Financing / Crowdfunding : How do you set up a successful crowdfunding campaign?? What are the best strategies? What's the winning angle? by Daniel Latteo

Have you checked out RB book? https://www.amazon.com/Crowdsourcing-Filmmakers-American-Market-Presents...

I've run multiple crowdfunding campaigns for the comic books I write and to Colette "ByFilms" Byfield's points you really gotta hone in one what the bare minimum number is you'd need to ACTUALLY fund what you're doing. You shouldn't be thinking you'll be making any money on it. Just that you can get the project made and the most important thing, deliver the project to the backers. You must keep constant communication with the people who pledged so they don't think you took their money and ran (it happens, a lot). Just be honest and enthusiastic and people will support you. Also, do a LOT of pre-advertising before the campaign launches. Talk to websites/blogs, go on podcasts, reach out to your network and let them all know when you're launching so you can start off with a great boost right at the beginning. Those 2 week lows are no joke.

Karen "Kay" Ross Thank you Karen! I'll make sure to check it out.

Colette "ByFilms" Byfield

Oh yes, Colette, that was super useful!! Thank you so much!

Casey Bowker

Thanks Casey!! That is really precious advice. And yes, I'm trying to do just that, build a micro-community on my socials, so that I'll be able to drive some traffic to it when the time comes. But, when it's all said and done, I know even that might not be enough. There are giant crowdfunding ventures by top dogs (Iron Sky 2 for once) which had huge assets at their disposal, and still came up short and crashed miserably in the end.

So, there must be an angle, a stratagem, a "secret frickin' weapon", if you will, that one can employ!?

Daniel Latteo I'm not saying that social media doesn't work, but I'm thinking more of a grassroots approach. joining up on different film discords, forums, podcasts, etc. growing a base of people you don't know or interact with on a regular basis. Colette "ByFilms" Byfield brings up a good point also of talking to others who did it. They may know the secret sauce

Casey Bowker

Thank you Casey!! In part, I'm already doing what you say, trying to engage people I don't have any connections with and raise awareness about my project...But I will explore that route even further now.

Daniel I’ve run several successful campaigns and like you I wanted to know the formula to succeed because yes when I first started out I failed a few times.

1. I have a reputation of making and finishing my films and that’s over 18 films so I e built a level of trust. First time it’s harder. Perhaps you have some shorts you can mention you ve made to build trust?

2. As Colette says don’t be overly ambitious I think 10-20,000 is probably ok. Start smaller if you can. Once one crowdfund has been successful you can always crowdfund again say 1st one is for development, or a trailer, then you can crowdfund for post production as a second crowdfund.

3. Social media presence is key. I have never advertised because here is your free advertising place. Build the film 2 months at least before the launch with posts. My exciting film called x will be launching on xxxxx here’s one actor we’ve cast, or we’re casting for x role , then another post ,,, these are some of the locations we’re looking at etc etc. Build excitement and your audience BEFORE you launch..

4. Join groups on fb that are relevant to your subject matter and genre ie historical, sci-fi, 70’s music, action etc etc. I belong to about 100 groups of various types for different reasons.

5. You need a group helping you. This spreads the reach. You need to recruit about 5-7 associate producers, give them an imdb credit and film credit if they reach a certain fund target. I usually do 500-1,000. Contract them.. pick wisely build their enthusiasm. They share your posts and also make their own. They share in the glory.

6. Anything is possible- I am making a Jewish, lgbtq themed film and I am heterosexual Christian so I had to have the right people on my team to counteract that. You can look at that crowdfund here https://igg.me/at/mmportrait. It reached its target but is still open “in Demand” for 3-6 months. Do you see here we need 25,000 but crowdfunded for 10,000 - back to point 2.

7. Always have a realistic fixed goal. This psychologically pushes your audience to complete and reach that goal. 42% of crowdfund donations come in the first and last week.

8. It’s been proven it’s best to start at 11am on a Tuesday and close on a Friday of the day if the month most people get their pay checks. I don’t know when that is in US.

Good luck!

Jane Sanger

Thank you Jane!! As Colette said, your tips are very precious. Well, I'd say I have more or less covered almost all the points you've mentioned above. I have been trying to do my homework on the subject, from what could be the best platform to launch from, to building a micro-community so I will be able to drive some traffic to it when the time comes. I have built a decent Social media following (especially on FB) all of this in just the 2 years I've been on it, trying particularly to raise awareness about my first feature- so yes, some people already know what I'm about. I'm in many FB filmmaking groups, and, needless to say, I have made several short films, some of which have been finalists in prestigious horror/mystery film festivals, both here in Italy and abroad. Some of them you can watch here at this link, if you like:

https://vimeo.com/user19913680upp4

But, it is point 2 that confuses me, to be honest. And that is because, in the beginning I had that same intention, "to start small", but then some time later, while at the AFM, some people and other colleague indie filmmakers, sort of made me see the light about it. Especially one of them told me "Well, yes. You could start small. But, remember that the sum you're trying to raise is not dependent on your wants, or your ego, or your needs. But, it is dependent on what your movie needs. And if you raise much less than your movie needs, your movie will be seriously compromised in the end... Talent or no talent. Because it will not come down to talent, but to a disproportionate lack of resources. On the other hand, you'll be able to express your talent fully, only when all the resources your movie needs are in place. Believe me, I know!"

And that always stuck with me, cause deep inside I know it to be true.

Thanks again and best of luck with your crowdfunding!!

Daniel I disagree about going in big on your crowdfund target, unless you have a huge fan base, you know the one marketers say you need 1.000 people plus who “worship” you, follow and like everything you post snd buy anything you sell. Because you will fall flat. The big crowdfunders already have a huge following like if you examine it’s often animated films or follow ups to super successful films. So do it in stages 10,000 for development , 10,000 for locations, 10,000 for some super cast you found. One filmmaker I know did it this way til he reached 70,000 for his first feature, but he had. 450,,000 followers on Twitter. The film Homeless ashes got to Raindance, then someone offered to fund future films for him. Better not to be too ambitious to start. .

Jane Sanger

Thank you for your advice Jane! I really appreciate it.

But, I think I will go ambitious on my first feature film; not over-ambitious. Not reckless or careless. But ambitious. And and here I will tell you my reasons.

Number 1 About the following-- I have done a thorough research on many crowdfunded film projects, and I have seen (much to my dismay) that lots of them fail in many regards in the end, although the guys who made them were pretty popular on socials and had a pretty substantial following. Ultimately, they failed to propel the filmmaker's career further. They failed to hit whatever mark with audiences. They failed to break through. Now, why was that? That's because, aside from their popularity and following, the films they made weren't much to look at...They weren't memorable. They weren't even good enough. And that should be the most important thing!

I believe films are like "growing embryos", after a while from their release the guys who made them should just shut up and stop talking, and the film should speak for itself, creating word of mouth, buzz, interest, all characteristic signs of powerful and successful movies.

Number 2 About the money asked in the campaign-- I believe many of these crowdfunded film projects also failed because, by asking way less than the films needed, ultimately the filmmakers compromised their outcome so much that they were nothing like the scripts they were based upon. And that is sometimes the price you pay for not being ambitious enough, for not going big enough, for non daring a little more, versus playing it totally safe. Especially in a business like this (show-biz) where the competition is fierce and everyone tends to compare you with the big shot productions no matter what, even though the mismatch of resources is gigantic between emerging indies and established studios.

So those are my case studies. That is where I'm trying to develop my strategy and my angle from. To see where I might have an edge. Cause I see too many of these films (some even by close friends and colleagues of mine) that end up in that vast ocean of unpromoted, uncared for and undistributed films, drowning or gasping for a lifeline.

I'm realistic. Sure, I now it's not going to be easy. But, all the same, I will try to create a better destiny for my film and my career.

Hey Daniel! We actually have a really cool webinar about crowdfunding from John Trigonis, the guy who ran the entire film funds for Indiegogo: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Crowdfunding-Your-Indie-Film-or-Creativ... - think you'd love this!

Amanda Toney

Thank you so much Amanda!! I'll check it out for sure! I knew John from before... Actually, since I've listened to a podcast where he was the guest on IndieFilmHustle. It was a great, in-depth episode, and some of the info Mr. Trigonis gave during the course of it have become the main base and inspiration for my upcoming campaign.

What a small world! That's awesome!

Daniel, Jane, Colette and Amanda, thank you for the great conversation. Reading and learning as I prepare to try to fund my first feature as well. Thank you!