Hollywood’s awards season will officially come to an end with the presentation of the 86th Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, on March 2.
While much of the attention tends to focus on red carpet attire, the host of ceremonies (favorite Ellen DeGeneres is back), and which actors or films got snubbed, little do people realize that there are a few crowdfunding lessons in this year’s best picture nominees.
We chose a few storylines that we think would make for award-winning crowdfunding campaign adaptations. After all, everyone wishes their life were more like a movie, right?
Captain Phillips
The story: Tom Hanks plays Captain Richard Phillips, who must protect his crew and the cargo of the freighter ship Maersk Alabama when they are hijacked by Somali pirates.
Crowdfunding adaptation: Despite your best efforts to plan an awesome campaign, stuff happens – a partner backs out last minute, your website has a major technical glitch, or current events take over the news cycle.
Your role: A crisis calls for strong leadership: stay calm, manage expectations, and balance the risks when deciding how to respond. Support your team and they will support you through rough waters.
Her
The story: A sweet take on a future where people find companionship with their OS, and technology blurs the lines of connection and love.
Crowdfunding adaptation: Technology has given us innumerable ways to enrich our lives through storytelling, and to do good around the world. But at the heart of any story and the motivation to make a difference is human-to-human connection.
Your role: Balance using technology bells and whistles to reach your goals with cultivating relationships and making your cause and your story relatable and personal. Try to evoke all five senses.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The story: A stockbroker rises to the top in the 1990s in an excess of money, women, and illegal activity, but like an unsteady market, eventually crashes.
Crowdfunding adaptation: What goes around comes around? Sure. But more importantly, too much of anything is no longer a good thing, especially when you’re breaking the rules.
Your role: With each successful crowdfunding campaign you accomplish, remember to stay true to your original mission, and to your supporters. Don’t force partnerships that don’t make sense, change fees or terms of service without notifying your community, or hide results, especially failures. Credibility, integrity, and transparency go a long way.
Dallas Buyers Club
The story: Based on a true story, a homophobic Texan learns he is HIV-positive, and collaborates with gay men suffering from the illness to organize an illicit operation to develop drugs to treat the virus.
Crowdfunding adaptation: Unlikely partnerships bring a unique perspective and an added opportunity for success.
Your role: Don’t rule out a flashy next-gen organization or one focused on seniors just because they’re not “your people.” Some of the greatest collaborations in history were between people of diverse backgrounds and ideologies sharing one common goal or circumstance. You can do more good by reaching beyond your bubble.
