Going The Distance

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Five Musical Theatre Songs Every Crowdfunder Should Listen To

1. The Muppets - Just One Person

There's a reason this song was one of Jim Henson's favourites. This is the basis of crowdfunding. And plus, it's Bernadette. AND the Muppets. And I LOVE the Muppets. Henson loved this song so much they even sang it at his memorial service. (Do not watch it if you do not have Kleenex handy. Seriously. You'll be destroyed. It will annihilate you with your tears)

We hope other people will stand alongside us and give us support and love. That is the essence of what the project is about.

2. [Title of Show] - Nine People's Favourite Thing

I'm Canadian. The 'u' stays. *stubborn*

I love these guys. They're so good at elaborating the creative process and making you cheer for them and their progress and their shows are just. So. Good.

Now these shows are not for everyone, but damn, when they work, they WORK!

All about being yourself in a modern age and knowing that there are people out there who will love it.

3. Now. Here. This. - The Golden Palace

Denser and more poetical than the other entrees on this list. The creative process is thick and dense and so full of stuffness that there is a crazy mess of love and thickness in the song all about Susan's father. I trust that this is more autobiographical than her other entrees and her story is fascinating.

The reason it's on the list is because it's so touching. It's so big and crazy and so full of love and emotion and accepting yourself as a creative man or woman. It's all about the people who came before us and that we stand on the shoulders of creative giants.

We honour them. We create. And we keep moving forwards.

When we crowdfund this is what we are hoping to reach for.

It's long, but OH SO WORTH IT.

( To Heidi. Jeff. Hunter. Susan. - Thanks for making great art)

4. Wicked. For Good.

I'm not going to link to a video. You know this song if you know anything about musicals in the past ten (oh god twelve- years)

F

FF

FFFine. Here's Kristin singing it with Anna.

Crowdfunding changes you. It exposes you. It makes you angry. It makes you hopeful. You leave every campaign with new revelations. New insights. Friends will come forward and stand with you in an incredible way. Other friends (and family!) Who you are counting on will not come and stand with you. You'll look at them differently. It will change your outlook on so many people. But when it all turns out badly.

(PS- Where's the Idina duet with Kristin? No idea. And is Anna Kendrick in everything now? I mean my god man)

5. Last 5 Years - Climbing Uphill

You're not auditioning. But you are. If you think you aren't - if you think this will be an easy Facebook post and you'll make millions, you are mistaken.

You are not Zach Braff. You are not Veronica Mars. You are not Potato Salad. (And if you are, hi guys!) You are a project. You have a vision and you have a project and you have nothing.

You are auditioning for countless people that you don't know.

And of that, maybe about 5% of them will respond to you and what you're doing.

Crowdfunding is a giant audition. Make sure you're camera ready.

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Standing Naked

Crowdfunding is a lot like standing naked in front of everyone and hoping for good things. Contrary to popular belief it is not easy. It is an agonizing process of going to your friends and family with your head down and your hands out and praying that the people you talk to, interact with, Facebook with, will like your idea enough to want to see it for themselves.

What a ridiculous idea. It's hard enough convincing people to come out and see a movie with well established actors, and big budgets. Trying to get people to pay attention to something, to watch something, to invest in something...

This project has drained me to an incredible extent. I've already worked harder on it than I have for any project I have ever experienced before. But man is it exciting.

While the Kickstarter is going I will remain bathed in mediocre thoughts and flip-flopping emotions that run the gambit from angst akin to what a bullied preteen feels before going to school, to bone-shaking eagerness, to cautious optimism.

I have no idea what the future holds for this project, and for us as a company, but I'm hopeful. I'm actually feeling hopeful with everything.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/779111319/distance-a-modern-canadian-musical-film

[cantstandsittingtoronto-blog]

Anti Social Network

Big thanks to my friend for pointing this out.  Love good poetry. 

[cantstandsittingtoronto-blog]

Creating in the modern age

When designing a movie around the idea of relationships, it should come as no surprise that I find myself re examining so many of mine this holiday season. It's been a tumultuous year with so many ups and downs, of mini break throughs and personal challenges, with love and loss, and saying a few too many final good byes for my liking. I've fought for this project with a dedication that has never fully gone into my work before. Sure I've worked hard for things before, but this challenge is unlike anything I have ever pursued before. I remember reading a poster when I was young and feeling offended by the message. "Creativity only has power when it is focused". Now I know all too well the truth behind this statement. As I hone in on this vision, everything about it becomes more clear. How I want it to look. How I want it to sound. How I want it to feel, and the emotions I want to elicit from my audience. How will this shot look? How will this add to the themes? Costuming? Lighting? What are these strange things? And with this newfound focus, I find myself treating my real life the same way. What are these people bringing to my life? Do we interact at all or are we simply facebook friends there to bolster our numbers? Over the past week I've deleted over 100 people from my facebook, but it is not because I don't love them, or don't wish them well, it is simply because I want my facebook to be a reflection of my real life relationships. I kept the people who I interact with and who I believe wish to grow closer to me in the next year as we develop a closer and deeper friendship. A friend of mine wrote on her wall how it seems like she's never had a friendship like the ones you see in Harry Potter, or Friends, or any of those sitcoms. And the truth is I doubt very few of us ever have. The nature of our relationships has changed and how we interact as friends is so, so different than it was five, ten, twenty years ago. Add to this an ever increasing shift towards digital interaction, and it seems like the very nature of relationships is changing. In this coming time, I seek to encourage real relationships. I want to foster growth and creativity in my friends, and support them in their endeavours in a way I haven't before. I want to be a friend who you can rely on, and grow with and talk to. Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but when I hug someone, I mean it. I think a hug is the closest you can get to having two souls connect. Maybe the world is moving too fast now, but maybe, just maybe, relationships can still exist like they used to. This is what I hope my project inspires. This is the connection I want to see more in our lives. Matti is currently funding his new project, DISTANCE, on Kickstarter. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/779111319/distance-a-modern-canadian-musical-film

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Things I've learned doing crowd funding (BADLY)

Over the course of three years, I have been a part of six crowd funding campaigns. To of these six, one was successful. Here's some of the things I've learned along the way. The people who help you out, aren’t the people you expect (The people you want to help you out likely won't) Number one: the most surprising thing about launching a Kickstarter or indiegogo is that the people who you expect will be the ones who will support you, usually are not the ones who rally around your project. So often we make the mistake that just because we are doing something, we automatically assume that those closest to us will be on board for our fundraising endeavours. Sadly, usually this is not the case. You have to assume that primarily no one cares about your project, and let yourself be surprised when someone comes on board and decides to join you and your vision. You can’t guilt people into action Number Two: No one likes a guilt trip, and yelling at people to do things rarely results in a good action. Forcing someone to do something isn't fun and encourages negativity towards your project, and towards you. It's very possible to lose yourself in the project and think, "oh my god! This is my everything! Why aren't you helping me?" And the answer to that is sadly simple. No one cares the way you do and they owe you nothing Number Three: This is your project. It is your baby. No one else cares about your baby the same way you do. Think back to when your friends were getting pregnant. If my facebook feed is anything to be believed, right now roughly every woman I ever knew has six kids, and while I love my friends and appreciate their adorable minions, the bond they have to them is far different from the bond I have to them. It's not fair for you to assume that they'll love your project with the same maniacal devotion that you have for it. They won't. They don't. And some, no matter how much they like you, simply won't care. Which brings us to the second part- just because your friends care for your well being, doesn't mean they'll give two shits about what you've created. Many of them have their own projects and agendas and can't be bothered to help you with an artistic project. It doesn't matter if you've supported them in the past, or helped them move, or took them out for coffee- you can't let yourself think that they owe you anything or you're in for a world of hurt and disappointment. The best you can do is make them aware of the project, and if they choose to come on board and help you out, then you treat them like gold instead of scolding them for something they didn't do. Lulls are natural and going crazy is normal Number Four: My last KS campaign got off to a fairly decent start, but I made many mistakes in he he first 24 hours. One, I got discouraged. Two, I depended too much on other people without lining up a proper plan first. Three, I gave up. When you give up on the first day of a crowd funding campaign, it immediately becomes evident that something is wrong. If you don't believe in your piece, that doubt will be contagious and you'll repel more people than you attract. Now just because you have something that is popular, doesn't mean that you'll be getting a donation every minute. Lulls between donations can vary from one an hour, to one a day, to even one a week. The important thing to consider is that you are constantly trying to get the project under as many eyes as you can. The more people who see it, the more people who you can potentially interest on the project. It is a job and you will likely lose friends over this Number Five: I have people I was super close to who now refuse to talk to me over crowd funding campaigns. And that hurts, especially for projects that didn't even pan out in the end. In the end, the fault is mine because I went about crowd funding the wrong way. This process is stressful, and crazy, and requires a hell of a lot of work that at the time, I simply wasn't prepared for. I miss the people I lost, a lot, but in the future I plan on doing things better, bolder and more efficiently. Hopefully I'll be able to take you along for the ride. Now if anyone wants to know where I've gone over the Christmas holidays, just let them know I've disappeared into my computer and won't be returning until I've emerged victorious, once and for all. If you wish to support our current project, we've just gone live: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/779111319/distance-a-modern-canadian-musical-film Thanks for being awesome.