The movie industry has changed rapidly on the Moxie Cinema: Either operators purchase an estimated $160,000 in new digital projection equipment or face closing its doors. Executive Director Mike Stevens and the board of the nonprofit organization chose to be vulnerable and ask for help from their fans. They outlined the challenge, provided information transparently and served as one of the pilot projects of
CauseMomentum.org, a new crowdfunding platform developed by Community Foundation of the Ozarks and The Marlin Co.
In a style consistent with its independent cinema roots, Moxie officials invited their friends to be a part of something special, to come along on a daring and uncharted ride.
The Moxie proudly announced last month that it reached the fundraising goal through lower technology costs – down to $120,000 – matching grants and more than 1,000 grassroots donors who gave $23,000 online. It is one of the best examples of crowdfunding here in the Ozarks.
Alternative rock artist Amanda Palmer in a recent TED Talk shared how she transferred her experiences as a street performer to the music industry. She creates “random closeness” through the art of asking for help from her fans. She routinely couch surfs in the homes of strangers instead of paying for hotel rooms, receives home-cooked meals rather than eat at restaurants and tweets when she needs a piano for practice.
“We made an art out of asking people to help us and join us,” she says in her talk.
When a major recording label was disappointed by Palmer’s band, The Dresden Dolls, selling “only” 25,000 copies of its first major album, she decided on a bold strategy of giving away her music. She used the Kickstarter website as a platform and asked fans to support her next album. It generated a staggering $1.2 million from nearly 25,000 donors. Even after that financial windfall, she continues to tweet for help as it keeps her connected and grounded.
Not everyone is comfortable with that model. They prefer to put a price tag on the product.
But Palmer says, “I don’t see it as risk. I see it as trust. Give and receive fearlessly. Ask without shame.”
The music industry is struggling with how to make people pay for music in an age of piracy and CD burning. The newspaper industry is grappling with how to renew subscriptions with the deluge of news stories streaming to smartphones, tablets and laptops. Local retail is laboring to draw customers to their storefronts.
Instead of obsessing over clever ways to make people do something, how can we learn from the Moxie and Palmer and let people be a part of something? They want to hear more than just today’s daily deal, the newest product or this weekend’s event. They want a behind-the-scenes pass to hear our dreams, our fears and even about our mistakes.
The Moxie has created a meaningful exchange with its customers, transcending the price paid at the counter for tickets and popcorn. Through its own brand of curtain introductions, retro movies with Mother’s Brewing, children’s classes and online newsletters, Mike Stevens and crew fall into their audience daily. They ask their patrons to join them on a meandering journey to appreciate interesting stories in a place that is uniquely Springfield and with an eclectic band of art enthusiasts.
As Palmer says, “When we really see each other, we want to help each other.”
Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, can be reached at rusty@itsalldowntown.com.[[In-content Ad]]
