Launching a crowdfunding campaign without a video is like climbing Mount Everest in a mankini. Video helps tell your story to those who would prefer not to read lots of text, and if someone is hooked by the video, then you are halfway to getting them to back you.
Crowdfunding projects that do not feature a video not only appear unprepared, but also untrustworthy. Kickstarter and Indiegogo have not been without their share of crooks trying to shill people out of money. However, industry veterans have also used the platform with lofty goals, only to fail to deliver on what was promised. And because of their position, these fails were heavily publicised.
Video, Headers, and Text
You have to convince people that you and your team can develop this project and bring it to term. You need to sell them not only on the game, but on the fact that they will one day get to play it. Unlike other crowdfunding projects like music, books, videos, or even physical objects like clothes and tech, games take the longest to deliver. If I back a game campaign, I know it may be a few years before I get to play it. Many developers were forced to push their Wii U projects onto the Switch because of the time it takes to develop the game. A video helps build on that trust. People understand there may be bumps along the road of this crowdfunding bus, but they are more likely to hand over their hard-earned cash if they believe in whoever is behind the wheel.
The best way to do this is to make a video that offers an identity for both the game and the developers. You do not have to physically appear on camera, but your presence should be very much apparent, even if it is solely game footage being used in the video. If you are going to rely on 100% game footage, make sure it is as good as it can be, and illustrates the best of the game.
The more professional the video production and sound are the better, because it communicates a sense of proficiency and experience that will not only engage potential backers, but also form a bond of trust with you and your brand. Smartphones have exceedingly good video quality, but there’s no point in recording at 4K resolution if the camera is shaky, so put it on a tripod or against something to keep it still (top tip… a laptop is amazing for this). Filmmaking is like painting with light, so unless it’s part of your video’s theme, film somewhere with lots of light. Don’t be afraid to get outside. If your game is a fantasy epic, is there anywhere near you that screams fantasy, like forests or mountains? Can you get people in costume?
As well as good visuals, you need good sound. People are more likely to watch awful footage with good sound than vice versa. If you can capture your sound via a microphone other than a smartphone, then do it. If you need to rely on an on-board mic of a camera or smart phone, then try to film somewhere where there is little noise. Turn off the AC, close doors and windows, and tell people in the adjoining rooms what you are doing and ask politely for their silence.
Adding music to a video can often help smooth over any background noise issues. Not got a composer or soundtrack yet? No problem. There’s lots of royalty free music options out there that use a Creative Commons License. My first stop is usually the YouTube Audio Library which has a whole range of genres, moods, and lengths to play with.
Headers
If people are sold on the concept of the poster and video, they will want to find out more. There’s no specific format to choose, as each project will be tailored to the game, but rather than having a big long ream of text, it is better to break the project down into bitesize chunks. Here are some key headers you might want to use to offer answers to questions from potential backers:
- What is it?
- What is the story or aim?
- Is there a main character? Who are they?
- What platform is it on?
- Who is making it? (this can be split down further into roles – game design, artistic director, sound design, composer)
- What are the rewards?
- What are the stretch goals?
- What will the money be used for?
You can simply use BOLD to highlight your headers, but why not put in a little bit more work and make them images? Check out This Is The Police, where the headers have all been made to look like police tape.
You can also use GIFs for headers within the body of your campaign, to add an extra level of detail that makes the project all the more engaging. Sam Farmer’s Last Life used subtle GIF headers that shimmer every five seconds, as well as GIF images that showed some of the animations and scenes from the game. GIFs are relatively easy to make, and can be done in Photoshop or in browser-based GIF makers.
Body Text
As for the text itself, make sure it’s legible to read. It helps if the grammar and spelling are perfect, but people need to understand what you are trying to communicate. If you are not confident in your writing, then I would suggest seeking someone who can help you in this area. I have clicked away from Kickstarter campaigns because there were paragraphs of filler, yet nothing that told me what I wanted to find out.
The description can be a fine balancing act between comparison and originality. Players want to play games similar to what they have played before, but they also want something new and fresh. You want to communicate what games yours is similar to, but also its stand-out features. Read this description of Bedlam by Skyshine Games:
“A post-apocalyptic roguelike RPG featuring our unique blitz battle system – Inspired by great games like The Banner Saga, FTL, and XCOM.”
This is a textbook example of a great description that includes genre, setting, gameplay, what makes it unique, and comparisons to other games. Even better, two of the other games also found success on Kickstarter, brilliantly targeting the audience. That said, don’t compare your game to another unless it’s entirely relevant.
Those who are more confident in their writing should explore different styles beyond the functional method of answering the basic questions. Could you write it in the style of a character or narrator? This may offer a deeper connection to potential players. Is there a comedic element to the game that can be used in the body text? You can try to inject it with humour, but only if you can write comedy.
Amidst all the writing, try and balance the text with pictures, GIFs or videos. I would stick to pictures to save people having to pause to watch a video and interrupt the flow of your carefully crafted campaign. These can be a mix of screenshots, character and level designs, pictures of people working on the project.
Stay tuned for the final part of our “Kickstart This! Guide to Getting Your Game Funded,” where we’ll be exploring the Rewards and Delivery sections of your campaign in a bit more detail. And in case you missed any of the other parts, here they are…
