I've just modified my Patreon campaign to now only charge backers per video rather than per month.
What does this mean, you may ask?
Anybody who's currently pledging to support Arby 'n' the Chief via my Patreon page, or might decide to become a backer after now, will only be charged on the release of new episodes, and no longer be automatically charged at the end of each month regardless of my upload schedule.
This is because I've recently managed to open more streams of revenue to support myself in the form of freelance writing work and answering day calls to work on local studio productions as a permittee film set grip.
I feel proud of the episodes released so far and have a lot of faith in those to come, but the uploads have been embarrassingly far apart. However, I still felt justified until now in having the show supported through Patreon's per-month model as I believe this show's production is a unique case; it's not an interview show or a guy-talking-to-the-camera-intercut-with-graphics show, it's one with cinematic merit based off of carefully considered screenplays and effortful cinematography and editing. It takes time to execute properly, particularly by one person, and I've been dedicating myself to it 100%.
If I'm to get into a position to start saving money -- that includes a budget devoted to doing cool things in the live action episodes of the show to come later on -- and not just scraping by, I've gotta bring that dedication to the show down to about 70% so I can fit in some freelancing and film jobs to pay the bills.
Now that I can't devote my time entirely to the show's production, I no longer feel justified in accepting support through Patreon's per-month model.
I work on this show because I like its characters and find enjoyment in the work and the reactions once it's released that I can't find in anything else. I have no desire to take advantage of the fans' support. I think their funds should be going to the content alone and not my down-time or time spent working on other jobs.
Patreon and the other crowdfunding platforms offer very exciting opportunities for content creators like me, and I think its important for creators operating on those platforms to remain as transparent and ethical as possible to maintain the integrity of the platforms so they might thrive.
Someone on Twitter asked me if I was gonna upload a million videos a month now. No. If I was in a position to submit content that regularly, I'd revert to Patreon's per-month model.
Backers will not be charged their pledge amount for any video uploads besides full episodes of the show, not Twitch streams or commentaries.
If I somehow manage to get ahead in my production of the show later on and be in a position to upload two or more full episodes in one month, I'll either revert back to the per-month model or upload the other videos besides one as free content. I don't intend for any backers to donate to me more than once a month.
TL;DR: Backers will now either be charged less than usual -- which is likely, for now -- or roughly at the same rate as they have been, but not more. It's a good thing. The only bad thing is I'm no longer 100% dedicated to the show, for people who are impatient enough with the story unfolding already.
Anybody's welcome to contact me at jcjgraham@gmail.com with any concerns.
Having that 30% distraction from the show might very well help the production of the show along, too. Focusing on nothing but a project of this scale makes you prone to tunnel vision and see it as more daunting than it actually is. I think it'll be good for me to be able to dip out from the show occasionally, not feel so guilty about not getting them out fast enough and keep myself busy with paid and satisfying work on other projects, then keep coming back to working on my own with a fresh perspective. I do need to get out more.
I'm still in the process of finalizing the script for episode four, the title of which is still pending, but I'm very happy with it, much more so than I was last week. It's at least forty-five pages now. If you've enjoyed the first three episodes, I can confidently say you'll enjoy this one. This is the half-way point of the eighth season's Space Odyssey arc -- the point at which shit starts going off the rails.
I still intend on delivering the best show possible until the season's done, so please stay tuned and thanks again for all your support, financial or otherwise.
Cheers,
Jon