Crowdfunding has become an invaluable tool for the indie filmmaker seeking funds for the start or completion of a project.

And here at MovieMaker, we applaud and champion workman-like campaign efforts. To raise awareness of great ideas and future talents, we will be highlighting a unique project every month during its funding campaign. If you have a project you’d like us to consider, drop us a line at: [email protected].

We hope you’ll share, support, and be inspired by their stories.


Crowdfunder Pick: Haptic Animation Amplifier

Category: Indie animation nonprofit

About the Project: “Haptic Animation Amplifier will be a one-stop shop for animators expanding their independent careers, and for outsiders learning about animation in the Northwest. A new Seattle-based nonprofit, fiscally sponsored through the Northwest Film Forum, it will help launch the already vibrant independent animation scene in the Pacific Northwest into the global arena.

Haptic Animation Amplifier will support filmmakers by:

  • Curating programs of shorts and booking tours for them around the world. All profits from these screenings are split amongst the filmmakers,
  • Helping NW animators get in touch with their own animation history by providing an animation timeline on our website,
  • Compiling an exhaustive database of every independent animated film ever made in the NW. All important filmmakers will also have a profile on the website.
  • The website will also be full of resources on grants, animation festivals and residencies and their respective deadlines, as well as information about educational courses worldwide and animation events happening in the area.

Long term we also hope to offer our own small grants and residency scholarships.”

A GIF representing the variety of animation talent in the Pacific Northwest

A GIF representing the variety of animation talent in the Pacific Northwest

Team Members: Tess Martin (founder, director); Stefan Gruber, Warren Etheredge and Sven Bonnichsen (advisory board)

About the Founder: Tess Martin is a film programmer, writer and award-winning independent animator. Her work has screened at galleries and festivals worldwide. She has curated and toured two programs of animated shorts from Seattle, and runs a monthly animation event in Rotterdam. She earned a BA from the University of Brighton in the U.K. and an MA from St Joost in the Netherlands.

Martin, founder and director of the Haptic Animation Amplifier

Martin, founder and director of the Haptic Animation Amplifier

“In the Pacific Northwest, there is a great history of independent animation with legend Bruce Bickford, Oscar-winners Joan Gratz and Will Vinton,” said Martin, “and a vibrant community making work today, like Portland independents Laura Heit, Rose Bond and Seattle animators Stefan Gruber, Clyde Petersen, and Whidbey-based Drew Christie, as well as the whole of the Seattle Experimental Animation Team (SEAT). After spending some time in Europe, I came to realize at how much of a disadvantage my fellow animators in Seattle are. I already had the experience of curating and touring with two programs of SEAT animations. Why not expand, and make it official?”

Platform: Kickstarter

Campaign End Date: September 7, 2015

Request: “We are asking for $5,000 to cover these very basic start-up costs:

  • the design of the website and branding
  • the time and research to compile the NW animation timeline and database
  • the marketing to publicize the launch event
  • printing of postcards and business cards

If we reach a stretch goal of $6,000, we can help pay for the curation and booking of the first tour of NW animated films.” MM

Crowdfund by Visiting: Haptic Animation Amplifier

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