The fans have spoken. We will not allow the lack of studio support for a project keep us from the stories we want to see. Whether it’s a better ending to a beloved cult TV show or a new twist on an old classic directed by the same guy who made The Avengers, passionate fans will do everything in their power to coax it into being.
Kickstarter campaigns and other creator-funded projects are becoming increasingly popular in an age when a studio’s only goal is to milk franchises (i.e. Harry Potter, Twilight, “Hunger Games, Marvel, etc.) for everything they have. The overbearing studio influence is tiresome for most people, just ask the fans of the cult TV show, “Veronica Mars.”
Via: wired.com
From 2004-2007, “Veronica Mars” graced the airwaves of the youth-oriented network UPN and then on the fledgling network, the CW. The show was a teen drama in a modern noir setting and it has gained cult popularity since its untimely end back in 2007. The show starred Kristen Bell as the title teen detective, and since the show’s cancellation, she has pleaded with fans to show their support for the show to convince the studio it deserves another chance. Enter Kickstarter. She, along with others involved with the show, created YouTube videos calling Marshmallows (as fans of the show are known) to donate to a Kickstarter campaign to fund a movie to see where beloved characters ended up in their lives. The goal was $2 million, which was met easily. By the closing of the Kickstarter donations, they ended up raising over $5 million. And, with that, they went to work.
The film premiered on March 14th, and in its opening, it earned $2 million. While the numbers seem promising as an opening to only 291 theaters nationwide, the film needs to earn more if it is going to convince a studio to invest in a sequel. But, it’s because of the fans that this movie even happened. When you get enough people who are passionate about something together, incredible things can happen. To date, the Veronica Mars Movie is Kickstarter’s most successful campaign.
Not unlike fan-funding, creator-funding has also become an interesting way for creators to interact with fans without having to go through studio middle men. A great example of this is Joss Whedon’s work. Joss Whedon created many cult favorites such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly”; he has also recently garnered attention by writing and directing the smash box office hit The Avengers. But, during the 2007-08 Writer’s Strike, he along with some friends and family created a web musical called Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog. No one thought this project would make any money, least of all Whedon himself. But, since its initial online release, it earned money through merchandising sales.
In 2012, he created his own rendition of a Shakespeare classic Much Ado About Nothing. He and his friends spent twelve days at his house creating this edition. While there was a studio backing his efforts, it was a studio that he and his wife financially support. It was first released at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival, moving on to limited theater releases making around $4 million in its first four weeks, showing that even a movie made with little to no studio influence can make a bit of money.
Both Veronica Mars and Joss Whedon’s work are perfect examples of what it means to create things just for the sake of creating. This type of creation is art in its purest form. This is the best way to interact with passionate fans. Creating quality content for fans is what keeps this industry alive.
Via: legendarium.com
Featured photo courtesy of: CT Boom
