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Enkiel
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2004
Posts: 2771
Location: Quebec, Canada
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 Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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| EZ Gruv wrote: |
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| Funding Canceled Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator about 9 hours ago. |
I guess you figured out no one will buy you a bus.  |
under the current idea, i guess its not working out....
still considering this idea tho.
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| If the end result was auctionned at a car show, and all profit sent to Doctors without borders, would people really pledge more? It's something i considered [...] |
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wny72westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2005
Posts: 208
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:47 am Post subject: |
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I honestly don't think it was a terrible idea. I am sure that for all the criticism of it, there are lots of folks here who would watch the entire series. The web has created an interesting situation where most people expect online content to be free.
That said, have you considered forging ahead with the restoration/documentation, putting the series on YouTube (or similar provider) and hope the advertising pays off? If the series provides a new perspective, valuable knowledge, or is just entertaining enough, people will watch it. If people enjoy the free content, you can monetize the views, and put that towards the project. If viewership is strong enough, you could then release exclusive content behind a pay wall, merchandise, or sell physical media. Also, you mentioned that you pitched a tv series of the build. Plenty of people have turned their web presence into a paying contract. If you are able to go back to a pitch meeting in a year and say "this is what I'm doing, and this is how many viewers I have", and promise the producers an audience, then you are much more likely to be offered a deal.
The current working model of making the content free, and selling a sense of community or ownership to the content does pay off for some, and it provides the most honest form of feedback or ratings possible. The downside is that it is a trial and error process, where the creator has to put the content out there, for free, and hope it pays off.
I suspect that the fellow VW enthusiasts who have painstakingly funded their own projects will be reluctant to send money off to a stranger on the web. But if you put your content out there, and it's good, then you will likely receive favorable feedback and support.
_________________
1972 westfalia: 1700cc, l-jet, bfg all-terrains; a constant work in progress
1987 BMW 325: 2.7, DD/autocross/ice-race; "gods chariot"
1997 miata: autocross, cruiser; I keep meaning to sell it, but its too much fun. |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69809
Location: Phoenix Metro
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Enkiel
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2004
Posts: 2771
Location: Quebec, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:04 am Post subject: |
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| wny72westy wrote: |
I honestly don't think it was a terrible idea. I am sure that for all the criticism of it, there are lots of folks here who would watch the entire series. The web has created an interesting situation where most people expect online content to be free.
That said, have you considered forging ahead with the restoration/documentation, putting the series on YouTube (or similar provider) and hope the advertising pays off? If the series provides a new perspective, valuable knowledge, or is just entertaining enough, people will watch it. If people enjoy the free content, you can monetize the views, and put that towards the project. If viewership is strong enough, you could then release exclusive content behind a pay wall, merchandise, or sell physical media. Also, you mentioned that you pitched a tv series of the build. Plenty of people have turned their web presence into a paying contract. If you are able to go back to a pitch meeting in a year and say "this is what I'm doing, and this is how many viewers I have", and promise the producers an audience, then you are much more likely to be offered a deal.
The current working model of making the content free, and selling a sense of community or ownership to the content does pay off for some, and it provides the most honest form of feedback or ratings possible. The downside is that it is a trial and error process, where the creator has to put the content out there, for free, and hope it pays off.
I suspect that the fellow VW enthusiasts who have painstakingly funded their own projects will be reluctant to send money off to a stranger on the web. But if you put your content out there, and it's good, then you will likely receive favorable feedback and support. |
Thanks, its definately a road i'm considering.
I started looking around to get a feel of what is already available online ("Kombi life" being one).
The sticker bus, to me, was a great idea. But i'll try to come up with something better in the coming months. |
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wny72westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2005
Posts: 208
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 11:33 am Post subject: |
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I think the problem with the stickerbus is it doesn't really give contributors a sense of ownership... If it was going to be in a movie or tv show, or be at a notable landmark or museum, or just be featured in some form in some way, then it might be alluring to have their message on it somewhere. I understand your thinking, but I think the problem is that for me, I don't care if there is a sticker with my personal message on someone's bus out there somewhere. I think there needs to be a sense of community before people will value having their own personal fingerprint on it enough to contribute.
Now that said, if you were already thinking about stickers, what about just selling some sort of sticker to help fund it? Better yet, if you get a YouTube channel or something going, start selling branded stickers to viewers. That gives the buyer something tangible in return for their money while it helps build a sense of ownership and community.
How about calling it something like: "The bus that You(tube) built"?
_________________
1972 westfalia: 1700cc, l-jet, bfg all-terrains; a constant work in progress
1987 BMW 325: 2.7, DD/autocross/ice-race; "gods chariot"
1997 miata: autocross, cruiser; I keep meaning to sell it, but its too much fun. |
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