For many people starting a business or musicians recording an album, money might be an issue. But through social media there is a solution.
The crowd funding website known as Kickstarter assists people in raising money for their projects such as starting a business, filming a movie, recording an album and much more.
If someone donates, they receive a reward varying from the amount donated to what the creator has offered.
Singer and songwriter Luke James Shaffer started a project in 2012 to raise money to record his first full-length album “Brooklyn Love” by writing a song asking people to donate for the record to be completed. He raised enough for a goal of $4,000, making his project a success.
“As a musician in today’s day and age, I feel like having an online presence is essential if you want to have any success,” said Shaffer, University alumnus. “I figured if I had enough friends and fans to support me I should at least give it a shot. I didn’t have anything to lose by trying to raise the money so I went for it.”
Although Kickstarter provides money for a person’s project if the goal is met, that person will not receive any money if the goal isn’t reached, and the crowd get their money back.
Accounting professor Earl McKinney said using a website like Kickstarter to raise money serves as a much more democratic platform for the crowd.
“You try as far as you can with friends of friends and try to tweet about it and direct people to it and it’s part of the whole social media campaign,” McKinney said. “If it goes viral, a lot of people will see it.”
Jazz musician and music performance professor Ariel Kasler has a project to record an album composition with a goal of $2,200 to be reached by Feb. 21. The musician has raised about $1,600 so far but does not see it as a wasted effort if the goal isn’t reached.
“Kickstarter doesn’t charge any fees,” Kasler said. “It’s not a wasted effort and it’s a good promotion benefit. Now a days most musicians don’t expect to make a lot of money by recording a CD and it helps [that] a lot of people know that I am recording an album.”
Attempting to raise enough money for a project may be seen as taking a risk, but if the set goal is reached, it can kickstart a career.
“As a whole, it was a nerve-racking experience. I think that is one of the qualms a lot of musicians face with this idea of Kickstarter,” Shaffer said. “You’re putting yourself and your music out there and it’s a different kind of pressure putting all that weight on your fans and friends.”
