Methods and apparatuses for financing and marketing a creative work

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for raising financing and/or revenue by artist for a project, where the project may be a creative work of the artist. The method including registering, by at least one artist, with a centralized database, at least one or more projects, offering, by the at least one artist, an entitlement related to the artist in exchange for capital for the project of the artist. The method and system may also include searching, by an interested party, the centralized database, for the least one artist, registering, by the interested party, with the centralized database and accepting the offer by the interested party for the entitlement related to the project. The capital may then be forwarded to the artist and the entitlement provided to the interested party.

1 - 68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A method for marketing and/or generating capital for a project for each of a plurality of artists, the method being executed on a computer system including at least one processor, the method comprising:
 providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool for an Artist and/or Artist Member to present at least one project to at least one Fan or Patron;   receiving, by said at least one processor, data from a first Artist and/or Artist Member regarding at least one first project, at least one first entitlement associated with the first project, and a first predefined level of patronage associated with the first entitlement, said first project representing at least one first predefined creative work to be developed by the first Artist, said first entitlement including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage, but not a transfer of intellectual property rights in the first creative work;   receiving, by said at least one processor, data from a second Artist and/or Artist Member regarding at least one second project, at least one second entitlement associated the second project, and a second predefined level of patronage associated with the second entitlement, said second project representing at least one second predefined creative work to be developed by the second Artist, said second entitlement including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage, but not a transfer of intellectual property rights in the second creative work;   making accessible, by said at least one processor, offer data to said Fan or Patron, the offer data comprising an offer for said first entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the first project;   making accessible, by said at least one processor, offer data to said Fan or Patron, the offer data comprising an offer for said second entitlement at a predetermined level of patronage in exchange for funds for the second project; and   receiving, by said at least one processor, acceptance data for one of said first and second entitlements at a predetermined level of patronage from a Patron in exchange for funds for the corresponding one of said first and second projects.   
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the first entitlement includes a product of the first project and the second entitlement includes a product of the second project. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the software based tool comprises a web-based application. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising allocating, by said at least one processor, funds to one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second entitlements. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein said allocating step includes initially withholding funds from the Artist of the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second entitlements. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein when a financial goal is reached for the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second entitlements, the corresponding first or second creative work is developed. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising storing, via a memory, data regarding Patrons. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, marketing data regarding the Patrons and corresponding projects and entitlements. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein said first entitlement for said first project comprises access to the first creative work upon its completion. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 69 , further comprising predicting likelihood of success of a new project of said first Artist based on acceptance data relative to the first project of said first Artist. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein at least one of said first and second creative works is a service by said first or second Artist, respectively. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the service is a tour performance by said first or second Artist. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the first or second entitlement corresponding to said service comprises at least one ticket to the tour performance. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , further comprising receiving, by said at least one processor, a pledge of funds by the interested party in a pre-sale environment. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , further comprising tracking, by said at least one processor, pledged funds to date versus a revenue goal. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 83 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool by which a user can predict the likely success of said one of the first and second projects based on the funds pledged in the pre-sale environment. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool by which a user can reduce risk of investment in said one of the first and second projects. 
     
     
         86 . A method for marketing and/or generating capital for a project for each of a plurality of artists, the method being executed on a computer system including at least one processor, the method comprising:
 providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool for an Artist and/or Artist Member to display information on a website regarding at least one project;   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from a first Artist and/or Artist Member regarding a first project, at least one first incentive associated with the first Artist, and a first predefined level of patronage associate with the first incentive, said first project representing at least one first predefined creative work to be developed by the first Artist, said first incentive including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage, but not a transfer of intellectual property rights in the first creative work;   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from a second Artist and/or Artist Member regarding a second project, at least one second incentive associated with the second Artist, and a second predefined level of patronage associated with the second incentive, said second project representing at least one second predefined creative work to be developed by the second Artist, said second incentive including at least one of a product, a service, and patronage, but not a transfer of intellectual property rights in the second creative work;   allowing access, by said at least one processor, to information on the website regarding an offer for said first incentive in exchange for funds for the first project;   allowing access, by said at least one processor, to information on the website regarding an offer for said second incentive in exchange for funds for the second project; and   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from an interested party regarding funding at least part of one of the first and second projects in exchange for a respective one of said first and second incentives.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the first incentive includes a product of the first project and the second incentive includes a product of the second project. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the software based tool comprises a web-based application. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 86 , further comprising allocating, by said at least one processor, funds to one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second incentives. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein said allocating step includes initially withholding funds from the Artist of the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second incentives. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein when a financial goal is reached for the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second incentives, the corresponding first or second creative work is developed. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 86 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, marketing data regarding the Patrons and corresponding projects and incentives. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein said first incentive for said first project comprises access to the first creative work upon its completion. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 86 , further comprising registering, by said at least one processor, the interested party in a database and storing contact information regarding the interested party; and
 managing, by said at least one processor, communications from one of said Artists and/or Artist Members to at least one interested party registered in the database regarding sales and marketing of one or more additional projects.   
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 86 , further comprising predicting likelihood of success of a new project of said first Artist based on acceptance information relative to the first project of said first Artist. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein at least one of said first and second creative works is a service by said first or second Artist, respectively. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 96 , wherein the service is a tour performance by said first or second Artist. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 97 , wherein the first or second incentive corresponding to said service comprises at least one ticket to the tour performance. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 98 , further comprising receiving, by said at least one processor, a pledge of funds by the interested party in a pre-sale environment. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , further comprising tracking, by said at least one processor, pledged funds to date versus a revenue goal. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 100 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool by which a user can predict the likely success of said one of the first and second projects based on the funds pledged in the pre-sale environment. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 101 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool by which a user can reduce risk of investment in said one of the first and second projects. 
     
     
         103 . A method for marketing and/or generating capital for a project for each of a plurality of artists, the method being executed on a computer system including at least one processor, the method comprising:
 providing, by said at least one processor, a software based tool for an Artist and/or Artist Member to display information on a website regarding at least one project;   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from a first Artist and/or Artist Member regarding a first project, at least one first sales container associated with the first project, and a first predefined level of patronage associated with the first sales container, said first project representing at least one first predefined creative work to be developed by the first Artist, wherein said at least one first sales container does not include a transfer of intellectual property rights in the first creative work;   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from a second Artist and/or Artist Member regarding a second project, at least one second sales container associated with the second project, and a second predefined level of patronage associated with the second sales container, said second project representing at least one second predefined creative work to be developed by the second Artist, wherein said at least one second sales container does not include a transfer of intellectual property rights in the second creative work;   providing, by said at least one processor, information to the website regarding an offer for said first sales container in exchange for funds for the first project;   providing, by said at least one processor, information to the website regarding an offer for said second sales container in exchange for funds for the second project; and   receiving, by said at least one processor, information from an interested party regarding funding at least part of one of the first and second projects in exchange for a respective one of said first and second sales containers.   
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein the first sales container includes a product of the first project and the second sales container includes a product of the second project. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein the software based tool comprises a web-based application. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein each of the first and second sales containers includes one of an auction container, a sales item container, a subscription series container, a subscription access container, a pay-per view container, a licensing container, and a patron sponsorship container. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 100 , further comprising allocating, by said at least one processor, funds to one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second sales containers. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 107 , wherein said allocating step includes initially withholding funds from the Artist of the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second sales containers. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein when a financial goal is reached for the one of the first and second projects associated with the accepted one of the first and second sales containers, the corresponding first or second creative work is developed. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 103 , further comprising storing, via a memory, information regarding Patrons. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 110 , further comprising providing, by said at least one processor, marketing data regarding the Patrons and corresponding projects and sales containers. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein said first sales container for said first project comprises access to the first creative work upon its completion.