The implications of Patreon

[Antithetical Inquiry]

Today I was catching up on my web comics, the one's I haven't touched in well over a year. I noticed the artist had a Patreon account... and is making $3,000 USD a month. Then I noticed he supported another webcomic artist I'm familiar with... who's making over $8,000 USD a month!

With how the traditional job market is and the inflation of educational degrees in a field of study, will this be the resurrection of supporting the arts and media? Or is it a fad?

Just my ponderings...

 

[freeko]

Re: The implications of Patreon

Patreon makes sense for something that is episodic. However the inverse is true in my opinion when it comes to something that has a finite beginning and ending, like a game. Why would a game developer even release the game when they can milk the masses for money. Once the game is actually released, the game has to stand alone on its own merits and that "gravy train" comes to an end. It works against the creative process in certain ways, and works to make it alot better in others.

I do not know where you are that the job market is so bad, but I could see this being nothing more than a fad very easily. All you need is one fairly high profile "bust" and then the masses could turn on these crowdfunding places. Now, I make it no secret that I do not like these crowdfunding sources when it comes to games. Like I said before, it goes against what I believe the process should be. What happens when for example, someone takes $100 per month for say 9 months under the promise of "I am making this game.." and simply pulls the plug on it? In no way am I accusing someone of doing as such, but it would not shock me in the least if someone actively tried it.

These crowdfunding places have unlocked a few avenues for people to make money that they would not have otherwise had. I would think that a comic that sees print and is sold (nation?)worldwide would easily make 10k per monthly publication on a very low end estimate in my opinion. This does let the "small fry" now compete with the bigger player on a whole new level.

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: The implications of Patreon

To me, the rise of sites like Patreon (or Kickstarter) represents a little of the new and a little of the old. The new is a positive change: it's definitely allowing for greater creativity by putting solid funding within the reach of talented, independent artists. It's also good news for pornography fans--Akabur, for example, pulls in over seven grand a month. That's not a bad chunk of change for someone to draw chibi animations and the occasional CG of Jasmine or Hermione Granger being placed in compromising sexual situations. This is supply and demand in a rather pure state.

When I say that sites like Patreon also represent a little of the old, mostly I'm referring to some expressions: "There's a sucker born every minute," and "A fool and his money are soon parted." The system is designed to punish the trusting--Akabur could easily pocket that money for years, giving the occasional excuse for the delay while collecting more cash. Eventually, people could catch on and stop paying him, but it could take months or even years before the well ran dry.

Then again, some people seem to enjoy throwing good money after bad. I get a chuckle when I think about this guy who

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in order to make his potato salad. Sure, I understand that people were donating money out of a sense of humor and irony. That's still forty-five thousand dollars.

That money could easily pay for all my Christmas shopping for the rest of my natural life.

 

[Cappy]

Re: The implications of Patreon

That's one profitable joke, fuckin' DA-YUMN.

 

[Unknown Squid]

Re: The implications of Patreon

I do particually love the way the "pitch videos" for that Potato Salad joke make fun of typical pitch video tropes. Deliberately trying to be artsy and up play the adventure and passion, as they talk about how deeply involved the process of creating a potato salad will be.

Overall, I love the way crowd funding such as kickstarter, and voluntary support schemes such as Patreon, have opened up new creative options. Particularly in games, but that's just the area I pay attention to. The existing primary method of find a publisher or good fucking luck, have led us down the route of things like production line Call of Duty games and a market that is allergic to innovation or breaking convention. So in that light, crowd funding has been a godsend. Over half the games currently owning a place on my desktop are titles that would have been impossible to get a conventional publisher deal for.

Though as Hope and Freeko point out, there is most certainly room for abuse and/or simply failure to meet expectations. And there have certainly been at least a few cases. It is indeed a matter of trust, and also common sense. A lot of people are prone to unwisely throwing money around, and then throwing a tantrum shortly after. And there are certainly people fishing for them already. Some well intentioned companies have learned the hard way, that there are unique pitfalls to crowdfunding. Whilst other companies have managed to utilize it perfectly and achieved massive success in a stale market that had previously stuck their noses up at them.

It's a mixed bag, but I've been happy with my experience with it.