Of Lovers and Uplifters of the Dream
A Tip o’ the Hat to the Heralds of the Message and Messengers!
REFLECTIONS ON RUNNING A CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
Coming off of our unsuccessful campaign to fund our upcoming Stephen King adaptation from page to screen, I found a few lessons learned along the way. Some were new, some were not so much, but all were reinforced. Repeatedly.
Either way, I thought I would share them here so that others might benefit, or even commiserate, whatever the case may be.
1) TIME IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE (NO IT AIN’T)
This is a full time gig. Even if you are not doing it well, and not meeting your goal. You are still investing A LOT of time and effort that may or may not “pay off” depending on your circumstances and how you rate success or failure.
Knowing that going in probably wouldn’t have changed too much, but it would have been nice. Because I just wasn’t prepared for how taxing on my time it would be for its duration.
2) ALGORITHMS CAN EAT A D
Without the benefit of extra capital on the front end to ensure sponsorships of postings and such, getting eyes on your posts, and in turn your campaign, is very hit and miss.
You are at the cursed whims of the algorithms, and then it’s virtually anybody’s “guess” as to whether it will end up in the right feeds and get noticed by your circles or not.
3) TIMING ISN’T EVERYTHING, BUT IT’S A THING
When you launch and run your campaign, especially in regards to the circle you are trying to influence and get noticed by, that window matters. It may not be the first consideration you make, but it needs to be on the list.
If there are other events, holidays, or campaigns happening in conjunction with yours, then you might run into a split audience. Those who want to support multiple projects, but within the windows of opportunity presented, find they only have means to support one.
It’s unfortunate, but it happens. So try to be strategic.
4) YOUR RATIO OF SUPPORTERS TO SPAMMERS COULD BE 1:1 (or worse)
I like spam as much as the next. If we are talking about the Monty Python sketch. But if we are talking about unsolicited bot messages promising to trade dollar for donor then, no. I am not a fan. And again, was not ready.
I know it’s a thing, a market unto its own and all that, but Jeebus Chrysler on a Cracker Jacks pack I was not expecting that! The level of spam to jam up my DMs was redonk to the nth degree.
And most were as unsubtle as other unfriendly, unsolicited messages one might expect to find in their inboxes, those of a more phallic nature. But don’t worry, the “dick energy” will be brought.
5) …
and this is the most important…
THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL AND AMAZING PEOPLE SUPPORTING AND SUSTAINING THE DREAMERS!
And this is a magical and magnificent thing!
Because, as we know from so many examples throughout time and from within our own generational reaches, “the dream” whatever form it takes or however it is fashioned by the hands of each its handlers, means everything.
It not only sustains the dreamers themselves, but the rest of us too. We are all sated by the dreams that get shared. So we owe such a special thanks, a perpetual nod of appreciation, to those who support the dreamers.
And “the dream.” That everlasting flicker and fire of hope eternal.
FOR THE LOVERS AND UPLIFTERS OF THE DREAM
This world would be such a bleak and despair ridden wasteland without those dreaming of, and seeing the world in a different way. Those who challenge us to review (and either renew or redirect) our points of view.
No matter the scope or scale of “the dream” one possesses, the act of having that dream in a world decidedly structured and purposely designed against that act, makes it important. Makes it an act of daring and a necessary pursuit.
So those who dream with us, and whom help carry us to our goals are such important threads in the fabric of humanity and in our journeys as artists, that I felt them deserving of a post that spotlights those who make it all possible.
For no amount of praise and admiration directed their way would ever be enough to show how vital they are to the arts and the artists. To the message and its messengers. To us as a community. To me as an artist and individual.
Always love. Always gratitude.
Running the campaign reaffirmed that over everything else. That the lovers of the dream, have the biggest and brightest of hearts imaginable. Their love of the crafts and of creation are such that they can see endless seas of potential. And that is a wonderful way to see.
And the uplifters of the dream, those who raise the very steps we use to climb to our objective, without whom we would have such a harder time reaching our goals, their faith and courage instill us with more of each of our own.
It was a challenging time this last month and a half, but it was endlessly inspiring.
