Trend of crowd-funding campaigns and film? Have you participated in any?

Hey everyone!

While I've been on APUG for a while, I wasn't exactly sure where to post this one so please redirect me to the appropriate sub-forum if this isn't the right one.

In terms of industry news, I personally have seen an increasing frequency of film-based kickstarter projects. The largest and most recent, large example of which I consider to be FILM Ferrania's kickstarter project. Others include the Impossible project in the past and many other small ones (I remember seeing one for pinhole cameras, etc).

My question is: how many of you have personally contributed any amount/participated in a kickstarter, indiegogo or other crowd-funding campaign relating to analog photography? I know the backing for projects such as the ones above came from somewhere, but I wonder how much of it comes from within our APUG community? :confused:


Looking forward to hearing from everyone and hope you've all been well!

Dan AKA FoidPoosening

Hmm -- I chipped in to the KS campaign for Bill Schwab's Photostock facility a year or two back. But last year my Faire Spouse, who is not yet Medicare eligible, took a "package" from her employer. Until we get all that transition fully sorted out, and with near-zero interest rates to subsidize the billionaire bank fraudsters, I'm being pretty parsimonious with funds!

Yep! I was one of the first Ferrania backers, and recently I've backed the Ondu MKII, which still has 29 days left if anyone else wants a sweet pinhole camera!
Dead Link Removed

Travelwide 4x5 and New55

An early photo project (I don't remember whose, but a good one), Travelwide 4x5, Photostock's workshop space (twice), New55, a few others I think. All have been on track except the Travelwide, which I think might be moving along again soon. The Ondu 5x7 looks nice, hmmm.

I've been both a backer AND a fundraiser on Kickstarter.
I was a backer first - I've supported 5 projects personally.

I also had a big hand in the creation and management of both the Impossible Instant Lab and FILM Ferrania fundraising campaigns (and consulted on three others).
I backed another 12-15 more projects through Impossible and FILM Ferrania - all photo-related.

Having been on both sides of the equation, I can say a few things.

As a backer:
• If you simply enjoy supporting arts projects - books, photo essays, films, music - you will find a wide variety of extremely worthy campaigns. Find what you like, support it, share it around, and you'll rarely be disappointed.
• If you consider your backing an investment - in a person or team or company and their ability to deliver products or art or whatever you will want at some point in the future - then you will generally be a very happy Kickstarter.
• If your interest is simply buying products, you will most often be disappointed.
• Every project I've backed, personally or professionally, has delivered - or are still pending with every sign that they will deliver. One is overly delayed, but the founder has been extremely open and honest and communicative and still has my full support.

As a fundraiser:
• It's an enormous amount of work to run a successful campaign.
• Whatever amount of work you estimate it will be, will be wrong by a factor of 2, at best.
• Even if you read the first two points and think you know how much work it will actually be, it will be much much more. I promise.
• Expect to collect only around 80-85% of what you raise - after fees and attrition. Plan accordingly.
• Tell your backers everything you're doing to deliver their rewards as often as you can, and as honestly and openly as you can, even if it's bad news.
• Kickstarter doesn't really have the best or most robust tools to manage the workflow. If you have Excel skills, you will find them useful.
• If you don't already have one, grow a thick skin.

No matter which way you use it, I think Kickstarter is an amazing resource.

The other crowdfunding sites tweak the Kickstarter formula in various ways, but none too drastically. I would expect that most of what I've experienced with Kickstarter would hold true on the other platforms.

I would say that the reason for the "trend" in major film and camera projects using crowdfunding speaks to the difficulty in pursuing traditional financing for these types of companies more than anything else. Also, it also clearly shows the demand that is being otherwise unaddressed.

FILM Ferrania said:

I've been both a backer AND a fundraiser on Kickstarter.
I was a backer first - I've supported 5 projects personally.

I also had a big hand in the creation and management of both the Impossible Instant Lab and FILM Ferrania fundraising campaigns (and consulted on three others).
I backed another 12-15 more projects through Impossible and FILM Ferrania - all photo-related.

Having been on both sides of the equation, I can say a few things.

I would say that the reason for the "trend" in major film and camera projects using crowdfunding speaks to the difficulty in pursuing traditional financing for these types of companies more than anything else. Also, it also clearly shows the demand that is being otherwise unaddressed.

Click to expand...

The commercial banks don't have money to lend.
They leant it for bubbles and they bust.
In addition business cases for loans would anyway have been difficult in a shrinking market.
Most banks would only look at Kodak, Agfa, Ilford,... etc. published accounts for precedent.
Even if they look at impossible - which has flooded lots of outlets here and is selling well - their time to break even was longer than banks like on startups.
Impossible was a niche market with only Fuji competing and every chance they will drop out.
Banks don't like lending money at risk.
Housing was not seen as a risk - earlier.
Kodak had an Excel spreadsheet they picked the money now option.
Agfa sold their film factory to a group who had a spread sheet they picked the money now option - selling all the manufacturing equipment. Ilford bought one of their finishing machines.
There is no money.

The industry owes me a lot.

No need for me engaging at any funding project.

I backed a couple of KS projects.

As to why is it a trend, first and foremost is that a lot of these campaigns (film or not) are riskier projects yet very trivial for a bank loan. If you want to raise 2-3k to print a magazine that is not credit worthy for a bank as a business loan. You're just telling them that you want 2k to make/buy stock and then hope to sell it. On the other hand you go to Kickstarter and you effectively pre-sell it yet with no obligation to actually deliver anything. It is just a few clicks to setup and you're done vs actually preparing anything to go see the bank.

For an engineering or production project (eg travelwide or Ferrania) which is a much bigger endeavour things are slightly different but still the amount of work required to prepare a business plan and go to the bank to get anything more than 5k is a lot plus the banks just won't lend to risky propositions from non established businesses like that. So a Kickstarter is a good option.

By the way, banks will probably lend you up to 5k as a business loan without too much trouble but that is only because they will do it as a personal loan against your person (and credit score and guarantees).

I'm kind of torn between two thoughts on this. I do see some projects(and other desires/needs) as well thought out/worthy and hopefully can come to fruition, and those that appear as out-right pan handling/begging. It never ceases to amaze me as to what some folks use social media sites to beg money for. The killers for me are the ones I read as "I wanna take a trip and am too lazy to earn the money myself, so howzabout you gimme the dough for it" posts. I guess my age and upbringing enter in here. I was raised to believe that if you want something, go get a job and earn the money to buy it yourself. I know that isn't always possible for everything, but a lot of the beggars should and could get there on their own accord. I have started and sold three successful businesses. I didn't ask for bank loans, though I did establish lines of credit for the business to be able to operate properly.

Michael R 1974 said:

I haven't contributed to any KS projects, but I really like OP's APUG handle. Makes me laugh every time.

Click to expand...

Haha I'm glad to have brightened your day, even in the slightest capacity!

AgX said:

The industry owes me a lot.

No need for me engaging at any funding project.

Click to expand...

AgX, I've seen you on the forums a lot. What do you mean by this though? I'd love to hear more.



Also, this is a bit of a follow up question (but to people not yet in this thread, please keep answering my OP!), but what made you all back the specific campaigns that you did?