After its debut at Cannes, The Apprentice, a biopic about Donald Trump, faced distribution hurdles due to a cease-and-desist from Trump. To promote the film, the team turned to Kickstarter, where they quickly surpassed their $100,000 goal, eventually raising four times that amount. This grassroots campaign not only funded marketing efforts but also facilitated official distribution in the U.S., leading to Oscar nominations. The success of The Apprentice highlights how creators can leverage crowdfunding to gain agency over their work and connect directly with audiences, especially in a risk-averse industry.
"The Apprentice campaign is a powerful example of how creators-even those with established platforms-are using Kickstarter not just to fund projects..."
"...grassroots support not only funded marketing and screening opportunities, it raised the film's profile, helping it secure stateside distribution."
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