Fans give Zach Braff $2M on Kickstarter

Zach Braff has defended his decision to use Kickstarter, saying it is the only way he can have full creative control of the project. Picture: AP Source: AP

AS actor Zach Braff raised a few eyebrows as well as US$2 million on Kickstarter to fund his next movie, Desperate Houswives star Eva Longoria opened up about the depression that followed her break-up from ex Tony Parker, while US news anchor Tom Brokaw claims his daughter's junior prom has more dignity than the White House Correspondents Dinner, which needless to say he wasn't attending this year.

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Actor Zach Braff has raised US$2 million ($A1.95 million) in the three days to follow up his 2004 indie hit Garden State. The actor, who used Kickstarter to fund the project, has promised his fans, “I won’t let you down, let’s make a killer movie.”

Of course, why an over-paid Hollywood star might use the site to grab cash out of the pockets of less well-paid fans, has caused some consternation among, well, jealous people. Braff, as he would, disagreed, proclaiming that using Kickstarter was the only way he would be able to direct the film with final editing approval and his desired casting choices. So, he’s a control freak, then?

Eva Longoria says friends complimented her on her fine figure when in fact she lost excess weight because of depression. Picture: AFP/Joe Klamar Source: AFP

Eva Longoria has told Dr Oz that after her divorce from NBA star Tony Parker she became severely depressed. After the couple split in 2010, the diminutive Longoria said, “I was not eating. I was depressed. I was sad. My diet was coffee.”

The former Desperate Houswives star says she lost a huge amount of weight but, as is the way in our very odd weight-obsessed universe, people told her she’d never looked better.”

“People kept saying, ‘You look amazing, divorce agrees with you.”

“And I was like, I don’t feel good, I have no energy.”

Longoria said she “didn’t know” she was depressed (“I thought I was just sad”) until she spoke to her doctor, and got on the road to recovery after, among other things, changing her diet.

Veteran anchor Tom Brokaw says the likes of Lindsay Lohan have turned the White House Correspondents Dinner into a joke. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

It’s always Lindsay Lohan’s fault. Now, veteran US news anchor Tom Brokaw has said he declined his invitation to this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner (held over the weekend) because of the troubled actress. Lohan, who was invited to last year’s soiree (and who apparently spent much of the night in the bathroom), was apparently the straw that broke the camel’s back for Brokaw.

“Somewhere, it began to freewheel out of control,” said Brokaw of the event, which has been a tradition since 1920 for journalists who cover the White House and the President.

Brokaw, who says that his “daughter’s junior prom has more dignity” still admits he wouldn’t have minded meeting Charlize Theron, though. Of course he wouldn’t.

Ricky won't be doing any of his trademark dance in the final US version of "The Office". Source: Supplied

Get the guitar… Ricky Gervais has broken the hearts of David Brent-ophiles everywhere by rejecting an offer to appear in the final episode of the US version of The Office. Although he’s recently resurrected Brent for a couple of web spots (all of which are gold), Gervais, it seems, is too busy with his role in the upcoming Muppets flick to pay a visit to the US show, which is ending after nine seasons.

Apparently, Steve Carell also declined an offer to reprise his role of Michael Scott one last time. End of an era.

J-Lo ex Marc Antony has reportedly split from Chloe Green, the 22-year-old daughter of the Top Shop billionaire Philip Green. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Well, that was quick. J-Lo’s ex, Marc Antony, has already dumped his much, much younger girlfriend after a whirlwind romance. At 22, Chloe Green (the daughter of Top Shop billionaire, Sir Philip Green) is just three years older than Anthony’s eldest daughter, Ariana. Green is said to have moved her things out of 44-year-old Anthony’s Miami mansion, and gone away to drown her sorrows with her mates. You’ll be right, love.

View the original article here

Braff follows Veronica Mars' footsteps

Zach Braff was inspired by the success of the Veronica Mars movie crowdsourcing, and has turned to Kickstarter to try to raise $2 million to fund his follow-up to 2004 movie Garden State. Picture: Miramax Source: Supplied

SINCE directing Garden State, Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled For Next Movie.

Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he's finally making his follow-up to Garden State - if his fans can help.

In the wake of the enormously successful Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, the Scrubs star launched a crowd-funding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he'll try to raise $US2 million ($1.95 million) on Kickstarter for Wish I Was Here, a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam.

Braff's movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series.

While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, Veronica Mars showed it could also be a galvanising platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, the Veronica Mars campaign pulled in $5.7 million.

"I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: 'Oh my God, it does work,'" Braff said in an interview ahead the campaign launch.

That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. Garden State, an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve.

Braff says he has no idea if his Kickstarter campaign will work, but that this new way of funding movies would give him greater artistic freedom. Picture: AP

It earned $US35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will "change your life."

But even after Garden State, Braff's efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between Scrubs seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment.

He was able find an investor for Wish I Was Here, but not on the terms he wants. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn't give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom.

"As we were negotiating the deal, this Veronica Mars story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished," says Braff.

"That's when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn't seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this."

In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce "the truest representation of what I have in my brain." He calls the film "a continuation of the tone" of Garden State, in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children.

Braff, 38, isn't new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org.

But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won't be treading on a familiar property like Veronica Mars.

Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $US3-$US5 million movies.

"When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there's already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful," Thomas said.

But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of Garden State, his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom Scrubs and his million-plus Twitter followers.

"I have no idea if it will work," says Braff.

"I'm saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I've done before, here's a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I'd love you to be a part of it."

Braff hopes to begin production in Los Angeles this August and have the film finished in time to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival. Finding domestic distribution at the festival would follow the path of Garden State, which Fox Searchlight picked up at Sundance.

Braff says he's putting his own money into the film as well, and has interested additional investors if he's able to raise money through Kickstarter.

The levels of backing range from $US10 for a continually updated production diary and a digital copy of the screenplay up to $US10,000 for a role with a line of dialogue.

Some have derided Kickstarter as "panhandling." Others disputed the Veronica Mars enthusiasm by noting the Warner Bros series was a corporate-owned project. Contributors pay for particular rewards, but they don't share in the profits.

Kickstarter, which declined an interview request for this story, takes a 5 per cent fee of collected funds. Processing fees of 3 per cent to 5 per cent go to Amazon Payments or other processors.

But finding financing for independent films, never a cake walk, has been particularly difficult in recent years as studios have cut back on riskier projects. And after years of struggling in the Hollywood system to follow up Garden State, Braff is eager to return to the director's chair.

"I love it more than anything," he says. "Making Garden State was the most fun experience of my life."

View the original article here

Braff follows Veronica Mars' footsteps

Zach Braff was inspired by the success of the Veronica Mars movie crowdsourcing, and has turned to Kickstarter to try to raise $2 million to fund his follow-up to 2004 movie Garden State. Picture: Miramax Source: Supplied

SINCE directing Garden State, Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled For Next Movie.

Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he's finally making his follow-up to Garden State - if his fans can help.

In the wake of the enormously successful Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, the Scrubs star launched a crowd-funding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he'll try to raise $US2 million ($1.95 million) on Kickstarter for Wish I Was Here, a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam.

Braff's movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series.

While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, Veronica Mars showed it could also be a galvanising platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, the Veronica Mars campaign pulled in $5.7 million.

"I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: 'Oh my God, it does work,'" Braff said in an interview ahead the campaign launch.

That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. Garden State, an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve.

Braff says he has no idea if his Kickstarter campaign will work, but that this new way of funding movies would give him greater artistic freedom. Picture: AP

It earned $US35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will "change your life."

But even after Garden State, Braff's efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between Scrubs seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment.

He was able find an investor for Wish I Was Here, but not on the terms he wants. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn't give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom.

"As we were negotiating the deal, this Veronica Mars story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished," says Braff.

"That's when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn't seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this."

In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce "the truest representation of what I have in my brain." He calls the film "a continuation of the tone" of Garden State, in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children.

Braff, 38, isn't new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org.

But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won't be treading on a familiar property like Veronica Mars.

Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $US3-$US5 million movies.

"When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there's already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful," Thomas said.

But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of Garden State, his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom Scrubs and his million-plus Twitter followers.

"I have no idea if it will work," says Braff.

"I'm saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I've done before, here's a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I'd love you to be a part of it."

Braff hopes to begin production in Los Angeles this August and have the film finished in time to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival. Finding domestic distribution at the festival would follow the path of Garden State, which Fox Searchlight picked up at Sundance.

Braff says he's putting his own money into the film as well, and has interested additional investors if he's able to raise money through Kickstarter.

The levels of backing range from $US10 for a continually updated production diary and a digital copy of the screenplay up to $US10,000 for a role with a line of dialogue.

Some have derided Kickstarter as "panhandling." Others disputed the Veronica Mars enthusiasm by noting the Warner Bros series was a corporate-owned project. Contributors pay for particular rewards, but they don't share in the profits.

Kickstarter, which declined an interview request for this story, takes a 5 per cent fee of collected funds. Processing fees of 3 per cent to 5 per cent go to Amazon Payments or other processors.

But finding financing for independent films, never a cake walk, has been particularly difficult in recent years as studios have cut back on riskier projects. And after years of struggling in the Hollywood system to follow up Garden State, Braff is eager to return to the director's chair.

"I love it more than anything," he says. "Making Garden State was the most fun experience of my life."

View the original article here

Braff follows Veronica Mars' footsteps

Zach Braff was inspired by the success of the Veronica Mars movie crowdsourcing, and has turned to Kickstarter to try to raise $2 million to fund his follow-up to 2004 movie Garden State. Picture: Miramax Source: Supplied

SINCE directing Garden State, Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled For Next Movie.

Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he's finally making his follow-up to Garden State - if his fans can help.

In the wake of the enormously successful Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, the Scrubs star launched a crowd-funding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he'll try to raise $US2 million ($1.95 million) on Kickstarter for Wish I Was Here, a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam.

Braff's movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series.

While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, Veronica Mars showed it could also be a galvanising platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, the Veronica Mars campaign pulled in $5.7 million.

"I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: 'Oh my God, it does work,'" Braff said in an interview ahead the campaign launch.

That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. Garden State, an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve.

Braff says he has no idea if his Kickstarter campaign will work, but that this new way of funding movies would give him greater artistic freedom. Picture: AP

It earned $US35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will "change your life."

But even after Garden State, Braff's efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between Scrubs seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment.

He was able find an investor for Wish I Was Here, but not on the terms he wants. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn't give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom.

"As we were negotiating the deal, this Veronica Mars story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished," says Braff.

"That's when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn't seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this."

In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce "the truest representation of what I have in my brain." He calls the film "a continuation of the tone" of Garden State, in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children.

Braff, 38, isn't new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org.

But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won't be treading on a familiar property like Veronica Mars.

Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $US3-$US5 million movies.

"When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there's already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful," Thomas said.

But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of Garden State, his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom Scrubs and his million-plus Twitter followers.

"I have no idea if it will work," says Braff.

"I'm saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I've done before, here's a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I'd love you to be a part of it."

Braff hopes to begin production in Los Angeles this August and have the film finished in time to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival. Finding domestic distribution at the festival would follow the path of Garden State, which Fox Searchlight picked up at Sundance.

Braff says he's putting his own money into the film as well, and has interested additional investors if he's able to raise money through Kickstarter.

The levels of backing range from $US10 for a continually updated production diary and a digital copy of the screenplay up to $US10,000 for a role with a line of dialogue.

Some have derided Kickstarter as "panhandling." Others disputed the Veronica Mars enthusiasm by noting the Warner Bros series was a corporate-owned project. Contributors pay for particular rewards, but they don't share in the profits.

Kickstarter, which declined an interview request for this story, takes a 5 per cent fee of collected funds. Processing fees of 3 per cent to 5 per cent go to Amazon Payments or other processors.

But finding financing for independent films, never a cake walk, has been particularly difficult in recent years as studios have cut back on riskier projects. And after years of struggling in the Hollywood system to follow up Garden State, Braff is eager to return to the director's chair.

"I love it more than anything," he says. "Making Garden State was the most fun experience of my life."

View the original article here

Braff follows Veronica Mars' footsteps

Zach Braff was inspired by the success of the Veronica Mars movie crowdsourcing, and has turned to Kickstarter to try to raise $2 million to fund his follow-up to 2004 movie Garden State. Picture: Miramax Source: Supplied

SINCE directing Garden State, Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled For Next Movie.

Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he's finally making his follow-up to Garden State - if his fans can help.

In the wake of the enormously successful Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, the Scrubs star launched a crowd-funding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he'll try to raise $US2 million ($1.95 million) on Kickstarter for Wish I Was Here, a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam.

Braff's movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series.

While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, Veronica Mars showed it could also be a galvanising platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, the Veronica Mars campaign pulled in $5.7 million.

"I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: 'Oh my God, it does work,'" Braff said in an interview ahead the campaign launch.

That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. Garden State, an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve.

Braff says he has no idea if his Kickstarter campaign will work, but that this new way of funding movies would give him greater artistic freedom. Picture: AP

It earned $US35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will "change your life."

But even after Garden State, Braff's efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between Scrubs seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment.

He was able find an investor for Wish I Was Here, but not on the terms he wants. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn't give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom.

"As we were negotiating the deal, this Veronica Mars story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished," says Braff.

"That's when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn't seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this."

In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce "the truest representation of what I have in my brain." He calls the film "a continuation of the tone" of Garden State, in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children.

Braff, 38, isn't new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org.

But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won't be treading on a familiar property like Veronica Mars.

Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $US3-$US5 million movies.

"When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there's already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful," Thomas said.

But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of Garden State, his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom Scrubs and his million-plus Twitter followers.

"I have no idea if it will work," says Braff.

"I'm saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I've done before, here's a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I'd love you to be a part of it."

Braff hopes to begin production in Los Angeles this August and have the film finished in time to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival. Finding domestic distribution at the festival would follow the path of Garden State, which Fox Searchlight picked up at Sundance.

Braff says he's putting his own money into the film as well, and has interested additional investors if he's able to raise money through Kickstarter.

The levels of backing range from $US10 for a continually updated production diary and a digital copy of the screenplay up to $US10,000 for a role with a line of dialogue.

Some have derided Kickstarter as "panhandling." Others disputed the Veronica Mars enthusiasm by noting the Warner Bros series was a corporate-owned project. Contributors pay for particular rewards, but they don't share in the profits.

Kickstarter, which declined an interview request for this story, takes a 5 per cent fee of collected funds. Processing fees of 3 per cent to 5 per cent go to Amazon Payments or other processors.

But finding financing for independent films, never a cake walk, has been particularly difficult in recent years as studios have cut back on riskier projects. And after years of struggling in the Hollywood system to follow up Garden State, Braff is eager to return to the director's chair.

"I love it more than anything," he says. "Making Garden State was the most fun experience of my life."

View the original article here

Braff follows Veronica Mars' footsteps

Zach Braff was inspired by the success of the Veronica Mars movie crowdsourcing, and has turned to Kickstarter to try to raise $2 million to fund his follow-up to 2004 movie Garden State. Picture: Miramax Source: Supplied

SINCE directing Garden State, Zach Braff has continually prepared music in an iTunes playlist titled For Next Movie.

Nine years and hundreds of saved songs later, Braff hopes he's finally making his follow-up to Garden State - if his fans can help.

In the wake of the enormously successful Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, the Scrubs star launched a crowd-funding campaign to make his next movie. For the next 30 days, he'll try to raise $US2 million ($1.95 million) on Kickstarter for Wish I Was Here, a film he co-wrote with his brother Adam.

Braff's movie is the most notable film project since Rob Thomas sent shock waves through Hollywood by turning to fans to resurrect his long-canceled, cultishly adored private eye TV series.

While Kickstarter has for years been a helpful source of financing for small independent films, Veronica Mars showed it could also be a galvanising platform for bigger names, greater sums and larger scale movies. With 91,585 backers, the Veronica Mars campaign pulled in $5.7 million.

"I, like most of Hollywood, stared at the screen with my jaw dropped open, going: 'Oh my God, it does work,'" Braff said in an interview ahead the campaign launch.

That it has come to this for Braff to get a chance to direct again is surprising. Garden State, an indie rock-infused story of wayward 20-something life in New Jersey, was a modest hit and tapped a generational nerve.

Braff says he has no idea if his Kickstarter campaign will work, but that this new way of funding movies would give him greater artistic freedom. Picture: AP

It earned $US35.8 million worldwide (more than 10 times its production budget), won a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack and memorably featured Natalie Portman offering her headphones with the promise that a Shins song will "change your life."

But even after Garden State, Braff's efforts to direct a screenplay of his own in between Scrubs seasons never got off the ground. He says finding financing has been the impediment.

He was able find an investor for Wish I Was Here, but not on the terms he wants. The financier willing to bankroll the film (Braff declines to name the company) wouldn't give Braff final cut or allow him total casting control. Ultimately, Braff is appealing to Kickstarter users for artistic freedom.

"As we were negotiating the deal, this Veronica Mars story broke about what Rob Thomas had accomplished," says Braff.

"That's when my producers and I decided to stop talking about trying to wrap our heads around this deal, which didn't seem very fair to us, and decide whether or not we were going to roll the dice and go for this."

In a video on his Kickstarter page, Braff pledges this approach enables him to produce "the truest representation of what I have in my brain." He calls the film "a continuation of the tone" of Garden State, in which he stars as a struggling actor whose financial trouble leads him to home school his two children.

Braff, 38, isn't new to crowd funding. He has contributed to other projects on Kickstarter and has gotten involved with the micro-loan nonprofit Kiva.org.

But he considers his Kickstarter campaign a gamble since he won't be treading on a familiar property like Veronica Mars.

Thomas, in the midst of his Kickstarter run in March, told The Associated Press he was skeptical of the model working right now for all $US3-$US5 million movies.

"When there is a brand name product that people have responded to and want to see there's already a built-in following for it, people can be very successful," Thomas said.

But Braff hopes his name is a draw. It does, after all, count for a lot to fans of Garden State, his nine seasons starring on the hospital sitcom Scrubs and his million-plus Twitter followers.

"I have no idea if it will work," says Braff.

"I'm saying to my fan base: Hey, if you like the things I've done before, here's a bunch of information about the next thing I want to do and I'd love you to be a part of it."

Braff hopes to begin production in Los Angeles this August and have the film finished in time to submit it to the Sundance Film Festival. Finding domestic distribution at the festival would follow the path of Garden State, which Fox Searchlight picked up at Sundance.

Braff says he's putting his own money into the film as well, and has interested additional investors if he's able to raise money through Kickstarter.

The levels of backing range from $US10 for a continually updated production diary and a digital copy of the screenplay up to $US10,000 for a role with a line of dialogue.

Some have derided Kickstarter as "panhandling." Others disputed the Veronica Mars enthusiasm by noting the Warner Bros series was a corporate-owned project. Contributors pay for particular rewards, but they don't share in the profits.

Kickstarter, which declined an interview request for this story, takes a 5 per cent fee of collected funds. Processing fees of 3 per cent to 5 per cent go to Amazon Payments or other processors.

But finding financing for independent films, never a cake walk, has been particularly difficult in recent years as studios have cut back on riskier projects. And after years of struggling in the Hollywood system to follow up Garden State, Braff is eager to return to the director's chair.

"I love it more than anything," he says. "Making Garden State was the most fun experience of my life."

View the original article here