***Ozark, Alabama Circa 1989***

“Well, looks like they solved the energy question.” …The phrase skipped past my ears.

I glanced up and caught my step-father leaning in the doorway of the “tv room”. (as we used to call it)

He was talking to me.

Me: “What”?

Pops: “I saw it on the news earlier. A bunch of scientist figured out a way to get energy from the surface of one of the Great Lakes.”

Me: “Hmm. Cool. One less thing to worry about.”

Pops: “Yep.”

And that was that.

He dipped out and I swiveled back to “Family Ties” or whatever I was glued to before he came in.

***End Flashback Here***

Yeah, so uh… I’m kind of a tech-nerd. Or maybe just a nerd. But for some reason I’ve never forgotten those scientists and their energy-from-water-thing.

And as it turns out, I guess someone else out there didn’t forgot about it either…

Yesterday I came across this article from the NYTimes about a new internet start-up called Kickstarter (based in Brooklyn! no less).

They use “the Web to match aspiring da Vincis and Spielbergs with mini-Medicis who are willing to chip in a few dollars toward their projects.”

Of course the first thing I thought about was indie film financing. We could all use a web-patron right?

And even better if people feel like their getting something out of it (the support isn’t tax deductible). And they do, the needy projects are offering everything from film credit “thank yous” to dinner with the band.

The site has a handful of tech-savvy filmmakers already pushing projects. Maybe you should too. Let me know how it works out if you do.

And finally, it looks like a few filmmakers from Chicago wondered what happened to those scientists too and they’re making a documentary about it.

Their project is also listed on the site. Check out the widget below: