By Lauri Neff
NEW YORK (AP) --Sometimes not knowing what you're doing with social media pays off. It did — literally — for the filmmakers behind "Behind Still Waters," an indie movie that was funded through one of the more successful Kickstarter campaigns.
First-time director Chris Lowell says he and co-writer Mohit Narang were so "inept" when it came to social media they needed help just setting up Facebook accounts and figuring out how to Tweet.
"I actually think in hindsight that gave us a huge advantage," says Lowell, who is best known for playing Stosh "Piz" Piznarski in the "Veronica Mars" TV series and film.
"I didn't realize that it was unusual to respond to every single Tweet I got or Facebook post," he says. "I think that personal connection, I think it became very evident to people that Mo and I, we weren't phoning it in, that we were really giving ourselves over to the campaign."
The filmmakers raised $207,061 in crowd-funding, more than three times the $63,021 they set out to obtain, making it the 13th most successful Kickstarter campaign ever.
The film, about a young man struggling for closure after the sudden death of his parents, opens in limited release in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday and on VOD Nov. 18.
Lowell says it certainly helped being in the "Veronica Mars" film, which was made after an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign last year. "There's a huge support network for 'Veronica Mars' that definitely contributed to the campaign."
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More