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5:13 pm
June 10, 2011
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QuoteI have heard about this site in the past ( http://www.kickstarter.com ) but it almost seems like one of those too good to be true deals. Has anyone had any experience with this?
If you are unfamiliar with it, it is a site where people can ask for funding for projects, and people can donate to projects of their choice. Some musicians seem to be doing quite well! Check out Allison Weiss, an Indie musician. She asked for $2000.00 to fund duplicating her next CD, and wound up getting $7711.00! Her results might be better than most, but it looks like many others are getting funded for at least what they asked for.
I signed up for an account, but haven't posted a request yet. I read throught the fine print, and didn't see any red flags. There are a few things that you may have to pay a little bit for, but I think this comes out of whatever funding you may get.
At the very least if you study what tactics other musicians doing, and what they are offering to people who donate, you can get a ton of ideas that you could apply to your own music biz. I know I am!
What would a jam session with Gordon Lightfoot, Collective Soul, and Damien Rice sound like?
Check out Greg Parke and you’ll have a pretty good idea!
8:30 am
June 7, 2011
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I haven't looked into it. Sounds cool if it works. Give it a go and let us know what happens. Is it the kind of thing where you offer the people who donate money special perks? Like everyone who donates $10 gets a CD, everyone who donates $100 get's to come to come back stage, etc? Does anyone police it if the artists don't live up to their end of the bargain?
Having trouble with your marketing? Wish you could have an experienced direct-to-fan marketing expert look over your actual campaigns, music, or content and offer feedback? Or perhaps you’re just looking for a little one-on-one assistance so you can ask questions that pertain to your specific goals and get a second, more experienced, perspective? Click here to book a session with me now.
4:31 pm
June 10, 2011
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Every project I had looked into that is using this site offers various levels of perks for different levels of support. I'm not positive how the rest of it works yet, but I think the money is not actually awarded until, and unless, the target goal is actually reached. I'm not sure about the acountability factor yet either, but I will look into it.
I am thinking pretty seriously about giving it a shot, because my current recording project is progressing at a snails pace, because I have been doing so many road gigs, and also because of budget reasons. If I could afford to take a few weeks of unitterupted time, I could finally wrap this project up.
I have also recommended this site to a group of very enthusiastic, young, rap and hip-hop artists. Not exactly my kind of music, but I asked them to keep me informed about how it works out for them. I'm curious to see if this idea works better for different types of projects, or if it is pretty even across the board.
BTW, Kickstarter is not just for musicians. You can ask for funding, or offer support for just about anything you can think of!
What would a jam session with Gordon Lightfoot, Collective Soul, and Damien Rice sound like?
Check out Greg Parke and you’ll have a pretty good idea!
5:35 pm
August 27, 2011
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It sounds like it's worth checking out. I haven't used it but I have this little bit of advice to offer...
"Under promise and over deliver".
Yeah, it falls under the category of 'common sense' but if you're going to ask for $2000 or $5000 - make sure that's what you actually need and give yourself a little wiggle room. It would suck if your projections were off and you had to ask for another $1000 to get the project finished, not to mention probably hurt your reputation.
I've heard that if you don't raise the necessary funds that they will be dispersed back to the people who donated, which is cool - but I've never heard what happens when you exceed the amount requested - like that Allison Weiss example you gave. Do you get to use those extra funds at your own discretion? Does it get refunded back after the target is hit? I'm sure this must be covered in the Kickstarter FAQ somewhere....
... no luck. Though I do see that it mentions that Kickstarter is for small projects of $5,000 or less - so I'm guessing that extra 2k that Allison earned was given back to the original donators?
6:09 pm
June 10, 2011
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I did some more research on Kickstarter, and I am going to give it a shot, but I am changing my initial approach. I am going to finish the recording and mastering first, then apply for funds to do the duplication.
To answer some of the questions....
1. Yes, there is a fee, but very reasonable. Kickstarter gets 5% of the final amount awarded, and Amazon Payments gets 3-5%, for a total of 8-10%. The fee is only charged if the money is actually awarded, there are no other fees involved.
2. The money is only awarded if the goal amount is reached. If you ask for $2000, and you only reach $1800, then no money is awarded. If you exceed your goal amount, it appears that you are able to use all the funds awarded! If you don't reach your goal, you can relist your request, and can also modify your request before relisting
3. Kickstarter is for small requests of $5000 or less
4. You must have a completion date for your project.
5. You need a specific goal. You can't just say "I want to make a CD sometime soon and I need money to go into a studio". It needs to be more specific such as "I have all the tracks for my new CD recorded and mixed, and I have ABC Studios ready to do the mastering. I plan on having the mastering done by 09/24/11, and be sent to XYZ Duplicators by 09/30/11. I need $XXXX to acomplish this.
6. You need to offer different levels of awards to your investors....Donate $10, get a CD, Donate $100 get named on the CD as a producer, Donate $1000 and I'll clean your mother in laws basement, etc
7. Your accountability is your reputation. If you have some sort of a trackable history such as past CD's or previously completed projects (kickstarter isn't just for musicians!), a good website that shows upcoming and past bookings, pretty much anything that shows potential investors that you are reliable, will follow through, and their investment will be going to a worthwhile purpose, then you stand a much better chance of being funded. For the most part, these donations are not tax deductable for the investors, so you have to do a very good job of selling your project. If you don't follow through, you will most likely be banned from Kickstarter and Amazon Payments. Also, there is the possibility of some legal issues involved, depending on what you promised.
There is a ton of more detailed info on the Kickstarter website. Here's the link to their info page: http://www.kickstarter.com/hel.....r%20basics
What would a jam session with Gordon Lightfoot, Collective Soul, and Damien Rice sound like?
Check out Greg Parke and you’ll have a pretty good idea!
7:50 pm
June 9, 2011
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The guys who recorded my last 2 albums (Milkboy studios Ardmore, PA) are involved with something called "Feed The Muse"
feethemuse.net
I'm not sure if this is similar but it seems to be.
Worth a look.
8:12 am
June 10, 2011
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I don't know if you've heard of Artist Share, but it sounds like a similar idea. It has a good track record, and my friend Julia Dollison did her last CD (Vertical Voices) that way. Incidentally, that album was nominated for a Grammy. Her main perk was letting the donor "join" the tracking sessions and share in special interviews with the composer and artists. It was a terrific project, and I want to do my next CD that way. Artist Share seems to have a bit more of a jazz/classical slant, but I think the concept is fabulous. What a great way to get fans involved and feel part of the process. I think it's a benefit to both artists and fans. It's kind of a throwback to the "patron" concept, which I think is where the music business is going, frankly.
5:08 am
June 7, 2011
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Thanks for sharing all the links guys. It's cool to hear how many programs are cropping up to offer artists funding. Reminds me of all the artistic grants that are out there, but without the politics and red tape.
Having trouble with your marketing? Wish you could have an experienced direct-to-fan marketing expert look over your actual campaigns, music, or content and offer feedback? Or perhaps you’re just looking for a little one-on-one assistance so you can ask questions that pertain to your specific goals and get a second, more experienced, perspective? Click here to book a session with me now.
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