Film Crowdfunding Weekly

The big news this week was that the Kickstarter campaign for Veronica Mars the movie ended. The campaign made Kickstarter history and headlines when it reached its goal of $2 million in just under 12 hours. The campaign had 91,585 backers, the most for any Kickstarter ever, and in the end raised $5.7 million, making it the highest funded movie project on the site, and the third highest of all time

So what does this mean for the future? Has this paved the way for more cancelled shows to come back with a movie? Do fans have more power than they did before thanks to crowdfunding? Have the execs got it wrong, have they lost touch with what people really want? These questions may be answered in time but one thing is certain, crowdfunding is no longer only used by indie filmmakers and artists when other, more traditional ways of funding fail.

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Also this week the shoot commenced on another Kickstarter funded film. This time is was UK post-apocalyptic dystopian comedy feature film The Fitzroy.

The Fitzroy is set in an alternative 1950s where the world is covered in poisonous gas. The Fitzroy, a leaky submarine beached just off Margate, is the last refuge for a traditional summer holiday. Dresden Pictures raised a total of £72, 171, exceeding their £60,000 goal,

Here’s a picture from behind the scenes.

http://www.facebook.com/TheFitzroy

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Pick of live campaigns

Chuck Norris Vs Communism
The story of the pirate VHS tapes that turned one woman’s voice into the symbol of freedom and Chuck Norris, Van Damme and Bruce Lee into national heroes.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/chuck-norris-vs-communism-the-documentary-feature-film/x/846332

Writer

“Nick is a fledgling writer on the cusp of success, but his ambition is quashed by a legal dispute and inevitable bankruptcy. He is further riled by his impetuous girlfriend and the indifference he is met with in the people that he sees in everyday life.”

http://www.sponsume.com/project/writer-short-film-sam-brewster

Have you got Orange Fever!

NorthernWood Films is raising money for their feature film Orange Fever; described by the team as Men Behaving Badly for the Facebook generation. Orange Fever The Movie tells the story of two likely lads on an epic mission to find love. They try salsa, karaoke and fake tanning but it always goes wrong. Imagine American Pie, but set around a tanning salon in Yorkshire and you’re halfway there.. Two Lads, Eight Dance Steps, One Curious Orange Colour…

re:VAULT were excited to screen their short  ‘From Brighouse To Cannes, Le Tour De Tan’ back in January and now we want to help spread the word about their next adventure!

From Dalston To The Dam: The Hipster’s Unexpected Journey

The team are cycling to Amsterdam at the end of April, to sell their remaining Orange Fever t-shirts at the big Queen’s Day Festival and help spread the word. If Le Tour De Tan is anything to go by we imagine there will be laughs to be had along the way, drunkenness and saddle sore bums!

In anticipation of ‘to the Dam,  the team are holding a special party in partnership with SpinLDN, for what’s going to be London’s first ever cycle-in rave.

It takes place at The Colourworks space in Hackney Wick on Thursday March 28^th. There will be free drinks, so it’s handy the following day is Good Friday and room for everyone to cycle-in and special Rollapaluza spin challenges. It’s also the official launch party for the world’s first urban cycle show: http://spinldn.com/ – coming to The Truman Brewery in May.

* NorthernWood Films are cross-platform filmmakers united by a shared love of comedy, cycling & storytelling.

* Registration is still open for to join their Amsterdam adventure here: http://northernwood-films.tumblr.com/

* Numbers are strictly limited for the party, so if you do want to go along send them a message via their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/OrangeFeverTheMovie

Rhoda Uxbridge and The Multiverse

Rhoda Uxbridge and the Multiverse is a short film raising finance through Kickstarter, we caught up with the projects producer and co-writer Tina J Bowman to tell us more…

What is Rhoda Uxbridge and The Multiverse about?

Rhoda Uxbridge and The Multiverse is about a woman, a dealer of all sorts, who travels across parallel Earths on a quest for the most wanted thing in the multiverse.

The film is a sci-fi and steampunk tale that explores the theme of humanity’s constant search for happiness, in the form of a heart-warming and exciting adventure starring a female character.

It sounds visually stunning, have you cast the film yet?

We don’t have a cast yet, but we have some talented actors in mind that we’d love to offer some of the roles to, and are looking forward to seeing whom the auditions will bring to us.

So who is working behind the scenes, the creative geniuses of Rhoda Uxbridge?

The script was co-written by Nadia de Castro (director) and myself (producer), who have been working together since 2010 under the name Inappropriate Factory. Over the past three years we have been making low-budget shorts and will soon be jumping into the world of feature films.

Director of Photography Ian Coad received an MFA in Cinematography from the renowned Dodge College of Media & Arts at Chapman University in Southern California. He has since been working across Europe, the US and Asia on features, shorts, music videos and commercials.

Production Designer Lucy Gahagan has a first class honours degree in Film, specialising in Design, as well as a degree in Fine Art. Her previous credits in Art Department spread across short films, TV and features, and include the Academy Award Nominated short “The Confession”.

Guy Fixsen is in charge of Sound. He is a Music Producer, Engineer and Composer, best known for his work with My Bloody Valentine, Stereolab and The Pixies, and for forming the electronica-pop/post-rock band Laika.

Zoe Howerska, Costume Designer, is an experienced designer and maker, known for her bold use of colour and detail. Her original designs can currently be seen worn by singer-songwriter Charlotte Church for her 2013 Tour of new EP “Two”.

Why did you choose crowdfunding to raise money to make this film?

The traditional approach to funding an independent film by seeking funding bodies is no longer the first viable option for short filmmakers like us, as there are not enough of them currently.

We decided very early on that crowdfunding was to be our best chance at raising most of our budget. It also helps us spread the word about our film to the whole world, and to reach our audience at a much earlier stage, and on a larger scale than we would otherwise.
How much are you aiming to raise and what can people get for their money?

We are aiming to raise at least £20,000 via crowdfunding, which is the minimum needed for our campaign to be successful. This is a large chunk of the budget of the film and the amount we need to accomplish a high-standard production that honours the script.

In return for everyone’s kind pledges, starting at £1, we are offering various rewards. Amongst them: the completed film via online streaming and DVD, the download of the soundtrack, signed posters, Special Thanks and Associate Producer credits, invites to be on set for the day, invites to the private screening, some of the props, and a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a cuddle!

Well you’ve sold us! Is there any other interesting facts about the film you would like to share?

Yes. The film was actually conceived in an odd way: the character of Rhoda Uxbridge was originally part of a different script. She was a small character in Great Minds, a 30 min time travel sci-fi short we plan to shoot in the near future.

Whilst developing that script we realised that Rhoda needed to be cut out, but that we had utterly fallen in love with the character. We couldn’t let her sit on the shelf, and immediately wanted to write a world where she belonged and was the star.

Adding other themes and concepts we loved and wished to explore, we ended up writing Rhoda Uxbridge and The Multiverse and it quickly became our passion project.

To find out more about Rhoda Uxbridge and The Multiverse you can visit the blog here and to help fund this incredible and ambitious short film visit Kickstarter

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