I want to start by saying that I’m not a Zach Braff fan. I
didn’t like Garden State, and I liked scrubs insofar as it was a funny ensemble
piece that he wasn’t necessarily the funniest member of. This disclaimer comes
at the risk of derailing what I’m about to say, but I have to say it in the
interests of disclosure.
With that in mind, understand this: I do not think Zach Braff is a bad person for trying to use Kickstarter
to fund his new movie. I think he
is well within his rights to do so, and a lot of people were happy to
contribute. Adults can use their money however they like, it’s true, and they
clearly have voted with their wallets here. Sure, he could have funded it some
other way, but he chose Kickstarter and nobody was killed as a result.
All fine. Dandy.
None of these things are reasons why we should be worried
about the Garden State Kickstarter.
The real reason is to do with exploitation, and greed, the
inevitable corporatisation of a process that is supposed to be for unknowns and
passionate creation engines to get their otherwise impossible ideas off the
ground.
Point One – Barriers to
Access Ensure Quality
There’s a reason why it’s hard to get a film made and
distributed. It’s the same reason that it’s hard to get a book published, or
that it’s hard to get your band noticed, or it’s hard to get a gallery showing
of your art. That is; cinemas and publishing houses and record labels and
galleries have a reputation for producing and distributing a quality product,
and throwing open the gates is no way to ensure the audience gets that.
Take a look at YouTube as a fine example. It’s a prime
exemplar of what happens when the barriers to entry are lowered to nil. You can
find some absolute gems in amongst the sea of total crap, but it is a swamp
through which we must wade. It’s like trying to find your soul mate on
chatroulette, but having to power through millions of fat, hairy, naked men
first. You could do it, if you were persistent and lucky, but most people won’t.
And so, YouTube is a fine enough platform for its purpose: allowing people to
upload whatever they like, occasionally make something thought-provoking, and
generally exist as its own entity
Kickstarter is worrisome for the film industry because it
lowers the barriers to entry a whole lot. Great filmmakers are forged in a
gauntlet of red tape, studio interference, the constant threat of cancellation
and contract binning...it’s a crucible. It’s the kind of thing that only a very
passionate and very talented type of person could survive through and still
produce a quality product. Those that really don’t have the drive or energy to
tough it out are weeded out in the process. What you end up with is someone who
knows how to tackle adversity and still get things done. You get a filmmaker,
is what I mean.
Kickstarter is a means for people who otherwise wouldn’t
have dealt with that kind of pressure to circumvent it and produce whatever
film they want. They are not answerable to anyone for the end result. There is
absolutely nothing to stop them
knocking off a shit pile and calling it a day. They’re not required to test
themselves, to make cuts and sacrifices. They just do it, without bumping into
any strong opposition. It’s a lot like circumventing the editor to put out your
own e-book because that mean old lady with a red pen kept criticising your
passive voice
Kickstarter was meant
to be used by those for whom the process of raising money is the gauntlet, not the way to avoid it. Kickstarter’s own test of
a filmmakers mettle is in their persistence in trying to raise the money from
scratch, not by default receive more money than they could possibly know what
to do with. It will not result in better films. It will result in something
similar to amazon’s .99c e-book store, but with movies. That’s not necessarily
a bad thing, but it’s not that great, either. It will mean an influx in film
quantity at the expense of quality.
I think that’s the opposite effect that Kickstarter wants to
have on the world.
Point Two –
Exploitation of Crowdfunding
People get extremely excited about the possibilities of
Kickstarter. I don’t blame them. It has the potential to bring a lot of
projects to life that otherwise would never exist. But if it’s used in this
manner—to raise enough money to rival large film projects on sheer force of
celebrity charisma—then I think we need to be prepared for the inevitable
integration of Kickstarter into the film funding model.
Hollywood will not be the least interested party in what
goes on with this Garden State Kickstart. If it’s successful, and yet more
celebrities come along and generate enough cash to make their own projects, the
studios will catch on.
I foresee a future whereby any film project (perhaps other
than the AAA summer blockbusters) that is presented before a studio is subject
to a quota of crowfunding cash that has to be presented up front. Kind of a
means test to see if the film will be popular enough before it’s made. A way
for Hollywood to mitigate its costs and get people to pay for the films they
see twice. It is a super, super sweet deal for the studios, and I can’t see a
way around it.
It’s been pointed out to me that Kickstarter would never
allow their platform to be used in such a way, to which I respond: who says it
has to be Kickstarter? Hollywood is perfectly able to create its own
crowdfunding model that it can direct its potential filmmakers to use. A
crowdfunding platform that would go directly to the coffers of the studios, no
less.
Imagine it. Anyone with a twitter account and a desire to
make a film becomes a begger. People will be beset by an endless tsunami of
Kickstarter requests. Remember the online petition fad that still hasn’t
completely died? Remember how annoying it was that you signed one petition and
were then inundated by scores of
emails asking you to sign different petitions? Remember how annoying that was? Now imagine it with
Kickstarter. Your favourite celebrities asking you for money every other day to
get their projects off the ground, because that’s the only way to get a movie
made anymore.
It’s not a good thought. And if you can’t imagine it
happening, you need to look beyond the end of your nose. If someone in each
major studio hasn’t already thought of this, they will very soon.
Point Three –
Populist Saturation
Finally, here’s the worst problem.
Open up film making to Kickstarter and the cult of celebrity
will dictate which films get made and which ones don’t. Thoughtful independent
projects that make poignant and valuable contributions to the world will be
skipped over in favour of Kim Kardashian’s next big high-heels-and-makeup romp.
Dane Cook will become an auteur of comedy by virtue of his massive following.
One Direction and Justin Bieber will dominate the entire record industry by
virtue of the Kickstarters they decide to endorse.
Twitter is a good proxy. Take a look at all the thousands of
truly thoughtful, smart, independent and self-made contributors to the
Twittersphere exist. There are a lot of them, and they each of them possess the
potential to change the world with their ideas, wit and communication. All of
that gives way, however, in proportion to how much of a celebrity the twitterer
is in real life. Imagine that! Turns out that online or off, your popularity is
largely determined by the amount of people who think you’re pretty, hot, fuckable,
or sometimes, in the minority, funny.
It’s not merit-based at all. It’s facile. Shallow.
There will be no room for the initial intention of
Kickstarter – to bring the talented but needy into play. To create an
environment in which niche and independent productions are celebrated and
rewarded.
We’ll be living in a world where the popular become more
popular while quality of independent production slips further and further away.
The irony being that, as in real life, the word ‘democracy’ is used to describe
this process of a widening gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’.
Back to Zach...
I don’t think Zach Braff is a bad person. I don’t think that
he is looking to gouge people. I don’t think he has any malicious intentions or
is trying to exploit Kickstarter. But I do
think he is showing people how to exploit it. And I do think it will lead to a
general lessening of filmmaking quality in the years to come.
It’s a shame, in a way, that this whole argument has gotten
swept up in a war over whether or not Zach Braff is a nice guy. All of the
commentary I’ve heard about it has either been to personally attack Braff or to
viciously defend him. As I said, I’m not his biggest fan, but I don’t for a
moment imagine that this is all about him. His Kickstarter is done. He has his
money. He’ll make his film.
This is about something bigger, though. And I’m not quite
sure how we’re going to put the brakes onto the process that these Kickstarters
have...kickstarted.
Mark this blog post in your memory, though. When the first
reports of requisite crowdfunding quotas come out of hollywood, and internet
forums the world over go up in arms? Link them here. Called it.
An Obligatory ‘I
Could Be Wrong’...
By the way, I’m no insider. I’m no economist. I don’t have
any qualification or basis for this other than what I’ve seen and what I’ve
extrapolated in my head. If I’m wrong, so be it. Be sure to tell me so in the
comments. Link a bunch of other people here to tell me I’m wrong. If we’re
going to have the conversation, let’s do it right, and let’s focus it on
something other than Zach Braff.
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