The next Spike Lee joint will be a Kickstarter production.
Following in the footsteps of โVeronica Marsโ and Zach Braff, Lee has launched an online campaign to help fund his next feature film. The Brooklyn filmmaker on Monday unveiled his bid to raise $1.25 million over the next month using the fundraising site Kickstarter.
Lee offered few details on the film, but said it would be about โthe addiction of blood.โ
The 56-year-old director said he was inspired to crowd-source the film after hearing from a student of his that the โVeronica Marsโ movie raised $5.7 million on Kickstarter, and Braffโs film pulled in $3.1 million. Said Lee in a video posted on his Kickstarter page: โWhen I heard about that, I said, โOh, snap!'โ
Though filmmakers including David Fincher have been involved with Kickstarter projects, Lee, the director of โDo the Right Thingโ and โMalcolm Xโ is easily the most established filmmaker yet to use the service to raise money for a feature. His remake of the 2003 South Korean thriller โOldboyโ is to be released in October.
Kickstarter, which takes a percentage of donations, has found both supporters enamored by the ability to circumvent the usual means of film production, and critics who call it digital panhandling and lament that backers, unlike typical film investors, get no cut of any eventual grosses.
In a video message, Lee said the current climate is difficult an independent filmmakers and the only way to insure your vision gets on screen โis when you bring the money to the table.โ
โSuper Heroes, Comic Books, 3-D Special EFX, Blowing up the Planet Nine Times and Fly through the Air while Transforming is not my Thang,โ wrote Lee. โTo me itโs not just that these Films are being made but it seems like these are the only films getting made.โ
Contribution levels range up to $10,000, which earns a trip with Lee to a New York Knicks game in his courtside seats.
โDo you wish to see Human Beings dealing with each other on a Human Level?โ implored Lee. โHow many more explosions with Ear splitting Sound Effects can you take? Cโmon People, please get behind this Joint.โ
Director Sebastian Brune Joins Storyform For His 1st U.S. Commercial Representation
Production and development company Storyform has added filmmaker Sebastian Brune to its roster for his first U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
The Berlin-based photographer and director started his career as an art director for the German basketball brand KIX, creative director for DEF, and creative producer for car-sharing company ShareNow. He later became a freelancer, working with brands like Volkswagen and Nike. His ability to shoot street culture led him to work with Adidas, Puma, and Cupra. Bruneโs talents as a photographer and filmmaker quickly made him a highly sought-after commercial collaborator, directing spots for brands including New Balance, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Prada, Red Bull, Harperโs Bazaar, and Under Armour, among many others. His short documentaries โOcean Front Walkโ and โWay Outโ artfully depict streetball and skateboarding culture in Los Angeles and have been screened at museums worldwide.
Bruneโs immersive storytelling sensibilities are drawn from the creativity and authenticity of urban culture. Influenced by rap music, graffiti, basketball, and the bold visuals of โ90s commercials and films, Brune adds an elevated cinematic vocabulary to his daring and naturalistic visuals, capturing the rougher edges of reality. Brune sees films as critical to inspiring new perspectives and processing new, deeper ideas.
โBeyond Storyformโs proven success as a leading production company, what truly resonates with me is their creative vision and approach to storytelling,โ said Brune. โFrom my first conversation, I felt understood and supported on a level beyond business. It was about shared passion and perspective. Their wealth of experience, remarkable talent, and invaluable guidance... Read More