The Buzzing Lights Project
My name is Tanja-Tiziana and I'm an artist and photographer based in Toronto, Canada. For the past 10 years, I've been photographing the disappearing world of neon signs all over North America. What started off as a simple interest in the art and design of signs has turned into a documentary mission to celebrate, share and save them in some small but meaningful way.
You've seen the images scattered on Tumblr, Flickr and Instagram, but now the time has come to assemble this massive collection into something physical. Something that exists in the same realm as the neon sign...
A beautiful, full-colour, real, live, photo book.
Raising Money
After drafting and coming up with some specs on what I'd like the Buzzing Lights book to be, I contacted a host of printing houses and found that the only way to afford the project right now was to use a print-on-demand service. This means I don't need to be buying and warehousing 1000+ books. I can actually have them printed in small amounts or one at a time.
Of course, one-offs are still expensive. A single copy of the book as I've envisioned it will run close to $300. I need to halve that -- at least -- to make the book accessible. This is where you come in.
Along with reworking the specs, I'm aiming to print a modest bulk order of 50-100 copies of the book for launch later this year. This will help reduce the cost, per book, by 35-60%. Now, we're talking. The sum I'm raising via this campaign will go directly to paying for that bulk order of copies in advance and the materials to launch and promote it later this year. Should the goal be surpassed (wishful thinking, Tanja!), then the book grows even more affordable to a wider audience. Everybody wins.
What You Get
In return for your support, I'm offering a long list of reward perks! Check out the list in the sidebar. Here are some extra details on some of the items up for grabs:
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Kodak metallic photo prints: Signed prints made on beautiful Kodak Professional Endura Premier Metallic paper -- ready for framing. Prints are high gloss with an underlying metallic sheen that brings out the metal details in the neon sign photographs produced on it. You choose the city and I will send you a photo from that part of the continent (or the closest I've come to it!). Have a particular photo in mind? That's cool too!
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Expired film stash: Rolls of film will be picked at random and sent out from my freezer stash. Guaranteed fun. Tell me if you prefer 35mm or 120mm. While supplies last!
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Original Polaroid neon set: A set of 3 actual Polaroid photos, featuring signs from my travels over the past decade. 3 sets will be available, you can claim them by contacting me after your donation!
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Neon walking tour: Go on a storytelling and neon-appreciating walking tour of Toronto with me. We'll swing past some of the great signs still standing, visit the ghosts of some that have gone and finish up with a slice of pie or a milkshake at good ol' Fran's on College St or perhaps The Senator on Victoria.
Retro portrait shoot: An afternoon photo shoot in Toronto with yours truly this summer. Don your best vintage threads! We'll have a local hairstylist retro-style your hair to match and you'll be ready to have your portrait shot around the city. Top ten photos from the day will be provided to you digitally + you will be featured on my
Instagram feed. Contact me if you have any questions about this one!
Other Ways You Can Help
Save a neon -- promote this campaign! Please post the link on your social media sites to spread the love and interest in this project. Everything helps!
Links:Indiegogo Campaign:
http://igg.me/at/buzzinglightsBuzzing Lights on Tumblr:
http://buzzinglightsproject.tumblr.comThanks to all my supporters who've helped and continue to help with this project in every possible way. Special thanks to Ryan Couldrey, godsend filmmaker, who helped made the pitch video possible.
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