One band wants 45 grand for a clip, while one guy just wants a parma.
Well it seems like Australian musicians have been very busy in the past week or so establishing crowdfunding campaigns as we have been swamped with emails telling us about new projects rfom across the country that up-and-coming artists are looking to fund.
If you're crowdfunding, please let us know about it so we can tell the world!
Name: Twelve Foot Ninja
Project: New film clip
Current Status: 181 pledges, 29% ($13,226) of $45,000 goal, 24 days remaining
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Now this is an ambitious one. Twelve Foot Ninja aren't just looking to make a little bit of money, they are shooting for the biggest goal in the (albeit very short) history of crowdfunding for Australian music. The band are looking for a whopping $45,000 to make a new film clip, which they are hoping will appeal to a wider demographic than usual due to its theme being about seeking retribution against an internet troll.
The band have enlisted their friends in the US metal band Periphery, Penthouse Pet Madison Rhys and a stuffed seven foot Alaskan brown bear called Fluffy to appear in the clip and have put together an enormous list of incentives for people to pledge.
You can score: a stack of props from the clip (though the signed sauce bottles and pink flamingos are all gone), full backstage access to a TFN show ($450) a cameo in the video ($550), Madison Rhys' bikini, framed ($775), brand new customised Twelve Foot Ninja Line 6 guitar ($3,000) and a whole lot more. They've had a strong start, but there's still a long way to go.
Name: Krista Polvere
Project: Touring costs and publicity
Current Status: Six pledges, 10% of goal, 47 days remaining
Adelaide-bred, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Krista Polvere has made a new record with Marc Ford (Black Crowes) producing and Ryan Adams playing a bit of guitar and lending some vocals. The record sounds pretty good from what we've heard but she's gonna need some cash to make sure that it is released with the right kind of publicity push.
There are some nice, unique perks for those who are willing to fund the project; 20 questions via email will cost you $20, a disposable camera full of photos from Polvere's travels is $40, a chat on the phone will cost you $50 and a personalised Happy Birthday greeting video will set you back $75. You can of course pick up copies of the album and merch and stuff like that should that take your interest.
Dune - Pozible campaign from Jade MacRae on Vimeo.
Name: DUNE
Project: European tour
Current Status: 61 pledges, 87% ($8,725) of $10,000 goal, 12 days remaining
The (relatively) new band from Jade MacRae, DUNE, have been invited to showcase at The Great Escape in Brighton next month, but after releasing their EP recently MacRae is broke and needs your help to get them there.
They're looking for ten grand to get four people to the UK and pay for some basic accommodation while they're there. In return, you can get a private show ($500 full catered, $250 otherwise), a day in Jade's studio ($400), a night on the town with the band's bassist and drummer ($150) or a meal for two people cooked by Jade for $100. The campaign has gone gangbusters and they're looking like they'll probably hit the goal pretty easily.
Name: osh10
Project: Mixing and mastering of second LP
Current Status: Four pledges, 12% ($270) of $2,250 goal, 54 days remaining
It makes us feel pretty good that this humble little column can inspire artists to push their crowdfunding efforts a little further, even if that means they make a completely ridiculous video like the one you see above. We can't pretend we know exactly what's going on in this clip made by osh10 – the musical nom de plume of Melbourne's Aimee Chapman – but we applaud the effort and really like the backing track.
Chapman needs $2,250 to mix and master her second album and is offering the usual stack of CDs and merch and such, as well as a Skype show which you can buy for $200, a live show at your house for $500 and the $50+ pledgers will receive an exclusive track.
Name: The ECHO Creative
Project: Creative warehouse space
Current Status: 21 Pledges, 37% ($1,875) of $5,000 goal, 55 days remaining
Dave Jenkins Jr and Marcus Catanzaro have plenty of experience in different aspects of the music industry as musicians, tour managers, producers and engineers. They now want to establish something of a community that looks to benefit the Sydney creative arts community; they've found a space in Surry Hills and want to convert it into a recording studio, a live music space, video editing suites and rehearsal room.
In order to raise the $5,000 they need to help get the project going, they're offering a bunch of the usual kind of perks like acoustic performances ($1,500 if it's around Sydney, $2,500 if its elsewhere in Australia or NZ), a day in the studio ($1,000) or an invite to the launch party for $100.
Name: James Bowers
Project: Pint and a Parma
Current Status: 20 pledges, 1036% ($228) of $22 goal, 19 days remaining
Melbourne musician James Bowers wants a Chicken Parmigiana and a pint of Stone and Wood Pacific Ale, but can't afford the $22 it will cost for him to purchase them. He has turned to crowdfunding. because that's just what you do these days, and the response has been rather incredible. But how could it not be with rewards like “I will think of you whilst taking a sip of my Stone and Wood Pacific Ale” for a dollar and a picture of Bowers with his pint and parma for just two bucks.
He's earned so much that he's now planning on shouting parmas to as many people as he can in a few weeks' time. We look forward to hearing how the night goes.
If you're crowdfunding, please let us know about it so we can tell the world!