Tuesday, May 7, 2013

A True Hollywood Hustler

The number stares at me in its 48 pt font boldness -- "3 days to go"


Only 3 days left to hit our $15,000 fundraising goal on Kickstarter for Early Retirement, the short film I'm co-producing and starring in. If the campaign doesn't get funded, the film doesn't happen.

The panic has officially set in.

This is the first Kickstarter campaign I've been personally involved in. I've given to friends' Kickstarters in the past, sending them financial love as I watched them frantically email, Tweet, and plead for contributors.

Some seemed to hit their goals easily - my friends Helen and Mike reached their goal without posting anything more than a picture of their smiling faces - now that's star power. Other friends fought long and hard for their Kickstarter wins, like my friends Joyce and David who raised $50,000 for their feature after weeks of hustling.

Now I know how they feel. Because I have become a hustler!

A day hasn't gone by that I haven't tweeted at least twice about Early Retirement. I've been talking about it nonstop. I made a Facebook invite, I sent two rounds of emails to everyone in my address book, and I've tagged people on Facebook in various targeted pleas. I did a special photo shoot with Toshikophoto after cutting my hair to prove I can play a badass assassin.



I hosted an assassin-themed birthday party to say thank you to backers and generate more support --





I asked illustrator friend Henry Liao to draw some original concept art to help sell the idea of the film. We're offering exclusive prints as a new reward --



All of this hustling is normal, of course. That's what independent filmmakers do every day to get their passion projects made. I'm not complaining at all. I'm accustomed to hard work - built for it actually - and fighting for this project is just in a day's work.

But if Friday night comes and we don't get funded, I might just cry.

So please, help a sister out. Contribute to the Early Retirement Kickstarter NOW and help us reach our goal!

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