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11/20/2013 12:34:24 AM · #1 |
I think Kickstarter is an amazing way for those of us without access to big money can find ways to fund projects with the help of like minded people. However, and this is my personal opinion, I don't think that large companies or big Hollywood names should use Kickstarter. I should say that there are certainly no rules against it and if it's OK with Kickstarter there isn't much anyone can do about it...but I think it's dodgy. Spike Lee used Kickstarter to fund his project. However, I think Spike Lee could've funded his own project OR could've gotten a big production company to fund it, he certainly has the connections to do it and wouldn't NEED Kickstarter. I know Kickstarter defended Spike Lee's use of their service but when you have the cash to make something, and the confidence that it will be something, make it. To me this sounds more like he doesn't want to take the financial risk and so he puts it on his fans. Then there's a company that I love, Cinevate. It's a smaller company but still big enough to handle projects like the one they currently have for their camera stabilizer, Morpheus. I don't think there was ever a need to use Kickstarter or a need for 'help'. They could've made the product and would have 'possibly' sold more than enough to cover costs and make their expected profits. However, when a company like this uses Kickstarter, it makes me wonder why not just make it? Is there a fear that you won't be able to sell enough before a 'bad review' comes out? It's as though there's no confidence in the project. I want a stabilizer but won't put any cash down for the project until I hear a decent review on it...I'll pay the extra if it's worth it.
I've supported projects where the companies where 1 man/woman based and they were just starting out or really needed the help of crowd funding to get the particular project off the ground. And that's it, I think Kickstarter is for those without the financial means or networking to get their projects out the door. I'm sure if Lee didn't reach his goal and still wanted to do his project he could've. I think the same goes with Cinevate since they had been talking about a stabilizer for a while.
Anyone have opinions on this? |
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11/20/2013 01:19:42 AM · #2 |
The Joy of Kickstarter, or any other of the alternative crowd sourcing financing models (I really like Smallknot, which adds the local twist, so it is a bit more local than global) is access for the small guy to get financing for cool projects that would otherwise never get funding from traditional models.
It does seem unfair that the big boys who we know because they have a track record of creating commercially successful products through traditional means, now decide to go into Kickstarter because the money is cheaper than trying to get it (which they would of course) elsewhere, but at a much higher cost. So in a way it is a tribute to the open democratic model that Kickstarter created that people who don't really need it, are using it, and that the founders are unwilling to put up barriers against people they never imagined would want to use their site. It is supposed to be open to all, right?
That said, there are enough cool ideas out there that really really need the money that I would never give Zach Braff or A multi million dollar video game maker using crowd sourcing to get cheap financing for their next venture. But for their fans, it must give them a buzz of being an insider.
I figure there are enough people out there with great ideas that really need my dollar, that I choose to support the projects of folks who are not much, much richer than I am.
Message edited by author 2013-11-20 01:22:20. |
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11/20/2013 01:21:53 AM · #3 |
It's a whole new world out there. Financial risk is definitely a major concern - who would want to risk their own money when they can leverage a project? Show business has always been a risky endeavor, even from well-known entities.
Then there's the marketing angle. When you get people literally invested in a project, you are almost guaranteed an audience for it.
I guess that as long as the big boys' projects don't take money out of the pockets of the true pioneers and one-man bands, there's nothing "wrong" with it. |
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11/20/2013 09:14:28 AM · #4 |
I guess I don't care as long as they're up-front about it. After all, people are free to support or not support any project on Kickstarter. Personally, I wouldn't support them, but clearly others feel OK doing so.
What I'd be upset about is if organizations or individuals with great resources were creating smaller entities to gather support on Kickstarter by appearing to be truly in need of funding. |
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