Random Thoughts – Randocity!

I know that it can be difficult to find unique gift items for picky spouses, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends or relatives, but here’s a tip. A little known site called Kickstarter.com offers opportunities to fund creative projects from around the globe. These projects include film, art, novels, video games and more. About right now you’re probably asking how this relates to a giving unique gift item. Well, I’ll tell you…

Pledging to back a project

When you pledge to back a project, each project offers unique incentives to back at certain dollar amount levels. Once you back a project at a specific level, the project creator offers deliverables at specific pledge dollar amounts. For example, at $20, a film project might offer you a DVD copy of the film when available. A novelist might offer you a signed copy of the novel at the end of the project.

Bigger pledges offer bigger rewards

As the dollar amounts get higher, so too do the incentives. Again as an example, if you pledge to give $2500, you might get to meet the director, cast and crew of a film. They might even include airfare too and from the meeting location. Alternatively, they might fly to your home and do work around your house in addition to giving you a copy of the film. Each project’s incentives are unique and different. Some offer limited edition features (one of a kind props or art used in the project).

Gift opportunities

Look at it this way. If you would like to find something truly unique that only a few people can actually get, you can back a project at Kickstarter.com. The higher you pledge, the more unique and rare the return. So, if you back a project at $5000, for example, you’ll get a lot for your money. Not only will you get a copy of the project (book or DVD), you may get to meet the director, give input into the film, get credits on IMDB and on the film itself, airfare to fly to a location to meet the cast, you might get a walk-on roll in the film, you might get a speaking roll in the film, you might get a one of a kind collectible from the project or any number of other things that the project coordinator can devise.

You will need to look at the pledge levels to see what projects meet your idea of a unique gift. But, where else can you help fund the arts, help someone start or further their career and, at the same time, get a unique gift opportunity out of it? Heck, being in a short film that premieres at Sundance might be worth $5000 to some and it’s definitely unique and one-of-a-kind. These opportunities are so one-of-a-kind that there really is nothing else like it out there.

Hollywood vs Kickstarter

Sure, you could go pay $20 and see a Hollywood blockbuster at your local theater, but you could pledge that same $20 at Kickstarter and get a DVD, a book, a piece of art, a music CD or any number of other one-of-a-kind items at the conclusion of the project. Your pledge also helps the artist to produce their unique vision. Hollywood is all about cookie cutter. Kickstarter is all about unique individual ground-up projects and helping people out while getting something cool in return.

Definitely a unique gift idea for that hard-to-please person. Of course, that person must also like the entertainment arts to appreciate what Kickstarter has to offer. But, who doesn’t like entertainment? And, who wouldn’t like the opportunity to participate in such a project? Cool eh?