Zach Braff sells Kickstarter-funded "Wish I Was Here" for $2.75m

^ Interesting.

Also:

Zach Braff's 'Wish I Was Here' Sold Big at Sundance, But What Do His Backers Get?
http://www.indiewire.com/article/za...d-big-at-sundance-but-what-do-his-backers-get

Some quotes:

Meanwhile, Variety reports that a block of seats at the film's Sundance premiere were reserved for high-rolling Kickstarter backers, there were many more who funded the project who couldn't get tickets. To make matters worse, Braff didn't think to thank his Kickstarter supporters when he introduced the film.

There are a lot of disgruntled Kickstarter backers out there who are still waiting for their rewards. “What about all the backers?” investor Matt Haughey, founder of Metafilter.com, griped to NBC News. "In those last updates from him, he was all 'I’m in Sundance!' and then ‘Focus picked us up!’ There was nothing about the backers. It was all about Zach Braff. Well, that’s awesome for you!"
 
This is just going to become more and more prevalent in the coming years. It will make people who want to raise funding for their film projects have to come up with more ways to showcase why their film should receive donations over another. The consumer will decide in the end as they always have.

If someone is able to convince people to donate and those people donate willingly then business is booming. Those who contribute make up a market that is guaranteed to receive something of value (which is always going to be dependent on the individual as to what the perceived value is) in return for their donations, which is what they knew before donating.
 
Seriously, I don't see how this is an issue? All of the perks on this kickstarter campaig are legit too: From the cheapest ($10 access to a production diary) to art prints, a director's chair back, T shirt etc. $100 bought an advance screening ticket, an art print, a t shirt, soundtrack sneak peek (knowing Zach's past work it's safe to assume it's a good soundtrack) and the production diary and script. The high end perks are cool collectibles and experiences too if you can afford it.

He didn't beg on hands a knees with nothing in return.

How is this any different than me buying a ticket to a movie two years in advance, or a t-shirt for a studio movie already made? He's preselling merch instead of selling after the movie is made.

Even if you weren't getting anything, you're kicking in for a movie with a production team with a proven track record. I'm way more apt to back something like this than some random guy I've never heard of.

It's freaking business, and the team behind the project is doing well at it. It's sad to see people complain about how other's projects and businesses are doing well when those same people aren't doing anything underhanded.

Congrats to Zach and crew on completing the project and selling it. I hope to do the same someday.
 
...and that is pretty much what everyone on Kickstarter fears. :bag:

.

Maybe, but I wasn't any more likely to back the random guy before this, and I don't think anyone else is either.

If anything, I'm in the "this helps all of kickstarter" boat. Big projects like this that get a lot of press introduce people to the idea of crowdfunding who have never heard of it. It lends credibility to the process seeing successful people recognize Kickstarter as a legitimate way of getting a project done. With that kind of credibility crowdfuning looks less like begging and more like business, which is good for everyone hoping to fund a project there. Especially something as ethereal and largely undefined as an indie movie.
 
Seriously, I don't see how this is an issue? All of the perks on this kickstarter campaig are legit too: From the cheapest ($10 access to a production diary) to art prints, a director's chair back, T shirt etc. $100 bought an advance screening ticket, an art print, a t shirt, soundtrack sneak peek (knowing Zach's past work it's safe to assume it's a good soundtrack) and the production diary and script. The high end perks are cool collectibles and experiences too if you can afford it.

He didn't beg on hands a knees with nothing in return.

How is this any different than me buying a ticket to a movie two years in advance, or a t-shirt for a studio movie already made? He's preselling merch instead of selling after the movie is made.

Even if you weren't getting anything, you're kicking in for a movie with a production team with a proven track record. I'm way more apt to back something like this than some random guy I've never heard of.

It's freaking business, and the team behind the project is doing well at it. It's sad to see people complain about how other's projects and businesses are doing well when those same people aren't doing anything underhanded.

Congrats to Zach and crew on completing the project and selling it. I hope to do the same someday.

Firstly, a lot of people are complaining they have not received any rewards (see the link I provided in my last post):

There are a lot of disgruntled Kickstarter backers out there who are still waiting for their rewards. “What about all the backers?” investor Matt Haughey, founder of Metafilter.com, griped to NBC News. "In those last updates from him, he was all 'I’m in Sundance!' and then ‘Focus picked us up!’ There was nothing about the backers. It was all about Zach Braff. Well, that’s awesome for you!"

And given he received $3.1 million from his fans on KS, it would have been nice to actually say thanks to them at Sundance. More than nice actually, the right thing to do.

Sure he made the movie but with a budget of $5m I know you could make a movie too - probably a pretty damn good one.

But indeed, he didn't force anyone to give him a cent and some of the rewards (hopefully they will actually be sent) are pretty cool if you're a fan of his. But a lot of backers are annoyed that he didn't mention KS or thank them at Sundance - they did provide a huge chunk of his $5m (or so) budget...
 
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Seriously, I don't see how this is an issue? All of the perks on this kickstarter campaig are legit too: From the cheapest ($10 access to a production diary) to art prints, a director's chair back, T shirt etc. $100 bought an advance screening ticket, an art print, a t shirt, soundtrack sneak peek (knowing Zach's past work it's safe to assume it's a good soundtrack) and the production diary and script. The high end perks are cool collectibles and experiences too if you can afford it.

He didn't beg on hands a knees with nothing in return.

How is this any different than me buying a ticket to a movie two years in advance, or a t-shirt for a studio movie already made? He's preselling merch instead of selling after the movie is made.

Even if you weren't getting anything, you're kicking in for a movie with a production team with a proven track record. I'm way more apt to back something like this than some random guy I've never heard of.

It's freaking business, and the team behind the project is doing well at it. It's sad to see people complain about how other's projects and businesses are doing well when those same people aren't doing anything underhanded.

Congrats to Zach and crew on completing the project and selling it. I hope to do the same someday.

I never had a problem with Zach's campaign, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly why. Your post really puts it into perspective.


Firstly, a lot of people are complaining they have not received any rewards

Well, the rewards get funded from the first profits of the film. so considering the film JUST sold like last week, maybe give the production team a couple of weeks for shipping and handling? They're not wizards, afterall.

And given he received $3.1 million from his fans on KS, it would have been nice to actually say thanks to them at Sundance. More than nice actually, the right thing to do.

Every kickstarter contributor gets a personal thank you via email as soon as they donate, and I'd be willing to bet the kickstarter names are all listed with Thank You's in the end credits. How many times does a backer need to feel validated? Isn't it enough for YOU to know that you helped make the film possible?

From a PR standpoint, however, Zach should DEFINITELY have thanked the backers considering the hot water he's in. Not a smart move.
 
A thank you would have helped I'm sure, but again, none of the perks were just donations. It's all merch. I've never heard Michael Bay thank everyone that bought a Transformers T Shirt. Yes, it was all bought beforehand, but still.

Give the perks time. It's smarter business, wait till the movie is released then send out the shirts and what not. People wearing your advertisements.

For what it's worth, I've been burnt on kickstarter before. I backed a campaign for $150 piece of tech that shipped a year late (when it was already outdated) and actually didn't work when it came in. Zach's project doesn't feel like a burn at all.
 
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