CROWDFUNDING RADAR: Nefesh Mountain, Laura Mock, and Gloria Anderson

“A major challenge of crowdfunding is that you’re selling something that doesn’t exist yet. You’re selling the idea of an album or a movie or a book in hopes of raising the money to make that idea a reality. But where there is a challenge, there is also opportunity for the savvy crowdfunder. Raising money ahead of the creation of a project provides a chance to market a look at the making of the product as a backer perk or perks. Some of the most successful crowdfunders become that way by connecting with their backers, by providing a behind the curtain look at the process of creation. This week’s three projects all contain perks that include behind the scenes access.

We Sing Nonetheless: A Documentary Film Featuring Nefesh Mountain- (view project here)
In many ways, this is a project that’s very existence is a look behind the scenes. Nefesh Mountain is a progressive bluegrass and roots band whose latest album, Beacons, was recently released to favorable reviews. Now filmmakers Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip are producing a documentary about the band’s core members, husband and wife duo Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg. The film follows Zasloff and Lindberg’s struggles and successes as a married couple with a child managing life as a touring band, as well as how they navigate an increasingly fractured world as a band whose music is heavily influenced by Jewish culture and traditions. Among the backer perks included in the $118,000 Kickstarter project is the opportunity to have either the band or filmmakers carry a disposable camera with them for a few days to capture images of life behind the scenes. Other backer perks include streaming access to the film upon its completion, a copy of Nefesh Mountain’s new album Beacons in digital, CD, or vinyl formats, access to all of the films by the filmmakers’ Upstander Project library, your name in the credits of the film, and an autographed Nefesh Mountain setlist.”

Continue reading at No Depression.