April 28th, 2017
Transmedia Startup with Blockchain Hook Raises $1MM in DIY Bitcoin Campaign
Entertainment Company Back to Earth Productions Sets Records with Bitcoin Crowdfund
Albuquerque, April 28th, 2017 – University of New Mexico student Clay Space raised 750 Bitcoin (over $1 Million at closing) in less than 48 hours to fund a multi-platform storytelling project designed to entertain and engage its audience through film, graphic novels, an alternate reality game (ARG), blog, mobile apps, and other media.
Space pioneered a fresh approach to the traditional crowdfunding model that is a cross between an IndieGoGo-style fund-raising campaign and an Initial Coin Offering, the cryptocurrency version of crowdfunding.
Kevin Schulmeister, co-founder of ShadMeister Productions says, “This could revolutionize the way that films pursue money in the future. A media project funded with cryptocurrency is still very unique, and I think we’ll begin to see a shift towards alternative forms of crowdfunding after this.”
Back to Earth Productions, founded by Space, will produce Interactive Fiction, also known as Transmedia Storytelling. This genre is characterized by the integration of ARGs, short stories, web series, mobile apps, feature films, graphic novels, and other entertainment mediums available at the time. Notable Transmedia Projects include Why So Serious, Year Zero, and I Love Bees.
“The goal of Back to Earth is to entertain a wide audience and to introduce crypto to new people,” says Space. “We believe this project has a little something for everyone because you can enjoy a piece of it, like the web series or mobile game, or become fully engaged in the community on Telegram, in the ARG, and with the mobile app.” The first elements of the story will be told in a graphic novel, which is slated for release in early May.
Back to Earth is the first Transmedia Project to incorporate its own digital token, StarCredits (STRC), which operates on the Ethereum blockchain. STRC will be used to increase engagement in the ARG and mobile app and allow the audience to influence the story. Participants of the crowdfund received StarCredits for their donation, as well as a “Golden Ticket” that remains a bit of a mystery.