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How to Find Funding for Film Projects

AdviceIndustry

Ben Russell

Ben Russell

·4 min read

You have a great idea and you’re ready to pursue it. Now what?

Many aspiring creatives are in a financially tight position and have questions about what steps to take to make their project come to life. If you don’t have millions of dollars laying around to fund your project, where does that leave you? In limbo, yes, until you can find someone else who believes in your project as much as you do.

Here are a few tips we have for our fellow creators who could use some guidance in building the next big box-office hit:

  • Friends and family round. There may not be an individual friend who has the cash to fund an entire film project on their own, but cash collectively from a handful of friends could be enough to fund everything. Once you have your pitch perfected and a sample deck to show, begin to ask around for financing. You’d be surprised by the amount of people who will feed off of your passion and invest.

    Crowdfund. A lot of indie producers use crowdfunding platforms to create their projects. The trick to becoming successful on sites like these is being as descriptive as possible with your project. You’ll need to show that it’s much more than a ‘big idea’. Before pursuing this process, be constructive of your work. Ask yourself questions like - What makes it different? What does someone receive from investing in the film?

    Partner with a production company. If it’s your first project, it’s OK to not take on the entire production by yourself. Take it as a learning opportunity and hand it off to a production company that can make it come to life. Because, at the end of the day, the goal should be to bring your work to the big screen. This way when you go to make your second film project, you’ll know the ropes AND have the funds. It’s a win-win. Production companies are always looking for creative individuals to partner with. While there is not a definitive list of who those production companies are, all it takes is a simple online search. Shop around, see what companies match your vision, and pitch until someone says ‘yes’.

    Hire friends and give them equity. You may have friends that are looking for experience and credits to add to their resume. It could be advantageous to use your project as a growth opportunity for your friends who are also aspiring creatives. Be open minded to collaborating with others who want the chance to flex their skills for the first time. You could still create an incredible project, but for a fraction of the cost.

Rejection can be hard. We know. However raising funds for a project is a great learning experience. It’ll help you learn how to pitch effectively, where to pitch and how to deal with someone saying, ‘no’.