A bit of a trickle…..

So the campaign is up and running (check it out here) and the initial enthusiasm has faltered. Not for the project, that remains as resolute as ever, but for the whole crowdfunding kerfuffle. I want to make films. I like making films; the writing, the casting, pulling the crew together, directing actors, working out scenes, this is what I want to do. What I don’t like is asking people for money. I am not even that comfortable asking people for money when it is for a service I am providing! So crowdfunding and its concept is way outside of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, though I may know a few people who are quite well off, none of them are relatives or people with whom I am comfortable enough to ask for an indefinite loan. Hence the crowdfunding. Back to the enthusiasm.
Putting together a crowdfunding campaign is not as painful as I am making it sound. Truth is, it involves many of the elements of filmmaking and in itself is quite enjoyable. The aspect that is not enjoyable is the launch. In the run up to creating and launching your campaign, the support for it will be overwhelming; that’s a good idea, yeah you should try that, you should absolutely do it! All very positive. Once the campaign is launched however….crickets. Even getting people to endorse your campaign becomes a battle. You see, launching the campaign is the easy bit. Maintaining the momentum – even if it is only in your own head – is the work. In effect – especially with film – you are selling a product that 1.) is unlikely to result in a financial return and 2.) not even made yet. You are asking people to take a leap of faith and back your enthusiasm, vision, apparent talent, in the hope that they will get a feelgood at the end of the process. It is a big ask.
Of course, before the launch, I believed, hoped, there would be an absolute stampede to my page. Do not ask me what I am basing this notion on. It is not as though I get thousands of hits on my FB pages, blogs or twitter feed! Still, one always hopes and expects. I must admit, it has taken the breeze out of my sails a little. The Brit in me remains firmly against bothering people and promoting myself. Foolish I know, after all there are a billion talented individuals on the inter-web, fighting for their fifteen minutes, who like myself, mistakenly believe that having a modicum of talent will get you noticed by the ‘right’ people. What the practical, pragmatic, world wise side of my brain is telling me is that I have to keep pushing on. Moving forward, being a bit of a nuisance and fighting for attention. After all who else is going to do for me?