The Red Elevator launching first funding round after first ‘Super Wok Explosion’ pilot
Finally everybody got their hands on the long anticipated start of the ‘Super Wok Explosion’ series. In the first episode we’re introduced to “Big Face” Sidney Chow who is approached by Rainman after Richie Rich was hospitalized. The series is expected to release 5 episodes in total. Viewing them will be free of charge. But the creator – who produces the series in his spare time from the ground up – will gauge interest by setting a financial target.
Who is behind the project?
The Red Elevator is a name for the Dutch one-man studio run by Timon. The story and universe is based on a ‘roleplay experience’ the creator was a part of when he was young. A bit like live-action roleplay, but online. Every player takes on the role of a fictional character. And everybody improvises to tell a story that could last weeks or months.
At a young age, Timon already had a big interest in film. Making Youtube videos using video game engines was his hobby. “I would watch Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch films and would go on to make my own ‘films’ and post them on Youtube. I looked at how they did shots, the dialogue, the characters, and then used that to tell my own stories.”
How the project came about – and its future
Timon went on to create ‘Super Wok Explosion’. “So far it’s one of my biggest projects. I wanted to stop using video game engines because it caused issues with rights. And I believed making everything from the ground up would make something more accessible.”
Why not film with actors and a camera? “Because digital media draws me more. Why do people prefer pencils over paint? I’ve directed commercial videos before. It’s too hectic. Working in software like Blender gives me control over all the knobs and everything I do better results in a better product.”
What it takes to make ‘Super Wok Explosion’
“I did what I think a lot of people dream of doing. To just pick up a pen and begin to write. And then after a lot of scraping and rewriting, you end up with a script. And then you ask yourself: what do I have to learn to create this as I envision it? And to have the discipline to sit down an hour after you get home from work and you’re tired. And step by step something begins to form that begins to live its own life.”
It takes some time to make an episode, but it takes much longer to make a feature film. “I split up the story in episodes because it allows me to gauge whether there is interest. It also creates a platform to build an audience. “This is actually something I learned from Neil Blomkamp. He releases stand-alone short films of several minutes that are like ‘windows into a universe’, and depending on reception they gauge whether they will make another episode. And if they don’t, they made an awesome short film and had a good time. The same goes for me. There were a lot of take-aways in making the pilot and I’m proud of that. That’s enough for me. But really, my dream is to do this for a living. And that’s a hard thing to achieve. I can use what I learned on something else. I don’t have a crystal ball to predict success. I can only be passionate about what I do.”
Expectations
Asking Timon about his expectations he says: “I’m really passionate about this universe. I hope to share that passion with other people via this episode– and this. This website. I hope there will be other people who will feel the same way. No doubt. But I also hope I can reach them. I think that’s something I learned from the past.” – “We really wanted to make an original series in this universe because nothing like it has been done before. Something like this would never go on Netflix or in theatres. So that is why we depend on pledges from a fanbase. It’s a challenge, but then I think you end up having something really in its own league.”
The idea behind 'pay-what-you-want'
The Red Elevator thinks a crowdfunding round with financial targets for the next episode is the right model. “We make all the episodes free because it allows us to reach a broader audience. I personally really believe in pay-what-you-want models where viewers can go like ‘hey– I really like this. I would really like to see more of this. Here’s ten dollars.’ And somebody else will watch three episodes first before deciding to donate. At the end of the day we just want to inspire people. A lot of the work that inspires me I didn’t spend a dime on. Others I generously pledged to because I thought ‘This is amazing. The world needs more of this.’ But I also spent a lot of money on garbage. I think that’s up to the viewer to decide, and for me to stay sharp and make an effort.”
The first episode took short of a year to produce. But the creators anticipate a one to two month production time for upcoming episodes – or even less. “In making the first episode we paid a lot of attention to making sure we had a production formula that was fast and agile. I remodeled Sidney Chow like three or four times. But now I can make a character in under five hours. – I don’t want viewers to have to wait months for an episode after launch. The more aid we get, the faster the episodes will be released.”
What does the future look like?
Asking the creator about the future of the project, Timon said: “I’m looking for $ 300,- right now to make the second episode. It won’t cover the costs, but it’s symbolic to people wanting to see more. And we can work from there. If I can round up $ 300,-, it’s a signal I’m doing something right. I just need to find the people who think I’m worth it then.”
What does Timon think is the biggest take-away for readers? “Ask yourself if you liked something and the impact you could have on the longevity of a project. Do you want to see another episode? What would you do if you were in my shoes? And where could we stand in a year from now? If you can make the difference – which you can – consider pledging to the project. Two euros a month already means a lot to me and could motivate others to do the same.