MMC To Produce Your Next Crowdfunding Campaign!
Ah, the wonderful world of crowdfunding. If you haven't noticed already, crowdfunding platforms are popping up all over the place. With the international success of companies like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, tech savvy entrepreneurs have caught on to this relatively new market, and as a result, they want in. Though flooding of the market may seem overwhelming to some, the good news for donation seekers is that newly founded crowdfunding platforms are becoming more and more niche. If Kickstarter's platform isn't right for you because of project stipulations, no worries, there's tons of other platforms out there that will most likely suit your project's funding needs.
MEDIA MAKE CHANGE is in a unique position to support artists, educators, activists, community organizers, mediamakers, and entrepreneurs in building their next crowdfunding campaign. Because we specialize in video production, online campaign organizing, and consulting (see some of our projects HERE), we can help with all aspects of crowdfunding campaign production and management. MMC can help you answer the following questions:
- How do I know which platform is right for my project?
- What constitutes a quality campaign video that can successfully raise money for my project?
- What are the best tips and tricks for creating videos, promoting projects online and offline, and managing updates?
For an affordable rate, MMC guarantees the following services:
Services Provided
Video production. MMC will work with you to create a concept and script for a campaign video of no longer than 3 minutes. MMC will be responsible for shooting and editing the video based on the concept and script.
MEDIA MAKE CHANGE defines a campaign video as one that specifically addresses potential donors. Campaign videos are not documentary trailers. Rather, campaign videos appeal to donors while providing an engaging visual representation of your project.
WHY PRODUCE A CAMPAIGN VIDEO? (from Kickstarter)
“A video is by far the best way to get a feel for the emotions, motivations, and character of a project. It’s a demonstration of effort and a good predictor of success. Projects with videos succeed at a much higher rate than those without (50% vs. 30%).”
Project Building Consultation. MMC will consult with you on suitable crowdfunding platforms with reasonable options. There are many crowdfunding platform options with varying processing fees and project stimulations. It’s important that you are educated about these options. It's also important that you set reasonable funding goals. MMC will consult with you to pick the best platform for your project, set reasonable goals, and help you to create eye-catching (and algorithm-catching) project descriptions and bios for your project’s campaign page. MMC will also help you come up with donor perks; that is, gifts you offer donors in exchange for their contributions.
WHY OFFER PERKS? (from Indiegogo)
“Perks give contributors an additional non-monetary incentive to support your campaign [. . .] This helps contributors understand that they’re not just buying something; they’re investing in an idea.”
Project Promotion. MMC will promote your project on Twitter and Facebook (the most popular and heavily trafficked social media sites), as well as promote your project through MMC’s online community, blog, and newsletters. We will consult and help plan offline promotion, like meetups and pledge parties. To further promote your project, MMC will also reach out to and pitch to online media and blogs looking to promote new crowdfunding projects. The length of time MMC promotes your project depends upon the amount of time you have to raise funds. We begin promoting on day one, and promotion ends on the deadline date. But don’t worry, we won’t leave you hanging. If (or shall we say, when) you raise all funds, MMC will help consult you on how best to provide project updates to donors.
CONTACT MMC today for more details on how we can produce your next crowdfunding campaign!
RELATED ARTICLES
Six Crowdfunding Mistakes That Can Kill a Campaign
How to Pick the Best Crowdfunding Platform
Secrets of Success Hidden In Kickstarter’s Numbers
The Gogofactor & How to Get Featured on Indiegogo’s Homepage
Community Producers Program is Thriving!
A few months ago Media Make Change partnered with the Beyond the Bricks Project to create a comprehensive media literacy program that serves young Black males. The Community Producers Program is a four-month course that invites young Black males to interrogate media images and subsequently create their own stories using digital media technology. We're elated to report that the program, now in it's second month, is thriving. Take a look at the new campaign video featuring several young men currently enrolled in the program at Teachers College, Columbia University--a sponsoring university.
We encourage you to donate to the summer fellowship program, an extension of the Community Producers Program, so the young men can continue to produce awe-inspiring work. If you are unable to donate, then please consider spreading the word to your various networks and encourage family, friends, and co-workers to contribute to this project.
On behalf of Media Make Change, I want to thank all of those involved in creating this program from the ground up, including Derek Koen, Ouida Washington, Dana Salter, Nisaa Ali, Bianca Baldridge, and Jose Vilson. I'm overjoyed and proud to have been a part of this project with all of you.
Interested in working with and/or contributing to Media Make Change? Contact us directly at mediamakechange [at] gmail [dot] com.
Happy New Year!
On behalf of Media Make Change, I'd like to wish everyone a happy 2012! We're excited to begin this year with brand new projects in the pipeline.
The Beyond the Bricks Media Literacy Program will begin at the end of this month in Harlem, New York City. This past December, we held a focus group with several young 'black' men in Harlem. We were pleased by the positive feedback we received about the curriculum overall. The young men were enthusiastic about the program that offers them the space to interrogate images of 'black' males in mainstream media, and allows them the opportunity to produce their own work in response. Media Make Change and the Beyond the Bricks Project are looking forward to the amazing projects that will surely come from some of our brightest young men in the nation. Stick around, there's much more to come!
Beginning in February 2012, the Media Make Change website will have a distinct new look. Since our inception, we've made some significant organizational changes in hopes to broaden our reach into various communities. Working with the Beyond the Bricks project is just the beginning of where MMC plans to go in the new year with curriculum and professional development, as well as digital media production.
Speaking of new digital media production projects, I will be launching my first podcast in February entitled Disaster Narratives. Disaster Narrative Podcast will feature stories from disaster-affected people from around the world. My hope is that through these stories we can reflect on our own humanity. I look forward to documenting and listening to the stories of struggle and triumph from everyday people, living everyday lives. In the meantime, if you or someone you know would like to share your story about disaster in whatever context, please email mediamakechange [at] gmail [dot] com. Stay tuned!
Don't forget to like us on Facebook!
Media Make Change Partners with Beyond the Bricks Project!
We are excited to announce that Media Make Change has partnered up with the Beyond the Bricks Project to create a dynamic media literacy curriculum for the Community Producers Program (CPP)! The CPP curriculum will be be comprised of a 4-month media literacy program that serves young African-American men and boys in urban cities around the United States, including Harlem, Newark, Baltimore, and other cities to be added soon. The goal of the curriculum is to build life skills & self efficacy, and to engage in community advocacy by countering negative images of black males through multimedia and film analysis and production.
The project is inspired by the Beyond the Bricks film, a 2009 documentary that follows African-American students Shaquiel Ingram and Erick Graham as they struggle to stay on track in the Newark, NJ public school system (IMDB). Some key features in the documentary include the Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, John H. Jackson, president of the Schott Foundation, and Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker.
Trailer
The Community Producers Program will begin in January 2012 with the official curriculum set to be completed by early fall of 2011. Stay with us at Media Make Change for more updates about the curriculum and the Community Producers Program with the Beyond the Bricks Project
For more information about the Beyond the Bricks project, please visit http://www.beyondthebricksproject.com/
For more information on how to donate media equipment or funds, and to partner with Media Make Change (no longer a non-profit entity but a start-up LLC), please email tara (at) mediamakechange (dot) org.
Media Make Change Wants to Partner with YOU!
Media Make Change is currently seeking to partner with community and non-profit organizations to provide media literacy and technology training services to underserved and youth communities. Some of the key highlights of our curriculum include:
- Social Media for Social Justice (See past workshop outline for Allied Media Conference).
- Media Literacy Training based on media education scholarship from Teachers College, Columbia University and Temple University.
- Video and Film Production lead by documentary media maker and founder of Media Make Change, tara l. conley. See more of conley's work on Vimeo.
- Photography lead by local photographers and artists in the NYC metro area.
- Computer Literacy Training lead by founder tara l. conley whose work experience with child and adult learners spans over several years.
Media Make Change wants to build a culture of learning through media and technology. As we transition into a new season Media Make Change will focus on partnering with organizations that believe media are effective tools for advocacy, creativity, and learning.
If you are an organization seeking to expand your services and outreach to the community through media and technology, please contact us at tara (at) mediamakechange (dot) org.
See more of our work at Media Speaks!