Put their money where...

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Permalink Reply by Yaw Attuah on March 17, 2008 at 3:03pm

I'm not the person to talk money yet... I funded our first project... in Canada we have grants and FACTs to help out the arts but it's not enough to do a feature yet. Co-Productions seem like the next venture, but we'll see... I have also met met some distributors and actually built up interest in a few feature ideas and close to a pre-sale (I am studying pitching all of the time)... but other than that, I'm looking for more money...

anyone have ideas?

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Permalink Reply by Jon Bonnell on March 17, 2008 at 4:17pm

Yes, the US really needs to do what it seems every other country on the planet does, fund film makers through grants. Then again, the studios probably have huge lobbies to keep that out.

I sold a script to a company in Ireland who got 50K british pounds in grants to fund a short. That's more than 100K US to fund a SHORT. Man, what I could do with that kind of FREE money.

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Permalink Reply by Sean Lee on March 20, 2008 at 10:54pm

Don't have any creative fund raising stories yet, however if this works it could be one.

I know the Mayor of Glendale, she's a family friend. They just made tons of cash off of the Super Bowl and they also have great tax incentives. I've often wondered, as mentioned in another thread, what it would take to ignite the film industry here and to get a few major studios either going or created in the Valley. Maybe Glendale is the perfect target for a new film industry expansion.

So how would that be for a creative fund raising project?

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Permalink Reply by Yaw Attuah on March 21, 2008 at 11:25pm

Ambitous for sure... you would have to appeal the a studio in someway... I guees by showing the landscape and the area, showing that the environment is versatile or even just something specific...

but making money from the Superbowl is good, you have an inside track... I'm sure you could workout something with the Mayor... they like the business right?

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Permalink Reply by Sean Lee on March 27, 2008 at 3:52pm

I'm going to start a dialogue with the Vice Mayor first. After seeing where that goes, then I will try to approach the Mayor. If people on these boards are interested in something like this, then we may need to get together and figure out a plan for it.

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Permalink Reply by conniemav on May 5, 2008 at 12:56pm

Pre-sales is where it's at right now.

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Permalink Reply by James Arnett, AIA motion picture company on June 19, 2008 at 7:55pm

I funded a feature with just enough pocket change to get the first few minutes shot. we invited the news to do a story or two. Once people saw what I was doing, they sought me out and asked to invest. This cycle repeated like clock-work until the feature was completed. I think filming intriguing scenes that attract TV news cameras gets you the kind of exposure that helps draw out investors with an interest in independent film.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Bonnell on June 19, 2008 at 8:44pm

Well, I funded by first feature through friends and family (and a good chunk of my own money). The second one is already lining up and we're in the 10-100X over my last one already getting committed. I give the big range because no one has written a check yet and it's always a case of you don't have it until you have it. No letter of intent or otherwise works.

Luckily the distributors are liking Match.Dead from the rough cuts I'm giving them to keep them interested. I'm finding the negotiation is much easier in this "sweet" period between being wrapped and being DONE. They like the excitement I guess.

I like paying my mortgage.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Harrelson on March 26, 2009 at 8:30am

Hey I Love The New Trailer For The Abducted Formerly Match.Dead, Jon's Film its on my Page if You Want To Check it Out-M

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Permalink Reply by Sean Lee on June 19, 2008 at 9:52pm

Remember when I said I was gonna start a dialogue with the city? Do you think I did and it went over well, or do you think I just played video games instead? News at eleven.

The bit about filming the scenes and inviting the news is a good one, both resourceful and creative. I can empathize with you Jon on the rainbow and pot of gold scenario with the financing too. My day job has me dealing with a lot of start up companies. The money is always right there, but when you try to walk toward it you never get any closer.

In case you were still wondering, I just played video games instead. However, I did get the first act of a sequel I’m writing down on paper. Probably energy better spent.

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Permalink Reply by Randy E. Huckabone on March 26, 2009 at 4:04pm

Good day Jon,

Let me start by saying Mellissa Francis speaks very highly of you and your skills. Young Ashley was in my latest feature 'Breathless_GRL'. She's awesome!!! (Still looking for distribution though...ha) She was so good I wrote a supernatural thriller just for her. I'm looking for funding now. Anyway, a few years ago I had the pleasure of working at a brokerage film in New York (Upstate). Part of my job was passing out morning reports (Like PTS reports...ha). When it came time for me to raise my money for the movie I was doing, I would mention it to every broker I handed the reports to. At first you get the regular "No way kid, get out'ta here." But as time went on, some of those brokers finally said "OK kid, what are ya sellin'" It was awesome. The non-pushy sales approach. I love it. I raised $32,500. Good times, good times...hope to see you at the fest Jon!

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Permalink Reply by rattailfilms on November 9, 2009 at 10:57am

In Canada getting through the mass amounts of red tape is almost impossible, it all sounds good, grants, gov't funding but it isn't what they say it is.. forget the gov't funds, it's a mess, unless you got years to wait for a possibility.. Funding a feature, you got to think beyond anything and everything. sell shares of the film to family, friends, anyone who will listen. Give them a piece of the action., We bought our own equipment, 100k worth, that we in-turn rent out to other productions, this funds us for our productions. figure out a budget, then start cutting it down. on location, borrow camping trailers, vans, tents, anything you can, they sell portable garages for 400 dollars these days. shoot in good weather...think frugal, then rethink frugal. Borrow, Borrow, Borrow, find free locations, permits are free, insurance isn't that expensive, about 1400 cdn on average for a year. for catering ask moms and dads sisters brothers aunts uncles, anyone with a propane bbq and cooler... shoot in daylight, use the sun, build reflectors, it's easy and cheap. Funding is a difficult thing to do, to get money from people is difficult, you got to cut them into the action, use them as extras. distributors look for cheap films that cost very little yet can sell for high profits. stay away from special effects, action, horror films, and sci fi's.. get a distributor before you even shoot a second of film or video. No one is going to hand you the money, no matter how good you think your film is, You have to go out there and just do it. Get music from a band that is unsigned , They will be happy to have their music in a film, Funding isn't just about just getting money, it's about the whole picture, from the catering to the places to sleep. cover the expenses of actors, and deferrer salaries. Use a small crew...Think how they made movies back in the 30's and 40's. I don't talk money when I start to put together a production, we go after a distributor first, then we figure out who has what where and what we can borrow. the best part is, when you do another one, you got all the contacts from the first. A feature doesn't have to be shown in a theatre, TV is still around....

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