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Spike Lee Using Kickstarter to Raise $1.25 Million for Film

For a script about "BLOOD" and "SEX" with no title. In fact Indiewire doesn't even think he has a script. Of course he's already making headlines all over about it...
 
You know small people with dreams keep getting crushed by industry people.. If he would make great films that people want to see he wouldn't need kick start or its hype to get everyone on it so they can take you to the bank.
 
Maybe he could use his own fortune to finance his movies ? On the other hand, in America you can call yourself lucky, here in France it's the State, which means the taxes of the people who are obliged to work, which finances the hobbies of a small family.

Kristin
 
Tony Harris said:
You know small people with dreams keep getting crushed by industry people.. If he would make great films that people want to see he wouldn't need kick start or its hype to get everyone on it so they can take you to the bank.
Click to expand...

You presume a lot.

How does Spike crush the little guy by using Kickstarter? He's just another guy making films after all. Why should he NOT use it? Why would he be different from anyone else? Should his history of being able to get larger interests to bankroll some of his films preclude him from taking advantage of Kickstarter?

You suppose that he NEEDS Kickstarter to make his film. Maybe he does, and maybe he doesn't. Can you imagine any other reasons why he might be trying this route? Could complete autonomy have anything to do with it? Do you suppose it might be nice to have that control and none of the financial risk?

That circumstance could yield some very interesting films... films that Hollywood is incapable of making. It could be just what cinema needs. Spread the risk around and enable bold statements.

You go on Spike. Blaze a trail.

One more question for you: If nobody is interested in Spike's films, just who is pledging all of this money anyway?
 
In my opinion I don't event know how he keeps getting to make movies, in my opinion one of the most overrated directors. that is just my opinion though.
 
Kristin Stewart said:
Maybe he could use his own fortune to finance his movies ? On the other hand, in America you can call yourself lucky, here in France it's the State, which means the taxes of the people who are obliged to work, which finances the hobbies of a small family.

Kristin
Click to expand...


Kristin-- I'm not sure if I'm living in the America you are referring to, but our taxes also go to to pay for the hobbies of a small set of individuals/corporations. Its one of the best parts of living and working in this great nation!
 
What you can say he needs to go this route to get funding because from memory Spike Lee isnt into giant robots, aliens with 'world weapons", ninja fights, super heros, thumping big music scores......oh & lots of explosions.
 
I'm a big fan of 25th Hour. Great film. As much as I like and dislike Kickstarter for some of the same reasons and I want to see Spike make another film that I enjoyed watching as much as 25th hour, the fact that there is only financial opportunity involved for the filmmaker and not the investors and that celebrities like Spike are using that to their advantage feels a bit dishonest no matter what the law is that prohibits financial gain for the investors ie you. There is no accountability in the Kickstarter system and that's disheartening. Say what you will but we have become an industry of begging more than ever and Kickstarter is just a loophole in a system that deserves accountability. Otherwise this business becomes no different from the crooks on WallStreet.
 
mikeburton said:
I'm a big fan of 25th Hour. Great film. As much as I like and dislike Kickstarter for some of the same reasons and I want to see Spike make another film that I enjoyed watching as much as 25th hour, the fact that there is only financial opportunity involved for the filmmaker and not the investors and that celebrities like Spike are using that to their advantage feels a bit dishonest no matter what the law is that prohibits financial gain for the investors ie you. There is no accountability in the Kickstarter system and that's disheartening. Say what you will but we have become an industry of begging more than ever and Kickstarter is just a loophole in a system that deserves accountability. Otherwise this business becomes no different from the crooks on WallStreet.
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+1 100%
 
Just watched his Kickstarter video.

How sad...

No concept. No stars. No script. Nothing about the story. He spends most of the time talking about how one of his NYU students turned him onto the idea after Braff and Veronica Mars were successful. I've never liked Spike's movies and this makes me despise him even more. This trend of celebrities financing their movies via Kickstarter is sad -
 
Scott Crawley said:
You presume a lot.

How does Spike crush the little guy by using Kickstarter? He's just another guy making films after all. Why should he NOT use it? Why would he be different from anyone else? Should his history of being able to get larger interests to bankroll some of his films preclude him from taking advantage of Kickstarter?

You suppose that he NEEDS Kickstarter to make his film. Maybe he does, and maybe he doesn't. Can you imagine any other reasons why he might be trying this route? Could complete autonomy have anything to do with it? Do you suppose it might be nice to have that control and none of the financial risk?

That circumstance could yield some very interesting films... films that Hollywood is incapable of making. It could be just what cinema needs. Spread the risk around and enable bold statements.

You go on Spike. Blaze a trail.

One more question for you: If nobody is interested in Spike's films, just who is pledging all of this money anyway?
Click to expand...

Agree, Think this will open up and push larger studios in a good direction. When distribution gets changed as well then it's a completely new game all together.
Making a movie for a major studio is not like making "your movie" it's actually far more like making "their movie". So no matter if he can get the cash someplace else I doubt that he can get them with such a small promise as mentioning that there will be both drugs and sex in the film. He does not need to have the shit actors that the studios normally push upon him, he does not really need to deliver anything at all, he can work under minimal pressure and interference from executive producers etc... So for that reason I do not see why not every director throws a kickstarter. The only reason for not doing it is that it's like begging in public. But believe me before you make your first feature you normally have to do quite a bit of just that even if it's not in public.
 
To summarize the desenting opinions: he's a celebrity so he shouldn't use Kickstarter to make a movie, but his Kickstarted movie may have no celebrities so it must suck.

Does that mean that all Kicksterter movies suck and as a rule should suck?
 
Spike Lee has an estimated net worth of $40 million.

Why spend your own money when you can spend the public's and get an awesome dinner and court side tickets with Spike at a Knicks game for $10K
 
Rick Darge said:
Spike Lee has an estimated net worth of $40 million.

Why spend your own money when you can spend the public's and get an awesome dinner and court side tickets with Spike at a Knicks game for $10K
Click to expand...

That's pretty funny right there.

Which of his early movies did he go to Michael Jordan and Madonna for finishing funds? Was it She's Gotta Have It?

Even with 40 mil, there are only so many little films you are going to make before you drain the pool. Maybe he is just testing Kickstarter as a viable, ongoing, career method for getting small films made... By anyone.

How exciting would it be if someone could show that it is possible to make a series of films or even an entire, successful career in film making by raising all of your funds this way? It's a total pipe dream!

Is Roger Corman on Kickstarter yet? :-)
 
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Rick Darge said:
Spike Lee has an estimated net worth of $40 million.
Click to expand...

Where did you get this information from Rick ?

He talks on Kick starter like he's just another struggling film maker. ? scratching around for 1.25 ? ... If he was 40mil up then a 1.25 investment in your self is nothing.
2 things come out of that rant on kick starter,

1... yes he's just another struggling film maker searching the world for finance or kick-starter money. Becuase he aint got it himself, or hates to use is own money or hasn't got it to spend it.
2... He doesn't believe in his own work being a profitable overall outcome.. or he would invest his own money on his future.

Most times when someone tells me what they are worth, I usually divide that number by 7 , then halve that number again.

He's been around, he created some great work over the years, he deserves every cent he can find.
All the power to him though... I wish him luck... I wish anyone wanting to do a film luck, Its a tough game.

We have the money to make our film, but the distribution deals we are getting are so one sided.. Swimming with the sharks is never a good idea.
 
I'm going to start a Kickstarter campaign about making a film about how Mark is going to be testing the Dragon Epic. I hope to get enough funds to buy a Dragon Epic to actually shoot this amazing film. That way Mark can shoot the behind the scenes too using his Dragon to film my Dragon. Oh forget it... this is sounding like Looper.
 
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