A Kickstarter "SouthLAnd" Movie Pitch Video

First of all, I would like to apologize.  I know I keep going on and on and on about this "SouthLAnd" movie.  And that would be one thing if I actually had any credentials in the movie-making field.  As it is, though, I'm probably driving you all nuts.  So sorry. :(

Anyway, this should be my last post on the subject.  I don't really think I can do anymore from here in my bedroom.  Then I'll go back to posting about my other "fields of expertise" -- religion and politics.  Oh, yeah -- and mom stuff.  And tales from the "hippie era".

So, as promised the other day, here are some ideas for -->

A KICKSTARTER PITCH VIDEO (a.k.a. the video that will get the fans to open their wallets):

I have noticed, over the years, that people are very reluctant to open their wallets.  For anything.  Even for stuff they believe in.  A lot of this is very legitimate.  People don't generally have much disposable income, especially these days.  But, some of the problem is that they are not sufficiently inspired.  They need a little fire lit under their rear ends.  How do we ignite that conflagration?

To me, there are four ingredients to this recipe:

     1.  The Product/Story:  The fans have to be confident that the "SouthLAnd" movie will make all their dreams come true -- their dreams for the overall story and their dreams for the characters.  Maybe this is a slight exaggeration, but I think it's basically accurate.  I am not much of a Bible quoter -- because I am a Catholic and everybody knows that we Catholics don't know our Bible quotes -- but there is one I would like to mention here.  It is Jeremiah 29:11-13 -- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  I think this quote goes to the core of our human nature, to the core of our hearts.  It encompasses what we desire for ourselves and those we care about.  It sums up our hope for humanity.  And, frankly, it addresses what I think many, many people want to see in a story.  We are willing to go through ups and downs and ups and downs with the characters.  We are willing to see them flail and suffer and fall.  But, if they are characters we care about, we hope to end the story with at least a little hope for their futures, for their proverbial salvation, if you will.  I think, then, that any Kickstarter pitch video should address this hope of the fans.  At least, I think it is the hope of the fans, based on what I've experienced.  Nobody wants to see Cooper dead or Ben dooming himself to a life of existential despair.  (Just my two cents here.  But, I think it could help to bring in the $$$.)

     2.  Passion:  The pitch video has to express very clearly the passion possessed by those who will ultimately create it.  A good example of the type of passion I am speaking of is expressed in the Kickstarter pitch video of Scout Tufankjian, creator of The Armenian Diaspora Project.  She is an absolutely delightful woman, whose pitch video just wants to make you empty your bank account and mail her a great big check.  Go watch it and you will see what I mean.  But, save a little money for the "SouthLAnd" movie, okay?

     3.  Achievability:  The goal of the Kickstarter campaign -- the amount of money to be raised -- must be actually achievable.  We need to study our numbers (in terms of project budget, show ratings, potential number of donors, donor demographics) in order to come up with a goal (in dollar terms) that is actually doable.  And the fan-base being counted upon to donate needs to be convinced (not in a con-artist type of way, of course; but, in an honest way) that the goal is attainable.  I hate asking people, who are already probably struggling to make ends meet and fund their 401k's, to commit to making a donation if the campaign is going to end up failing.  That's just too much of an emotional roller-coaster ride for anybody to take in this post-economic-crash world, especially if those people are fans who just love "SouthLAnd" the way many of us do.

     4.  Name/Brand Recognition:  The individuals actually on-camera in the Kickstarter pitch video need to be identified closely with the show.  The executive producers/creators and lead actors come to mind here, of course.  Other possibilities are people who wrote and directed particularly memorable episodes. 

Thank-you again for your utmost patience and kind attention.  It's just that it really gets to me when I see how excited the fans become every time there is an interview or article mentioning the possibility of a "SouthLAnd" movie.  I would really love to see it happen, and I'm willing to do whatever I can to help it along.  Except go on Facebook.  I hate Facebook. 

I'll send this along to the usual suspects.

So, here's to a "SouthLAnd" movie!  And here's to it happening before Ben McKenzie gets too old to leap from rooftop to rooftop.  ;-)