Veronica Mars
Short synopsis: Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown - just in time for her high school reunion - in order to help her old boyfriend Logan Echolls, who's embroiled in a murder mystery. Veronica Mars is a American neo-noir mystery comedy-drama movie. It is sequel, film adaptation based on Thomas' UPN/CW television series of the same name (2004-2007). The movie is co-written, produced, and directed by Rob Thomas and co-written with Diane Ruggiero. Kristen Bell has role as the title character. Its executive producers are Joel Silver, Bell, and Jenny Hinkey. Warner Bros. Pictures opened the film in the United States theatrically and on video-on-demand on March 14, 2014.
Campaign success
This project was successfully funded on April 13, 2013. on Kickstarter. It had 91,585 backers. They pledged $5,702,153 of $2,000,000 goal. The movie earned on Box office $3.5 million.
The series was never a hit TV show and it was canceled after 3 seasons, in 2007. Rob Thomas wrote a feature film script continuing the storyline, but at the time Warner Bros didn't want to fund the project. Rob tweeted that if fans would pledge $2 million by 11 p.m. April 12, Warner Bros would put into production a “Veronica Mars” movie. The film would get a limited theatrical release early next year, and the studio would foot the bills for marketing, promotion and distribution. Thomas and Kristen Bell launched on March 13, 2013, a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, offering various rewards to those who donate. They have created a video for a campaign and Bell, Thomas, Enrico Colantoni, Ryan Hansen, and Jason Dohring appeared in it. Thomas used Twitter to promote a campaign. He tweeted excitedly:
"The record time to $1M on Kickstarter is 7 hours. Can we top that? Can we make it there in 5? $80K to go!"
The campaign hit $1 million at 3:06 p.m. Eastern time — just four hours after it was launched, setting a Kickstarter record.
Fastest project to reach $1 million. Fastest project to reach $2 million. All-time highest-funded project in FILM category. Third highest-funded project in Kickstarter history. Most project backers of any project in Kickstarter history.
The aim of campaign, to persuade Warner Bros (it owned the rights) – that there is demand for the film, was fulfilled. Rob Thomas wrote:
"I suppose we could fail in spectacular fashion."
But they didn't.
Awards for donors
This campaign contains interesting and motivational awards for donors. It is probably also one of the main reasons of project success. It is important good to write and to explain what you get for your money. Here are some most interesting ones.
Pledge $1 or more
eternal gratitude, plus you'll receive exclusive backer updates throughout the production.
Pledge $10 or more
pdf of the shooting script on the day of the movie’s release. Additionally, you will receive regular updates and behind-the-scenes scoop throughout the fundraising and movie making process.
Pledge $25 or more
limited-edition “Veronica Mars - The Movie” T-shirt available only to Kickstarter backers.Plus the pdf of the shooting script and you will receive regular updates and behind-the-scenes scoop throughout the fundraising and movie making process.
Pledge $35 or more
You will receive a digital version of the movie within a few days of the movie’s theatrical debut, plus the T-shirt, plus the pdf of the shooting script. Naturally, you will also receive regular updates and behind-the-scenes scoop throughout the fundraising and movie making process.
Pledge $50 or more
You’ll receive everything listed above, plus you’ll receive a physical DVD of the movie that will include a documentary on the making of the Veronica Mars movie and the history-making Kickstarter campaign, plus other bonus features not available on the digital download.
Pledge $100 or more
You’ll receive everything listed above -- the updates, the script, the T-shirt, the digital version, the movie poster. Additionally, you’ll receive a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack that includes the documentary on the making of the Veronica Mars movie, plus other exclusive bonus features not available on the digital version.
Pledge $750 or more
150 backers All gone! Two tickets to the red carpet Veronica Mars movie premiere in New York City that will be attended by the cast and creators. You’ll also receive the signed movie poster, the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack, the digital version of the movie, the T-shirt and a pdf of the shooting script.
Pledge $1,000 or more
100 backers All gone! Two tickets to the red carpet Veronica Mars movie premiere in Los Angeles attended by the cast and creators, plus two tickets to the exclusive after-party also attended by the cast and creators. You’ll also receive the signed movie poster, the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack, the digital version of the movie, the T-shirt and a pdf of the shooting script.
Pledge $2,500 or more
20 backers All gone! Be a featured background extra in the Veronica Mars movie. You’ll spend the day on the set. We’ll put you in the background (or foreground!) of scenes. You’ll eat lunch with the cast and crew. We’ll do our best to feature our Kickstarter extras in the scenes, but we can’t promise every extra will make the final cut. You’ll also receive the signed movie poster, the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack, the digital version of the movie, the T-shirt and a pdf of the shooting script.
Pledge $5,000 or more
4 backers Limited (1 left of 5) At this price point, we will rent out a theater in your home town — or a town near you — and have a screening for up to 50 guests. We’ll do our best to schedule the screening before the theatrical release of the film. Worst case — the first week of the theatrical run. You’ll also receive the signed movie poster, the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack, the digital download of the movie, the T-shirt and a pdf of the shooting script.
Pledge $10,000
1 backer All gone! You will get a speaking role in the movie. Here’s the scene — Veronica is eating with the man in her life. Things have gotten tense between them. You are the waiter/waitress. You approach the table, and you say, “Your check, sir.” We guarantee you will be on camera as you say the line. Unless you go all hammy and ruin the scene and we have to cut you out, but that would be a sad day for all of us. Just say the line. Don’t over-think it. You’re a waiter. Your motivation is to turn over the table.
Project success
This success encouraged Warner Bros and it became the first major studio to release a movie associated with crowdfunding. It was released online and in theaters at the same time – a practice known as “day-and-date” that is typically reserved for independent films. Film was released in March 2014, and it earned for its opening weekend $2m in box-office in the US. Movie was available the same day on Amazon, iTunes and other video-on-demand services. "For a movie to be released in selected theaters in multiple countries and available to rent and purchase and watch on-demand worldwide, all on the same day? It's pretty much unheard of," wrote Thomas. The success of this crowdfunding campaign inspired a lot of people and brought up some questions. This project is the proof that cancelled TV shows with a help from fans can find a new life. The Veronica Mars movie is also part of a wider movement breaking down the barriers between cinematic and digital releases for films. Zach Braff also made a campaign on kickstarter to fund a movie Wish I Was Here, the sequel of his 2004 film (Garden State).
“After I saw the incredible way Veronica Mars fans rallied around Kristen Bell and her show’s creator Rob Thomas, I couldn’t help but think … maybe there is a new way to finance smaller, personal films that didn’t involve signing away all your artistic control,” Braff wrote on Kickstarter.
