Zach Braff's 'Garden State' Follow-Up Kickstarter Hits $1 Million!

Zach Braff’s new Kickstarter campaign looks like it will be following in the steps of the incredibly successful “Veronica Mars” Kickstarter.

Braff’s project, “Wish I Was Here,” is his follow-up to “Garden State.” It’s an entirely original project written by Braff and his brother, Adam.

According to Braff’s Kickstarter:

"’Wish I Was Here’" is the story of Aidan Bloom (played by me), a struggling actor, father and husband, who at 35 is still trying to find his identity; a purpose for his life. He and his wife are barely getting by financially and Aidan passes his time by fantasizing about being the great futuristicSpace-Knight  he'd always dreamed he'd be as a little kid….

"When his ailing father can no longer afford to pay for private school for his two kids (ages 5 and 12) and the only available public school is on its last legs, Aidan reluctantly agrees toattempt to home-school them.”

The project has already hit over $1 million, and is open until May 24th. It is seeking $2 million, so it seems like a goal that may be quickly accomplished.

Braff says that the money (and he plans to contribute some of his own, he notes) will allow him and his brother full control of the project. This will allow them to keep a “Garden State” feel, cast whoever they want, and even choose their own music.

“I keep waiting for the moment when I can have the money without all these strings attached, because I don't want to sign away final cut, and I want to cast the people I want to cast,” he says.

“It’s the money” that has kept him from making another movie up to this point. Without the money to hold control over the project, studios have the right to change and destroy his original ideas.

“So what do we have to lose?” Asks Braff. “I'm all right if it doesn't happen — it will be humbling, whatever, we'll find another way. But if it works, the upside is so amazing, we own and control the property entirely with no strings attached to anybody… It's not a scam. If I wanted to make dough, I'd go back and be on another TV show.”

Bonus for audiences? Braff jokes that he will be “Totally naked. Full frontal.”

You can check out the project and donate here!