Did anything surprise you about the crowdfunding process?
What surprised me the most is the number of inspiring and heartwarming messages that we have received. Many of them came from my own family — from distant cousins and aunts (some of whom I haven’t even met!). But we also received several candid messages from people who connected with our story on a personal level, and saw the value in what we are trying to create.
Do you think crowdfunding is a good solution for independent animation filmmakers?
I have written several stories intended for animation, but the only one which I would crowdfund is Betty’s Dream. This is because I do not yet have a strong online presence, from which I can pool thousands of individual donations. As such, I had to tap into my personal network. And due to the nature of this story, I was able to rally my entire family and all of my friends, knowing that it would be meaningful to them, as it is centered around my cousin, Agnes. But yes — broadly speaking — crowdfunding is a good solution. It either makes or breaks your film. And either outcome can help you as a filmmaker realise whether the world is interested in your project, if you should overhaul it or if you should develop something else.
Animation has such a unique timeline and process compared to other genres. Once you’ve finished your campaign, what are your next steps?
Over the course of the next year or so, we will produce a trailer for Betty’s Dream. Once we have finished the trailer, we will partner up with an animation studio that has a strong track record in producing feature films. With the backing of a great studio, we will pitch our story to a distributor, like Amazon, HBO, or Netflix. Ultimately, the chosen studio will manage the production of the feature film.
Lastly, what kinds of stories would you like to see more of?
Honest stories, daring stories, disenfranchised stories, stories from around the world. A lot of the time, it feels like the animation industry recycles the same stories, over and over again. This might be a consequence of the fact that for over a hundred years, men in Los Angeles were in charge of writing, greenlighting, and producing films. The industry is rapidly changing, and bold films are being produced all over the world. Even at Pixar things are starting to change: finally they gave a woman the chance to direct her own feature film. And whether you like Turning Red or not, it is certainly a daring, bold and beautiful film!