As digital content continues to snuff out physical media, Seattle's Scarecrow Video must adapt to survive. In a move that will hopefully lead to sustainability, Scarecrow's employees have banded together to form the Scarecrow Project, a non-profit organization that will run the video store going forward. The commercial business that Scarecrow Video currently exists as will technically donate its library of thousands of VHS tapes, DVDs, and other film media to the non-profit, so nothing should change dramatically from the customer's perspective. There's just one catch—the Scarecrow Project needs funding to get off the ground. And these days that means one thing: a Kickstarter campaign.

Since launching yesterday, the Scarecrow Project has already raised over $70,000 and looks like it'll easily reach its $100,000 goal. Pledge benefits include having your own top ten movie recommendations posted in the store, programming a night at Scarecrow's screening lounge, free rentals for a year, and more. For more information see the video below, which features directors Lynn Shelton and Megan Griffiths speaking about Scarecrow's importance in the Seattle film community.

- - - - - - - - - - -

In other film fundraising news, SIFF has announced that it exceeded its goal of raising $300,000 to fund necessary renovations to the Egyptian Theatre and plans to reopen the Capitol Hill cinema by October 1. The theater will henceforth be known as SIFF Cinema Egyptian. Fundraising for the project included the "Text2Give" campaign during this year's Seattle International Film Festival where patrons text messaged donations were matched by financial backers. The money raised will go towards projection booth equipment, sound system improvements, general building repairs, and operation costs. More details about the grand reopening are expected in the coming months.