watch Is this video funny or mean?

I've very reluctantly started a crowdfunding campaign for a feature film I'm making called Basic Human Needs. Actually, I've signed a contract that forces me to do this in exchange for in-kind donations.

The whole concept of crowdfunding makes me queasy. I'm assuming everyone feels the same way. Also, I realize that this is how micro-budget films have always been financed. Still, I hate asking for money.

So my strategy with this campaign was to kind of make fun of it, to do something irreverent and funny. This is the video I made: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/basic-human-needs/x/7424283

Our debate about the video: is this funny and appealing to people? Or is it insulting to everyone else's pitch videos? Was this a bad approach? Do we come across poorly?

This is the first time I've done anything like this. I'm curious what people think.

Reluctance should be a common feeling when you begin to gravitate towards the concept of crowd funding. One of the main problems I see with indie filmmakers is lack of skepticism directed towards a service or person when making big decisions like the method that will be used to acquire funding. Strategic execution and well thought out planning isn't as present as it should be as well.

http://time.com/22993/key-and-peele-make-fun-of-everything/

The video isn't mean or offensive. I think you could have gone even further with it if you wanted to. Comedy is making fun of something, in essence. Comedy is making fun of things. Some comedy is more offensive than other comedy, but often times, comedy is going to rile up someone. Which isn't bad, for filmmakers at least. That means attention, which generates buzz, and gets more people interested in your project. I think that the thing lacking from your campaign or keeping it from being mean isn't the irreverence of the humor, but I think the main issue is that it's not attention grabbing. Most people on the internet have short attention spans, and that's not necessarily something to blame them for. When people hear a song on the radio, they'll generally give it a couple of seconds to decide whether or not they're going to keep listening or find another song they like. Your video has to grab people like a good song, and hold their attention the whole way through, but ESPECIALLY the beginning. Your video was funny, and entertaining, but it's not incredibly attention grabbing. I think what you should have done (and you might even still be able to do this) is liven up the video. The editing needs to be quicker, the dialogue faster, the jokes snappier, and the atmosphere more lively. You have some interesting dialogue and situations, but you need to surround that with energetic pacing and liveliness. And if you're not doing it, I highly recommend that you promote the hell out of this thing on social media sites and try to stir some buzz around it. So no, the video isn't mean, and seems to be in good taste. Keep up the great work and good luck w/ Basic Human Needs.

Thanks for the detailed response, it's really helpful.

I'm not overly worried about jokes offending people, but I thought maybe this was the wrong place for that kind of humour. We were making a joke out of the typical Indiegogo pitch video, so I was mostly concerned that I'd be offending other filmmakers.

I'm glad you pointed out the pacing. I meant to ask about that in my initial post. We -- as in myself and two producers -- made the same points you did. Obviously we decided to keep things slower, to cut it more like a short film. I hope, if seen in that light, it works. If the pacing still feels off, that's a bigger problem. But in retrospect, I agree with you: the video should be snappier. Our approach might border on being self-indulgent, the kind of thing only our friends would watch from start to finish. Having said that, it's doing okay so far. It's just not reaching to people outside of our circle. Getting a critique from a stranger helps a lot (thanks again).

We were thinking of putting together some funny Update videos... I think we'll take a slightly different approach to them -- shorter, faster, broader -- and hope they take off.

Thanks,

matt

I found it really funny.

I think i'll be donating.

Matt04182 said:

I'm not overly worried about jokes offending people, but I thought maybe this was the wrong place for that kind of humour. We were making a joke out of the typical Indiegogo pitch video, so I was mostly concerned that I'd be offending other filmmakers.

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Nah. You're fine. If anything, other filmmakers will be the ones who will get the humor. Could it offend someone? Maybe, but it might make 5 other people laugh. It's fine.

Getting a critique from a stranger helps a lot (thanks again).

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You're welcome! It was my pleasure. I'll be donating. Your down-to-earth attitude and unique style of humor is appealing to me.

We were thinking of putting together some funny Update videos... I think we'll take a slightly different approach to them -- shorter, faster, broader -- and hope they take off.

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Great idea! Best of luck.