On Our Radar: Kickstarter Media Projects
There's some awesome Kickstarter media and arts projects on our radar that focus on everything ranging from body politics, gender stereotypes, urban communities to transracial identity. Check 'em out below and support if you can.
Girl Model (Ashely Sabin and David Redmon)
Project Type: Film
Funding Goal: $12,000
Funds Raised So Far: $3,956 (as of Saturday, July 21st)
Why we think this project is awesome: We love it when creative folks begin their journeys with questions, and the filmmakers of Girl Model do just that by asking, why are young girls drawn into the unregulated modeling industry, and what happens to these young girls and "deeply ambivalent" model scouts who search for them? The film's trailer provides a glimpse into a world where young girls in Siberia and Tokyo are prepped and picked over with the hopes of establishing successful modeling careers. Body image and politics are indeed addressed throughout the film. But perhaps most unique about the film is the artistic and "lyrical" approach the filmmakers take in examining the lives of young models. Though one might squirm at scenes depicting scouts telling young models that their hips are too wide or that in Japan "they love skinny girls", one thing seems evident, Girl Model is a necessary look into an unregulated, and often brutally bias industry of modeling.
Tropes vs. Women in Video Games (Anita Sarkeesian)
Project Type: Video Webseries
Funding Goal: $6,000
Funds Raised So Far: $158,922
Why we think this project is awesome: We know, we know. This project is already well-funded, and met it's initial funding goal in less than 24 hours. But still, this project is so cool and unique that we had to give it an extra hat tip. Sarkeesian wants to expand her already popular webseries and blog Feminist Frequency to "produce a 5-video series (now expanded to 12 videos) entitled Tropes vs Women in Video Games [that will] explor[e] female character stereotypes throughout the history of the gaming industry." Awesome.
Focus: HOPE - A Detroit Photo Retrospective on Diversity (Focus: HOPE)
Project Type: Photography
Funding Goal: $8,300
Funds Raised So Far: $4,338 (as of Saturday, July 21st)
Why we think this project is awesome: Detroit is definitely in the building. HOPE, a civil and human rights organization is bringing together teens from southeast Michigan using photography to creatively express and produce a retrospective of their urban environments. In efforts to "break down racial and economic barriers" with 120 still photos, teens capture the spirit and life of their inspiring, yet often misunderstood, communities. We don't need to tell how much MMC admires youth projects with a purpose, and certainly this projects deserves shine. There's only 13 days left to donate to this project. Go support.
Honorable Mention
Though this project isn't necessarily in the same media and tech veins as the above projects, it's still pretty darn cool. UNGRATEFUL DAUGHTERS is a one-woman show about Lisa Marie, who was adopted by white parents (who are not famous white people, by the way) in the early 1970's. It's a funny, yet honest story about transracial and multiracial family politics. It's unique and inspiring, and the project is less than halfway to it's goal with 10 days left! Check out Lisa's project below . . . oh, and go donate!