Bluestone Goes To Crowd-Funding!

[LTerry]

I know where you are coming from, LTerry. In fact you highlight the main problem with this appeal - everyone has their own particular fetishes or interests. Nothing wrong with that but it is very difficult for Bluestone and Mr B to satisfy all the various requests or preferences (especially on the funding campaign!) in a particular movie.
One possible way round this would be to have multiple endings, to try to (at least) satisfy the top 5 (say!) preferred endings, be-it headshot, strangle, belly shot, face down, de-booting and so forth. I don't know how possible this is, but at least it should be considered.

Exactly. The appeal seems to be getting too granular, with people willing to fund only what they want to see. In contrast, I'd be willing to fund regularly to maintain the health of the overall project if I knew that I would sometimes get to see what I wanted (Apparently I take my inspiration from the Canadian healthcare model, no offence intended to Mr. Trump's bizarre characterization of it last night). To me it seems like a choice between: 1) fund regularly and get to see what you want sometimes, or; 2) fund only the projects that have something you want to see, thereby making the funding fragmented and inconsistent, contribute to the failure of the project as a result, and end up seeing nothing.

Considering the quality of the videos and the community Blue and his team have created, I think it's not too onerous to consider moving the appeal up a level from funding individual videos to funding the overall superheroine project, even if that means that not every video is exactly to your taste. Some will be, some won't, but the project as a whole will survive.

And yes, I think the multiple endings idea has some merit. I don't know about the logistics of this, but I'd certainly rather see one video with the top 5 multiple endings than the split peril/extreme versions.

Just my rudimentary ideas, and I'm happy to discuss and amend further.

LT

[Bluestone]

Thanks for your ideas, guys.

Everything's being considered, but at present both campaigns seem to have stalled at only a fraction of their goals. I just hope that enough people wake up soon and start pre-buying these videos to at least get them filmed. It would open the door to more videos and satisfying more requests in the future, but if we can't even get support for two video projects starring a couple of our most popular characters and actresses, it doesn't bode well for the future of Bluestone Superheroine Videos. I can see why other producers have simply dropped their quality in order to save their businesses, because there doesn't seem to be enough buyers in this marketplace in order to support high quality productions.

I hope you can all prove me wrong by rescuing these two struggling campaigns.

Supernova Prime: Earthbound:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/supe ... /7769801#/

Darkwing: Ambushed:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dark ... /7769801#/

Blue

[xj900uk]

As I said before when I was talking to LTerry, BLue, I honestly don't believe it's the lack of interest or desire to see and buy more superheroine movies that is stalling these campaigns. It's just that you are being too secular with their contents and going about crowdfunding and pledging support the wrong way.
Honestly, you need to be more dendritic and expansive.

[Richpartist]

I like the idea of being a backer who can give like $50 a month or something just to keep the show going :)

[gensmith117]

Yeah as is I'm hesitant to donate just because i don't think the crowdfunding is being done the right way. It just feels like it's been set up for failure with how sudden it is and how short a time period it's for with so little advertisement for it.

[Bluestone]

Yeah as is I'm hesitant to donate just because i don't think the crowdfunding is being done the right way. It just feels like it's been set up for failure with how sudden it is and how short a time period it's for with so little advertisement for it.

Well, the crowd funding is set up for this market and therefore advertised here and on the SH forum. If it was a general crowd funding campaign open to everyone and widely advertised, I certainly couldn't include elements such as strangle, stabbing and shooting deaths, topless scenes, etc. If the death fetish and superheroine peril markets can continue to support these productions, we can continue to provide elements that these markets demand. If we went to a general crowd funding campaign, it would be for a production that would sell to a general market. Do you see the Catch 22?

As for the short time period, I cannot keep my cast and crew idle for months and months waiting to see if these productions have sufficient support in this community. If I delay too long, they will all have to accept other gigs anyway. So, if these productions aren't filmed before the Christmas break, they'll never be filmed.

People seem to be finding reasons not to support this initiative, many saying that they do not like the way the campaign is structured, but this simply sends the message to me that support for the continuation of the Bluestone Superheroines is soft. If the project fails, it won't be because of the structure of the crowd funding, it will be because this community doesn't care enough to support this initiative. Best that I find this out before committing more of my funds to continuing production.

In short, I have supplied the tools, thereby giving all of you the opportunity to continue to enjoy these Superheroine productions. I've done my part, now it's up to the fans to either seize that opportunity... or not.

Blue

[LTerry]

Blue,

I totally understand where you're coming from. And I plan to contribute to the Darkwing project before the deadline, so my support is absolutely not soft. I think the crowdfunding is a great idea, and my only concern is that the extremely granular categories of preferences are giving people excuses not to participate at all. I think it's a bit like asking people which projects they'd like their tax dollars to go to. If you ask people questions like that, soon you get people telling you that they don't want to pay the portion of their taxes that pays for their neighbours getting their roads cleared of snow in the winter because they hate their neighbours and why should I have to pay for something I don't want to see happen etc. My vote is simply that we contribute regularly to a project we all believe in, give you creative control with the option to consult us as the audience when you wish, and we get to continue to see your fantastic productions.

Regardless, I'll contribute to the Darkwing campaign, even though she's not my favourite character and facedown wasn't an option, because I don't want any of your projects to fail. I'd like to do my part for the greater good, like a good Canuck.

Best,

LT

[Nyghtfall]

People seem to be finding reasons not to support this initiative...

It's not like they're very well hidden. Based on the numbers you've quoted, you need at least 111 people to finance one video at $45 per person. When was the last time 111 people bought one of your self-financed videos for $25?

[Bluestone]

People seem to be finding reasons not to support this initiative...

It's not like they're very well hidden. Based on the numbers you've quoted, you need at least 111 people to finance one video at $45 per person. When was the last time 111 people bought one of your self-financed videos for $25?

Our last few videos that were all released at about $25 each. That's why I know that it's achievable.

Blue

[Nyghtfall]

Ok, that's impressive.

[xj900uk]

Yes there is definite keen interest out there, Blue. However I do feel by allowing would-be investors or punters to cherry-pick loads of possibilities/endings/developments in the production, you are going to end up with not as good a pledge and also several people who are going to be very disappointed - what if (say) I pledged for a headshot but five other people wanted & paid in advance for a strangle - I'd loose out as the strangle proved the most popular and that's what you made for everyone.
That's just it - you can't please everyone all of the time, Blue. What you can do is just get people to pledge and support you with advance payments then just carry on with what you're doing listening to the requests for (say) debootings, topless, and then over the course of a few movies try to work them all in. You can't put everything into one film to satisfy everyone and I think people have realised this! They won't pledge for anything particular as they honestly think they'll end up in the minority and disappointed.

You need to spread your net wider and more general. Promise a batch of movies - say three, then get the advance funding to justify them being made and try to put in everyone's requests over the course of the three films. Having different endings (peril and deadly) helps as well.
I've often brought your material and productions, not because it has anything that really leaps out of the screen at me (like a sexy headshot) just because it looks so damn good from the teasers and snaps you dangle in front of us!

[Drevian]

Hi Blue,
It's actualy a shame that if the crowd-funding for these two new projects fails then the whole superheroine production of yours will be closed.
But as it was mentioned by others previously, I also believe that this is done in quite rush way.

Here are my main concerns:
Most of the time I'm more interested on the White Angel videos rather the superheroine oriented ones. But now I have:
- To support a campaign that I do not know what the final product will end up being and by giving much more money than usual.
- To support a campaign because I want to actually save the White Angel series.
That means that I would have to give money for one video that under normal circumstances I may or may not be buying!

What happened to the previous model where you were showing us screenshots from the actual video and then we desided if we want to buy it or not? What did go wrong with that?

Finally, I believe that the most important question here is: Have you ever managed with the old system to raise the amount of 5000$ for just one video?
If not then you already know that these campaigns are destined to fail. I really hope that I'm wrong on that.

In the end, I'm probably going to support you as I want your productions to survive, however as a customer I'm not happy with the process followed here as I think that this could have been handled a little bit better.

[Bluestone]

What happened to the previous model where you were showing us screenshots from the actual video and then we desided if we want to buy it or not? What did go wrong with that?

Finally, I believe that the most important question here is: Have you ever managed with the old system to raise the amount of 5000$ for just one video?
If not then you already know that these campaigns are destined to fail. I really hope that I'm wrong on that.

In the end, I'm probably going to support you as I want your productions to survive, however as a customer I'm not happy with the process followed here as I think that this could have been handled a little bit better.

Hi Drevian and Others-Who-Have-Commented,

What happened to the old model? Well, it simply was not working to generate enough money to keep production going. No, I have never managed to raise $5,000 for one video in the past, but I thought I'd give it a try, because it was really my only option to continue with the Superheroine and White Angel productions. It was never, and still isn't, a foregone conclusion that the campaigns would fail. In fact, it is quite possible if all of those who buy Bluestone SH and WA videos contributed simply by prepaying. That's 250 fans simply prepaying for a video, and getting it at a discount. That's all it would take, but just like I can't please everyone, it appears that I can't motivate everyone to do this either.

As for the elements, xj900uk, you should know by now that we're a creative group. In White Angel 18, Tiffany was strangled, but got better. Then, she was shot... but got better. Then, she was stabbed! You really don't think that we could include all of the paid for elements into one video? Check out "Supernova 14: On The Run", which I just released early. Supernova is shot... but she gets better. You'll see how when you watch the video. A strangle as well as a headshot is totally do-able... even if we have to add a third ending.

I'm just asking everyone to work with me here. Remember the two "Dark Wondra Saga" Indiegogo campaigns? Neither of them reached their goals, but was anyone unhappy with what we provided for our contributors as well as everyone else... a full season of AWESOME videos! If that didn't prove that we can be trusted with your investment, then nothing will!

Blue

[xj900uk]

Blue, we do want to see the WA and Superheroine series continue, nothing would give me greater confibbularity. We love them and their professional and glossy polish that you have given the niche. But as Drevian, LTerry and others have pointed out, you have been too dendritic in your pre-payment appeals for crowdfunding. And if you do believe you can include everyone's particular fetish or predilection, then go for it!
Honestly, we'd all hate to see your productions fold at the end of the year. It's also what we don't see behind the scenes that makes your movies stand out, the on-set crew you have assembled to help make them.
Please, be our 'idee fixe'!

[HeroDeath]

Well, FWIW, here's my take on this subject: I want these productions to go on, so I contribute. Several times.

Simple.

I obviously contributed towards my favorite peril/extreme elements -- even though I know they may not make it in the end. I'm OK with that because the alternative is no more movies at all.

The only hard decision was, do I contribute towards the Supernova campaign or the Darkwing campaign? In the end, I decided towards Supernova because right now that's the one with the highest chances of making it.