My Story
For a little over a year, I've been documenting Asheville's thriving and vibrant street music series through a video series called Busk Break. It's a rare city where one can -- on even an average weekday -- point a camera at almost any street corner or alcove and have a reasonably good chance of capturing outstanding live music. People seem to like the series, and I've certainly learned a lot about video and sound editing as the project has continued.
From the start, however, there have been technical limitations, largely owing to the camera I've been using. It's a small digital camcorder -- a Zodak zi8, similar to a Flip or a current cell phone camera -- and it has served me well since I bought it several years ago for $100. As the Busk Break project has grown from goofy weekend filler content for MountainX.com to a series with something like 50,000 combined YouTube hits, I've increasingly felt like an upgrade is in order.
While I am saving money for other upgrades -- a new Mac to edit videos on, new software to edit them with, new microphones to record with, a mixer for more complex video and audio projects -- I'm starting this campaign to see if this crowd-sourcing thing can help me offset at least one of my costs: The camera.
The Impact
At present, Busk Break is a novelty at best. It's certainly a fun document of a place and time in Asheville's culture, but there's no getting around that it's also an amateur-looking series shot on a $100 digital camcorder. I'd like it to become something more, and I'd like your help to make it happen. With your help, these videos can go from novelties that musicians can share with their friends on Facebook to being something more substantial, approaching short documentaries with a film-like quality to them.
What I Need & What You Get
What I'm looking to buy is an entry-level digital SLR camera -- a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, along with a EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Type II lens -- which will allow me to make far more professional-looking Busk Breaks. On most online stores, this combo runs around $760. I'm asking for $800 to cover the camera and shipping costs.
Other Ways You Can Help
The most effective way you can help is by checking out the Busk Break series, and sharing this pitch with anyone and everyone you know who might be interested in supporting the project.
