crowdfunding – Cindy Marie Jenkins

Indie Art: Not Your Undergrad Production of “The Maids”

A friend of mine’s been working on her own adaptation of The Papin Sisters story, better known as the sisters in Jean Genet’s The Maids who [spoiler alert] end up killing their mistress.

But this looks to be an entirely different production…….I’ve seen Naomi’s past work, and admire her imagination, story-telling and ensemble work. As an added bonus, all the ticket sales go directly to her actors and team, some of whom have been workingon this show since January.

Here’s a taste:

Our New (Acro)Door from Diavolo: Architecture in Motion

As you may have notice in our pictures and videos over the last couple days, we have a new door! But not just any door, this one comes to us courtesy ofDiavolo: Architecture in Motion and is fully equipped to handle the acrobatics and high-flying skills of our ensemble!

though some people still tend to doze off on from time to time…

But in the end, we just end up hanging out.

All in all, our ensemble and production team have been working tirelessly to get ready for our opening night. So, if you are in the L.A. area, and haven’t got your tickets yet – seating is very limited!

Tickets are available here: http://holdmetight.bpt.me

And if you have a moment to help spread the word, shares, tweets, and emails are greatly appreciated as we push through the last couple days of our fundraiser.Cheers!

Hold Me Tight ensemble

Visit the ‘‘Hold Me Tight’ an MFA Thesis Project’ campaign.

#FundingFriday

Congrats to Re-Election: A Web Series for meeting their $25,000 Goal!

Mid-level campaign staffer Jamie must figure out how to undo an election day defeat in order to escape reliving the day over and over.

Facebook.com/reelectionwebseries

Twitter.com/ReelectionWS

Kickstarter.com/projects/karpenko/re-election-a-webseries

UPDATE: I had technical issues and could not broadcast today. I will post their answers soon.

How did they do it? How can you prep a Kickstarter campaign for success? Hear live today at 11am PT.

We’ll also have special guests Diani & Devine, who are currently releasing 1-2 videos a day during their Kickstarter.

Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse

Is it harder for two comedians to survive an apocalypse or Hollywood? Diani & Devine spent five months making their initial video (below) & release 1 or 3 new ones every day. You also may just see a familiar face in #Apocatips #14 .

Facebook.com/DianiAndDevineMeetTheApocalypse

Twitter.com/DD_Apocalypse

DDMTA.com

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dianidevine/diani-and-devine-meet-the-apocalypse-a-feature-fil

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for more!

Indie Arts Events

Don’t miss a segment

Lots of Arts Musings

#FundingFriday : Squatch Watchers & Storytellers

Here are some of my picks for #FindingFriday ! Check their campaigns out and let me know if you donate.

Just for fun: Squatch Watchers. I am not sure how to explain this without ruining it. Just watch.

I’ve mentioned Storyteller Antonio Sacre before, and here he is asking for the public to help fund free multicultural experiences for the children of LA. You really have to see it:

More cool projects mentioned during The Latte Fund portion of The CrowdCrowd podcast (listen via RSSor on iTunes or watch below)

Follow Noah Nelson on Twitter (@noahjnelson)

Send your crowd-funding campaigns in the comments or via @CindyMarieJ

Passion doesn’t pay the bills

Thanks to a grant from the Center for Cultural Innovation, I’m consulting for an exciting new Fringe show Gracie and Rose. Today we launched our IndieGogo campaign!

Check out the video and campaign details. Every dollar and share helps make this show of an even higher quality than if presented on passion and credit cards alone.

#FundingFriday w/ Fund-raiser Michael Kass

#FundingFriday

April 5 at 11amPT/2pmET

Guest: Michael Kass

Michael Kass is an award winning storyteller, writer and actor whose experience ranges from work with folks like Tony Award winning director Mary Zimmerman to telling naughty tales for five drunk guys in a bar. He’s a regular at storytelling venues around Los Angeles like The Moth, Taboo Tales, Spark Off Rose, Storyworthy and others. Ceremony, premiering at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this year, is his first stab at a full length solo performance.

In addition to his creative work, Michael also works with nonprofits to develop strategies for sustainable growth, fundraising and communications. He has been privileged to work with clients including Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse and up ‘n coming LA companies like Theatre Dybbuk and Lower Depth Theater Ensemble.

WATCH past Funding Fridays

Comment below with questions or to submit yourself as a guest.

Funding Friday Hat Trick +

This week, 11amPT/2pmET

catch interviews with 3 great shows:

LAPS, Season 2, Out of Time, a sci-fi adventure & S.O.E a play by Jami Brandli

Kickstarter Tips at LA Makerspace

Notes from the Kickstarter Workshop I attended at LA Makerspace tonight!

Moderator: Stephanie Pereira, Director, Art Program at Kickstarter

Panel:

Sean Bonner, Co-founder at Safecast
Kickstarter project: Safecast X Kickstarter Geiger Counter

Mya Stark, Director of Outreach and Development for Cinefamily
Kickstarter project: Cinefamily Digital Projection & Theater Restoration!

Jesse Genet, Founder and CEO at Lumi Co
Kickstarter project: Print on Fabric Using Sunlight: The Lumi Process & Lumi Co. – A NEW TEXTILE PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Stacey Storey, Producer, Best Friends Forever
Kickstarter project: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER (an apocalyptic feature film)

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Our Moderator works at Kickstarter! That’s convenient for questions.

SP: First thing to do if you’re thinking of starting a Kickstarter campaign is fund a project. Get involved in the community.

no charity or cause funding
KS specializes in bringing creative projects to life
3.2 million people & 850 thousand are repeat backers (in 2012 I believe)
Offer creative experiences
Write your backers into the story
Most people pledge $25
Account for 5% in KS fees, 3-5% in Amazon fees when calculating your goals

CINEFAMILY has an amazing blurb (see link above)

JG: “We needed to take into consideration that nothing ever goes right in Production….and postage.”

SP: Cinefamily may the most successful nonprofit project on Kickstarter

MS: One perk included membership and they gained 400 new members

highly prioritized an audience complaint: hard and uncomfortable seats. Those perks to buy and name a seat went very well.

SP to SB on his perks & updates: “You’re communicating with people, you’re not selling shit.”

SS: “It’s all you think and know about for 30 days….also great press.”

On Associate Producer credit: “People think it’s buying your way into Hollywood but welcome to Hollywood.”
Her film had a random backer at $10,000 level. He just liked the campaign.

JG: When asking your backers to share, ask them questions to help target very specific groups of people.

“DIY Backyard Textile Printing is not everyone’s thing.”
Sent gifts to backers they were not expecting.
Made a cute gif and sent the ability to create shirt design, which backers created, and shared picture with hashtag
Post-campaign, send ‘3 ways to continue to engage with Lumi for the Holidays”

SS: Targeted women making film, people who like to use actual film, interested in shooting on location in Texas

Every time they hit a goal towards their final goal, they focused on a different target group
had a “Hustle” meeting every morning at 6a.m. to prioritize
Send backers private video perks : “We’ll drink a beer with your name on it.”
Sang Bohemian Rhapsody in their car together
“Kind of like an action movie, Kickstarter has a ticking clock…made our community feel like they owned it.”

SURPRISES & WHAT THEY WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY

SS: Surprised at how many hours it took every day

She would adjust how much help they had and add the shipping costs

JG: Now you know during the campaign who is domestic backer and who is international

JG: Be clear on calculation and communication of postage. It’s all perception.

Make that dialogue very clear.

MS: Thanked everybody individually when they first pledged

SP: Kickstarter just rolled out the ability to sort people by new pledges

MS: Didn’t have a plan for updates post-campaign and would do that next time.

“It works the way you think it will if you strategize.”

SS: When to hold a campaign:

not around or at end of holiday
they wanted to end on a particular day, after SXSW b/c then they could promote Kickstarter there
picked ideal date and worked backwards for plan

JG: Talk about your own legitimacy as well

Why you an deliver and how you have delivered in the past

WHAT WORKED THAT DIDN’T COST MONEY or REQUIRE A PUBLICIST

The night ended with socializing and talking to the panelists.

JG: Have fun with campaign and make it as true to your spirit as you can convey to your backers

SS: Could only afford Publicist after Kickstarter

SP: Ask yourself (to find your target backers):
1. Who is making this?

2. What other stories can you pull out of this?

SB: Genuine excitement is contagious.

SP: Segment out backer levels and strategize on a white board:

Visualize who would back you at different levels. What rewards would excite them?

There was more about taxes and income from Kickstarter too. I’ll add those soon. -CMJ

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Also find the discount code for Demo Video Lab’s Workshop (only good through Monday).

Running a campaign? Schedule a Funding Fridays Broadcast.

Watch more Kickstarter tips from Diani & Devine.

Hear about these events as they happen via @CindyMarieJ

Indie Holiday Gifts Day 2

With so many independent artists, there’s a variety of unique gifts you can give. I’ll highlight one a day through the New Year!

Day 1 – Holiday Gifts by Adam Emperor Southard Photography

HUCK FINN: The Robotic Edition &

The Selling, a supernatural comedy

Also, watch their Kickstarter Tips Video (how they funded both of these projects)

Huckleberry Finn was a boy with no home. Jim was a runaway robot in search of freedom. Together they embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime.

Buy your very own copy of the text (with NO mention of race whatsoever) below!

http://www.dianianddevine.com/huck/

“THE SELLING” is a supernatural comedy about a real estate agent trying to sell a haunted house written and produced by Gabe and co-produced by Etta. It premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 2011 and has played at over 25 festivals since then. It won both the Audience and Jury Awards for Best Feature at the Friar’s Club Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Tallgrass Film Festival, the Best Feature, Actor, and Director awards at the Idyllwild Film Festival, and swept the Los Angeles Comedy Festival awards for Best Feature, Actor, Ensemble, Screenplay, Director, and Best of Fest.

It stars Gabriel Diani, Jonathan Klein, Janet Varney, and Etta Devine. With Nancy Lenehan and Barry Bostwick as “Father Jimmy.”

Visit official website

Tips for Kickstarter Success [Funding Fridays]

FRI, 12/7 at 11am PT

FUNDING FRIDAYS SPECIAL:

Tips for Kickstarter Success w/ Diani & Devine

They ran 2 successful Kickstarter campaigns which resulted in publishing Huck Finn: The Robotic Edition as well as screenings of their film festival hit “The Selling” in major cities nationwide. Currently they’re creating fundraising videos making a nonprofit theatre company stand out from the holiday crowd and their web series Mary Olson is not to be missed.