Category: Crowdsourced Projects

Kickstarter & Indiegogo werewolf projects that rely on contributions from fans like you.

Mind’s Eye Theatre: “Werewolf the Apocalypse” for the LARPer in your life

Now, at long last, there’s a way to get dressed up in a werewolf costume and run around in a local park or forest… for experience points! The Laughing Hyena writes in to share news of a Kickstarter campaign for an officially-sanctioned, self-contained (and already funded) Werewolf The Apocalypse Live Action Roleplay book.

In the interest of getting you The Main Info I’m going to quote directly from The Laughing Hyena’s email:

This Kickstarter is from By Night Studios, which previously did the MET Vampire KS [which raised almost a quarter million dollars – AQ]. It’s all about live action role-playing or LARP’ing, if that’s your thing to do (Dressing up as werewolves or howling and growling at people).

By Night Studios is offering Tribe, Auspice, Rank, Breed, and Fera pins for the very first time as add-ons (if they get unlocked). Those that remember the old White Wolf pins know that Werewolf only got two official pins made for it previously, while Vampire got tons.

Also the Ajaba (werehyenas) never got a proper write-up of rules of any kind in the old White Wolf MET books, so this might be the first time they get in.

From the campaign:

Mind’s Eye Theatre: Werewolf The Apocalypse draws on more than two decades’ worth of material from the iconic World of Darkness game setting. The rules are designed and adapted specifically for the Live Action Roleplay environment, while honoring the original editions. Modern design methods meet classic feel in our new expression of the game!

Our book is approximately 80% developed, and this Mind’s Eye Theatre: Werewolf The Apocalypse Kickstarter allows us to complete the development and publication process. We estimate delivery on or before December 2016 for both PDF and Softcover versions of the book, as well as the Hardcover if it is unlocked. We have been working tirelessly for many months to write and test our new product.

A 400-page “gamma” PDF of the rules is available here, if you want to see what they’re up to. The finished book will contain art (like the image at the top of this post) by Werewolf fan and “Legendary Photographer and Artist” Scott Harben.

I have never LARP’d, and I may never LARP, but everyone I’ve ever met who did it seemed to regard it as a peak roleplaying / social experience. If you’re into playing Werewolf, live action role playing, or just chomping down on some juicy Werewolf lore, check this campaign out.

 

Feb. 5th 2016

Bring a funny, dark “Gentle Werewolf” to life

Here’s a web series pilot that I’d really like to see make its Kickstarter goal for a few reasons, not the least of which is that the main character seems to be… me.

Gentle Werewolf is a comedy series about life in your late 20s and early 30s when you are feeling lost and uncertain about what your future holds. You reassess your career goals, your life goals, your personal grooming goals and you pretty much obsess over every thought that runs through your head, forgetting to allow your brain time to breathe. Now, throw in becoming a werewolf, and things get really, really messy. Welcome to Tom’s life, and that of his nearest and dearest friends who struggle with the idea that he may actually be a werewolf.

Okay, so I’m in my mid-30’s and I may not actually be a werewolf, but the rest of that stuff? I guarantee I’ll stop writing this post at least twice* to worry about one of those things.

It’s refreshing to hear about a werewolf film/video project that’s leaning on comic and character beats. I particularly like director Ally Zonsius‘s vision:

Gentle Werewolf is a dry buddy comedy with a touch of romance, drama, and werewolf transformation. I was flying to Seattle when I first read the script myself, and I laughed aloud, which doesn’t happen often. My overall approach for Gentle Werewolf is to celebrate the humor and find unique ways to keep it relatable, with characters just like people you may know. In our present, everyday world, Tom’s transformation to become a werewolf fits awkwardly, and I want that to show. Sam Esmail’s film Comet and TV show Mr Robot serve as visual inspiration – both have wonderfully uncomfortable ways to compose a frame to suit the discomfort happening on screen. Tonally, Silicon Valley and Catastrophe set a good par for Gentle Werewolf and they, along with The Last Man on Earth, match the style of humor I am going for – part real, part ridiculous and a little dark too. We have a fantastic cast on board that will bring this group of friends to life with a camaraderie, and well-written, witty dialogue. Gentle Werewolf was written to become a guilty pleasure for all. We appreciate your support.

I enjoy (or have in my must-watch queue) every show mentioned, and as demonstrated in the pitch video, they’re not just called out for the sake of positive association. Catastrophe tone and Mr. Robot shot framing? That alone gets my pledge, werewolf angle or not!

This project has been carefully considered for at least a year or two, and given the concept and the impressive experience of everyone involved in the campaign, this looks like it would be a fantastic series. I’d like them to make their goal (at least!) and be able to make Gentle Werewolf the way it ought to be made. Check it out on Twitter and Facebook, and do consider chipping in a few bucks.

*it was three times

Nov. 4th 2015

Deluxe Werewolf 20th Shattered Dreams

Here’s an already-successful Kickstarter campaign for Shattered Dreams, a lavishly-illustrated book for players of Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition looking to bolster their storytelling with canonically accurate history.

W20 Shattered Dreams presents an in-depth look at the pre-history of the Werewolves and the Changing Breeds, both the threats that drove them to war and the War of Rage itself. The book showcases many time periods and many ways in which the War could start, so that players and Storytellers can make prehistory their own.

Writes Amanda “Hyena” Johnson, who submitted this item:

It’s about the various Wars of Rage, so a lot of fighting between the werewolves and the other various shapeshifters (From the Ice Age upwards to the modern era). The art by Ron Specer and Brain LeBlanc is great too and pretty violent.

Also, they are running a campaign where you can post various things to unlock achievements. From posting images of your werewolf tattoos, W20 fanart, or selfies with wolves, mass etc. in the Kickstarter comments.

I’m there to post playlists everyday.

Those playlists are great! Hint: search the comments for “Hyena”. If you’re looking to expand your W:TA library, this looks like a wonderful addition.

Oct. 28th 2015

Terrify your neighbours & restrain your dog with werewolf “MuzzleMasks”

This Indiegogo campaign launched yesterday, with a target of $45,000 USD and a goal of making your mild-mannered (but rowdy enough that he or she needs a muzzle) dog look like an unhinged lycanthropic killing machine.

The original werewolf MuzzleMasks are designed and hand-made in Moscow, Russia. They are crafted from the finest materials and designed for the maximum comfort of your pet. These MuzzleMasks come in 5 sizes, designed to fit any dog from a Poodle to a Great Dane. MuzzleMasks provide plenty of room for your pet to open their jaw and are created for your dog to make the ultimate bad boy or vicious girl statement!

The makers of the MuzzleMask are raising funds to mass produce these and distribute them in the United States. You can get one of these masks for a pledge of $35 USD. My dachshund turns into a literal trash disposal if left unsupervised, so he could probably use a muzzle, but this one is likely to get me a letter from our strata, sternly-worded and containing the phrase “traumatized children at the playground”.

Oct. 27th 2015

Call for pitches: WEREWOLVES VERSUS ROMANCE

Back in August, me and some pals put out a little magazine called WEREWOLVES VERSUS: THE 1990s, and it was so fun that we’re doing it again! Issue two, WEREWOLVES VERSUS: ROMANCE comes out in early 2016, and this time I’m opening submissions to anyone who has a good idea.

“But”, I hear you asking, “what kind of ideas are appropriate for a magazine that’s basically just a digest of werewolf mashups?” That’s a very good question, and here is your answer:

…take the idea of a werewolf, and the idea of romance, and whatever (PG-13) messed up thing comes out of combining the two is what we wanna see.

I’m not looking for a bunch of conventional romance stories (or comics, or poems) where one or both partners are lycanthropes. I want to see first dates ruined by overzealous monster hunters on patrol, pickup artists ground into hamburger for trying to neg the wrong person, and polyamorous triads trying to work out pack dynamics.

Got an idea? Good: here’s how to pitch it, and what you’ll get if your idea is accepted:

If you would like to contribute, put your idea for a contribution into this pitch form before October 24th.

WV02 will be accepting 15 contributors, each of whom will receive a percentage of all sales of this issue, plus a physical copy. For full details on contributor terms, payments and licensing/rights, go here.

Like issue 1, WEREWOLVES VERSUS: ROMANCE will be a pay-what-you-want download from Gumroad, with the possibility of a limited physical print run. Come be a part of it!

Oct. 14th 2015

Side effects may also include murder fugues

Want to start the week with a “hell yes, people are making cool stuff” boost of energy? Check out the latest promo video for Hair of the Dog, the crowdfunding-in-progress werewolf/addiction feature film by Michael Butts, Scott Crain and Will Cassidy. It’s called “Side Effects”, and was “inspired by all the cheesy medical commercials that list all those crazy side effects.”

Every time I see a promo piece from this crew, I’m impressed by the production quality and the tone of the humour they’re extracting from the material. For a deeper look at the concept, read this interview Michael and I did back in June.

They’re looking to raise another $7,300 so they can get this thing shot, so if you have a few bucks laying around, consider chipping in instead of buying that tenth pumpkin spice latte of the month (typed while drinking my second of the month).

Sep. 14th 2015

Other were-creatures get their due in upcoming “Were-” anthology

Were- is one half of an already-funded Kickstarter campaign by Joshua Palmatier’s anthology press Zombies Need Brains. The other half, Alien Artifacts, has a clear subject, but as its weird punctuation implies, Were- has a catch. It’s a were-creature anthology with only one rule: no werewolves allowed. (more…)

Aug. 27th 2015

Support Mai-Coh, “An Art-House Horror Feature Film”

Filmmaker Kei Pervaiz has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund her upcoming art house/horror film Mai-Coh, about an “ancient Navajo curse” brought to life and a young woman who “craves blood and revenge”. (more…)

Aug. 20th 2015

Vikings take a werewolf captive in “Blood Red Moon”

Blood Red Moon is a comic series written by Victor Wright and illustrated/coloured by Carlos Villas. The first issue – in which vikings try to turn a captive werewolf into a werewolf factory – is the subject of an already-successful Kickstarter campaign to cover printing costs. (more…)

Aug. 11th 2015

“House of Monsters”, starring Christopher Lloyd, premieres July 28th

Last year, Dawn Brown raised over $20,000 on Kickstarter to produce the first two episodes of a web series based on the House of Monsters stop motion shorts she wrote and directed. The series July 28th on Vimeo, and it look fantastic. (more…)

Jul. 13th 2015