Crowdsource surfing

‘Back From the Grave’ (kickstarter.com)
Holt native Jeremy Hull and a team of aspiring filmmakers have started a $50,000 campaign on Kickstarter to finance “Back from the Grave,” a film that puts a comedic spin on cheesy ‘80s horror movies. It follows a teenager who returns from the dead to reunite with his ex-girlfriend.

“It’s designed to be a fun adventure and to break the cliché of gruesome and gritty horror films you see these days,” said Hull, the project’s co-producer and writer. “Having a relatable theme is what makes great storytelling.”

The film will be shot in Eaton Rapids this September. Hull said the small town feel and quiet nature of the area will allow them to manipulate the setting to look like the ’80s. Hull said that since the project launched last week, it’s already attracted donors from as far away as the U.K. However, he expects that the majority of funding to come from local sources.

Gluten Free Rox (kickstarter.com)
Gluten-free is hot lately, and Bath Township baker Roxanne Andrews is looking to maximize on that trend. She’s a baker who sells wheat- and flour-free baked goods at Michigan farmers markets. She’s hoping to raise $2,500 by May 13 to start a company called Gluten Free Rox. Money will go toward supplies and ingredients in bulk to begin distribution.

Linda Abar (gofundme.com)
Teacher and vocal performer Linda Abar has a benign tumor in her neck that’s affecting her ability to sing. Funds are being collected to assist Abar as she pursues surgery options.

Jason Gooley (giveforward.com)
The family of Grand Ledge police officer Jason Gooley has started a campaign to raise money that will help him as he battles with cancer. Gooley has not been able to work because of the pain from his treatment; he is working with the Pain Management Center at Sparrow Hospital. The Gooley family wants to raise $5,000 to cover his treatments and any incidental costs. They’ve raised about $4,000 of that amount.

Mission accomplished
Projects that have been successfully funded in the area extend throughout a wide range of genres. Casey Sorrow of Lansing more than doubled his goal of $1,600 for his project of “An Illustrated Bestiary of Fantastic Creatures.” He raised $3,945 to develop books comprising his drawings of a variety of mythical creatures intended for role playing games.

Another successful project came from Micah Ling, a musician from Lansing. She pledged a goal of $6,500 to record an album of original, traditional music. She was able to more than meet her goal by raising $7,372.

If you have a crowdsourcing event to promote, send a link and a short description to allan@lansingcitypulse.com.