[chii]

What about this:

Prior to creating the work, the author solicits "sponsors" (or backers, in the kickstarter terminology). Each sponsor would recieve equal rights as the author. How much each sponsor pays is up to the negotiations between the author and the sponsors.

When the negotiation/solicitation finishes, the author will be paid the agreed amount by the sponsors. This is the entirety of the money the author will recieve for the works, there is no royalties received from the sponsors.

The sponsors recieve the work when it is complete, or if the author doesn't finish, then the author will be sued for contractual obligations, just like how you today if you hadn't fulfilled your contract.

The sponors have full, but non-exclusive rights to the work. How they use those rights is up to them.

[stch2]

What's the incentive to be a sponsor vs. someone who receives a copy after the work is finished?

[chii]

the incentive would be because either the sponsor thinks they can sell the work for profit (commercial motivation), or fan based motivation (they really like the artist's work, and would pay to see it).

The work isn't _given_ away after its done - the sponsors gets to choose what they want to do. If none of the sponsors give away the work, then it could become quite an exclusive/unique piece of work! Or, if one sponsor decides they'd like to share it for free on torrent, it would indeed destroy the business model of the sponsors who might be interested in selling the work commercially. But that's the risk they have to take.