Funding Friday: Thirdwing

We went to the theater last night. I think there is nothing like live performances. But theater is expensive and requires work to plan an evening in advance.

So many of us just end up staying at home and streaming something on our TVs.

Thirdwing is the merger of the two and I backed it this morning and am sharing it with all of you.

#art#crowdfunding

Comments (Archived):

  1. James Ferguson @kWIQly

    Looks great – Wonder if it could be franchised somehow – would like to see it in action from Switzerland but hate the idea of seeing only one facet remotely

  2. awaldstein

    Talking theatre, rereading some of Antonin Artaud writings.So fortunate to have taken the time in my life, my education early on to study the arts and literature.

  3. Justin Fyles

    This is great. I love that the theatre industry is opening up to new types of content consumption.We are tackling a similar issue at Any One Thing, but in our case creating sustainable theatre that moves to a different volunteered venue throughout the city every night. Guests can get on the waitlist for a show near where they live or work, which not only reduces the friction, but also brings the story closer to home.I am convinced that the future of theatre innovation is actually in the distribution model, since the idea of travelling across town to see a show in a 10,000 guest venue simply doesn’t jive with the younger generations. But that’s how scaling a theatre production has traditionally worked.

    1. Cam Bossert

      I love the sound of what you’re doing, moving your productions around to be closer to different people. I will check out your theater company. And yes, I agree that we have to innovate the same way movies and TV are changing their business models frequently. And this Thirdwing company I’m launching I believe is a step in that direction.

  4. jason wright

    The first application for the then newly invented movie camera was the filming of stage productions in theatres.Novel tech needs native deployment. Crypto.

  5. cbw

    But Fred, please tell us, what did you see?

  6. William Mougayar

    A bit surprised they are only seeking 18K?

    1. Cam Bossert

      Our goal right now is based on what I think we can successfully raise; it will go towards the first productions as we continue to promote the actual monthly subscription, so that funding doesn’t end with the Kickstarter campaign, but continues with our task of strengthening the value proposition we’re making to customers. I mean, I’d love to smash through the 18k goal, but if we don’t make it, then we raise nothing.

  7. Opplaud (Andrew)

    Live theatre doesn’t have to be expensive, especially in NYC. On any given day, there are hundreds of Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway performances, many of which can be had for nothing or next to it.I believe the problem is risk aversion: it’s too much work to figure out which shows will be worth the effort and hassle of attending. I think I know the solution, and I’d love to talk about it over a drink, Fred. I live in Gramercy.

    1. Cam Bossert

      Hi! As the creator of Thirdwing I like this comment a lot, because indeed audience risk aversion I’ve also felt is a huge factor, which I hope to alleviate by having streaming content that gives people a window into what they can expect from the live shows. Expense, Timing, and Risk Aversion are the three value proposition problems we’re aiming to solve!

      1. Opplaud (Andrew)

        I think you’re right about adding Timing to Risk Aversion. Instead of Expense I’d say Value, which is slightly different–people want to perceive that the expense they’re paying has a greater reward. As an example, consider people who will spend hundreds of dollars to see their favorite musician perform an arena or stadium show so they can say “I was there” and reminisce about their youth during the performance, yet those same people might avoid an equally-good performance from an undiscovered but talented musician because it doesn’t earn them any bragging rights or other emotional connection.I also agree with what Justin Fyles is saying about Any One Thing and willingness to travel. Whether in NYC or smaller cities across America, you have to make the show worth the hassle of getting there, and keeping it close to home (or even in a “desirable” destination neighborhood) is a factor.It’s interesting that we all have different ideas, not only about solving the same problem but by addressing the same factors. In the case of Thirdwing and Any One Thing, it sounds like it’s about making your own company’s productions more accessible to a wider audience. My idea is more like a Netflix recommendations for live theatre, to help match the entire pool of potential audience members to the entire pool of production companies on a performance-by-performance basis.

        1. Cam Bossert

          Yes, value is a good term for it – the cost of theater rises while the value stays the same, and that basic fact is exactly why any of us are thinking of changing the way things are done. I use the term “expense” because to build a strong value proposition and face customers with what I’m selling, I need to name the problem before I make the leap towards a solution. My solution and Any One Thing’s solution are more homegrown, and we also need people like you to help folks navigate what’s already out there and what’s already being created by everybody in NY theater.

    2. Opplaud (Andrew)

      I just came across this podcast episode that talks further about audience risk aversion:https://ideas.capacityinter…Here’s a great quote:”the market research suggested that encouraging people to attend […] more often was less about increasing their familiarity with productions and more about bridging an uncertainty gap.[…] reassurance was key considering the costs of attending – tickets, parking, drinks or dinner, maybe a baby sitter – and the stress of traffic”This is exactly the problem that I’d like to solve. For what it’s worth, Capacity Interactive and the Wallace Foundations are both big names in the world of performing arts marketing, so I take this is evidence that I have the right idea.

  8. ldouglas

    What a great idea! Even our under 10yr kids love live theater more than TV; bring it back!

  9. Cam Bossert

    Thank you for backing us and for this share!! It means a lot. Have an awesome day.