Fund This: Uber Driver In A Pop Culture World Picks Up ‘Fictional Fares’

Welcome to the Fund This column! Each week, we’ll look at a planned web series or other online video project currently in search of funding on crowdfunding sites. We’ll tell you what the series is all about and explain why it is worth your money. Do you have a project that’s currently being crowdfunded? Contact us to let us know and we may feature it in upcoming installments and check out previous installments right here.

Project Name: Fictional Fares

Asking For: $54,750 through Seed & Spark

Amount Raised Thus Far (At Time Of Post): $778

Days Remaining In Campaign (At Time Of Post): 28

Description: The literary web series genre, which includes shows like The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, and Carmilla, is full of sharp, digital-savvy adaptations of classic works. Over the past five years, it seems as if every book from your high school lit class has been made into a vlog, and the time is right for two creators with extensive experience in that genre to offer a refreshing take on it. Jenni Powell and Paula Rhodes have turned to the internet at large in hopes of funding a nine-episode web series titled Fictional Fares.

The star of Fictional Fares is James Brent Isaacs (Emma Approved, Social Medium), who will portray a rideshare driver in a world filled with pop culture characters. The series will portray conversations between the driver and the fictional figures he picks up. Featured works will range from The Epic of Gilgamesh to Mulan, and the cast of guests — including Ashley Clements and Steve Zaragoza, to name two — will be filled with talented web series stars.

With the funds they hope to raise, Powell and Rhodes plan to put together a nine-episode series. Fasten your seatbelts, lit nerds.

Creator Bio: Powell and Rhodes have worked together on several projects, including the well-received literary web series The New Adventures Of Peter + Wendy, which Powell produced and Rhodes starred in. Powell’s other credits include The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved, while Rhodes has appeared in shows like A Good Knight’s Quest.

Best Perk: The $20 “New Car Smell” perk offers car fresheners whose olfactory profiles are inspired by works of classic literature. Just make sure you don’t get a scent inspired by the smells of Oliver Twist‘s London.

Why You Should Fund It: The rideshare comedy has emerged as a compelling setup for web series gold, and it’s a format that pairs well with the literature-inspired content Powell and Rhodes are known for. For years, Fictional Fares‘ two creators have worked on some of the most significant projects of the YouTube era, earning Streamy and Emmy plaudits along the away. Now, they’re looking to combine a strong premise with an excellent cast. That sounds like the setup for some worthwhile fare-y tales.

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Photo credit: Adam Antalek