Financing / Crowdfunding : Feeling Frustrated by Cathy Yeater

Hi there. Have you considered contacting USC music students to see if they'd be interested in getting more for their reels? Student musicians have that need and you have a need for them. Also, there are plenty of composers on Stage32 to network with! Crowd funding is only really easy when you have a strong following already. Also, plenty of people you can call upon to donate small amounts so that it all adds up. It can be brilliant if you have it all set up already with attractive and appealing videos for a niche group you have been a part of for some time... but not as easy when you're just starting out without at least 500 followers on social media... Good luck!

Thanks!

You're not going to get traction until you have connections. It has to start there.

I've got a client right now that we are planning a coast to coast tour as a means to make a documentary. We will crowdfund. But right now it's the wrong time. What we are doing is figuring out a list of who we need to target to get traction. We've got a list of corporate sponsorships that we'd like to get and a list of types of people that will both go to shows and watch the documentary. We're working on Twitter to find and gather that audience.

I don't expect the crowdfunding to start until maybe the first round in November and the real round in January. But this is just like filmmaking. You have to figure out what the story is and craft your business to fit that narative. You can't just walk up to people on the street and ask them to donate to a cause they don't care about and expect $100k to come pouring in. You have to inspire them to give just like any other part of this art craft.

Bottom line.

If you aren't getting donors pouring in in the first few days the best thing you can do is shut down the campaign. Go back to the drawing board. Plan the story that you need to tell and the groups that you need to inspire and work with them so that they are begging you to make this movie... That's when you release your crowdfunding teaser.

Check out this must listen podcast in the S32 Blog section: "How Screenwriters (and Other Creatives) Can Give Themselves a Competitive Advantage". RB and his friend Pilar talk about crowdsourcing and crowdfunding in detail. RB also wrote a book about crowdsourcing.

You might want to look for a lyricist and composer to collaborate with instead of hiring them. There may be several at S32 with great ability to write lyrics and/or compose looking for a writer to join with. Just post in appropriate sections on S32:. "Writer looking to collaborate with lyricist and composer for musical."

Which section would I post that in?

I would do, "Composing" "Screenwriting" "Anything Goes" and "Introduce Yourself" and for each section write your proposal differently so it is not spam. Also ask others how you can hook up with collaborators. You might want to send network requests to people who list composing and/or lyricist in their profile description. When requesting mention what you are looking for in the message option. Check out S32 blog posts. RB just wrote about networking. I'm really just talking about networking. :)

...oh, if it's a stage musical you might post in the "Authoring & Playwriting" lounge. Just suggestions from a guy who enjoys opportunities to help if he can. ttfn!

Thanks! I did original write the outline as a stage production, and I may still do both adaptions. But with the recent resurgence of the Movie Musical, I think I am going to focus on that format first.

What about film subsidy from your state government? Is there any? Also ask local or national companies that might be interested in sponsoring such a musical. Coke sponsors films with money if you for example place duke box with a Coke commercial on it in your film set or show how people drink a Coke. Sometimes radio stations sponsor local music projects in their broadcasting area. Nike could be helpful, because of the sport aspect of dancers or so.... etc. You get the idea. But write personal letters and send it to the management in the HQ! Best of luck!

Thank you!

Why no sample of the music? Why no connection with popular social causes.? C’mon, Cathy. You seem like a bright person. Why haven’t you connected your crowdfunding project to a cause — helping underprivileged kids, monarch butterfly extinction, or whatever that will trigger an instant response? This isn’t rocket science. It’s Crowndfunding 101.

First, I have no music to provide a sample of, and the movie is about teens who are bullied, so it is a cause...

Cathy, It's a learning process and we are all at different stages in various aspects. Really checkout that podcast I mentioned above. It seems to me that the crowdfunding/crowdsourcing is for the purpose of garnering interest and financing production. You are in the process of creating something to produce. Do you have an idea of the genre/style of music or the type of dance if applicable?

I see the lyrics of songs in musicals as dialogue and monologue. You might want to write what you want to have the characters say in song. That will help the lyricist (who may also be the composer) write the lyrics. If you have a separate lyricist and composer, they need to collaborate with each other, as well as with you.

I've got some contact for you if you're interested. Either contact me here or on Twitter @theBobavich

I coach this stuff if you need

Cathy,

Disney's screenplays are written before the music. You just use the parenthetical (singing). Sample scripts are online. Most musicals are written as a script first, and the music is added later by the production company (unless the composer and lyricist know each other.)

Ask yourself a question, are you a writer, or a producer? If you're just a writer, then getting the music isn't your job.