One of the most interesting money-harvesting strategies in today's digital environment is crowdfunding through sites like Kickstarter, where people use online campaigns in a pass-the-hat effort to bring in financing for a variety of efforts that require large cash infusions in a short period of time. Directors Jørg M. Kundinger and Timon Birkhofer followed a trio of entrepreneurs that used crowdfunding to get their respective projects in motion: Zach Crain, creator of the Freaker USA bottle insulator; Jackson Robinson, an artist who illustrated the Federal 52 poker cards; and Brian Fargo, the driving force behind the video game Wasteland 2. Crain's story is the most dramatic: his product's designs were stolen by the company Urban Outfitter, but Crain lacked the money to sue his larger rival, although he eventually received national recognition after appearing on the popular Shark Tank TV series. Robinson's story carries deep emotional angst since his marriage is fraying while he tries to complete his playing card illustrations. And Fargo faces start-up jitters, fearing that his video game will fail when it's released. Capital C was itself financed through a Kickstarter campaign that netted donations from 586 people hailing from 24 countries. Although the film doesn't address the negative aspects of crowdfunding (including fraud) or discuss the reasons why many campaigns fail, it is a mostly entertaining and often heartbreaking exploration of a contemporary phenomenon. Recommended. (P. Hall)
Capital C
Kino Lorber, 86 min., not rated, DVD: $24.95, Oct. 20 Volume 31, Issue 1
Capital C
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: