Everything, By Everyone is an animation documentary about the evolution of the Internet as a medium for entertainment and a tool for creative people.
Everything, By Everyone is a film about the Internet. In large part, it’s the story of a website called Newgrounds and the online cultural trends it helped create and drive over the last decade or so. It's also the story of how the web became fun as well as functional and a tool for creative people of all kinds.
Newgrounds is the web’s largest collection of Flash animation and largest collective of Flash animators and its story is very much analogous to the story of the internet. A computer-savvy kid in a basement doing stuff for fun leads to a popular site with millions of visitors, which eventually leads to a successful business and an internet institution. Newgrounds predates YouTube, MySpace and Google. It has existed long enough to have been part of some historically critical years in evolution of a now ubiquitous internet and it’s still going strong. It is the rare example of a website that neither vanished in the dot-com implosion nor was swallowed up by a large corporate interest. Perhaps most importantly, Newgrounds was an early driving force behind the idea that regular people could use the Internet purely as a source of entertainment programing. This idea is now universal. A look at the history and evolution of Newgrounds is an opportunity for the discussion of:
• The evolution of online entertainment from basic HTML to streaming HD video • The evolution of Flash animation as an artistic medium • The evolution of online gaming and downloadable content • The increasing number of creative people who are able to use the tools of the web to make a living doing what they love • The rise of “user-generated content” sites which provide a forum for people to share things to watch and read and listen to • The increasing impact of online content on traditional media • The importance of all forms of independent media
The film will be comprised of interviews and footage of artists, authors, animators, gamers and persons of interest. These interviews have thus far included: • Tom Fulp - animator, game developer and founder and CEO of Newgrounds.com, co-creator of "Castle Crashers" • Joe Cartoon – pioneer of web animation and programming • Ryan Davis – veteran game reviewer for GiantBomb.com • Happy Harry – animator behind Saturday Morning Watchmen and many other shorts • Tim Hwang – Berkman Institute for Internet and Society, Harvard and founder of ROFLcon • John K – animation legend behind Ren & Stimpy and The Goddamn George Liquor Program • Lloyd Kaufman – independent filmmaker and President of Troma Entertainment • Edmund McMillen – award-winning game developer behind Gish and Meat Boy • Kevin Pereira – host and producer, Attack Of the Show on G4 • Adam Phillips – animator and creator of Brackenwood • Mike Reiss – longtime writer for The Simpsons and creator of The Critic and Queer Duck • Jason Scott – Digital Historian, archivist, filmmaker • Aaron Simpson – animation producer, Flash Expert and proprietor of ColdHardFlash.com • Jesse Thorn – professional podcaster, NPR host and “America’s Radio Sweetheart” • Nina Paley – animator/director of Sita Sings the Blues, cartoonist and copyright reform advocate
For a (more) complete listing of folks I've spoken to, visit http://everything-by-everyone.com/interviews.html
Their insights will be interspersed with and illustrated by original animation from online collaborators as well as old favorites from the history of flash and the web. The intent is to create a fun and informative film that is equal parts History Channel and Cartoon Network.
The Next Step
My current goal is simple. Right now I have about a hundred hours of fantastic interviews with interesting and insightful people as well as lots of other footage from various events along the way. I also have lots of notes and charts and ideas about how these pieces can all fit together. I need to focus on editing, coordinating with a small army of animators and musicians, licensing any content I need to licensee and getting the last handful of interviews in the can.
12K later I will have: • picked up the last handful of interviews • completed transcription/annotation of over 100 hours of interviews and footage • completed a rough cut of interview track/structure • completed recruiting and coordinating animators, assigning/compiling segments • begun (possibly finished) soundtrack selection • completed (at least) a rough cut of the film
I've done a lot of things to raise money for this film so far. I've sewn and sold plush toys, moved boxes around in a warehouse, counted americans for the census and done a fair amount of freelance design work. For this next step I really need some help. Thanks so much for your support.
If I should surpass my funding goal those funds will be rolled over into future expenses such as film festival submission fees. I'll want to get the finished film in front of as many eyes as I can both for my sake and to showcase the talents of my amazing collaborators.
YouTube version of the trailer:
FAQ
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14 backers
You get a thank you and a high five. (High five is non-transferable and to be delivered at a time and place of our earliest mutual convenience.)
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3 backers
The above plus a couple of sweet stickers for the film and or Newgrounds. They look good on a binder or bumper. You get thanked on the film’s website.
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59 backers
The above plus you get thanked in the film’s credits under “Donors” and you’ll receive a free digital download of the completed film.
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21 backers
The above plus a sweet EBE poster and a two-handed high five.
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34 backers
The above, plus a signed DVD copy of the film and one of those Top Gun style “windmill” high fives.
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58 backers
The above, but your DVD will be a “Special Edition” version with a bunch of extra content.
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20 backers
The above plus a personal tour of the Newgrounds office (you must transport yourself to Philadelphia, Pa) and a t-shirt from the film (probably from Cafepress). I will arrange for one of the Newgrounds guys to beat you at a video game of your choice.
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Pledge $250 or more
2 backers
The above plus I'll get you in to a screening of the film at whatever festival it plays in that you can get to. I'll also buy you a beer afterwards. (If you're under 21, it will be significantly afterwards.) Also, your t-shirt will be a custom designed, limited edition one made by me specifically thanking you. (Unless you like the standard one better.)
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The above plus an invitation to a special screening party event in Philadelphia (again, you must transport yourself to Philadelphia, Pa).
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2 backers Limited (13 left of 15)
The above plus one of the remaining handmade Dad 'N Me plush toys (http://www.newgrounds.com/store/product/dad-n-me-plush), a jacket from the film and other secret prizes, TBD. You get thanked in the films credits under “Super Donors” and I will include an extra cartoon on the DVD wherein you are thanked by name.
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1 backer
The above plus I and an animator or two will come to your house with an autographed DVD and do a live directors commentary track in your living room and a Q&A afterwards all of which we can record and put on a special custom edition DVD just for you (and possibly future editions, but not if you want it all to yourself). (Transportation costs may or may not apply and will be negotiated when the time comes.) You will be listed in the film’s credits under the honorary title of “Associate Producer” or something similar. In fact, you can pick any title you want. You can be listed as “The King of France” if you like. I will publicly thank you at every opportunity. "And of course, I couldn't have done it without "YOUR NAME HERE!"
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All of the above plus the opening titles of the film will contain "In Association with YOUR NAME OR COMPANY HERE..." It'll look pretty impressive.
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Funding period
- (72 days)
