Hi everyone, I have been reading and learning on Stage 32 for a couple years but 2022 is the year I am going to really engage and hopefully become part of this awesome community. Let's find ways together to not only talk but also make things happen!
So I will throw this question out to the collective wisdom: For a really low budget feature, under $300K, what is the best path for funding? Is that too high for crowd sourcing? Too low for investors? Grants?All the best in this new year! Keep hustling!
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An ultra low budget feature is unlikely to be appropriate for equity financing, so you will need to use multiple methods to get it made. It should be be a deeply personal project because it will take a great deal of your own work and resources. This is especially true if your $300K budget includes post-production and festival fees and expenses to get the film seen.
But it can be done successfully,, so don’t feel discouraged! Some ideas for accessing funds other than your own would be to find a property to which can attach someone. Do that by having a great script with a great part for an established actor who doesn’t need a payday but wants your amazing opportunity. Then leverage the attachment to generate more interest.
Another idea is to make a personal connection to someone with capital who wants to become an actor (a method we used to finance a $100,000 feature now looking for distribution). A small role could be worth a large piece of your budget.
You could also consider planning your story so that you not only get the most production value for your money but so that production can be done in states with available tax incentives. Tax credits and rebates can be attractive to investors in addition to reimbursing you for expenses (or in some cases providing upfront money).
Leveraging your social media audience for a crowdfunding campaign is obviously another way. Make sure you have a sufficient audience first, and put serious effort into your campaign. Separate your project into phases with smaller asks and try to raise enough to actually produce something a piece at a time. Then do another crowdfunding campaign based on your success for the next piece.
And definitely do keep hustling! Remember that as hard as funding your first feature may be, it will make your second a lot easier.
Great advice Dane Johnson!
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Thank you, Reno!
Thank you Dane and Reno!
I love the idea of essentially auctioning a small role for funding. I had never before heard of or thought of that avenue.
It is a true passion project. Has lots of commercial genre elements but also is very, very unique. Check out more, including watching a fully cast trailer here: www.themoviepassage.com.
The script is set in Chicago, where I live, and IL does have a 30% tax credit. Breaking the funding into phases is also a great idea as just looking at the end number can feel hopeless for someone like me without a lot of narrative connections (I was a documentary television editor for many years).
I am figuring I try to get to that 200-300K number which is what I budgeted after a script breakdown. If I can't get that I'll just go super run and gun and make it more as a proof of talent than a screening film.
Really uplifting to have people to connect with and I greatly appreciate your comments!
Friends and family, credit cards, 2nd mortgage, lots and lots of free work from talented colleagues.
I say this with tongue-in-cheek, but it's not far from the truth.
Tailor your budget to what you can raise from the above, then spend it very, very wisely. Don't skimp on performances, sound and crafty. And, of course, an excellent script (not just your own opinion).
And a plan for making money - not a "we're gonna try the festival circuit to get distro" type of plan, but specific, detailed, realistic actions. Most of your friends, family and colleagues will care less about getting their money/time back than impartial investors, but having a plan going in (even if it fails), will show all that you're serious about a career. And make it more llikely they'll pitch in on the next project.
'Cause you always have to have a next project (or 2, or 5), if a career is really what you're after.
Thank you John and James :). Totally agree on keeping budget for sound. I can write, direct, edit and even shoot but without good sound you look like a student film. The other area I am trying to save funds for is color grading. Makes such a huge difference to me.
Hi Michael, thanks for watching the trailer!
yes this is why I am not trying to raise anything but a microbudget. Will be thrilled if I can break even and leaning towards little drips of grants etc. as I agree it's not so easy to see mass commercial appeal. But the world has enough "I wrote a horror movie that all takes place in one house" movies for me. Hoping for something a little different,
And AppleTV did just pay Joel Cohen a bunch to make a black and white MacBeth. It's a small but very passionate audience.
Michael LaVoie, great idea. Getting names attached would be a huge advantage in moving a production like this forward. If you can get a letter of intent from an actor that will attract someone else’s interest and increase their comfort level with signing on, you should be able to generate a snowball kind of effect that will allow you to bring others aboard too. You will have to work quickly to leverage and pull all the pieces together.
Thank you Michael LaVoie. I told the trailer cast that I couldn't promise anyone roles in the feature so I am very open to landing bigger talent on in front and behind the camera. Appreciate the thoughts and suggestions. Thank you!
Thank you Dane Johnson!
I read about you, you did some amazing work, what are you looking for?
Thanks Billy! Looking for advice / contacts for producing and funding a feature film.
Hey Dave, with your work definitely possible, good luck
I think it depends entirely on the script. What does the story you want to tell require. Unless you know someone with deep pockets. Good luck. I'd love you see you succeed.
Thank you David Kleve!