ElfQuest: The Audio Movie Crowdfunding Campaign
Coming September 1st as a Free Podcast from Realm!
Join Wendy and Richard Pini, Dagaz Media, and The Fantasy Network in bringing ElfQuest: The Audio Movie to life!
About the Project
The Audio Movie
Richard and Wendy Pini of Warp Graphics, Fred Greenhalgh of Dagaz Media, and Ben Dobyns of The Fantasy Network are thrilled to announce a joint venture to adapt the classic fantasy comic, ElfQuest, as a cinematic ‘audio movie’ experience with an anticipated cast of more than 40 voice actors, original sound design, and a lush orchestral score.
ElfQuest: The Audio Movie will be directed and produced by audio drama pioneer Fred Greenhalgh (Locke & Key, The X-Files: Cold Cases, The Dark Tome), and co-produced with Jonathan Woodward (HBO’s Wit, Buffy, Angel, Firefly), with creators Richard and Wendy Pini serving as executive producers. The audio movie will be made in association with The Fantasy Network (Mythica, JourneyQuest, The Rangers) and K4 Media.
Why Crowdfunding?
Since the beginning ElfQuest has been an independent story, guided lovingly by Wendy and Richard Pini. While exploring how to create the ElfQuest Audio Movie, especially in a way that honors their unique vision and the passion of generations of fans, it became clear that this project needed to retain that independent voice and vision. Crowdfunding allows fans to support artists directly, which frees everyone involved to create a show free from the constraints of corporate notes or changes. It also allows the producers to keep the show from ending up locked behind a single paywall. We want everyone to be able to encounter and enjoy these first episodes so much that the story can continue.
And with your help, it will!
THE TEAM
ElfQuest is the longest-running independent fantasy graphic novel series in the USA, has appeared on the New York Times best-seller list, and has more than 20 million comics, graphic novels and other publications in print. The story of Cutter, chief of the Wolfrider tribe of elves, and his quest to find others of their own kind on the World of Two Moons, ElfQuest was first published in 1978 by creators Wendy and Richard Pini. The final issue of the latest cycle, The Final Quest, was published by Dark Horse Comics on February 28, 2018, exactly 40 years to the day after the initial appearance of Elfquest, and kicked off a year-long anniversary celebration. Late in 2019 a new series, Stargazer’s Hunt, was launched, with further publications planned.
Dagaz Media is dedicated to producing stories which push the boundaries of what people think can be achieved in audio. Dagaz was founded by US audio drama pioneers Fred Greenhalgh and William Dufris, whose collaborations include Locke and Key, developed as a loyal-to-text, location-recorded audio drama for Audible, The X-Files: Cold Cases and The X-Files: Stolen Lives, also for Audible, featuring original cast members including David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, and Expeditionary Force: Homefront, for Podium, featuring Zachary Quinto and Kate Mulgrew. The Dagaz original series, The Dark Tome, has achieved over 6 million downloads to date.
The Fantasy Network (TFN) is a creator-owned video-on-demand and crowdfunding platform founded in 2018. With most content ad-free and free-to-watch, and featuring independent science fiction and fantasy films and television from globe-spanning independent filmmakers, TFN’s mission is to build direct relationships between fans and creators, empowering audiences to renew the shows that they love. TFN is founded by the award-winning crowdfunding and production teams behind Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (The Gamers, JourneyQuest, Strowlers), Arrowstorm Entertainment (The Outpost, Mythica), The Forge Studios (The Rangers), and Recursor TV. In addition to streaming and crowdfunding, in 2020 TFN’s unique interactive technology provided virtual event services for the 78th Annual WorldCon, the Hugo Awards, the Gen Con Film Festival, the 48 Hour Film Project, and more.
Backerkit is the pledge manager tool we are using to coordinate all the details of everyone’s pledges and the fulfillment of rewards. Anyone who pledged during the Earlybird or the main Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns will be able to log into Backerkit to manage their pledge–including updating mailing address, upping your pledge level, or adding on items à la carte. All shipping charges will be charged via Backerkit. If you did not pledge during the Earlybird of Kickstarter campaign you will be able to do so in Backerkit (see below for more information on that).
When the Backerkit launches all backers (Earlybird & Kickstarter) will receive an email from no-reply@s.backerkit.com with the subject line “Response needed to deliver your reward for ElfQuest: The Audio Movie.” The “Click Here to Respond” button will take you to your survey. Backers will also be able to access their surveys by inputting their email address at https://elfquest-audio-movie.backerkit.com.
Yes! In Backerkit you will be able to up your pledge level to increase your support of ElfQuest – The Audio Movie and to receive higher level rewards. You can also acquire the fine art prints, as well as many of the other rewards, as à la carte add-ons in Backerkit.
Yes, Earlybird backers will receive all the rewards offered in the Kickstarter campaign at the same level they pledged in the Earlybird, plus all Kickstarter stretch goals, and the Earlybird exclusives.
Yes! If you did not pledge during the Earlybird or Kickstarter campaigns, you will have one last chance via Backerkit. If you were unable to pledge in earlier campaigns because you did not have a credit card, you will be able to use PayPal to pledge in Backerkit. If you would like to pre-order selected rewards as à la carte purchases rather than pledging, you can do so up until Backerkit closes on September 30th, 2021 here: https://elfquest-audio-movie.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders.
Yes! PayPal will be an option during checkout.
Yes, please send an email to hello@thefantasy.network and we’ll assist you with this.
When Backerkit launches you may update your address at any time, until we lock addresses for shipment. We will give a 48-hour notice before your address is locked.
Yes, you will be able to get multiples of most items via Backerkit as add-ons to your initial pledge or pre-order selected rewards as à la carte purchases if you don’t want to do a full pledge. Every additional pledge or purchase goes to support the audio movie project. Some items are not available to purchase as add-ons, including the Earlybird campaign exclusive rewards (i.e., the #Ayoooah hat and signed audio movie poster).
At this time, all the rewards are available exclusively by pledging to support the crowdfunding efforts for ElfQuest – The Audio Movie or by pre-ordering select rewards as à la carte purchases via Backerkit. Deadline for making new pledges or à la carte purchases is September 30th, 2021 at which time Backerkit will close.
If you pledged in the Earlybird or the Kickstarter campaigns, your credit card was already charged for the amount of your pledge when those campaigns closed. Shipping (and VAT/taxes) plus costs of any upped pledges, additional ad-ons or à la carte purchases you added via Backerkit will be charged a few weeks after Backerkit closes (September 30th, 2021). The exact date of charging is still TBD but when that date is finalized everyone will be notified in advance via email.
Backerkit will close on September 30th, 2021 at 5 PM PDT. At that time, new pledges and pre-orders of the select rewards offered via Backerkit as à la carte purchases will end. We will then place final orders with manufacturers and will limit the number of each available item to how many are being produced. Backerkit is your final opportunity to be part of the crowdfunding of ElfQuest – The Audio Movie.
Physical rewards will begin shipping in late 2021 / early 2022. In the USA arrival should take 1-2 weeks. Shipping time for the rest of the world will depend on individual countries, delivery services, and shipping zones.
ElfQuest – The Audio Movie is in full production right now, thanks to all of your generous pledges. We do not yet have a firm release date beyond our initial projection of July 2022. All backers will receive email notification as well as their digital copies when the audio movie is released. Notification of its release to campaign backers will be posted on the ElfQuest website and social media channels.
Yes. The initial release of the audio movie will be as a DRM-free (without Digital Rights Management) audio file sent directly to backers of the Earlybird or Kickstarter campaigns (or those that pledged in Backerkit). DRM-Free digital files will be fully owned by backers and can be played via any program or device that plays audio files. If you don’t want to make a full pledge, can also pre-order a digital copy of the auto movie as an à la carte purchase in the Backerkit pledge manager until September 30th, 2021. Long-term, our goal is to release the audio movie via a streaming service(s) for wider audiences, as well as for those that didn’t or were unable to participate in our crowdfunding campaigns. Stay tuned for more details.
Get all the background and latest production updates for the project here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thefantasynetwork/elfquest-the-audio-movie/posts. Bookmark the ElfQuest website and follow the official ElfQuest Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news on all things ElfQuest.
Get all the details on this crowdfunding fulfillment plan here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thefantasynetwork/elfquest-the-audio-movie/posts/3227967
Please email hello@thefantasy.network.
Thanks to everyone who pledged to the Earlybird campaign!
Elfquest and the Warp Wolf logo are registered trademarks, and all other logos, characters, situations, related indicia, and their distinctive likenesses are trademarks of Warp Graphics, Inc. All ElfQuest art © 2022 Warp Graphics, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.