Ten cool Kickstarters (that need much less than $2M)

USATODAY

Allow me to make a radical proposal today: Stop donating to the Veronica Mars movie.

Don't get me wrong, I was a huge fan of the show and am thrilled that fans made such a bold statement yesterday by setting a Kickstarter record. But now that the flick is definitely happening and can probably acquire extra funds elsewhere, I think we should take a moment to consider the hundreds of indie artists who are asking for much less than $2 million — and could potentially create something we love just as much as Mars.

As much as I'd enjoy seeing, say, a Party Down movie or a Freaks and Geeks revival, it would be a shame if Kickstarter's most popular projects were all big-budget ideas with studio ties. So if you have a few extra bucks in your pocket, consider donating to the little guy/gal with big dreams and a tiny bank account!

A few recommendations:

1. Yee-Haw Industries/Church of Type. I'm a huge fan of Kevin Bradley's printing company, which used to be based in my beloved city of Knoxville, Tenn. He's trying to relocate to California — and he's rebranding Yee-Haw as "Church of Type" — but needs a little cash to make it happen. Incentives to donate include beautiful letterpress posters with images of Buck Owens, Tammy Wynette, Evel Knievel and others. I'm proud to say I'm a backer!

2. The Playlist anthology. This 200-page comics anthology features artists illustrating their favorite song lyrics. They need to raise about $900 more in the next three days, so please help 'em out.

3. Blood & Banjos. How can I not support this intriguing music project, which proposes an album of "blackgrass," or bluegrass tunes infused with heavy metal? You can preview the tunes on their page; they still need about $6,000 to make it.

4. "Visualizing Pi." This Kickstarter is perfect for Pi Day! Give a few bucks, and you'll help kids in Brooklyn (and their math teacher) create a Pi-themed mural. Pledge $150, and the kids will have a pizza party in your honor (to which, of course, you're also invited).

5. "My Dream of Jeannie." Artist Katy Kincade wants to recreate the genie's bottle set from I Dream of Jeannie and use it as the backdrop for an art installation. She only needs about $100 more to make this happen, and I'm eager to see the result.

6. World Fair. Filmmaker Amanda Murray wants to make a documentary about the 1939 World's Fair, which was held in New York. She already has some fascinating footage, which you can see on the project's page.

7. "Literary Lots." Urban planner Kauser Razvi has a genius idea to transform spaces in Cleveland into kids' play areas — and to make them look like classic storybooks. She only needs about $300 more, so let's help her get there and start building.

8. Momma Love. Ali Smith's publishing deal for this mother-themed anthology fell through, so now she's on Kickstarter. She has support from heavy hitters like Gloria Steinem and actress Amy Ryan, but she still needs more than $30,000 before she can self-publish.

9. Rubble Kings. Shan Nicholson's documentary examines '70s gang culture in New York and how it contributed to the creation of hip-hop. It has less than a week to raise almost half of its $50,000 goal.

10. "Snowballs: Cooling Underwear for Conceiving Men." The title kind of says it all, doesn't it?