The Uncanny Valley

Hello there!  I’m Gretchen DeVarney, an aspiring webseries creator with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Media Arts, which is a fancy way of saying I make art on a computer and want to share it with the rest of the world.  Which brings us to the main event, the Uncanny Valley!

What is the Uncanny Valley?  Well, the name is an art joke that plays on the valley that inspired a lot of the series setting.  If you’re the other person in the world that finds it funny,  Welcome!  If you’re not that person…  Welcome!

The series itself is an animated crime drama for adults.  So if the idea of the stories of the humans of earth, the magical creatures who wish they were just visiting, and the police force that formed to try to keep them all alive sounds interesting to you, please consider donating to bring this world to life.

What We Need & What You Get

I’m asking for 100,000 dollars to create a first season.  If I can’t reach that goal, I’ll do what I can with the funds I do have, which will probably mean fewer episodes, released more slowly.

What You Get

What do you get in exchange for parting with some of your money?  Besides a show that I hope you’ll love…

Anyone who donates deserves to be publically recognized for that, so any amount will get your name (or preferred pseudonym) in the end credits of the episodes.  Beyond that:  

$5: A digital Thank You card featuring art from the Uncanny universe

$10: A digital movie poster

$25: Now’s your chance to show the world your lovingly crafted three headed spider dog with wings…  A creature you design will appear in the series.

$50: Interested in the thoughts of the Creators?  This perk includes digital copies of the episodes with artist/creator commentary.

$100: That’s a lot of money!  You’ll get an Uncanny Valley T-Shirt to wear while you watch the show.  Or whenever…  It’s really up to you.

$500: That’s really generous, and it means a lot.  In return, you’ll get physical copies of the episodes, with behind the scenes creation content

$1000: Wow, we’re getting serious here!  How would you like to have a character you create have a major role in an episode?

$5000: $5,000…  If I had a kingdom you could have the keys.  Will you settle for working with me to create a character that will have a recurring role in the series and a sweat shirt with one of a kind art of your character?

The Impact

The Uncanny Valley is the show I’ve wanted to watch for most of my life, set in a universe that I’ve been developing for years.  I’ve already put a massive amount of work into this, there are dozens of characters modeled, textured, rigged, and ready to go.  Half the scripts have at least a first draft written.  I’m proud of this project and the work I’ve done so far, so sharing it with the world is a huge step.  Your money will help the final product be the best it can be.

Risks & Challenges

If I can’t get funding, there’s a risk the project flops sadly on the ground like an abandoned baby bird, rather than soaring like a majestic eagle.  If I do get funding…  Animation takes a long time, and it can feel like no significant progress is being made, but I’ll always do my best to keep backers updated with how the project is moving along.  Still, whenever computers get involved, that adds another layer of complexity.  There’s always the chance of catastrophic (or even minor) equipment failure delaying production.  While I do keep a few parts on hand, there’s a chance what breaks isn’t a part I have, or isn’t something I can replace myself.  If that happens, I’ll keep backers updated and do what I can to get the project back on track as soon as possible.

Other Ways You Can Help

If I had all the money to do all the things I want I wouldn’t be here, so if your finances are tight or you’re saving money for your own dream projects, I completely get it, and we’re cool.

But sharing this campaign around by word of mouth, or if you’re feeling especially industrious, on your social medias, shouldn’t cost a penny.  Would you consider doing that?  It would mean a lot.