tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6787516994374993408..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Best Of: 2013 -- The Kickstarter controversyBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67817723743543242015-11-28T13:09:21.667-08:002015-11-28T13:09:21.667-08:00Having someone's number in your Contacts list ...Having someone's number in your Contacts list doesn't always mean they'll call back. <br /><br />You're right that Kickstarter was never intended to be an opt-in survey with an optional tip jar, but most of the Internet was never supposed to be what it is now. eBay wasn't supposed to be a turnkey online storefront for small business owners; YouTube wasn't supposed to be a hosting service for streaming music; Instagram wasn't supposed to be a softcover porn site; Kickstarter wasn't supposed to be a way for RPG producers to sell preorders. ("Wait, you already talked about Kickstarter!" "Yeah, well, three years ago the cause du jour was people printing only enough copies to cover the Kickstarter preorders.)<br /><br />halojones-fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05473935330204075559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84689397976429477032015-11-24T07:46:52.012-08:002015-11-24T07:46:52.012-08:00Didn't Colin Hanks (son of Tom Hanks) also do ...Didn't Colin Hanks (son of Tom Hanks) also do this to get his documentary on Tower Records made? For some reason he didn't come into the same public criticism even though, if anything, he has more Hollywood contacts than Zach Braff has.James Van Hisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06658381884799398658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82888074396659685872015-11-23T19:54:25.043-08:002015-11-23T19:54:25.043-08:00Ok, so THIS was the reason I first found your blog...Ok, so THIS was the reason I first found your blog, Ken! (I couldn't remember when you asked for the "who are you" posts.) Thanks for the incendiary topic, from me and the other one-million-minus-one hits that day.<br /><br />Though I agreed with you at the time, I don't think people take their money away from movie stars to give to unknowns. Different reasons, different markets, different obligations to investors. But yeah, Sundance is a shame.<br /><br />Jeff C in DCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20842953524439038842015-11-23T17:56:41.872-08:002015-11-23T17:56:41.872-08:00Separate East-Coast/Best-Coast broadcasts? Does t...Separate East-Coast/Best-Coast broadcasts? Does that mean they'll have two different DVD sets?Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02753360146107174303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53803485130645706402015-11-23T10:42:20.467-08:002015-11-23T10:42:20.467-08:00Ha! I remember this. I was firmly in the other cam...Ha! I remember this. I was firmly in the other camp on this one, but although Ken got a few things wrong, he did spot an issue that I didn't see coming: Companies with available finance using Kickstarter as a way to make things for free, off the back of fans. Hmm.<br /><br />That said, I do think that 99.99% of Kickstarters are genuinely people who have tried other avenues first, and I still think that Zack Braff genuinely tried to get his movie made by every other means before trying KS... Judging by the Rotten Tomatoes score of WISH I WAS HERE, I think The financiers he approached probably felt the same as the critics who eventually reviewed the final film -- they didn't think it was very good ;)Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13086939028445362188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7377859776725204942015-11-23T09:29:05.330-08:002015-11-23T09:29:05.330-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Mighty Dyckersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03567545779834406431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87899277522474265172015-11-23T09:18:50.000-08:002015-11-23T09:18:50.000-08:00Mighty Dyckerson,
The only person Ken censors is ...Mighty Dyckerson,<br /><br />The only person Ken censors is you. Somehow I don't think you would drive that many more hits.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11777496001166356949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12375672724713054922015-11-23T09:13:29.486-08:002015-11-23T09:13:29.486-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Mighty Dyckersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03567545779834406431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23336912215920734622015-11-23T09:06:21.186-08:002015-11-23T09:06:21.186-08:00Would the same logic apply to Joel Hodgson current...Would the same logic apply to Joel Hodgson currently raising funds to bring back Mystery Science Theater 3000 which apparently is only going to be streamed?DwWashburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057278992504418291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71866866561595574482015-11-23T08:56:39.430-08:002015-11-23T08:56:39.430-08:00The meta analogy is Billionaires getting tax break...The meta analogy is Billionaires getting tax breaks from the GOP. Seriously dudes, you don't need any more money. blinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04284135060900752329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23461779916491326272015-11-23T08:25:09.741-08:002015-11-23T08:25:09.741-08:00All these years later, celebrities like Zack Braff...All these years later, celebrities like Zack Braff and Spike Lee have killed Kickstarter for others. Earlier this year, John R. Dilworth (the creator of COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG) went to Kickstarter to fund a sequel to his 1993 short THE DIRDY BIRDY, and it really wasn't an unreasonable goal, I think it was only roughly $80,000. He didn't even come close to the goal, and while he may not be the big-time celeb that Zack Braff or Spike Lee are, he has a steady cult following. So, I guess we're not going to get the sequel to THE DIRDY BIRDY.<br /><br />The only successful non-celebrity Kickstarter campaign that I'm aware of was a year or two ago where a guy was raising money to publish his new book for lonely guys on how to rape women, and he exceeded his goal by 800% - no foolin'.Joseph Scarbroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06851086150240380366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46248926489692309162015-11-23T07:27:07.601-08:002015-11-23T07:27:07.601-08:00I actually remember this controversy, and I rememb...I actually remember this controversy, and I remember thinking you were absolutely right. I also remember later being swayed by some of the terrific commenters (this is why I miss Hamid). I can't remember what they said, but I think it had to do with Braff's motivation for using Kickstarter (not just to get money), and several people said he was a really nice guy. There is a certain amount of electronic interaction with the person doing the project and contributors would have the opportunity to interact with a professional actor/writer/producer. He's also not a MEGASTAR so he couldn't fund it himself, and thought it would be cool to have lots of "everyman" investors, instead of begging billionaires to invest. <br /><br />Your argument is hard to dispute, however. No one wants to see Joe Blow get less money because some went to a wealthy star. But is that how it works? Is there a finite amount of money and Braff is actually using some of that, or can Joe Blow still try to make his movie and generate more contributions? Would anyone who knows the answer to that please respond. Ken doesn't have time to answer the zillions of questions he gets. (And, yes, I tried to find that info via google, unsuccessfully). Diane D.noreply@blogger.com