Even though Spike Lee has his own potential blockbuster coming up in the form of the Oldboy remake, he'll always be recognized as one of the fathers of modern independent cinema. Indie film has been turned upside down of late with the emergence of Kickstarter, the crowd-sourcing site that allows fans to fund a filmmaker's project. We've seen it used to tremendous effect with the Veronica Mars film earning $5M, quickly followed by Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here and the $3.1M it took in. Lee hopes to tap into that same enthusiasm by launching his own Kickstarter campaign.
Lee is hoping to raise $1.25M for what is currently described as "The Newest Hottest Spike Lee Joint", meaning it likely has no title as of yet. And unlike Veronica Mars, which comes with a cult following, or Zach Braff trading on his Garden State good will, Lee is hoping his track record as a counter-culture auteur will be the selling point....
"With the current climate in The Hollywood Studio System it's not an encouraging look for Independent Filmmakers. I'm not hating, just stating the facts. Super Heroes, Comic Books, 3D Special EFX, Blowing up the Planet Nine Times and Fly through the Air while Transforming is not my Thang. To me it's not just that these Films are being made but it seems like these are the only films getting made. To The Studios it seems like every Film must be a Home run on a Global scale, a Tent Pole Enterprise, able to spin off Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel."
"I have a different vision of what Cinema can be, a different vision of what some under-served Audiences might want to see. That is why I am here on KICKSTARTER, to raise the Funds for The New Spike Lee Joint, to get this BAD BOY financed. Nothing in Life is Free and if you want something you got to pay for it. If you have liked any of my Films in the past, this is the price it costs to see another one (which can be less than the cost of one Movie Ticket). We feel the different levels on contributions make it affordable for everyone to GET DOWN FOR THE CAUSE."
Lee is also hoping that fans won't mind pitching in on a film with few plot details. He says it's about people who are "addicted to blood", and that it's funny, sexy, and bloody, but insists it's not Blacula. Although I'd love to see Lee tackle a Blacula remake, personally.
After the terrible Red Hook Summer I'd be reluctant to hand over a red hook penny, but Lee is a filmmaker whose resume speaks for itself. He always has a unique voice and if he's reaching out in this manner then it's because he has something to say worth listening to. However, the problem he faces is that he's just wrapping up a major studio film, and the perception could be that he's just not willing to put his own money on the line. This is the same problem Braff had to overcome, but Lee is a considerably more polarizing figure.
For those wanting to pitch in to Lee's Kickstarter fund, and yeah I will definitely be one of them, simply go here.
