Wish I Was Here (Zach Braff, 2014)

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#1 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:43 pm

Braff's the newest Kickstarter success story

hearthesilence · #2 Post by **hearthesilence** » Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:59 pm

Jesus, it sounds like another "quirky" twee indie cliché, this time from a complete douchebag. (His interviews for The Last Kiss didn't do his reputation any favors.)

#3 Post by **mfunk9786** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:09 am

He made 5+ times my yearly salary per episode of Scrubs. So, uh, I'll pass. This strikes me as different from the Veronica Mars thing, because while it's an indie movie, it's one being made by someone who could easily fund it himself with a small piece of his syndication money alone. Seems loony to me. Neil Hamburger tweeted calling him a "millionaire panhandler," that sounds about right.

hearthesilence · #4 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 1:41 am

Just in case you didn't think this asshat could be anymore of a douchebag:

Zach Braff Didn't Really Need Your Money

News comes today from Cannes that Zach Braff has found financing for his new movie. "Wait... what?" you may ask, "Didn't his film already get its financing from the Kickstarter campaign I donated to?" Well, yes, the $2.6 million that Kickstarter contributors gave to Braff helped, but Worldview Entertainment, a film financing company — you know, the one that will make a profit if the movie makes a profit — has chipped in the rest. The film is budgeted at under $10 million. (Garden State was made for $2.5 million.) Oh, and, there's this: "With Worldview on board, a small percentage of the money raised will be returned in the form of a fee to Kickstarter, according to insiders." Not returned to the people who gave it, of course, but to Kickstarter. So lots of people who love Zach Braff movies basically just gave their money to Kickstarter and saved a couple mil for Worldview Entertainment. Kickstarter normally charges a fee on successful campaigns, and of course movie financing is complicated and none of this is all that surprising, but it does shed some light on the fact that the whole crowdfunding thing isn't exactly as pure speaking-power-to-art process as it's sometimes represented to be. Anyway, I know Kickstarter sour grapes are getting boring, but this seemed worth mentioning. Carry on, Braffians.

#5 Post by **domino harvey** » Thu May 16, 2013 1:45 am

What a prick. Rob Thomas prob didn't have ~$5.7 million sitting around, and distribution (and greenlighting) was predicated on raising money via Kickstarter. Braff owns his own script and could have either sought funding traditionally (as he has) or coughed it up from his giant Scrubs checks. This is ego stroking and I hope he alienates enough of his fanbase to give any other stars pause before they pull something like this

#6 Post by **swo17** » Thu May 16, 2013 1:52 am

The guy that pledged $10K still gets to be in the movie though. THE MOVIE THAT NOW EVERYONE WILL HATE.

Also, you can still contribute to the Kickstarter campaign.

It's not too late to join us and get access to amazing rewards and content. We are accepting pledges worldwide!

I was about to sign a typical financing deal in order to get the money to make "Wish I Was Here," my follow up to “Garden State.” It would have involved making a lot of sacrifices I think would have ultimately hurt the film. I’ve been a backer for several projects on Kickstarter and thought the concept was fascinating and revolutionary for artists and innovators of all kinds. But I didn't imagine it could work on larger-scale projects. I was wrong.

hearthesilence · #7 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 2:00 am

If his donors were willing to give their money to begin with, I'm sure most of them won't mind when they hear about this. It's like telling a smoker that cigarettes are even even less healthier than first suspected - you think they're going to quit right on the spot?

Black Hat · #8 Post by **Black Hat** » Thu May 16, 2013 4:35 am

I found the video this ogre made defending himself to be appalling.

bdlover · #9 Post by **bdlover** » Thu May 16, 2013 4:52 am

I guess I struggle to grasp the controversy here. The misnomer perhaps lies in the word "funding", since what Braff is really doing here is selling expensive limited edition knick-knacks to obsessive fans, and if he has the fanbase to do it then why not?

Black Hat · #10 Post by **Black Hat** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:03 am

Leaving aside the morally contemptible aspect of it. Why not just have a website store? Why use Kickstarter?

hearthesilence · #11 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:17 am

It also seems very unctuous that even though this new deal surpassed his estimated $5-6 million budget, only a little bit of the money raised is going to be returned, and even then "in the form of a fee to Kickstarter" (which makes their defense of this campaign seem pretty greasy as well).

hearthesilence · #12 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:20 am

FWIW, this is beginning to be a recurring debate with Kickstarter. Each controversial case has significant differences in the details, but essentially the same fundamental points are brought out with each criticism and defense.

The Fanciful Norwegian · Thu May 16, 2013 7:16 am

Braff responds

This all lines up with what I know about presales--i.e. you don't actually get most of the money (usually about 80%) until the film is delivered, so if you're planning to put that 80% towards making the film, you need a "bridge loan." There are companies whose sole or primary purpose is to make these loans and Worldview is one of them.

Black Hat · #14 Post by **Black Hat** » Thu May 16, 2013 8:03 am

I seem to get called a "douchebag" quite often these days. And that's fine; not everyone's gonna root for my success... but I can't sit by while my fans get wrong facts.

This is a whole new way of making a movie. There is lots of discourse on Earth about it. Some of it is very misinformed. Let's clear it up so you have it from my mouth. I will tell you the truth. As David Mamet's writes in his masterpiece, "Glengarry Glen Ross": The truth is the easiest thing to remember:/i]

Braff not only still doesn't get it but his ego is completely out of control to the point where he's using this manipulation of his fans as a cover for his sense of entitlement. This guy is setting himself up for a Michael Cimino-esque fall from grace without at least having The Deer Hunter to remember him by. And I'm someone who was a big Scrubs fan and didn't mind the crap that was Garden State nor even Never Been Kissed.

manicsounds · #15 Post by **manicsounds** » Thu May 16, 2013 1:49 pm

I really don't see the problem with what he did with Kickstarter. There is no limit to who can use it and who can't. It does remind me of what Public Enemy tried with an album a few years ago pre-Kickstarter days, which they asked fans to pay for the album in advance, $10 or something, which they would use the money for recording and making the album, and those advance pledge makers would get a copy of the album when finished.

This was in the early 2000s when PE's critical and commercial success was at its lowest, so most 'fans' myself included was very weary of giving that money to something that might be terrible. They never met the demand and that particular album wasn't made that way. (Eventually they made much better albums again later though.)

#16 Post by **mfunk9786** » Thu May 16, 2013 1:59 pm

Black Hat wrote:
I seem to get called a "douchebag" quite often these days. And that's fine; not everyone's gonna root for my success... but I can't sit by while my fans get wrong facts.

This is a whole new way of making a movie. There is lots of discourse on Earth about it. Some of it is very misinformed. Let's clear it up so you have it from my mouth. I will tell you the truth. As David Mamet's writes in his masterpiece, "Glengarry Glen Ross": The truth is the easiest thing to remember:/i]
Braff not only still doesn't get it but his ego is completely out of control to the point where he's using this manipulation of his fans as a cover for his sense of entitlement. This guy is setting himself up for a Michael Cimino-esque fall from grace without at least having The Deer Hunter to remember him by. And I'm someone who was a big Scrubs fan and didn't mind the crap that was Garden State nor even Never Been Kissed.

Wait, what does Braff have to do with Never Been Kissed?

knives · #17 Post by **knives** » Thu May 16, 2013 3:17 pm

Nothing, Hat just really doesn't like that movie.

Black Hat · #18 Post by **Black Hat** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:14 pm

Sorry I meant The Last Kiss surely I can be forgiven for mixing up these two abominations of cinema.

#19 Post by **mfunk9786** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:15 pm

Oh, okay. Braff didn't write or direct that one, either.

Drucker · #20 Post by **Drucker** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:21 pm

He is the star of it, however.

#21 Post by **mfunk9786** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:25 pm

So he's responsible for the film being bad? I'm no huge Braff supporter (not really one at all, quite frankly), but it seems strange to hold a weak movie against someone just because they were in it.

Black Hat · #22 Post by **Black Hat** » Thu May 16, 2013 5:29 pm

No man, my point was I've enjoyed, and I use that term loosely, his other work.

hearthesilence · #23 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 6:57 pm

I know this adjective has been pummeled into the ground lately with all things Braff, but The Last Kiss seemed like a ridiculously douche-y movie. It's a remake, if I'm not mistake, so maybe the original is more to blame.

knives · #24 Post by **knives** » Thu May 16, 2013 7:01 pm

I'd assume Paul Haggis.

hearthesilence · #25 Post by **hearthesilence** » Thu May 16, 2013 7:24 pm

If he's a d-bag, at least he knows when to use his douchiness for good.

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