The Agent 88 Kickstarter project deadline hits at 8:08pm PT on 8/8/12. Their goal: $88,000.
I’ve never donated to a Kickstarter project before today. It was fairly painless. But when it’s something like the Agent 88 project put together by director Digger T Mesch and starring the wonderfully talented and sprightly 80 year old Kay D’Arcy, it’s not hard to pony up the funds. And considering that I’m a big Star Wars fan, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Mayhew, the monolithic man behind the fur of Chewbacca has a recurring role in the web series.
So what’s it all about? Well, here’s how they describe it on the official Agent 88 Kickstarter page:
Agent 88 is extreme comic book style cinematic romp full of martial arts action, killer special effects and unforgettable characters.
Throughout recorded history spies, secret agents and assassins have engaged in subterfuge, violence and murder to shape the desired course of mankind for their masters. This deadly craft continues even today, and remarkably, one of its most lethal participants is not a member of the Yakuza, Massad, or the Colombian Drug Cartel, but an 88-year-old British woman currently living the quiet life in Los Angeles.
She may suffer from the occasional bout of forgetfulness, and hasn’t updated her wardrobe since the late 1970’s, but underestimate her at your own peril. Agent 88 may appear to be a decrepit old lady, but in reality she is a highly skilled warrior assassin.
After meeting Kay, the star of Agent 88, I can tell you that she’s anything but a “decrepit old lady”. She’s an actor who moved from London to Los Angeles 10 years ago to become a star; She studies tai chi at 80; And she’s one of the most charming people you could ever meet. This project needs to succeed just because I want to see this woman “make it” in the industry at this stage in her life. Agent 88 is just one more step in that journey. Sadly, her family back in England aren’t very supportive of her new LA actor lifestyle (or the idea that she’s playing the deadliest assassin alive), thinking that she would be better off sitting quietly back home, living out her days taking in the scenic English countryside. It’s my hope that our donations go a little way toward proving them wrong.
Today is the final day for donations to the Agent 88 Kickstarter fund and as I write this, they’re less than $5000 away from reaching their goal. You could be the deciding donation that takes them over the top! Funds collected from this drive will go toward finishing up the pilot episode in a number of ways, paving the way for many more. Digger is offering up a slew of amazing goodies for anyone who can donate funds toward the completion of the project, including autographed DVDs, photos of the stars, books, original artwork, and custom, limited edition Agent 88 Minimates. Why Minimates? Well, Digger is the founder of The Art Asylum, the company that makes them. It only makes sense. By the way, he’s also an amazing sculptor. And at one of the bigger donation levels, you can commission a one-of-a-kind sculpture of any character you like, made by Digger himself.
So if you’re a kung fu fan, an action flick fan, a Star Wars fan, a Minimates collector, or a fan of independently made dark comedy martial arts action romps starring an elderly woman and Chewbacca, then take a few moments to become a part of this fun project. Most of all, do it for this great collection of people who love what they’re doing and really believe in the project.
The deadline to reach $88,000 is August 8th, 2012 at 8:08pm Pacific Time. Head to the site now to lend your support, possibly pick up some amazing exclusive swag, and become a small part of the making of this web series possible.