As many people have pointed out, this is a problematic and cynical way to finance movie. The filmmakers asking fans to be equity investors in a for-profit business venture, but instead of receiving equity — ownership of the movie — instead they get a T-shirt.
If the movie is profitable, all the profit goes to the people who refused to take the risk of investing their own money.
A more equitable approach for funding independent movies like this would be if a nonprofit film studio produced them.
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