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Permalink Reply by modelmotion on June 8, 2012 at 11:59am

Creating a Web series is as much about building an online community as it is understanding the technical aspects of production.  This process should begin long before you ever think of doing a fundraiser.

There are lots of ways to build your community (online friends) and many have been discussed here over the years.  A good starting point is to not only watch a lot of other Web series, but actively engage with those series and get to know the cast, crew and fans of the show.  If you demonstrate that you care about the work of others you met online, they are much more likely to take your campaign seriously when you get around to it.

Now if you have spent years building up your credibility online by producing content out of pocket this is a slightly different path.  People who have done it this way have already earned the trust of their online friends and they know the person will deliver value for money.  These people often get more than they asked for but it is because they have already developed trust!!!

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Permalink Reply by Rich Mbariket on June 9, 2012 at 4:23pm

"If you demonstrate that you care about the work of others you met online, they are much more likely to take your campaign seriously when you get around to it."

Can't disagree. 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Rodriguez on June 8, 2012 at 2:45pm

WOW!!! That's some analysis, modelmotion....

Sounds like it makes a lot of sense to me -- I've been doing the out of pocket thing for a while now, and have only recently launched my own how (http://thefirmsitcom.tv/) -- I really think you have a point there, esp. with regard to reaching out to others -- I once heard at some web series conference somewhere that by undertaking to advance the interests of your peers, you advance your own interests without even focusing on that.....Then again, avenues like Kickstarter and Fractured Atlas/Indiegogo seem to be very viable options too, subject, of course to the concerns voiced by Cadbury.....

All the best to all of us as we continue on our journey to web-world-wonderfulness.....

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Permalink Reply by Rich Mbariket on June 9, 2012 at 6:47am

KS effective if targeted to people you know/core fans. Not effective if targeted to strangers. 

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Permalink Reply by Juggalohio on June 9, 2012 at 11:20am

model and rich nailed it. if you don't have a fanbase that wants to see what you do next, your kickstarter won't get spread. the best you can hope for is somebody stumbling onto your project, being intrigued and possibly throwing a couple bucks your way. but it ends there. if you have people that are eager to get your project made, they not only throw money your way, but they spread the word and urge their friends to throw money your way. 

plus, kickstarter is so easy to exploit and people are skeptical by nature. without a fanbase supporting you, there's no trust. how do i know that you'll make all 8 episodes if you raise your 10k? what's stopping you from making 4 and quitting? there's no mention of any other work, so i don't know if you've ever done anything from start to finish? if you made a 30 minute pilot with no budget, what's stopping you from making a few more episodes the same way? without a developed relationship already, these are legit questions that people are gonna have.

with no relationship or fanbase established, it's gonna be near impossible to get a project off the ground. you'd have much more success figuring out how to make your first season, then looking to kickstarter to help pay for season two.

people are more than willing to spend money on something they care about. something they know nothing about, not so much.

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Permalink Reply by Rich Mbariket on June 9, 2012 at 4:20pm

Also, put as much of your financial resources into the project as possible. Get a second or third job if you must. The idea of making art on other people's dime might have worked pre-recession. But funding-raising post-recession is a challenge. And contrary to what "economists" say, the economy is still in the toilet. People are struggling and especially don't have money to give you to make art. 

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Permalink Reply by W O of Love to Feel on June 11, 2012 at 4:17pm

Its not a popularity contest. On kickstarter you are presenting a business plan. You need to know where your investors are to pitch to them. Some of the points below other people in this discussion have hit on. Others are based on my own experiences with my show, oddly enough about a band struggling to make it O_o :)

• Analyze what you have. You've made a first episode. You have over 1,000 views. Check out the youtube analytics and see how long you engaged your viewers and where. If you have a HIGH rate of viewer engagement you have no choice but to keep doing what you are doing because its working - its just a matter of more people finding out. If you have a low rate of engagement then its not working and you need to come up with a different format for the show. Instead of wasting $10,000, figure out structure, test it, then make another attempt at funding.
• Appeal to people's senses first, your needs second. What the hell do I get out of helping you out? What makes watching your characters dreams so appealing - What about my dreams? People are selfish bastards :( If you hit a nerve by tapping into a specific vision an audience shares with your characters you might just get them to open their wallets. To be a indie isn't enough. To be indie because you had a band mate who stole your songs, went on to success and left you with nothing to show for it is something. To live a dream isn't enough. To live a specific dream of purchasing back the family home that was lost due to foreclosure might be something. Even a promise to a dying a hedgehog. You get my drift. Pull some emotional strings.
• Who is going to watch it? The thing with Kickstarter that's funny is that the people who tend to support the projects are also the people who tend to consume the projects. So your lack of funding also shows that you are lacking an audience. Let's say a rich uncle came along and gave you funding.  $10,000 down the drain because no one sees what you've made. Happens all the time.
• WHAT exactly do you need. TELL ME! Don't say you need $10,000.00 to cover the cost of the season. Have a written breakdown woven into your donation tier. So if I donate $100 does that mean your P.A. gets some change to take his girlfriend to McDonald's + a song about me? That would be pretty sweet but again I don't know if I'm your audience so you'd have to breakdown in a way that appeals to your audience.
• Know your audience! If you aren't getting the viewers you want, then it doesn't appeal to them. You have to do one of two things. Change your show to appeal to them OR look at who IS watching it and focus on catering mostly to them.

And last... I have to admit that when I first saw your kickstarter pitch I was slightly confused. Now if I understand the concept correctly you guys are blending things - the story is not about an actual band but you are incorporating elements of a real music and the real indie scene into the show correct?At first I thought that the story was about a real band and you guys were the rookie documentarians until I saw a bit of first episode and realized its scripted.

You have to present what you are about in a stronger format because its not clear. Well... at least to me it wasn't clear.

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