We’ve seen an incredible amount of support for the project in the past week since we launched our Indigogo campaign for Clowning Around and have been busy on the social networks interacting with people, getting word out and just answering lots of questions and interest there has been in the project as well as sharing a lot of the behind the scenes goodies we’ve gathered in our process so far. I’m now wishing I had recorded a lot more to show people but my video skills are not the strongpoint (or even any kind of point) of my skillset.We’d prepared well to begin with a strong start, we had been spreading news of the project for a while and keeping people up to date and had already gained some interest and I wasn't entirely surprised people wanted to be part of this project. After all, I certainly do, I didn’t even wait to fully hear what Damien said to me before I agreed. The overwhelming flood of support has been something else. A really special thing and we can’t thank people enough.
What I wasn’t prepared for were the butterflies of excitement and anticipation in my stomach from the outset and the way the fluttering grew when we had a quiet spell on Indiegogo somewhere in the middle when we didn’t receive any incoming funds for about two days. My word did that time stretch into infinity. I became aware that although we’d begun ahead of targets, we could very soon slip behind if we became complacent. After all, one of the aims of all this sharing and crowd funding is to create a budget for our amazing cast and crew so that we can give them the tools they need to do their best work, so that we can keep them safe and insure them against incident, and so that we can feed them and make their working days comfortable and pleasant so that they can get on with the business of being brilliant under pressure. They're very good at that when the rest is in place. As a Producer, I take this as a serious responsibility and not raising the full funding for this project is not an option for me.
This team, this project and our leader, Damien, deserve every penny we can throw at them. We have a responsibility to our backers too to ensure the project they back is the project they get. And that along the way they get to really be a part of something, not just by giving us money but by being able to fully interact with us every stage of the way. And I want it all to be fun and marvellous for all of us. As marvellous as it's been when I backed other people's projects and gained so much out of the great experiences they gave (and keep giving) to me. I've truly learned a lot from those folks and am eternally grateful that I got to give them a few quid. It's repaid me tenfold.
I therefore have given my word to our backers that every dollar that is put into indiegogo.com/clowningaroundfilm will be one of the very best dollars our backers ever spend and that is why our perks start from just $1 so that no matter how tight money is, everyone can afford to interact and get involved with this film and why the perks go up and up so that people can take on more of a role and/or get different things out of being part of the work. I pledge to make it as brilliant as I can for you, That is a talent that's in my skillset. That’s the other reason why we’re crowd funding. Because the whole Clowning Around team just like to collaborate and we want you to get involved and be happy. Consider yourself invited!
Week two began today and has finished off incredibly with donations from more awesome people all of whom are listed on our website and invited into our online community. I think that kind of makes up for the butterflies in my tummy that are, I am now sure, likely to stick around until the funding drive reaches it’s goal. It’s totally worth every bit of giddyness in the pit of the stomach though because, if you haven’t heard me say it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn yet. You all ROCK for being here with us and sharing in this adventure! I can't wait to stand next to Damien in BAFTA as we did in the above photo from the Transference screening (where I directed & he produced) and share Clowning Around with an audience of supporters & backers! You can bet I'll be smiling like a clown! *:o)
Leilani, I think that the 'quite' days, were at the weekend. I have not checked against other funding runs yet, but it would make sense that most of the funding come through during the working week, Monday - Friday.
ReplyDeleteIf that's right then the material that is posted needs to be suitable for work. Not that I am suggesting it hasn't been so far! :-)
Mike Baxter