d20 Entertainment, a small company headed up by Ken Whitman, has been launching Kickstarters for television pilots for a whole bunch of different RPG-related properties. Now, we're talking pilots here, not full TV series -- presumably these pilots then get pitched at TV networks in the hopes that one of them will get commissioned. So far, Kickstarters have funded a Knights of the Dinner Table pilot, and Spinward Traveller (based on the Traveller sci-fi RPG). There are other things mentioned on the official website, such as the Brothers Barbarian web series, although there's very little other information (and the Traveller information page hasn't been updated since before its Kickstarter).
The latest project is based on the Castles & Crusades RPG, and it's called Blacktooth Ridge, an area featured in a C&C series of adventure modules. You can click on the image below to see the Kickstarter, and watch a short intro scene. According to the Kickstarter, "this fantasy TV pilot focuses on a retired knight who solves crimes for kings and noblemen."
Interestingly, this one is only asking for $5,000 -- the previous TV pilot Kickstarters from d20 Entertainment asked (and got) for ten times that amount. The $5K is for an 11-minute "sizzle reel" rather than a full pilot, with the actual pilot being a higher stretch goal.
I've not seen any of these pilots or shows myself, so I've no idea whether they're any good or not. But I find the idea of it intriguing.
The latest project is based on the Castles & Crusades RPG, and it's called Blacktooth Ridge, an area featured in a C&C series of adventure modules. You can click on the image below to see the Kickstarter, and watch a short intro scene. According to the Kickstarter, "this fantasy TV pilot focuses on a retired knight who solves crimes for kings and noblemen."
Interestingly, this one is only asking for $5,000 -- the previous TV pilot Kickstarters from d20 Entertainment asked (and got) for ten times that amount. The $5K is for an 11-minute "sizzle reel" rather than a full pilot, with the actual pilot being a higher stretch goal.
I've not seen any of these pilots or shows myself, so I've no idea whether they're any good or not. But I find the idea of it intriguing.
