survival of the folks who share and share alike.

amy and I decided against our better judgment to present and campaign around a kickstarter program that shares the profit with multiple artists.

we fought each other for a second about how putting all of our effort and resources into a fund raising campaign and sharing that with others might fuck up our plans for other fundraising projects. we often have spread others kickstarter projects and petitions and we get behind lots of, what we consider, great projects - so WTF not?

let me tell you my thoughts on this.

now stay with me here… this is all about the evolution of producing art using on-line self-funding and self publishing tools available.

kickstarter/self-funding very much reminds me of when lulu.com made print on demand readily available and self publishing real simple - at the time, I published other artist’s books, so to say lulu.com was a threat is putting it lightly and much as I hated the threat, I knew it was the future and jumped on board… and when I did, others made fun, they played the game that if your work isn't published by a publisher then you're not really published, or for some reason your work didn't count if it wasn't bought and sold and pushed by a publisher.

why would any artist opt for slavery over freedom?
it was one of my first lessons in the yin and yang of ego.

as I thought about the artists/writers mentality on the subject, the attitude of needing another to do the heavy lifting, well, I guess I was glad to have been a publisher as well as a person who expresses themselves thru words among other things, and that experience gave me the insight that most folks who were only publishers or those who were only a writer/author didn't have… I was able to see this game from all sides.

self publishing offers the opportunity to publish what you want, when you want without concern.

I believe self-funding does the same thing and is the perfect companion to self publishing.

as we researched kickstarter and other on-line sources of self-funding we received our biggest lesson thru the “99% the film” project that we had been collaborating with. when they decided to launch a kickstarter, we watched anxiously, and then the pressure to spread the link came from all involved… how could they continue to ask others for favors we wanted to reserve for OUR project? as we saw it, and how I think a lot of artists see it is that we have our sponsors, and base of folks who support our work and it's small, so how can you share… a classic fear that'll drive you to fuck over your best pal.

the lesson learned when helping push the KS deal for “99% the film” was that not only is self-funding thru a kickstarter type of site the new deal, but in order to take advantage of the community that will back a project, you gotta be part of that same community.

today, it's all about sharing ideas, all ideas, not just your ideas… the net is growing and breaking off into communities of folks on the move vs. folks watching and consuming those on the move… same as it's always been… so among creatives, it's good to stick together.

and after all was said and done we figured that any who were bothered by us asking for support, the ones that don't get it, well, they'd just ignore us but eventually we'd find our tribe.

I really like kickstarter for the all or nothing deal, the project lives or dies based on support and hell, if it dies, maybe it would have been a waste of time in the first place.

so, I hope our first kickstart of many hits its goal… even if it doesn't, we'll continue to try - we have a ton of ideas and I'm sure some of them will stick - once we find our folk/tribe/island/backers and supporters.

WTF and YOU!

if you find merit in this event, it would be cool to maybe throw down a $2 or spread the word or really, do anything to show that you might be a-ok with supporting creators and artist weather you get their creation and art or not.

and if you have read a blog of ours, watched a video we've produced for free or any of the numerous other items we have produced and given to the world, for free… now might be the time to show that appreciation.

this is the website, I made it to be passed around and viewed.

http://www.wtffest.com/

this way, if you simply pass the WTF website around you're not asking your pals to give up money, your merely passing a link around that they may or may not like, you do this every day… why not with our event/project?

I ask that you help spread the link so those who might get it can judge for themselves and either bring life to, or kill off our idea by voting with their dollars.

of course, if you do get it, if you are an artist who looks at this event and wants to do something similar or would like to be a part of it, or would attend if you were closer, well… why not throw $2 towards the kickstarter and then brag that you did and why you chose to vote with your dollars?

here is that link:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shanebugbee/wtf-fest-the-underground-comes-above-to-laugh-at-a

and if you owe me, if I given you a gift, if my wife has given you a gift, well, it sucks to have to say this, but yea, I expect you to acknowledge this note in some way.