In 2007, The CW made the all-too-frequent network decision to cancel a fan-beloved yet low-rated show: Veronica Mars. The program only lasted three seasons but left a devoted cult following in its wake and helped launch the career of actress Kristen Bell. Six years after the show went off the air, however, it is finally receiving a new lease on life. Much like other past television shows ranging from Star Trek to Sex and the City, Veronica Mars is getting the movie treatment. But while the announcement of a movie may have been a surprise to both fans and entertainment reporters alike, the way in which the project came to be was even more unexpected. Rather than go solely to a studio for funding, Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas looked to Kickstarter, a fairly new yet increasingly popular crowd-funding platform. Thomas first devised the idea in 2011 after a band featured on the show used the service to successfully raise over $10,000 to release a record (Jensen 14). On March 13, 2013 he launched the Veronica Kickstarter with the goal of raising $2 million in 30 days. Kickstarter does not charge donors unless a campaign attains its goal in the given time span. If time runs out, the project receives no money. Given these terms, Warner Bros. agreed to produce the film and pay for marketing, promotion and distribution if Thomas’ goal was reached (Jensen 14).
Only ten
hours after the launch of the Veronica
Mars movie campaign, it hit its desired $2 million mark. The project broke
several Kickstarter records in the process, including the fastest project to
reach $1 million (in just under four and a half hours) and the highest goal
ever set (Sun). With 26 days left to go at the time of this posting, 54,000
backers have pledged over $3,560,000 (Thomas). For a cult program that never
became widely popular, these stats are an incredible achievement and
demonstrate the power and influence of fan support like never before. Especially
in the past few years, fans have been driving record box office numbers.
Blockbuster franchises based off of popular books and comics are essentially
guaranteed film successes due to their large and dedicated fanbases. For this
reason, studios often rely on them to bring in revenue. In 2012, The Avengers alone earned over $1.5
billion worldwide, the third highest-grossing movie of all time (“Hollywood
Eyes Record 2013”).
Beyond the
purchase of a ticket, however, Hollywood Reporter contributor Rebecca Sun
writes that crowd-funding pushes fan support into “uncharted territory.” Sun
states that actual monetary pledges to help fund production draw the attention
of studios more than other common fan tactics such as petitions and mail-in
campaigns. Given the remarkable success of the Veronica Mars Kickstarter, both film and television executives are
left wondering whether crowd-sourcing is a viable means of financing new
projects. Although there are some concerns that it will fail on a larger scale
or negatively be taken advantage of by other corporate interests, some in the
industry see nothing but potential. Zachary Levi, star of the cult favorite
television series Chuck, believes it
will become a standard development model in the future, with Veronica Mars having started the
movement (Sun). TheWeek.com reporter Scott Meslow acknowledges the concerns
others have voiced about crowd-funding as a production model but is hopeful it
will lead studios to stop basing their decisions solely on ratings and
demographics. Meslow hopes executives will realize the value and power of
passionate fanbases versus “a large but apathetic viewership.”
The use of crowd-funding for movies is unique
in that it has the ability to benefit studios as well as fans. Kickstarter
campaigns typically offer incentives for contributors based on the amount of
money that they donate. Rob Thomas not relying solely on fan interest to drive
his project but is providing a wide variety of offerings and once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities for contributors. These range from a PDF of the script (a $10
investment) to tickets to the premiere ($750) to an actual speaking role in the
film ($10,000, for one investor only). As fans donate to fund the project and
receive these bonuses, Warner Bros. in return will be able to make the film
without needing to finance production with its own money. Given the number of
cult-favorite television programs in existence, there is potential for many
more similar campaigns. Fans of shows like Chuck,
Heroes and Freaks and Geeks have
long been clamoring for movie adaptations. Given Thomas’ success, crowd-funding
may be a realistic option for these projects that may not have the means to be
produced otherwise. Scott Meslow writes, however, that the success of the Veronica Mars campaign is about more
than just a television show. It is about “the way modern audiences consume film
and TV, and the passion with which they consume it…and the very real
possibility that consumers of media will play a primary role in determining our
media landscape in the future.”
"Hollywood Eyes Record
2013 With 'Star Trek,' 'Hobbit,' 'Hunger Games' Sequels." Advertising
Age. Crain Communications Inc., 28 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2013.
Jensen, Jeff. "Finally! A Veronica Mars Movie." Entertainment
Weekly Mar. 2013: 13-14. Print.
Meslow, Scoot. "How Kickstarter Is Revolutionizing the
Film and TV Industry." TheWeek.com. The Week Publications, 14 Mar.
2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2013.
Sun, Rebecca. "Has 'Veronica Mars' Ushered in a New Era
of Movie Development?" TheHollywoodReporter.com. Prometheus Global
Media, 3 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2013.
Thomas, Rob. "The Veronica Mars Movie Project." Kickstarter.com.
N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2013.
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