereal and then offering to make it available again if people were willing to not only buy it, but also to pay for all the costs of production upfront? People would rightly laugh their asses off. It's just a horrible model to encourage. "We'll sell you a product as long as you pay all of our expenses first, so that every sale is pure profit." At least treat it like a loan and pay me back if you're successful.
04-28-13, 08:55 AM
#56
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Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
I don't know ... it seems to me that a lot of the money is coming from the swag. Fans are buying stuff at what they see as a fair price with proceeds going directly to a movie they have some interest in. No one has had the balls yet to try to raise a few million for a "Hollywood" project with no gift pay-off ... that is the point where I think that the "poor studios" and "poor millionaires" arguments really kick in and have merit.
04-28-13, 10:30 AM
#57
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Yeah, people are giving Braff money for his project with the expectation that they're getting something in return. Those rewards might not be worth it to you, but to his fans they are. He doesn't even have that "Donate a $5, and I'll put your name on a website and say thanks!" reward. I won't be donating, but I really see no problem with this.
04-28-13, 11:41 AM
#58
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Exactly. My $40 got me a shirt, soundtrack/playlists, and access to the production diary. As a bonus, I get to see a movie made by a person I like. What's the problem?
04-28-13, 08:39 PM
#60
05-07-13, 03:55 PM
#62
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
I think this guy sums it up pretty well:
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/0...medium=twitter
I won't give Zach Braff one dime
Zach Braff is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to fund a movie he wants to make. Zach Braff is a good actor and a fine filmmaker. GARDEN STATE was a terrific movie. But I wouldn’t give him a dime.
Why?
Because it defeats the whole purpose of Kickstarter.
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 taent agency. But the poor schmoe in Mobile, Alabama or Walla Walla, Washington has none of those advantages.
So someone who otherwise might have funded the Mobile kid instead will toss his coins to Zach Braff because he figures it’s a better bet and he gets to rub shoulders with show business.
Yes, it might take Zach Braff a year of knocking on doors to get his money, so now he figures, hey, just show up, sit back, and let the cash come to me. This is not an option Walla Walla kid has. I’m throwing my support to those who really NEED it.
Recently, Kickstarter was used to fund a new VERONICA MARS movie. This is obscene to me. It’s a known television series distributed by a major studio. Are you a big fan of VERONICA MARS? Want to support it? Great. Buy ten tickets and see the movie ten times.
This is what Hollywood does, dear reader. It sees an opportunity for exploitation and takes it. The Sundance Film Festival is another prime example. At one time it showcased modest little movies by unknown filmmakers. Kevin Smith made CLERKS – a grimy black and white film starring all unknowns. The result was discovered talent. Now look at the festival. Every entry features major Hollywood stars. During the festival they all descend upon Park City, along with Harvey Weinstein, reps from every major studio, and a thousand CAA and William Morris agents. Any hint of the original purpose of the film festival has long since vanished.
If Will Ferrell or Brad Pitt – just to name two random examples – are in an independent film, do they really need a film festival to get Harvey Weinstein to screen their film? The chubby nerd from New Jersey who maxed out his credit cards to make a film about a local convenience store couldn’t. He needed a film festival. He needed an audience to appreciate his effort before he could be recognized. And now today’s equivalent of a young Kevin Smith can’t even get his movie into a festival much less Harvey Weinstein’s screening room.
Sundance is a lost cause. But Kickstarter isn’t. Not if we put a stop to this now. If you only have so much money to give to charity, give it to cancer research and not to help redecorate Beyonce’s plane. Support young hungry filmmakers. The next Kevin Smith is out there… somewhere. He (or she) just needs a break, which is what Kickstarter is supposed to provide. Zach Braff can find his money elsewhere. He did once before. He’ll make his movie. And if it’s half as good as GARDEN STATE I will praise it to the heavens in this blog and urge you to go spend your money to check it out.
When I used to broadcast for the Orioles one of my partners was the legendary Chuck Thompson. Most of our games were at night. Chuck was an avid golfer. He played the public courses and only on weekdays. He used to say the weekends were for the “working man.” Chuck could play any day he wanted, they could only play on Saturday and Sunday so he didn’t want to take one of their starting times. It’s a great way to live by.
Kickstarter is for the “working man,” Zach. And VERONICA. And (soon) Harvey.
Zach Braff is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to fund a movie he wants to make. Zach Braff is a good actor and a fine filmmaker. GARDEN STATE was a terrific movie. But I wouldn’t give him a dime.
Why?
Because it defeats the whole purpose of Kickstarter.
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 taent agency. But the poor schmoe in Mobile, Alabama or Walla Walla, Washington has none of those advantages.
So someone who otherwise might have funded the Mobile kid instead will toss his coins to Zach Braff because he figures it’s a better bet and he gets to rub shoulders with show business.
Yes, it might take Zach Braff a year of knocking on doors to get his money, so now he figures, hey, just show up, sit back, and let the cash come to me. This is not an option Walla Walla kid has. I’m throwing my support to those who really NEED it.
Recently, Kickstarter was used to fund a new VERONICA MARS movie. This is obscene to me. It’s a known television series distributed by a major studio. Are you a big fan of VERONICA MARS? Want to support it? Great. Buy ten tickets and see the movie ten times.
This is what Hollywood does, dear reader. It sees an opportunity for exploitation and takes it. The Sundance Film Festival is another prime example. At one time it showcased modest little movies by unknown filmmakers. Kevin Smith made CLERKS – a grimy black and white film starring all unknowns. The result was discovered talent. Now look at the festival. Every entry features major Hollywood stars. During the festival they all descend upon Park City, along with Harvey Weinstein, reps from every major studio, and a thousand CAA and William Morris agents. Any hint of the original purpose of the film festival has long since vanished.
If Will Ferrell or Brad Pitt – just to name two random examples – are in an independent film, do they really need a film festival to get Harvey Weinstein to screen their film? The chubby nerd from New Jersey who maxed out his credit cards to make a film about a local convenience store couldn’t. He needed a film festival. He needed an audience to appreciate his effort before he could be recognized. And now today’s equivalent of a young Kevin Smith can’t even get his movie into a festival much less Harvey Weinstein’s screening room.
Sundance is a lost cause. But Kickstarter isn’t. Not if we put a stop to this now. If you only have so much money to give to charity, give it to cancer research and not to help redecorate Beyonce’s plane. Support young hungry filmmakers. The next Kevin Smith is out there… somewhere. He (or she) just needs a break, which is what Kickstarter is supposed to provide. Zach Braff can find his money elsewhere. He did once before. He’ll make his movie. And if it’s half as good as GARDEN STATE I will praise it to the heavens in this blog and urge you to go spend your money to check it out.
When I used to broadcast for the Orioles one of my partners was the legendary Chuck Thompson. Most of our games were at night. Chuck was an avid golfer. He played the public courses and only on weekdays. He used to say the weekends were for the “working man.” Chuck could play any day he wanted, they could only play on Saturday and Sunday so he didn’t want to take one of their starting times. It’s a great way to live by.
Kickstarter is for the “working man,” Zach. And VERONICA. And (soon) Harvey.
05-08-13, 01:57 PM
#64
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
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05-08-13, 02:07 PM
#65
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Sums it up pretty well, except that he is completely wrong:
That is not the purpose of Kickstarter, they even have a video presentation about what the purpose is.
Hell the original idea behind Kickstarter was to get David Cross to crowdfund Arrested Development.
Ken Levine Disagrees with Zach Braff and Kickstarter and try to make up his own reason of why KS exists.
Also the notion that there is a limited KS fund every month, and if we weren't distracted by Zach Braff's Kickstarter, we would fund Indie movies is non-sense.
Because it defeats the whole purpose of Kickstarter.
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.
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.
Hell the original idea behind Kickstarter was to get David Cross to crowdfund Arrested Development.
Ken Levine Disagrees with Zach Braff and Kickstarter and try to make up his own reason of why KS exists.
Also the notion that there is a limited KS fund every month, and if we weren't distracted by Zach Braff's Kickstarter, we would fund Indie movies is non-sense.
05-08-13, 02:10 PM
#66
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
Ken Levine responds to the criticisms of his Zach Braff KS blog:
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/0...-comments.html
Dude got 622k hits on his article yesterday lol.
http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/0...-comments.html
Dude got 622k hits on his article yesterday lol.
05-08-13, 02:23 PM
#68
05-14-13, 07:19 AM
#69
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
When I was a child, my favorite movie was “The Princess Bride.” Now that I am an adult, my favorite TV show is “Homeland.” They have one thing in common: one of my favorite actors of all time is joining us to play my father: Mandy Patinkin.
He loves our script, we both love musicals… this, my AMAZING BACKERS is what we call a Homerun.
He loves our script, we both love musicals… this, my AMAZING BACKERS is what we call a Homerun.
05-14-13, 08:13 AM
#71
05-14-13, 11:29 AM
#75
Suspended
Re: Wish I Was Here -- new Zach Braff movie on Kickstarter
I actually think with Mandy Patinkin and Jim Parsons this seems like a really interesting movie, I know it defeats the point of Kickstarter but I'm intrigued more by this than another Fast and Furious or Paranormal Activity movie. BTW, every time you pay for a ticket to see Fast and Furious 7 or Paranormal Activity 6 in a roundabout way you are funding it's sequels Kickstarter or not.