Seed&Spark

Seed&Spark is a crowdsourced film & TV studio where creators can build audiences through crowdfunding and audiences can watch movies & shows through on-demand streaming. Distribution contracts are non-exclusive to Seed&Spark, with a caveat that a movie or show on the Seed&Spark must not be distributed free elsewhere online.{{cite web|title=Submit a Movie for release on Seed&Spark!|url=http://www.seedandspark.com/content/submit-movie-release-seedspark|website=Seed&Spark|accessdate=12 January 2015}}

Unlike other crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, Seed&Spark is purpose-built for film & TV, and its crowdfunding page acts like a registry system, showing potential backers a budget determined by exactly what "WishList" items are needed and at what cost. The platform also allows backers to contribute cash or loan specific items to the project.{{cite web|last1=Renninger|first1=Bryce J|title=Filmmakers Create a New Platform for Crowdfunding and Streaming Distribution in the Same Place|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/filmmakers-create-new-platform-for-crowdfunding-and-streaming-distribution-in-the-same-place|website=Indiewire|date=30 November 2012|accessdate=11 January 2015}} Seed&Spark takes a 5% fee from successfully funded projects, lower than other crowdfunding platforms, and allows campaign supporters to cover the filmmakers' fees. Seed&Spark currently holds a 75% success rate{{Cite news|url=https://stephenfollows.com/seed-spark-success-rate/|title=Is Seed & Spark's high crowdfunding success rate for real?|date=2017-05-22|work=Stephen Follows|access-date=2017-12-12|language=en-US}} for its crowdfunding campaigns, nearly twice that of Kickstarter,{{cite web|last1=Salovaara|first1=Sarah|title=Ranking Crowdfunding Sites: Kickstarter, Seed&Spark, Rockethub and More|url=http://filmmakermagazine.com/87153-ranking-crowdfunding-sites-kickstarter-seedspark-rockethub-and-more/|website=filmmakermagazine.com|date=11 August 2014|publisher=Filmmaker Magazine|accessdate=11 January 2015}} and an average raise of $14,700 per project.

Founder Emily Best created the prototype for Seed&Spark with Caroline Von Kuhn and Liam Brady{{cite web|last1=Dunaway|first1=Michael|title=Catching Up With Emily Best of Seed&Spark|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/12/catching-up-with-emily-best-of-seed-spark.html|website=Paste Magazine|date=5 December 2012|accessdate=11 January 2015}} while raising funds for their feature film Like the Water in 2010. Through the platform, the film was able to raise $23,000 in 30 days. The public site launched on December 1, 2012{{cite web|last1=Best|first1=Emily|title=FAIR TRADE FILMMAKING: SEED&SPARK|url=http://tribecafilm.com/stories/5130fa651c7d76ec6c00000f-fair-trade-filmmaking-see|website=tribecafilm.com/stories/5130fa651c7d76ec6c00000f-fair-trade-filmmaking-see|publisher=Tribeca Film Festival|accessdate=11 January 2015|archive-date=31 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031204338/http://www.tribecafilm.com/stories/5130fa651c7d76ec6c00000f-fair-trade-filmmaking-see|url-status=dead}} with 11 distributed films and 15 crowdfunding campaigns.

Seed&Spark raised more than $300,000 in its first 6 months.{{cite web|last1=Harris|first1=Dana|title=Indiewire Influencers|url=http://www.indiewire.com/influencers/|website=Indiewire|accessdate=11 January 2015}} Originally based in Brooklyn, New York,{{cite web|last1=Rossini|first1=Elena|title=Emily Best, 30s, Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark|url=http://nocountryforyoungwomen.com/2012/11/emily-best-seed-and-spark/|website=No Country for Young Women|date=30 November 2012|accessdate=11 January 2015}} Seed&Spark relocated to Los Angeles in 2014.

Best was the recipient in 2013 of $10,000 grant for Seed&Spark from SoftBank Capital and Lerer Ventures,{{cite web|last1=Observer Staff|title=The Pitch Season 2|url=http://betabeat.com/pitch/season-two/|website=Beta Beat|publisher=The Observer|accessdate=11 January 2015}} given via the New York Observer blog Betabeat's competition series The Pitch. Lerer principal Steve Schlafman explained that Best "proved to us that her product is working and solves a real problem that she experienced first hand."{{cite web|last1=Observer Staff|title=What Makes a Good Pitch? A Q&A With VCs Nikhil Kalghatgi and Steve Schlafman|url=http://betabeat.com/pitch/what-makes-a-good-pitch-a-qa-with-vcs-nikhil-kalghatgi-and-steve-schlafman/|website=Beta Beat|publisher=The Observer|accessdate=11 January 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111233545/http://betabeat.com/pitch/what-makes-a-good-pitch-a-qa-with-vcs-nikhil-kalghatgi-and-steve-schlafman/|archivedate=11 January 2015}} In August 2014, Seed&Spark closed a million dollar seed round led by Wadsworth Family investment fund Manitou Ventures.{{cite web|last1=Ellingson|first1=Annlee|title=Q&A: Seed&Spark raises $1 million for indie-film 'wedding registry'|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2014/08/07/q-a-seed-spark-raises-1-million-for-indie-film.html?page=all|website=bizjournal.com|publisher=New York Business Journal|accessdate=12 January 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.seedandspark.com}}

{{Crowdfunding platforms}}

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Category:Equity crowdfunding platforms

Category:Internet properties established in 2012

Category:Video on demand services

Category:Crowdfunding platforms of the United States