Six Fundraising Essentials For Filmmakers Armed with a great script, a talented core team and a vision, the often impossible-seeming hurdle remains : Fundraising. If you find this daunting, fear not, you aren’t alone! Everyone that has ever made a movie has lept into this arena. Funding a film is like getting a startup off the ground: Get ready to pick up the phone, put yourself way out of your comfort zone, and ask for the money. Remember, there is a world of investment looking for the next great indie film, and they want to find you as much as you want to find them. Think of your first investors as key players in your vision. Share with them. Generating a return for them is of paramount importance. Transparency, honesty and rigor are the qualities that will ensure these relationships stay healthy. We can’t guarantee success, and some factors will be outside of your control, but managed right this will be a long journey together where everyone wins. The long view is the recommendation here. Read on to discover how to get funding for an independent film.

Funding a film is like getting a startup off the ground: Get ready to pick up the phone.

Remember, your lawyer has done countless agreements, has a vast network, and can advise you on a number of the hard challenges you are likely to encounter.

3. Friends and Family Network The first place to turn when fundraising is to the people that have already invested in you, your friends and family. They believe in you and they want to see you win. The most important thing to remember with this delicate subject is, your relationship comes first. You can alert your community to what you are working on, but be careful with the pressure. It’s a fine line between unbridled enthusiasm and hard selling. Not every social function will be a fundraising opportunity, but some will. Learn to read each situation individually and if it feels appropriate, drop your current project into the conversation. If you are delicate in your approach, this layer can be a key first step in the fundraising stage. Starting with friends and family gives you an easy crowd to refine your pitch. Once you’ve pitched your project a few times, a narrative will begin to take shape and become totally natural. With this cohort, terms can be favorable and creative.

The first place to turn when fundraising is to the people that have already invested in you, your friends and family. They believe in you and they want to see you win.

4. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a step away from straight friends and family, but there will be overlap. Your friends may want to hop on the campaign in this way. Choosing the right platform will depend on a few things. Do you want the visibility of being a part of the largest crowdfunding platform? Kickstarter could be for you. Investors are incentivized with unique offers rather than equity, but there is a risk: If you don’t meet your fundraising target, you have to leave the money on the table.Check out this article on Zak Braff’s “Wish I Was Here” – he discusses opting for Kickstarter over investors to retain creative control. Admittedly, it’s no Garden State. Like Kickstarter, Indiegogo is a multi-industry crowd funding option. You won’t get the media power of Kickstarter with this DIY leaning community, but you do get to keep everything raised over 9% regardless of whether your goal is met. For a more film-centric approach check out Slated. It’s free to join, and users can purchase script and funding analyses, be ranked on their credits and perceived strengths, and interact with a legitimate community of producers and investors. For a detailed experience from a first time filmmaker, check out this great article.

Crowdfunding is a step away from straight friends and family, but there will be overlap. Your friends may want to hop on the campaign in this way. Choosing the right platform will depend on a few things.

5. Grants & Government Funding Believe it or not, not all of the government’s money is funding Russian smoking studies or research into why the government itself stresses us out. (Does the latter constitute therapy for Uncle Sam? I’m going to say it does, and call it a great thing.) There are also initiative’s for the arts, including filmmaking! Check out these links to chase down as much of that sweet free money as possible. The grant application process can be burdensome, but it’s a necessary skill in navigating your first film fundraising, especially for a documentary fundraising strategy. PBS Documentary Funding Resources

Grantspace

Yes, there are grants and government money, even (and maybe even especially) for your short stop-motion film about a lego prince.