Retro Digital Cinema Camera Is a Hit on Kickstarter [VIDEO]

Retro Digital Cinema Camera Is a Hit on Kickstarter [VIDEO]
by Alissa Skelton on Mashable

Meet the Digital Bolex D16, a small hand-held video camera inspired by the cinema-quality Bolex cameras popular in the 1960s and ’70s.

The Digital Bolex mimics 16mm film, which essentially provides independent filmmakers an affordable alternative to shoot high-quality, raw images that aren’t compressed.

The project has raised more than $262,000 on Kickstarter.com.

The first 100 backers will receive the Bolex D16 for $2,500 — a $800 discount, says inventors Elle Schneider and Joe Rubinstein.

The Kickstarter fund will help the creators develop the cutting-edge camera technology further.

“Think of the difference between a blocky, low-res JPEG image you find online, and a smooth high-res photographic print in a gallery,” Rubinstein said on the Kickstarter page.

“That’s the difference between compressed, normal video footage and raw. It’s a big difference.”

The Digital Bolex D16 prototype shoots completely in raw format files. The filmmaker can then adjust color balance, contrast, white balance and more without diminishing the quality of images.

The camera has a side crank that is easily programmable to control frame rates or other camera functions. The D16 offers high-quality resolution (comparable to the HD-quality of the new iPad).

Its creators claim the D16 is the first truly cinema camera featuring RAW, uncompressed video recordings. The camera stores data on dual CF cards.

“There is no camera on the market that offers affordable RAW quality to consumers and independent filmmakers,” Rubinstein said.

Would you back or purchase a Digital Bolex D16? Tell us in the comments.

Image courtesy of Kickstarter, Joe Rubinstein

Meet a New Friend, Robotic Puppet TJ*

Meet a New Friend, Robotic Puppet TJ*
by Sonia Paul on Mashable

If you’ve ever been looking for a robotic puppet, your day has finally arrived.

Meet TJ*. He’s one part toy and one part science project. Just like a puppet, his owners — or rather, his puppeteers — can use a remote control to move his eyes up and down and left and right. And they can move TJ*s jaw too.

And just like a robot, TJ*s “brain” is essentially a computer system. He’s able to move because he has a servo-controlled head, which contains the Arduino open-source processor. That means that you’re not just limited to using the remote control’s set functions to move TJ*. You can write your own software and reprogram TJ*’s brain so that he can do whatever you want.

TJ* is a Kickstarter project by Jeff Kessler, a mechanical engineering graduate student at Stanford. Kessler originally started TJ* for a film project — he wanted to make a movie with a custom puppet — but when he realized what other people could do with TJ*, he decided to make the project bigger. That’s when he started writing more code for the Arduino processor and opened up the Kickstarter campaign.

Kessler sees the robotic puppet not only as a toy, but as an educational tool and tinkering platform for adults and children alike.

“I think TJ* is a really fun way to learn about Arduino and server robotics,” Kessler says in his Kickstarter pitch. “I would love for TJ* to help you get started telling your own stories, or building your own cool robots.”

Kessler was originally hoping for about $2,500 with the Kickstarter campaign, but with five days to go until it closes, he’s received more that $32,000 — a phenomenal feat.

That’s not all. While TJ* is currently made out of fiberboard, with “upgrades,” you can get him in colored plastic, paper “skin” and LED eyes. And Kessler’s also working on an “Emotive TJ*” that can show feelings like smiles or frowns.

What do you think of TJ*? Would you be interested in playing with this robotic puppet?

Source: http://mashable.com/2012/04/09/meet-a-new-friend-robotic-puppet-tj/

Crowdfunding: What it Means for Investors

Crowdfunding: What it Means for Investors
by Bill Clark on Mashable

Bill Clark is the CEO of Microventures, a securities broker/dealer that uses a process similar to crowdfunding which allows backers to invest $1,000 to $30,000 in startups online. You can follow him on Twitter @microventures.

The crowdfunding feature in the recently passed JOBS Act will not only impact startups, it will affect investors, too. That’s because the law allows almost anyone to invest in a startup. There is one catch, however.

In the amended bill, the Senate gave the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 270 days to interpret and issue the rules for the public. That means potential investors may have to wait until 2013 before it’s legal to make an investment. In the meantime, there are a few things they should consider.

In about 90 days the Access to Capital for Jobs Creators Act should go into effect, allowing companies to tell the public that they are raising capital. In the past, this type of solicitation was illegal and could exempt the company from raising money privately. Now, startups should be able to solicit their deal, which could mean that more investors will be able to hear about it.

The caveat is that only accredited investors can participate in those deals where the company is soliciting. In other words, this will only apply to investors who fall into the following categories.

Your net worth is more than $1 million, excluding your home

You have $200,000 in new income for the last two years and a reasonable expectation to make $200,000 in the current year

You have $300,000 in household income for the last two years and a reasonable expectation to make $300,000 in the current year

If you do not fall into those brackets, then you have two options. First, you can look at campaigns on Kickstarter or Indiegogo. While you can’t make an actual investment in a company, you will get something for your contribution. For example, if you invest in a video game you might get a copy of the game. Looking through the projects and treating them like investments is a good way to start learning how to filter the good from the bad.

Second, you can also sign up at Angellist. Check out company descriptions and see if there are any startups that you might be interested in. If you find one, you can contact the founders and see if they are raising capital. You may have to invest the more traditional angel level amount of $25,000 to $50,000, but that will vary by deal.

If you choose to wait until 2013, then as a new investor you will need to fill out a suitability questionnaire which will ensure that you understand the risks associated with investing. There are some restrictions on how much you can invest in a given year. This measure will help protect investors from putting too much of their money into potentially risky companies.

Forr example, if you make $75,000 per year, you can invest $3,750. If you make more than $100,000 annually, then you can invest 10% of your income or net worth, with a maximum total investment of $100,000 per year. If you make $250,000, then you will be able to invest up to $25,000 in startups in a given year.

Once you know how much you can invest, make sure you do your homework on the company you select. Conduct your due diligence by talking to the founders, reviewing a business plan or pitch deck, researching the competition and the market size, and looking at what the company intends to do with the funds.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, djgunner

10 Tips for Raising Money on Kickstarter

10 Tips for Raising Money on Kickstarter

By Rusel DeMaria For Mashable

Rusel DeMaria is the author of more than 60 books, and currently runs the High Score 3 Kickstarter project. Follow him on Twitter @DeMaria.

Double Fine, the game developer, raised $3.3 million for its adventure game, Double Fine Adventures. InXile, a game development company, made $500,000 in 17 hours for its role-playing game, Wasteland 2. Both did it on Kickstarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. Naturally, it would be easy to think of Kickstarter as a virtual Gold Rush. That would be a mistake.

SEE ALSO: How to Crowdfund Your Next Big Idea

Kickstarter has its challenges. Even as a successful participant, I’ve hit some bumps along the way. The lessons I’ve learned from this experience are worth observing. If you’re looking to get funded on Kickstarter, here are ten tips to help you succeed.

---

1. Do Your Research

---

Not every project will work on Kickstarter, and even fewer will create a feeding frenzy. So do your research. Observe, for example, what has worked and what hasn’t for other project creators. To find successful examples, look at sections of the site such as “Staff Picks” or “Popular.” To find projects that have not hit their goals, look at some of those under “Ending Soon.” Obviously, projects succeed and fail for different reasons, but researching examples of each will help you get a feel for what to do and what to avoid.

---

2. Define Your Goal

---

Decide exactly what you want to accomplish and how much money you need to do that. Remember, if you don’t meet your goal, you get nothing. Better to ask a reasonable amount and then work hard to exceed that goal. Double Fine initially asked for $400,000, but blew that out of the water. If possible, have at least a group of friends who will support you with pledges from the get-go. That will help you build momentum. And remember, you cannot change the amount after you launch.

Also, think about how long your project should run. Kickstarter recommends a maximum of 30 days, but some people have succeeded with longer cycles. Consider your audience and how long it will take to get the word out when making this decision. As with the funding amount, you can’t change your project length once it’s set.

---

3. Consider Your Rewards and Costs

---

You’ll quickly learn that people want something in exchange for their pledges. Create rewards, gifts to backers based on the amount they pledge, starting at low values, like $5. That way you can reward even small-time backers. Double Fine is a good example of a project that created great rewards tailored to their audience. Their lowest reward was a digital copy of the game for $15. The highest was a private party with the developers for $10,000.

Another critical factor to consider when creating rewards are related costs. For example, if you’re going to send your backers something by mail, calculate the postage and packaging you’ll need. Don’t get blindsided and discover that your costs will cancel out a part of your funding.

---

4. Prepare Your Pitch

---

How you introduce your project can make a huge difference. On your project page you’ll describe your project, goals, and rewards. Be specific and include engaging images of your work. Kickstarter recommends that you also create a video. Make it fun, natural, and compelling by including key elements like people talking about how great or important the project is. Remember, your pitch should pump people up about your project and show both your enthusiasm and your ability to follow through.

---

5. Market the Hell Out of It

---

Once you’ve pulled the trigger and published your project, it’s time to promote via social media, friends, family, even strangers. Any updates you post will automatically be sent to your current backers, but urge them to re-post and re-tweet. If you can find a way to make your work newsworthy, pitch popular websites and newspapers.

---

6. Keep It Alive

---

Your initial marketing may bring you some early success, but you need to keep feeding the fire. Find ways to update the project. Add new and fun rewards as you go. Keep people informed about your progress, and definitely share any good news or milestones like “We’re halfway there!”

---

7. Listen to Your Backers

---

Many of your backers will offer advice. Listen. Some of them have backed many projects and know what works. Others just have an opinion, and even if you don’t agree, consider how many other people — potential investors — may think the same way.

---

8. Be Patient

---

There will be times when pledges seem to flow in steadily, and times when it seems that nobody cares. When this happens, you’ll need to stay positive and re-engage those who got you this far. Start by letting your biggest supporters know it’s time to step up and spread the word. If they’ve backed the project, then they also want it to succeed.

---

9. Be Flexible and Creative

---

Be prepared to do things you never anticipated doing. You hadn’t considered a special T-shirt as a reward? Maybe you should. A supporter offers to create limited-edition rewards to help your project? Why not? Bottom line: Be open and flexible.

---

10. Have Fun

---

This is going to be a crazy ride so enjoy it. And remember, if at first you don’t succeed….

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Draco77