[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Clams Casino
—Motivation [Lil B]
Clams Casino - Motivation (Lil B) Instrumental
This is the second song you hear in the trailer. Jam on it.
Terminator photo by Vivienne Gucwa
Kickstarter sends out a weekly email showcasing projects they love. I have been receiving the email ever since my friend Paul Vogeler launched a successful Kickstarter to fund his journey to show his art in Berlin (btw, Paul is still on that journey and producing some incredible art!). I was surprised to see our project included in this weeks’s email!! Kickstarter has some incredible writers on staff, because the way the described the film is incredible! Read Below:
“As video game culture made the move from bustling arcades to private living rooms, Chinatown Fair remained an institution of New York’s gaming community. After over 50 years of continuous operation, the arcade has finally been forced to shutter its doors. Filmmaker Kurt Vincentcaptures its last moments, chronicling the lives of those who grew up in this beloved community spot as they make way for a new era.”
Wow, spot on!!! We are receiving an overwhelming amount of support since the email was sent out! This movie is happening!
-Kurt
5.10.2011 - Notes From A Kickstarter Project
A few days into the Arcade project launching on Kickstarter I was going over how many donations we needed to hit everyday if we were going to pass our goal. I was actually obsessed. I was constantly checking to see if we had any new backers and when we did I felt a jolt of satisfaction and when we didn’t I felt a sense of failure. This was no way to spend the next month.
After talking to my dad about our daily goals and these mathemetical projections I was coming up with, he interjected a piece of advice that has changed my approach to Kickstarter: Concentrate on what you can control. It sounds obvious, but in the midst of a Kickstarter project that had to raise $20,000 in a short period of time it was revelatory and resulted in a subtle, yet vital change in attitude.
I realized that Irene and I have no control over how much and how many people decide to back our project. There is no sense in judging our success solely by the percentage of our project that is funded, rather we should judge judge it on a number of factors that are directly related to our day-to-day efforts. That way at the end of the day I knew we had done all we could do. Even if we didn’t see a large increase in backers we knew that we put in a good days work and that eventually all the effort will pay off.
What we have been concentrating on is getting the word about our movie and it’s Kickstarter project by talking with people. Emailing, tweeting, posting on Facebook, talking to the lady next to me in line at the movies. If someone writes me I try to write them back immediately. We have been spreading the word about our project in every way we can. It is really beginning to show positive results. Passion is contagious and if you show how strongly you feel about your project others will feel it and want to help. And when they do offer help, it’s an amazing feeling, much better than neurotically checking my email looking for that new backer.
-Kurt
p.s. Thanks Korey, for the design help! Anyone need a graphics design edge, please look at http://www.bureaunyc.com/ and tell them Kurt sent ya ;-)
I just came across a blog post that made me smile.
“Every ounce of my being wants this movie to be made. I fell in love with it the moment I read the title and from what I can see from the short video this has the potential to be a real gem. Some of the best memories I have of being a teenager are of all my friends piling into my girlfriends car and spending the 90 dollars I made a week at KFC on arcade games. The Last Night At Chinatown Fair feels like a labor of love and a unique chance to see and share that moment we all have felt when something we love is lost. I know my $10 wont put much of a dent in their $20,000 pledge but its all I got man.”
from http://backstrokeofthewest.blogspot.com/
Thank you, MrsBonBon. You just reminded me why we are making this movie. Your $10 is more important than you realize. Thanks.
Since launching the Kickstarter project, the first thing I do in the morning, even before I brew my customary pot of coffee, I check the Kickstarter status. When Kickstarter.com loaded up today I was pleasantly surprised to see the Arcade project right there on the front page as the selected documentary feature. What a way to start my Monday.
It is a strange experience receiving such amazing support from the Kickstarter people. People I have never even met. Not even digitally! At some point I want to thank them for all the help and making this opportunity a reality. I think Irene and I will bake some Pac-Man cookies and bring them by the office.
Please keep spreading the word about the project. We are almost at 50% of our funding goal and just broke 100 backers! Over the weekend we met with Henry Cen from Next Level, Pat C, and Suesan from Xcubicle to discuss the Kickstarter backers party at Next Level. If you have donated to the project you are invited to the party at the new arcade in Brooklyn. Free drinks, video games, and music. Plus, I will be showing some footage from the movie. We have a date set for May 25th, so mark your calendars!
Like our Facebook page to stay updated.
-K
