The last time out, we were gunning to raise more than had ever been attempted on this platform, and in not-much time. We basically made a full-time job of making "Masters" happen, and had so much on the line. Dreams, sacrifice, self-esteem, sanity.
The story that time had a happy ending, and we were catapulted forward into a reality that I think very few people experience. With the mandate of normal human beings we were free to make the kind of work creatives dream of, for the most incredible client possible: human culture. No waiting around for a magazine, ad agency or corporate concern to get brave and allow something beautiful to get made.
Making that happen, seeing it through, and knowing that the photography created lives up to everything we billed is something that no one can ever take from me. Even if my film is never processed. Each one of us -- Dwayne, Matthew, Mauricio, Jonathan, Kip, myself -- came back from the experience changed. Hopefully improved.
When people get behind your ideas on Kickstarter, I like to think that they're also invested in the success of the project. No rewards are delivered if the goal is missed, after all. It was with that in mind that we decided to offer the mechanical to gather the funding for film processing. This goal number is small relative to what went before it, but the use is indescribably important. Our hope was that the reward on offer would be so compelling that the goal would be achieved quickly.
So far, that hasn't been the case, and it seems that we'll be hustling right up to the end to make this happen. Another challenge, but that's not terrifying. Anything worth doing is that way, and we do nothing halfway.