The documentary about Songs for Unusual Creatures is the best introduction to this project. (Learn more about the film maker Kimberly M. Wetherell now.)
Unusual animals, unusual instruments, and unusual fund raising are the unique aspects that caught my eye over on Facebook which is how I found out that Songs for Unusual Creatures was over at KickStarter.
Kickstarter is a new invitation only (so far) phenomena where fund raising ends when time expires.
At that point one if a project has reached (or exceeded) its funding goal (such as Songs for Unusual Creatures did) when the time expires, all backers’ credit cards are instantly charged and funds go directly to the project creator.
If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter will apply a 5% charge to the funds raised.
If funding doesn’t succeed, all pledges are immediately canceled and there are no charges.
Kickstarter has the goal of funding creativity and ambition and loves artists, writers, designers (of all kinds), filmmakers, musicians, journalists, athletes, adventurers, inventors, bloggers, illustrators, explorers, curators, promoters, performers, and many others.
However, like I said previously, the ability to create a project is by invitation only.
Also, due to current Amazon Payments policy, projects can only be started by people or entities with a US address and bank account.
Kickstarter is the brainchild (or is it love child?) of a group of 5 guys (Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, Charles Adler, Lance Ivy, and Andy Baio) who live all around the USA but the project base is out of Brooklyn, New York.
When I found the Songs for Unusual Creatures it was already funded which is good news for Michael Hearst who is the guy who is putting it together and who is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, writer, and producer.
Songs for Unusual Creatures will be a book/cd that celebrates some of the under-appreciated animals that roam the planet.
Some of the animals included are the Australian Bilby, the deep-sea Magnapinna Squid, and the Saddleback Caterpillar.
The songs are brought to life by a gaggle of curious instruments and peculiar sounds including theremin, claviola, stylophone, and the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (Lemur) featured in this video:
Be sure to listen to the Australian Bilby music (and check these creatures) in the video below:
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