How To Raise Money For A Production Company

When you're a filmmaker looking to go the next Sundance darling, y'all need a few things: talent, luck, and experience. The latter yous tin can't get without a few films under your belt, and for that you lot're going to demand coin. Raising coin is oftentimes easier said than done, of course, especially without emptying personal savings accounts or maxing out your credit cards. Hither are some the best options for generating the finances to fund your adjacent passion projection.

1. Apply for Grants

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I of the virtually common means of financing film projects is through grants. Organizations generous plenty to offer them take long enabled filmmakers to realize their cinematic dreams, and what's more, the vast range of grants — roofing everything from shorts to documentaries to feature films — means there'due south probably money out at that place for you, no matter what your movie is about. But exist forewarned: the rewards may exist great, but earning them can exist a challenge. The application procedure is notoriously competitive and time consuming, without any guarantee of success. Withal, there are small ways yous can help increase your chances: seek out directories for niche grants tailored to your project; do your homework and read any books or manufactures you can find virtually practiced grant writing; and talk to past winners to see what tips they can impart. Information technology may be an uphill battle, but even so big the challenge is, if you go the grant you desire, it can be genuinely life-irresolute.

2. Turn to Crowdfunding

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Sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have become the 21st Century patron saints of creatives. They have helped finance everything from board games to comics to, of course, films. For filmmakers — peculiarly those with modest budgets — it tin be an invaluable way to circumvent the competitive grant process with amend (and easier) results. What'due south more, the impact of a successful campaign tin be a tremendous heave to a filmmaker'southward conviction. Of course, crowdsourcing does require some rolling up the sleeves. You have to put in the fourth dimension to sell your potential investors on the project. You need to create a potent campaign folio, put together a convincing pitch video, offer appealing rewards, and actively publicize and promote your campaign (having an army of dedicated family unit, friends, and social-media followers helps). Yous may even want to put some work into your project before launching a campaign in order to have footage to meliorate pitch your vision. If you do go this road, besides exist sure to look beyond just Kickstarter and Indiegogo — particularly at sites similar Indie Film Funding and Seed & Spark which are specifically for film projects.

3. Seek Out (Minor) Investors

Before y'all get visions of millionaires swooping in to fund your small small-town coming-of-age story, hither's some hard truth: if you're doing an ultra-low-budget motion picture, information technology's unlikely big time investors with deep pockets will care. They'll have their eyes on bigger cinematic fish. However, where y'all can look for investors is your extended network — family, friends, and acquaintances. Y'all may be surprised by the generosity of others and their willingness to help finance your dreams. But be sure not to have that generosity for granted. Nor should you care for it as a given. Effort to approach them with the same professionalism you would whatever other investor. Pitch your goals and ambitions for the pic. Explain how their money will be used. If you have hopes of distribution, discuss any possible backend pct they may desire. It can also go a long style to thank your investors by whatever means you tin can – whether information technology's a fresh batch of cookies, a home-cooked meal, or a screening party when the motion-picture show is washed. Treating an investor right — fifty-fifty if it'south your dad — is not just the right thing to do, but could also hateful they'll gladly support yous again with your adjacent project.

iv. Consider Taxation Breaks

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Local taxation incentives are frequently used past big-upkeep Hollywood movies looking to keep their costs downward, but that'due south not to say they can't work for you, likewise. Yes, strictly speaking, taxes take to practise with saving, not raising, money for a project; notwithstanding, keeping costs depression on one project volition not just help you lot avoid becoming a starving artist, but information technology can also assist create more financial room for your next film. Find yourself an auditor (ideally someone who specializes in working with pic professionals) who can aid you lot navigate non just possible revenue enhancement incentives, but expenses, equally well. If becoming a full-fourth dimension filmmaker is your goal, and so shooting a film may come with potential write-off opportunities that you can use to farther keep financial bear on on the depression side. It's a keen way of using i film project to help finance another.

Don't Forget Passive Income

Search results for video footage on Pond5

If you've been shooting for a while, chances are yous've accumulated your fair share of footage that'south just sitting on a hard drive doing null. Why not allow it generate some passive income for you? Mail service your best clips on Pond5 as stock footage, and you can ready your ain prices and take home l% of every auction. If you don't have a lot of B-whorl footage, get out and shoot some in your spare time. You may not suddenly generate $100,000 dollars overnight, but over time, your clips can accumulate a adept amount of money for you, and end upwards becoming a useful revenue stream yous can dip into for any of your projects. Plus, the licenses are non-sectional, so you'll always retain the copyright to your piece of work.

What other ways have you lot discovered for raising funds to complete a project? Tell u.s. in the comments!

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Source: https://blog.pond5.com/13723-funding-fundamentals-5-ways-to-raise-money-for-your-film/

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