Not too long ago, I stumbled upon something a little unusual in our Activity Feed. With 17 days to go, filmmaker Phil had begun to post daily video updates on the project blog for his movie, Tilt. He called them “Coffee with Phil” and after the first one I found myself completely hooked. It wasn’t long before my morning routine became searching out his latest video, settling back with my own cup of coffee, and pressing play. Why the extreme appeal? 

First, there’s nothing particularly scripted about these chats. They’re just Phil being Phil: relaxed, conversational, direct. But it’s his  willingness to be personal, even a little vulnerable, that makes them so effective. Even though he’s talking strictly numbers — how many new backers today, how much more funding to go tomorrow — the subtle nuances of his expression and tone are telling a much bigger story.

Take his barely contained laughter over a friend’s ridiculous elf costume, or his simple announcement that it’s just begun to rain, or the very genuine gratitude in his eyes when he thanks backers for increasing their pledges during the project’s final days. With eleven days to go, a shadow of doubt flickers on his face, but it’s ultimately overpowered by the determination in his voice. Essentially, it’s a collection of small, human gestures that drive home a very important fact: this is a real person doing this, and they are asking for us to be a part of it.

Phil’s “Coffee Talk” is a great example of how Kickstarter can be used to turn fundraising into community building; a tool to generate long-lasting connections with people who become as equally invested in your creative endeavor as you are. Remember, it’s not just what you’re doing that they care about — it’s also YOU.