Are you wasting money and time taking yoru films to film festivals?
No, not if your only goal is to meet other filmmakers, getting that proverbial pat on the back from all your admirers which is intoxicating no doubt, maybe even a certificate telling you how great you are.
I know. I've won acting awards at those festivals and it was certainly a waste of time for me, as an actor. I'v e come to see short film festivals as nothing short of a cash cow for the festival runners.
But if you don't want to be the average independent filmmaker always looking for money, maybe I can help you. You won't meet funders or distributers at these film festivals unless you're at a film festival the caliber of Tribeca, Cannes, and Sundance
Something else I've learned, is people who invest in films want what they want, They only want your project if you want the same thing they want. Now, American and European investors can want a basket full of things. This one wants you to already have distribution, This one wants you to have pre-sales, and an A- lister actor and director already signed on, This one wants you to film in their home town and create a role for their grandson who just graduated from acting school. And the list goes on. It's insane.
Though we do work with those funding sources, they typically move slower and are not as easy as our oil men in Dubai. They have money through oil, but oil isn't sexy, so they want to play in "Hollywood" They only have 3 demands:
.
The genre has to be western, sci-fi, thriller, oro horror,
They want to be the sole investors, so they can control the red carpets where they want to schmooze with the A-list stars,
They want you to use a Dubai actor.
My business partner is currently in Dubai pitching a western which they are saying they'll sign all papers by Tuesday. He's looking for other projects to present, but he can't stay longer without help.
If you've got a screenplay that others have told you is GREAT you can send it on to me and we will try. But do that knowing that both Ben and I are actors and work in film finance only because we want to be a part of great projects.
If you've got a project for Dubai, you can get to me immediately or wait til he goes back. He's there 2-3 times a year. Candidly, he requests you invest in yourself the same you may have invested for film festivals, to help him pay to stay. Getting projects funded is his only form of income. So he pitches as though these projects are his and his life is on the line. No, they don't promise to fund every project, but they do fund almost all the projects we get to them.
Please do not come to me with a budget that is below 5M dollars. You won't be able to afford the A-list stars they are so fond of.
Good luck out there and If I can help you have "good luck" I want to
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This is definitely an interesting perspective on film festivals and financing, Toni Deaver. It’s true that most indie filmmakers won’t meet major investors or distributors at smaller festivals, but festivals can still be valuable for networking, exposure, and building momentum for a film—especially if your goal is to use festival success as a stepping stone to larger opportunities.