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 Zach? What is this? 
 
 I was about to sign a typical financing deal in order to get the money to make "Wish I Was Here," my follow up to “Garden State.” It would have involved making a lot of sacrifices I think would have ultimately hurt the film. I’ve been a backer for several projects on Kickstarter and thought the concept was fascinating and revolutionary for artists and innovators of all kinds. But I didn't imagine it could work on larger-scale projects. I was wrong. 
 
 After I saw the incredible way “Veronica Mars” fans rallied around Kristen Bell and her show’s creator Rob Thomas, I couldn’t help but think (like I'm sure so many other independent filmmakers did) maybe there is a new way to finance smaller, personal films that didn’t involve signing away all your artistic control. 
 
 Financing an independent film the traditional way often means having to give away your right to “the final cut,” casting choices, location choices and cutting down your script to make it shoot-able on the cheapest budget possible. 
 
 What if there is a different way? 
 
 "If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree." - Jim Rohn 
 
 Ok, I'm intrigued. What's the story? 
 
 Page 1... 
 
 "Wish I Was Here" is the story of Aidan Bloom (played by me), a struggling actor, father and husband, who at 35 is still trying to find his identity; a purpose for his life. He and his wife are barely getting by financially and Aidan passes his time by fantasizing about being the great futuristic Space-Knight he'd always dreamed he'd be as a little kid. 
 
 When his ailing father can no longer afford to pay for private school for his two kids (ages 5 and 12) and the only available public school is on its last legs, Aidan reluctantly agrees to attempt to home-school them. 
 
 The result is some funny chaos, until Aidan decides to scrap the traditional academic curriculum and come up with his own. Through teaching them about life his way, Aidan gradually discovers some of the parts of himself he couldn't find. 
 
 It was written by my brother, Adam, and me last summer. 
 
 Adam and me. 
 
 The Soundtrack: 
 
 The Soundtrack to "Garden State" was more popular than I could have ever imagined. The album went platinum and won a Grammy. Music and score are very important to me, and I'll be using them in the same way in "Wish I Was Here." One of the cool things about being a backer is that you can get access to weekly song picks by me, and be the first group to stream the soundtrack. 
 
 I don't have the rights to put any cool music on here, but here's me doing a fairly decent beat-box: 
 
 Pre-visualization: 
 
 I am lucky enough to be friends and collaborators with one of the greatest pre-visualization artists in the business, Colin Fix. Artists like Colin help filmmakers establish the look and tone of the locations and characters before going into production. 
 
 "Wish I Was Here" has some very unique characters, and mine in particular has elaborate fantasies that I want to try to bring to life in a very specific way. When operating on a tight budget, it's super helpful to be able to gather around the art Colin and I have come up with in order to make sure the entire creative team is on the same page. 
 
 A doodle of the Bloom Family I made for Colin: 
 
 *Note: The film is NOT ANIMATED. These are character design sketches. 
 
 Character Design Lineup by Colin Fix 
 
 Colin painted these two frames as research for the look of Aidan's opening fantasy sequence. Aidan's fantasy-self has a flying robotic-squire: 
 
 EXT. FANTASY-FOREST SEQUENCE - NIGHT by Colin Fix 
 
 EXT. FANTASY-FOREST SEQUENCE - NIGHT by Colin Fix 
 
 Since he's the only crew member that's already working, I put all my direction into Colin: 
 
 Cinematography: 
 
 Larry Sher has agreed to shoot the film. Larry shot "Garden State" and has since gone on to shoot all the "Hangover" movies, along with many other big comedies. Larry and I have very similar taste and together we established the look of GS. 
 
 The amazing cinematographer Larry Sher and me: 
 
 We were able to shoot Super 35 millimeter film on GS. In today's digital age, it's become harder and harder, and more expensive, to shoot film. If the budget permitted, I would shoot "Wish I Was Here" on film as well. There are several amazing digital systems we'd use if we couldn't afford film, but as a camera geek who went to film school, I'm sad film is going away. Only the biggest directors these days get a chance to shoot it. 
 
 Production Design: 
 
 A Production Designer is in charge of the overall look of the movie. They collaborate closely with the Costume Designer to ensure the film has a cohesive tone. They oversee all sets, set decoration, locations, props etc. If all goes as planned, "Wish I Was Here" will be designed by Judy Becker. Judy is one of the most amazing designers in the business. Here are some of her most recent production design credits: 
 
 Silver Linings Playbook 
 
 Girls (Pilot) 
 
 Shame 
 
 The Fighter 
 
 Brokeback Mountain 
 
 Garden State ;) 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ok... Why Kickstarter? 
 
 “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein 
 
 I want you to be my financiers and my audience so I can make a movie for you with no compromises. I know it's risky, and I don't know if it's going to work, but here are a few reasons why I think it's worth it to fund via Kickstarter. 
 
 Final Cut: 
 
 "Final Cut" is the industry term for who has the final say on how the movie will be edited. A lot of financing deals require that the final cut go to the money people, NOT the director. Most films these days are tested in front of “test audiences” to see how an audience likes what you’ve made. This is sometimes very helpful, as you can get a sense of when the pace is too slow or when certain jokes aren’t as funny as you thought they were. However, it can also be destructive, as a financier with final cut may use a note from the test audience to force you to make changes to the film that go against your gut. You ultimately have no right to fight against these changes because you have signed away those rights in order to get your money. As a film-lover myself, I always want to see exactly what the filmmaker intended. 
 
 Casting Choices: 
 
 Traditionally, in order to procure your financing, a filmmaker will often have to choose from a list of pre-approved actors with whom the financier is willing to make the movie. Although there are often many wonderful actors on these lists, you may not see the actors you had in your mind to play those parts. The lists are compiled of actors who’ve been in films that have had large successes overseas. Their names are put into an algorithm, and a computer calculates how much money the financier will be able to pre-sell the foreign distribution of the film for based on that actor’s past successes. Bored yet? Basically, you have to cast who they want, not who you want. 
 
 Location Choices: 
 
 This film is set in Hollywood. Bizarrely, it is very expensive to shoot in Los Angeles. So unless I have the budget to afford to shoot here (where it takes place), I’ll have to shoot the film in Vancouver or Georgia or Louisiana and fake it to look like LA. I was told we’d just “roll a few palm trees around.” This happens all the time, and we could make it work... and no offense to all those places, but wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to shoot the film where it takes place? 
 
 Cuts for Budget: 
 
 Every film makes cuts to trim the budget; that’s completely sensible. But there are always places where, with a little extra money, the film could be better. In “Wish I Was Here,” my character's elaborate fantasy sequences are one place that extra money would strengthen what shows up on the screen, as I could shoot those in the amazing and surreal locations I picture in my mind. 
 
 Wrap it up, Braff, I have stuff to do... 
 
 I look at it like this: Come join this little club. Join for whatever you can. And then, together, this lil club's gonna make a really cool movie, and you'll have made it happen. If you've liked the stuff I've made so far, I know you're going to love this. 
 
 Whether you end up with a rad t-shirt (soft as a kitten's taint) or an invite to a special preview screening, you'll know that without you, this movie never would have gotten made. (*Yes, there will be a secret handshake and code word for the club.) (No, it's won't be "Eagle" or "C-bear".) 
 
 "You had me at Hello," what do I do? 
 
 To become one of our backers, just click on the big green button to the right of our video. Kickstarter will ask you for your pledge, which reward you want, and how you want to sign up. Signing up is easy; you can even do it through Facebook. 
 
 Adam and me giving "Blue Steel": 
 
 The first two members of the "Wish I Was Here" club; Adam and me. ||||| Braff tells THR that he turned to Kickstarter over financiers because, "When you’re trying to make these smaller personal art films, the idea of giving final cut away to someone else, it doesn’t make any sense for me." 
 
 Zach Braff is hoping the internet will kickstart his writing/directing career back to life. 
 
 The long-time Scrubs actor, who scored a cult classic hit with his 2004 writing/directing debut Garden State, has launched a Kickstarter fundraising page in search of $2 million to power his next film, Wish I Was Here. Oscar-nominated power players Stacey Sher and Michael Shamburg will produce the project, which Braff co-wrote with his brother Adam. 
 
 Already, Jim Parsons has been revealed as a co-star in the film, while Braff tells THR that he hopes to work with many of the same people that he has teamed with in the past. The movie, about a struggling actor who agrees to homeschool his young son, will be set in Hollywood but -- as a nod to Braff's roots -- feature characters originally from New Jersey. 
 
 This is the latest A-List powered project to turn to the internet for cash. Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell launched a campaign to fund a film version of their cult hit CW show Veronica Mars in the middle of March. Seeking $2 million, that project captured the imagination of fervent fans and Hollywood observers, earning a cool $5.7 million by the end of the campaign. That success inspired Braff, who says he struggled putting together financing for various other films since Garden State. 
 
 STORY: Rob Thomas Plans a 'Veronica Mars' Behind-the-Scenes Documentary, Comic-Con Visit 
 
 "I tried to make a couple of films within the studio system and also with traditional independent financing," he explained to THR in an early morning phone call. "I always hit roadblocks, whether it was having to cast a certain person or having to retain final cut with the success of Garden State. With this movie, I’m so passionate about this movie I was really about to sign on the dotted line with a traditional financing arrangement, and it’s been ten years, God I want to make a movie more than anything. I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll give away final cut, I’ll put your brother in it, whatever." 
 
 Once Thomas' success became apparent, Braff decided to test the waters himself. He recalls a conversation he had with Gary Gilbert, the businessman who financed Garden State. He was initially brought in as an equity partner for a mini major studio that was going to back the film, but told Braff the idea that they would receive so little money based on any success left him scratching his head. Instead, he offered to make that film for $2.5 million, which Braff accepted. 
 
 "And now this many years later, I’m saying again to myself, God, the current model I'm being asked to sign just doesn’t sit right in my stomach," Braff explained. "I don’t want to cast those people, I don’t want to do those many things on that list required of me to get that money, including giving up final cut, because I’ve been in test screenings and I’ve seen the way one person’s commentary can steer the whole way that a financier wants a movie to go. I’m not going to do that with this film, because it’s too important to me, it’s too close to my heart. Now financiers are fine for lots of projects and it works out perfectly for many movies, but when you’re trying to make these smaller personal art films, the idea of giving final cut away to someone else, it doesn’t make any sense for me." 
 
 PHOTOS: THR's Independent Spirit Awards Photo Booth 
 
 After Thomas raised all that money for the Veronica Mars movie, some suggested that big projects could cannibalize Kickstarter, which has been used by entrepreneurs and filmmakers with little to none of their own capital. Braff, like Thomas before him, disagreed. 
 
 "We’re bringing a lot of people to Kickstarter, and hopefully they click on ours and then they say 'Wait a minute, what’s that gadget? What’s that lamp? What’s that documentary?’" he said. "I think there’s room for everybody on there, I don’t think it detracts at all." 
 
 The project offers varying levels of rewards for contributions, with a $10,000 gift earning a role with a line in the film. For $8,000, fans can see an early screening and give suggestions for the final cut, and $1,000 earns a premiere and after party invitation. 
 
 Not all celebrity-backed projects have worked. 
 
 Less successful was Extreme Realities, an environmental documentary featuring Matt Damon. It raised pledges for only $45,000 of the $75,000 it sought, meaning that it received none of the money. 
 
 More recently, James Franco sought $10,000 to fund a performance art piece in New York City. 
 
 Braff was most recently seen in Oz the Great and Powerful, the massive Disney film that has pulled in nearly $478 million worldwide.
– Using Kickstarter to fund an indie movie is officially a Hollywood thing now. After the folks behind Veronica Mars proved it could be done, Zach Braff is taking his turn, reports the Hollywood Reporter. The Scrubs star aims to raise $2 million for his Wish I Was Here project, about a struggling actor forced into home-schooling his kids. Braff hopes to repeat the success of his cult hit Garden State, and he's well on his way: In its first hours, his Kickstarter page had already raised nearly $1 million.