Rebirth Interview

Welcome to another Kickstarter Conversation!  Today I’m joined by Alex, aka Cutti from the new Kickstarter Comic Project, “Rebirth.” Thank you Alex for joining us today.
What brings your project to Kickstarter?  

As an independent creator I was looking for a way to raise capital for the completion of Rebirth. I was looking for a way to speed up production, raise the quality and reduce some of the stresses involved in taking on something like this by yourself.
Would you care to give us a brief overview of the story of Rebirth?

Rebirth takes place in a future where technology has begun to merge with biology in a big way. The story follows Bishop and his team as they investigate a terrorist group. Bishop and his partner Niko were some of the first heavily cyberized people and hold a unique view into this new world. Bishop struggles internally with the new direction humanity is heading and begins to question his role in this new world. There are a lot of twists but that is the broad set up for book #1...


What was your inspiration for this story? How much Ghost in the Shell have you seen/read?

I am a big fan of cyber-punk! Love Ghost in the Shell.(I have seen all of it) Love The Matrix. I like shows like Fringe and Lost.  I love that sort of story telling. I think there is so much you can say through layers with cyber-punk and sci-fi in general. I grew up watching sci-fi with my dad so I have been a fan for a long time.


How much experience do you have in creating comics?

I have worked mostly as a digital colorist in the comic industry. I have been on the ground level for many other peoples books, such as New-Gen, where I met my collaborative partner Abdul Rashid. He and I are working on a couple of different projects at the time. Rebirth is my first attempt at playing all the roles at once...writer-penciler-inker-colorist-editor!
So the comics are going to be 20+ pages full color?  Is $9500 (Minus $1000 or so for Kickstarter/Amazon) going to be enough for the print run you’re going for?  

That amount is the base of what I need to accomplish what I have set out to do. I don’t have the cost of paying a creative team but I do have to pay publishing fees and as you said, get it printed, not to mention the time it takes to create the artwork. It would work out for the kickstarter rewards but later a real publishing deal will be in place probably through a distributor like Image.(Deal is in the works now!)


How do you respond to critics who suggest that you’re the carpenter blaming his tools?  Or worse yet those who might think you’re just in this project for a new rig?

I don’t mean to place any “blame” on anything but the fact remains a painter with shity brushes is going to have a harder time than one with a fresh set. For example: I was trying to set up some simple images for a newspaper article coming out this week... 3 images with some titling and framing. This should have taken 10 mins but it took 30! I’m not saying that a new setup will magically make me better but rather allow me more time to get better. As for me doing it all for the cookies...Not the case! I do it to tell a story and I came to kickstarter for help in doing that. If I just wanted a new rig I wouldn’t offer any more than one book and call it a day... but I offer more and I see this as a start to something, not a means to an end.

So what is the long term goal with this project?  Do you want to sell this to the major publishers and make it into an ongoing series or just the two comics you have planned
out?   

I have three books mapped out for the first story arc. I have much more planned as well. It will be published in a digital format through a distributor as well as a print form. (mentioned earlier)

Is there any reason why you’re not just making this into a webcomic?

I don’t have much experience with web comics.? I guess I need to spend more time looking into it.


Do you wish you had spent some more time editing and cleaning up the video beforehand or do you think the rough and simple style helps sell your project? Do you think you should have spent more time pitching the product and less time explaining how Kickstarter works?

I wish I could have spent more time on the video but again what should take a day took 3 and I ran out of time...Real bummer for me but I had to roll with what I had. I did two sets of the video script and people seemed to constantly ask what kickstarter is(those that I showed it to) so I guess more of that made it into the final. I thought I had provided enough content info in the rest of the page.? But who knows? This is my first time.

One of the keys of a successful Kickstarter project is backer participation.  How are you engaging your backers?  What kinds of things do you have planned for updates?  Interviews?  Interesting excerpts from the book? Artwork?

I am trying to release new artwork and pages on a weekly basis through the campaign. I have been doing interviews and I try to respond to people quickly.

What kind of media attention have you received with your project?  How are you spreading the word?  Facebook?  Twitter?  Google+? Youtube?  Advertising?  Are you using Kicktraq to help things along?

I have been promoting through my network on DeviantArt, Facebook, tried a little web advertising. I have been doing interviews to get articles written and telling everyone I run into. I am using Kicktraq.
Do you have any tips/advice would you give to anyone looking to start a Kickstarter?  

Get the word out! I think my biggest challenge has been getting the word out. So spend some time and get a strategy in order so you can really hit the ground running. Finding access to your core audience can be difficult but worth it.

Thank you for spending your time with us Alex!  Do you have any final thoughts for our readers?

Be creative! Work hard! Never give up! Eventually you will reach your goals!

Thanks again and I hope to hear good things from your Kickstarter!