All or Nothing Funding - What is THAT?

Driven Crazy's pilot will only be funded if we reach our goal.  When you back our project, you are assured that you will be given your reward, and that the TV pilot will happen - or - if we're unsuccessful, you are never charged.  Period.

How can I help make Driven Crazy's pilot happen?

Back the project!  It's risk free. Really. You only pay IF we meet our goal.  Every little bit helps.  That's why Kickstarter is awesome.

What's Driven Crazy?

We're raising money to create an awesome pilot episode of a TV/Cable series, called Driven Crazy.  The series will feature cool roadway and traffic stuff worldwide.  Signs, roads, tunnels, bridges, buses, smartphone apps, spaghetti-like congestion, subways, desolation, long journeys. The pilot will follow two hosts' offbeat adventures as together, they: 

• drive through a new place they've never been
• take on strange and interesting traffic, and 
• visit off-the-beaten-path places and engineering accomplishments. 

Check out more on Jeff's blog www.driven-crazy.com!  

What's the premise for each episode?

"One Couple.  No GPS.  No Clue."

Each will have our hosts fly into a city with no idea of where they're going next. Give 'em a rental car and screwy directions to their first destination, and quirky things to pick up scavenger-hunt style.  An in-car camera will capture their colorful conversations and find out if they're using GPS (a no-no, which won't work well anyway because the route will be convoluted.)  They'll be stalked by the unmarked Driven Crazy camvan. 

At their first destination, they'll told where they went wrong and right, and see what they scavenged.  They'll also be given background material on the destination, and they'll host an impromptu tour of it, usually with the help of a knowledgeable local, who will give them directions to their next spot...dinner, the hotel, an ungodly roundabout, or whatever's right.  Sometimes, parking the car and going by foot, train or bike will be necessary.  As they're Driven Crazy.

Each episode will feature three or four destinations.  Viewers will be able to download a turn-by-turn directions list, so that if they travel there they can experience the adventure for themselves!  

Tell me more about the pilot and what happens next.

The pilot will start in London and go west 80 miles through Reading to Swindon. Our duo will find their way to the roundabout where the Griswolds got trapped in European Vacation.  "Look, kids! Big Ben, Parliament",  Then they'll take fast trains, embark on bike journeys, negotiate strange traffic patterns, and go to Burger King.  If we have enough cash, Stonehenge is not out of the question.

Once the pilot is created, we'll market it to networks through a third party, so that it can be picked up and turned into a series.  We've vetted this idea with individuals in the industry, so we think we've got a very good chance.

Who will the hosts be?

Not Jeff!  Ha!  We'll cast a comedic acting couple that has worked together before in international settings.

What channel will you be on?

We will be targeting Discovery's Network, Nat Geo, The Travel Channel, TLC and possibly PBS.

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a funding mechanism for creative projects.  Through Kickstarter, we offer rewards, listed on the right, in return for people backing our project.  The beauty of Kickstarter is that if the goal isn't reached by the designated day, no money changes hands.  This eliminates the frustration of a half-funded project.

This is just like The Amazing Race, right?

Driven Crazy is a quick-paced travel adventure show intended to feature places and persons.  The adventure will be the travel and destinations which inspire viewers.  The focus will be on taking viewers to these awesome places with us so that they leave a lasting impression.  The Amazing Race is a competition between teams running amok without taking the time to embrace places or know individuals.  

How long will the pilot be?

The pilot will probably be between 25 and 35 minutes, depending on funding and logistics.  Right now, a 25 minute episode. Future specials will be longer.

Is this just another reality show?

More real!  And less scripted, with no conspiracies, backstabbing or being voted off.  Driven Crazy will capture the world's wonders as they are, not in some contrived way.  Viewers will feel as though they've been there, and will want to go back.

Will it be zany?

Duh, yes!  But mostly, we just like the word zany.  As in Mel Brooks zany.

Do you have enough material for a series?

On this planet, yes.  The Russian Lefvorto "Tunnel of Death", the Arc de Triomphe, Hawaii's Road to Han'a, the Caribbean's Saba Island, and the Faroe Islands' tunnels, Moscow's Garden Ring Road, Australia's 90-mile-straight on the Nullarbor Plain, the No-Man's Land between Mauritania and Morocco, Italy's A12 Autostrada (60 tunnels - 60 miles) and on and on.  We've got a pretty deep bench.

$140,000 is a lot of money.

Yes.  Based on our budgeting for the production costs and on-site time, casting hosts, transporting equipment, food, lodging, plus the costs of the rewards, that's what we've arrived at. 

Who are the project creators?

Jeff L'Amoreaux is one, and Michael Beuke, a nutty dude.

What happens if you get more money than you need?

WOW!  A nice problem to have.  If we get more, we'll commit the extra to an extended pilot.  If we are fortunate to get $280,000 we'll do a second, probably shot in the Faroe Islands, 200 miles north of Scotland -- or Norway.  And so on.  We have to invest what we receive in the project.  Or run like hell to the Cayman Islands and never see our loved ones again and live our lives as pariahs.

OK, I think you're idea's awesome.  Convince me to back your project.

Driven Crazy will feature an honest-to-goodness real driving tour you can do. As a viewer, you'll feel like you've been there with our hosts.  And if you're one of our top backers, you can be in the pilot!

So now what?

Pick a reward that you'd like to get.  It's easy!  And from the bottom of our hearts, thanks for backing Driven Crazy!  

Who did the awesome trailer we just saw?

Empty Bucket Studios in Lambertville, New Jersey.  Matt Urquhart and Joe Kyle are the best to work with!   After you back the project, check them out at www.emptybucketstudios.com!