FEATURE: TRAILER - SUPERSEEDS | Super Powered Adventure

[10/16/10] Embracing the Unexpected

Is about making the best of the situation that's been handed to you. I think I understand that it's really difficult to not get worked up when a trial suddenly appears, but it's probably best to just take it for what it is and begin to formulate solutions. The guys who brought me into this game tell me always "there are no problems, only solutions."

I believe it.

Los Angeles weather's been pretty odd, overcast the past week, and it's unexpected but it turned out to be perfect for our shooting situation. What I didn't realize was that we wouldn't have to fight with the sunlight changing and because of that we were able to knock out several more pages of the script without sacrificing the quality we were aiming for. Furthermore, because it was overcast we were able to rig some effects lighting (a simple 650W Tungsten that plays as fire light on the talent's face) and it REALLY shows up well.

If it were sunny outside, it wouldn't have happened without something like a 2K or so.

Furthermore, the interior material was aided by the overcast day as we didn't have to ND the windows or setup flags, diffusion, etc. Matty_G played HMI's and Divas in the tiny space and it looks stellar.

At the end of the day, I learned a number of lessons, most of which are summed up by reminding myself to embrace the hand I'm dealt and make the best of it. As long as I'm in a good mood on set, the energy remains positive and everyone can perform to the best of their abilities with the own hand they've been giving.

Makes for a great game.
 
KICKSTARTER PAGE UPDATE!: New Kickstarter Video's Live! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2099062204/superseeds-a-super-powered-action-comedy?ref=search
I leave for Amsterdam tomorrow but wanted to post a new video, the other wasn't all that good and this one shows a lot more of what we're doing. So, Another update as well: our kickstarter pages has reached 12,300.00US and we're about thirty percent off of our goal! It's been a short ride and I'm grateful for everyone that's chipped in for a reward.

There's still a nice chunk more to go, so I invite you to check out the BRAND NEW KICKSTARTER VIDEO that's been posted which features some [rawish] footage from our shoot, and quick snaps of what BTS footage we have.

It'd be nice to have a fulltime BTS guy! I'm checking for that now.

If you have the spare change, please chip in. This is a huge DVXuser project, as most of the crew met on DVXuser and frequents DVXuser near-to-daily. This is where I pretty much grew up and the community is awesome, we would greatly appreciate even a dollar dropped, the more the merrier

As soon as we reach our goal and receive our funds we'll be kicking out those sweet Rewards, so grab yourself one!
 
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Thanks for all of the support so far! We've got some great momentum going. If you haven't checked the kickstarter yet please do so and catch some actual production footage.
 
Yes sir it is!

We're just shy of fourteen-thousand (14,000) today thanks to @Mark Johnson, another friend and fellow filmmaker stepping forward! Thanks Mark J!

Thanks also to Andy Palmer for grabbing your backer award!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2099062204/superseeds-a-super-powered-action-comedy?ref=search

Crazy good momentum! Thanks to all of our supporters and those who've reposted for the project!




Raising the extra capital this way has been fun, hoping to reach our goal despite the short amount of time to do it in.
 
Suprising to me, we've made it to the front page of Kickstarter with thirty-seven hours left. I plan on doing a post on my experience fundraising for a first feature film.

Hoping to reach our goal, thanks to everyone who's claimed a reward or even just chipped in. Means a lot!

If you're interested in the property, grab yourself a reward asap!
 
Thanks to the DVXusers that have thus supported us!

SUPERSEEDS' KICKSTARTER EFFORT HIT ITS GOAL!

To celebrate, and to keep the momentum going, I'm personally upgrading all of the 25 dollar pledges to having a Thank You Credit in the feature.

So, pledge 25 and get your regular reward, plus get your name in the Thank Yous!

You guys rock!
 
Much thanks guys, and many more to the backers! Next step is getting out those rewards and getting back into production!

Got some more posts to put up and some BTS photos soon.
 
A big thanks to the community for rallying and pushing this one over the top. Now, Kholi, let's see what you can do. :thumbsup:
 
[10/24(23/10] - The (Fun)draiser

Right to the point... you don't have money. Well, I don't have money. And, I define money as large sums of capital to start any venture without risking your financial health. Most of us can't do that, aren't willing to do that, are scared to do that. So, we have to look elsewhere to find the capital we need to start (and finish!) our projects, and that can be a pretty fun adventure.

But, where do you look?

If you've been following Superseeds' progress, then you probably saw the Kickstarter page (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2099062204/superseeds-a-super-powered-action-comedy?ref=search) go live about a month ago. We've successfully ended our Kickstarter campaign and now I'd like to share some thoughts on the whole fundraising bit with those who'd like to know.

I don't plan on sugar coating anything, so be warned... it's pretty realistic from the get go. I'm going to preface this with something that's very very important to understand, because I've taken the time out to check how people are funding their efforts and there's one EXTREMELY obvious difference between those who have gotten their capital (through any means) and those who haven't:

Is your project even worth the money you're trying to raise? Who cares about it aside from yourself? Be realistic about this: if no one cares, no one shares. That means no one's going to tweet or facebook, talk about or blog about, mention or converse about what you're doing. And, rest assured you probably are not going to raise a heap of cash to get with it. I've learned from this experience that if you're shooting for a mass marketable nano-budget feature film with very little to comment on about the state of the world, science, important global topics then you're in a HEAP of trouble when it comes to raising money.

Mark Harris and Barry Green are right: If you have nothing to say, you should probably wait until you do. Or until you can fund it all on your own. Hollywood can already do this kind of stuff, people are fed it all the time bad or good so why would anyone but close family and friends support your effort? The cash-in is with people who aren't related to you in any way and just want to see this gem shine. I will openly admit that if it were not for people believing in my talent (you're all crazy) and what I've learned grinding my way through Los Angeles, the connections, that Kickstarter would've stayed far... FAR below the goal.

Take it to heart, or with a grain of salt... but, make sure you think about it before you step out and try to grab people's money. Make sure it's worth something to others, not just yourself.

I'm only being honest with myself by saying not very many people care about Superseeds. Everyone who really does is involved directly with it or want to se me succeed. That's fine, we achieved our goal, but it wasn't easy.

I know why Superseeds is the project I chose, though, that's an entirely new blog/post, however, and it's quite pertinent to the process.

1. Presentation
This is the second most important note to pin to your wall. You really need to present your project well if you want to grab any dough to do it with. Here's a very well illustrated example... in video form:

http://www.vimeo.com/15151674

This is NOT a good presentation, nor is it indicative of the kind of quality that we were pitching for the project. There's nothing wrong with the actors, considering it was all improv they did wonderful. I also sprung this on them last minute during a fitting in my little cube of an apartment, these guys rock.

However, the image quality is pretty blah, the sound is terrible and it doesn't really show much of what the production team is about; it's the wrong foot to step out on, and I nearly broke my ankle.

Whatever you're doing, make sure your presentation is as strong as possible out of the gate. That means stills, posters, production company information and especially the BEST video you can deliver showcasing your previous work or actual footage from the project if it has commenced principal photography.

Presentation is universal across fundraising efforts, no matter if that's in-person meetings with potential investors or crowdfunding on Kickstarter or IndieGogo. Pretend you only get one chance and make it good the first time out.

The second video on the kickstarter is much better, yet to me still lacks the punch needed to really garner attention.

NOTE: Going back to the original concept of "Say Something", the less you have to say that's important, the harder you have to work to get your nano-budget no-named project off the ground. Remember that.

2. Avenues for Funding

All parts are equally tricky. Locating dollars is tough, especially in this financial climate. Not many people even have twenty-five dollars to spare, that's enough money to feed yourself for two days or yourself and a kid if you have one. Why would they hand it to you? And, all of those infamous doctors that just have money lying around? You can definitely say goodbye to that; these guys are pawning their watches just to keep their wives.

The first avenue I think a nano-budget filmmaker or producer should explore is SELF. By that I mean you should consider working your ass off, donating blood, finding ways to gather as much capital for your feature as possible on your own. There's really no one else that'll care about getting the project started as much as you, it's my belief that you should also have a serious financial stake in whatever you're doing.

It's because of that, I've learned, that the people who've put in serious money for Superseeds have done so. I've openly shared that I'm putting money on the line that I have to eat and pay rent with, so that makes them feel much more comfortable, knowing that I'll do what I can to recoup and quadruple my personal investment.

Cut down your cable bill, sell your vehicle and get one that you don't have to pay payments on, then lower the insurance to liability. Stop drinking, stop smoking, this is also a really good time to go on a diet, by the way!

Once you illustrate commitment to your own financial future and well being, other people will take you much more seriously, then you'll have a slightly easier time prying dollars out of their fists.

Immediately afterward, you should consider the actual act of FUNDRAISING. Set up a car wash with yourself and two friends, sell off merchandise for your feature, do a bake sale and invite the entire neighborhood. Let them know what it's about and offer some incentive for people to give up the money. I think Kickstarter and IndieGogo have reintroduced the concept of the old fashioned door-to-door fundraiser in a digital world, and it's awesome.

While you can certainly use Kickstarter and IndieGogo to start your project, you need to keep in mind that they both charge a fee.

-- Kickstarter: You will only receive money if you meet your goal by the deadline. No goal? No money. If you DO meet your goal, then you're going to be charged five percent (5%) and on top of that, another three percent (3%) from Amazon Payments!!! That's nearly TEN PERCENT of your funds raised going elsewhere!

-- IndieGogo: Similar to Kickstarter, but you get to keep the money even if you don't meet your goal. They charge an even HIGHER percentage if you don't meet your goal.

Of the two, I think Kickstarter sounds much more fair to the people buying what you're selling, be it t-shirts or baseball caps, pre-selling DVDs, etc. So, because it sounds safer, they're willing to throw their credit card on the line.

-- Chip-In: It's actually not a fundraising site, but more so a module to place on a page or on your facebook, twitter so that people can throw money into a Paypal account. So far, this is the cheapest online method of Fundraising I could source. Paypal only charges three percent and Chip-In doesn't charge ANY fees for using their module. The flipside to this is that you need to create an entirely separate entity for your fundraising effort that you manage. You'll have wager whether or not it's worth your time to keep your extra five percent.

And, of course, as mentioned, the door-to-door fundraiser. Get out there and get hands on with an audience wherever you can. Raise the money with your presence, or hire someone else if your presence isn't ideal.

As an extra effort of ours, we plan on selling off the excess t-shirts and caps from our Kickstarter fund and more. Every dollar helps! EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR!

TIPS: Be thankful, if not overly thankful. Even if a person kicks in a dollar make sure they feel that they've done a great thing. Every single dollar helps, and they'll likely tell their friends about it once they realize that they have chipped in and are a part of the process.

Make your rewards count, but don't bleed out the money you raise. A decent t-shrit costs about five dollars or more if you get a great deal on bulk, then you have to consider shipping and handling. A round-about number for each t-shirt sold is probably twelve to fifteen dollars (12.00 ~ 15.00). If you have a reward set at twenty-five dollars (25.00) then you're only going to see ten of it. If you're on Kickstarter, that's about Nine dollars, actually.

Choose your rewards wisely.

2(a). Investors

Investors are not donaters, backers, pledgers. Donations, backs, pledges do not have to be paid back. You're going to be delivering to these people movie schwag or similar. Investors are people who you plan on paying back and THEN some.

First born in some cases.

Seeking out investors requires some sort of understanding as to how business works. That means you should have a semblance of a feature film business plan that's well-written and moderately detailed on what the project plans to achieve financially, how much it will take to do so, where the money is going, your distribution plan, on and on and on.

A business plan is not very fun to write. I did a "business brief" and although it was an interesting and enlightening experience, I sort of do not want to do it again. A legal agent or lawyer should be handling this for you. Yet another hidden cost of the process.

It's important the investor will want to know that his or her money is being used for exactly what's outlined and that they are investing in a professional organization, not just someone who wants money. For this, you'll probably need to start an LLC for your feature.

Hidden cost number three-thousand and seven. There are a lot of places on the internet to get your LLC started, but for the broke and budgetless feature filmmaker it's not cheap. Necessary, but not cheap.

These sorts of people have money because they know how to manage it...in most cases. They aren't going to go for a verbal pitch with no paperwork to back it up. Take the time to research what I've said above and try to exhibit yourself as close to the real deal as possible.

They'll spot that you're new to this, you need a little polishing here and there, but most will take it as a show of responsibility and an earnest attempt to achieve something more, and that will be something that they want to invest time and money into, to grow their own wallet and relationships.

And, of course, the investor will want to know what they're getting for their money. What are you offering? I can't reveal here what I've offered my investors, but it's definitely a worthwhile investment if we achieve the goal I outlined in the Business Brief.

Typically, an investor will be offered the chance to earn several times the amount of what they've invested. More than likely much more than you're going to get when it's all said and done.

Such is the way of the business.

Search for your investors through friends and family, as you'll have a higher chance of being able to sit with them at a dinner conversation to discuss the project. And aim for a realistic investment goal.

It's not very likely, unless you know someone that owns a few yachts, that you're going to get someone to hand you one-hundred thousand dollars (100,000.00) to get your feature started.

It's more likely that someone may hand you ten-thousand dollars, though, if they believe they can profit from the venture in a timely fashion.

TIPS: Presentation, presentation, presentation. Drill it into your head. It's also very important to read other business plans, or get someone who's written them before to do one for you. You don't want to step out on the wrong foot, again. Pretend you only have one shot and make it count.

It's my own principal, but while it's primarily about the money, make sure that you don't make your investor feel greedy. We all want a comfortable lifestyle, a lot of us want to be a part of something really awesome too. Make sure you've got the future in mind and where your business relationship could go from there.

Never promise anything. You can't. You will lose and then you will make people angry. Be realistic and back yourself up with numbers, facts, not lottery ticket cases (I'm looking at you, Paranormal Activity).

And, lastly, a few keywords: Earn, Opportunity, Realistic, Future Endeavor, Relationship, Partnership.

3. Budget it for the worst case scenario

Just plan on not having money. That's the reality, that's what you have to do. But, don't see that as a negative thing: a lot of seasoned filmmakers constantly say that they are at their best when challenged. Lots of money can ruin a project just as easily as having no money.

Be prepared to have nothing to shoot on, and adjust your story accordingly.

Some additional information on sourcing funding:

Remember to keep it legal and professional. Don't get yourself tied up in tax and IRS trouble, research what you're doing and make sure you're handling money properly.

Outreach to groups that you know will enjoy your content. There are so many Kickstarter campaigns that work because they've hit a very strong vein with a community that would love to see what they have come to life. Get out there and connect with your audience.

Don't be afraid to push. If someone shows an honest interest in your work, keep at them but don't be forceful. You need to sell them on why this is the opportunity to bank on.

Don't be afraid to ASK. People who do not ask, do not receive. If you expect to be fed without opening your mouth, you're going to starve.

Give yourself time. Make sure you prepare for the process. I actually short changed our Kickstarter by not putting up enough time. PLAN AHEAD! MAKE TIME TO RAISE MONEY! Getting yourself into a crunch will hurt your chances of succeeding by miles.

Stay positive. There are no problems, only solutions. Even if it's a false positive and in the back of your head you're saying "this isn't going to happen....", eventually the positive thought in the front of your mind will obliterate the negative one. At that point, people will see it in your eyes and your actions and they will be willing to entertain your thoughts.

Good luck, and feel free to inquire in the thread!
 
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Thanks for posting this Kholi. We are planning an end of year push for some finishing funds, because we can offer tax deductions. So this is all very timely and helpful stuff.
 
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