Help Motionpoems animate some “Best American Poetry”

In case you missed the note to “Sea Salt” by David Motion on Monday (or the Kickstarter widget in the main site’s sidebar) let me repeat what I wrote there:

Motionpoems has some pretty exciting news: they’ve partnered with David Lehman and Scribner’s Best American Poetry 2011, and are lining up animators to produce videos for poems in the anthology. If this is the kind of thing you’d like to help support, please consider making a donation to their Kickstarter campaign. With 15 days to go, they’ve raised more than $10,000 in pledges toward the $15,000 needed. Click through for the details, including a video that tells the story of how they got started.

Here are Angella and Todd to tell their story and give their pitch:


Watch on Vimeo.

Please note that I am not connected with Motionpoems in any way other than that I like Angella and Todd and believe they are advancing poetry animation enormously in this country, comparable to, but more ambitious than, the efforts of Comma Press in northwest England. Of course, there is some enlightened self-interest at work here: I’m eager for more quality poetry videos! But I would also encourage other poetry video makers to consider following Angella and Todd’s example and get more aggressive about fundraising — and let me know if you do, so I can promote your efforts here.

Once again, here’s the link to help Motionpoems meet their $15,000 goal. The deadline is June 15.

5 Comments

  1. Reply
    Beau Blue 3 June, 2011

    It’s too bad the only thing I can do for your project is donate money. Typical poetry sites beg for money all the time. That makes this a typical poetry website now. Geez, how depressing. -beau blue

    • Reply
      Dave Bonta 3 June, 2011

      Hi Beau, are you sure you read the post? I’m thinking maybe you missed the part where I stressed I have no connection with, and will get no direct benefit from, Motionpoems’ fundraising campaign. If your project wants to run a similar campaign, as I said: let me know and I’ll provide free publicity for that too.

      • Reply

        I just posted on the facebook site of the ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival! Good luck! Some of the films of motionpoems took part of the 5th ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival in 2010.

        • Reply
          Angella Kassube 4 June, 2011

          THANK YOU!!! So great of all of you to help spread the word! We love Dave and ZEBRA!

    • Reply
      marly youmans 3 June, 2011

      Nothing in Bonta e-land could never become a typical website. However, Dave is generous to other people, as he is here.

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