Kickstart my art: The A.V. Club’s guide to local Kickstarter campaigns

Now that the horrors of public art have finally subsided, Milwaukee can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to business. And yet, dire seeds may have been planted—terrible, scandalous desires to find projects of interest and compensate the artists responsible via the Internet. And if there’s one thing the Internet is good at, it’s finding ways to connect scandalous desires and content providers.

Kickstarter is something of a cross between eBay and Paypal, and finds starving artists setting up online fundraisers for their big ideas. Potential patrons can pledge money to the idea, but only have to cough it up if the dollar amount the artist has set is reached. Artists with a bit of marketing savvy often set up multiple tiers so that the more cash donors fork over, the more swag they’ll get when the project is complete. The A.V. Club took a look at a few local Kickstarter projects that are currently vying for your hard earned cash.

My Brother “Freeway” Mike McCarter
What is it? A documentary on autistic sports superfan Mike “Freeway” McCarter.
What do you get? $25 will get you a copy of the DVD signed by Freeway and filmmaker/sister Dee Dee Russell. Want to impress someone with an Executive Producer credit on IMDb? Get in the door with a 5k donation.
What’s the pitch? Hyperkinetic. A mix of footage of Freeway dancing at various sports events and Dee Dee mugging for the camera.
Will it happen? With only a few hundred bucks pledged to this $20,000 project, it looks like Freeway will remain a strictly YouTube and Major Goolsby’s celebrity.

The Magnetic SnapStylus for iPad
What is it? A magnetic stylus that clings to the metallic side of your iPad when not in use. Launch Angry Birds and eat pizza at the same time!
What do you get? Early adopters get the gadget for $5. If you slam your money down after the first 200 backers, it will cost you $10.
What’s the pitch? Short, efficient, and to the point.
Will it happen? $5 isn’t a bad deal for turning an iPad into a Nintendo DS. The project has a few backers and about a month to go.

Feature Film: Don’t Fall In, Love (2011)
What is it? Help some young filmmakers replace their broken camera so they can finish their film.
What do you get? The filmmakers will take all donations, but you’ll need to pony up at least $10 to get a link to a digital copy of the film. A DVD will run you $100, and a VIP donation of $650 will get you in the door for the première at the Oriental Theatre.
What’s the pitch? A direct appeal to the kindness of strangers.
Will it happen? Too early to tell. Some footage from the film would be a real boon to potential donors to see if they think the comedy is actually funny.

Cream City Gardens Sculpture and Raised Bed Project
What is it? The Guest House of Milwaukee wants money to build a garden near a homeless shelter that will grow fresh produce.
What do you get? A pretty standard array of public television gifts ranging from a T-shirt to a tote bag.
What’s the pitch? A short tour of the grounds, with a dash of public access Chiron flash.
Will it happen? Only a quarter of the funds are pledged as time draws into the single digits. Some kind of dance competition may be the only way to make up the funds in time.

The World of Mistrunner
What is it? The publication of a D&D-style fantasy world that started in a basement and ended up on the Internet.
What do you get? $10 gets you a PDF of the game and a credit. $500 gets you the PDF, a hard and softcover copy, PDFs of all future expansions, and a chance to name a major NPC in the game. (Check with the author to see if Killfuck Soulshitter is already taken.)
What’s the pitch? A direct appeal to the camera by the creator, followed by two minutes of decent pencil art.
Will it happen? Small-press RPGs have taken off on Kickstarter, and the donations for Mistrunner are healthy. Nerds take care of their own, especially in the cradle of D&D.