ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

5 years, 8 months ago - John Lubran

Occasionally film makers get lucky with institutionalised entities able to provide money that was mostly derived from the public purse or the largess of multi millionaires or their corporations. Typically such fundings are on the micro scale and extremely rarely sufficient to produce anything approaching a full commercially viable feature. The dedication and tenacity of those who manage to create a profile capable of being noticed by these sort of sponsors is in itself typically a bigger achievement then the projects themselves.

It's a numbers and percentages game, one can calculate the odds, they're at least 100 to 1 in my estimation. Luck and connections play a big part in decreasing the odds. So that's how it is in the 'worthy' patrons of the arts sector.

How one might arise from relative obscurity, amongst such a large pool of fellow aspirants, might be learned from looking at how those who managed to do it did it. But even that can only provide a a very vague template, because each of those stories follows its own unique path of circumstances and opportunities. Sometimes the creative quality of a persons business flare is so effective that the quality of the project being proffered is much less, as is evident from the amount of trite and banal stuff that does get produced and distributed. Having a great script or factual narrative is a good starting point. What is deemed to be a great script or narrative is of course entirely subjective, but it only needs to have a critical mass appeal that's also appreciated by those who might choose to back it.

Whilst the inertia of gargantuanism still drives the business models of the major studios and broadcasters, their realms are being increasingly overlapped at the edges by emerging alternatives. Crowd funding (now becoming a descriptive cliche) related methods, not necessarily of the kind most commonly recognised with high profile facilitating internet businesses, are proving to be effective and liberating. The contributors, and indeed enthusiastic supporters of this type of enterprise are not so much interested in gifts, awards, spurious producer credits or in purely fictional art without socio-moral context, but with how such art, whether fiction drama, factual or dramatised factual, has affect on issues that they care about.

Other realities are also available.

5 years, 8 months ago - Marlom Tander

Write to the budget you have. Here is an SP member who has a film on Amazon Prime that cost just £1500 https://shootingpeople.org/discuss/view/a4197a9d271a01d7219aed8c

5 years, 8 months ago - Jane Sanger

I learnt how to fund short films up to £12,000.(made 14) Now I have funded my first feature £200,000. It took 5 years, loads of mistakes, let downs and learning curves. Constant networking, a good presenter and investment package and a lot of hard work. Next film has a £1 mill plus budget. It's not easy and you have to take small steps unless you are very well connected. Investors want to see what they will be getting for their money, both in previous work, profile cast, well budgeted , backed by accountants, good director, producer etc. I mean why should anyone give YOU or ME money without a guaranteed return? Do you want to invest in my film does not cut it. If you invest in my film you will get returned 120% first out plus a share in future profits etc. I have xxxx actors involved, I have a sales agent, here are their estimates, I have distributors. Here is the trailer so you can see what it's about, gets far more attention.

5 years, 8 months ago - Jane Sanger

And as John Lubran says most people who invest in low budget stuff have to love or care about the content. If they eg hate horror but love rom com they will never invest in your film if it has the wrong genre.
Here are the main ways of funding:
1. Private Investment
2. Corporate bodies who specifically invest in film
3. Co-Production
4. Gap Funding
5. Post production deals
6. Competitions where you win cash
7 Crowdfunding
8. Grants
9. Deferred pay
10. Product placement
11. Sponsorship

There may be more.

5 years, 8 months ago - Jane Sanger

Oh yes 12. Lead generation

5 years, 8 months ago - Jane Sanger

13. Tax relief and credits

5 years, 8 months ago - Richard Anthony Dunford

Pre-sales on distribution is another one although that is more for multi-million productions as you'd need some major names attached.

If you're after development funding then you can apply to the BFI...