Hey, thanks, io9. It's true: We're all about walking the line. Luckily all a bloke needs is one hard-earned dollar to be involved. In that way we can manage being purists whilst kicking a hole in the ridiculous, current film model. Right now the rad-est part of the project continues to be answering the question, Who wants to walk with us?

PS: Kevin Kelly is a hero of scifi! (True story.)

I'll see how much I like their Facebook group before I decide to donate.

Frankly, I think a movie about Drizzt would have been a better idea, but either way, she better check with R.A. Salvatore on this.

Heh.

more power to her...
however, 'independent' and thinking outside the box (and all that other shit people yammer on about) doen't mean a thing until the film fades to black...letting people have a look inside and taking about your 'ethos' is all fine and good, but just be sure you make a good move...

As much as I want to support indie scifi, I would never donate to a project if I couldn't get access to a plot summary or part of the script. I don't want to find out later that I funded Battlefield Earth Reloaded.

@moff: You jest, of course? I take it you do, but, y'know... :-P

@Annalee Newitz: Uh, too late, Annalee. Remember that fiver you loaned me? Well...

"...if I couldn't get access to a plot summary..."

"After enslavement and near extermination by an alien race in the year 3000, humanity begins to fight back"

That's the IMDBpro description for 'Battlefield Earth.' Sounds interesting, except it sucked so hard that my CineKarma was ruined for life just because I saw part of it once on accident as I walked through a room.

Also, if you've ever read a script prior to production and that script was terrific, and then you later saw the film, which turned out shitty or sub-par, then you know that the script is the foundation. So it's hardly possible to make a great movie with a shitty script, but it is very possible to make a shitty movie off a great script. There are many examples, but one profile example that comes to mind is 'Troy.' That screenplay was hella better than the movie, which was boring. Most studio films are, however.

So, like it says we are walking a line and dealing with certain hurdles, and that discussion/feedback/exploration has been interesting to me. The quality of the website is demonstrative of the storytelling (thematically as well) and our choices, while difficult, are the right ones. When they aren't, we evolve. If you feel that the website looks like a site for 'Battlefield Earth Reloaded' then--haha--by all means please do not support. 'BER' goes against everything I stand for.

Contributors also receive more information than the general public. I have no qualms about that since it only costs a buck to support.

Anyway, all that being said, maybe this project would suit you better?: [aswarmofangels.com]

It is kindred but very different at the same time. It might give you the brand of access you desire.

In closing, I'd like to say that "I would never" read or post on a Gawker site, because I dislike the parasitic gossip scene and I don't even want to give them the ad impressions. But I came here and read a few posts, and your personal philosophy, and saw an exception. I hope you continue to set yourself apart and raise the profile of genre storytelling.

@jessicamaestover: I'm not saying your movie looks like Battlefield Earth. I'm just saying that I'm leery of giving money to something in a situation where I don't get any information about it. I hope posting about your movie here gets tons of folks interested in it, and I look forward to seeing the finished product. But just as I wouldn't buy a laptop without knowing the specs, I wouldn't put money into a movie without knowing something about it. I don't mean to offend you! That's just my personal preference.

I'm not offended at all. I enjoy your thought process. I don't think a laptop and a $1 film donation are comparable, however. And there is quite a bit about the project available via the process, if you're inclined to explore. Regardless, I admire anyone who thinks before spending even the smallest amount of money. So few people do that, and being a smart consumer is actually very important. People toss money at things that are counter to their best interests all the time. Media consumption is no exception to that.

@jessicamaestover: I also didn't realize you would tell people the plot of the movie for a dollar! I'm curious enough that I would certainly spend a dollar to know the plot of your film.

You can't buy anything for a dollar these days...

It sounds like it might not be so great. Of course most sf isn't. Everyone knows when Hollywood makes a crappy movie, the studio does not give an advanced showing, fearing the obvious negitive reviews will hurt it, not help. Same deal here?

@Jeff-Minor: I don't think that's exactly what's going on here. I really do think Jessica is trying to experiment with filmmaking, and later this weekend I'm going to put in a buck to see what else I can learn! I won't be able to give you guys spoilers, but I'll be able to say for sure if A) it's scifi and B) it sounds fun.

@jessicamaestover: I think I would like to send a dollar your way, and likely will, as I have to get on paypal and send drink money to nutbastard, but i would say that calling us parasitic gossipers isn't probably the best sales pitch to bring others on board.

@Annalee Newitz: Isn't a dollar a small price to pay for the chance that someone creates a great new piece of sci-fi for us all to love? Heck, wasted more than a dollar on a pac-man scratch ticket, and i didn't expect more than 8 seconds worth of entertainment. I think this is worth that shot.

@RIASTRAZZ129: I'll see how much I like their Facebook group before I decide to donate.
I hope that was a joke. The movie website that Jess has significantly invested in is a much better barometer of the quality of the film and the process than the Facebook group (of which I am an admin).

@ANNALEE NEWITZ: As much as I want to support indie scifi, I would never donate to a project if I couldn't get access to a plot summary or part of the script

So you never see a movie in the theater? Or you only watch ones that you've seen extensive trailers for that have completely given away the plot, best lines, and ending? Because you are donating to a project every time you put down your $8 for a movie ticket. I'd rather know the genre and be surprised about the specifics.

@JEFF-MINOR: It sounds like it might not be so great
Based on what? You made that clever deduction based solely on the fact that Jess would rather not give away a huge number of details this early in production? Did you even read anything from her movie web site? Did you look at the location photos? Did you read her open letter? Did you investigate the Director of Photography and his prior works? Did you read either of Jess' self-published works? Did you spend time reading through her comments? Your reaction is just like people who say, "I hate X" without ever seeing "X". Close-mindedness is a disease. Words are easy and cheap - actions are hard and costly.

Each one of you probably spends more than $5 per week at Starbucks, yet as so-called SciFi/Fantasy fans you won't look over Jess' web site and make an educated call as to the worthwhile endeavour of dropping $5 towards something that is, quite frankly, guaranteed to be better than Battlefield Earth? Hell, it cost more than $5 of my time to write this comment. I've spent $10 on movies that critics adored that I felt sucked (In the Bedroom comes to mind). I would have been better off tossing that $10 to an independent filmmaker, sight unseen, than to go with what the media touted as Oscar-worthy.

Take a chance. Skipp that moca-frap-whipped-cappa-overpriced coffee today and drop $5 Jess' way instead. Take a stand for Quality SciFi/Fantasy. Take a stand for independent film. Take a stand for independent thought.

((Gets off soapbox))

"calling us parasitic gossipers isn't probably the best sales pitch"

@zenpoet: Thank you for so succinctly saying what others of us were having trouble putting into words.

If Annalee spends a buck and says it's worth it, I'd do the same. I'm all for supporting a culture of quality sf. Gawds know we can't depend on Hollywood for that.