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Film Fundraising!
Show Me the Money! Pointers on creative fundraising from
Morrie Warshawski
Some filmmakers form corporations with the intent of
financing specific films. Others have sold T-shirts or held bake
sales. Still others have maxed out credit cards, started
"1-900" numbers, or shopped film "packages" to prospective
investors.
Financing film is, hands-off, the most trying and difficult part of
filmmaking. Which is one reason why Morrie Warshawski has
such a following. The author of Shaking the Money Tree: How
to Get Grants and Donations for Film and Video and The Next
Step: Distributing Independent Films and Videos (published
by the Foundation for Independent Video and Film, which also
publishes the Independent), Warshawski has conducted
numerous workshops around the country for independent
makers, offering them advice on how to fundraise. His web
site (www.warshawski.com) contains an extensive list of
books that can aid in this effort.
Meet Morrie Warshawski. Morrie was Executive Producer of
"The Stand In," a ninety-minute drama starring Danny Glover.
He has two books, "Shaking the Money Tree: How to Get
Grants and Donations for Film and Video" and "The Next
Step: Distributing Independent Films and Videos." His
website contains an extensive list of books that can aid in the
effort of raising funds. Morrie shares some of his ideas on film
financing.
Auteur: What is the most common mistake that filmmakers
make when trying to raise funds?
There are two areas I would highlight as blindspots for
beginning fundraisers and I would bill them broadly as
"unprepared" and "unimaginative." By "unprepared" I mean
that the filmmaker quite often has not addressed his/her own
strengths and deficiencies vis-a-vis the business end of
filmmaking/fundraising before embarking on the process.
These deficiencies can include: a hatred of doing business
activities, a fear of being rejected, a lack of focus,
inexperience with budgets, etc. It's these blindspots that will
hold them back. The other aspect of un-preparedness is that
filmmakers often start shopping their projects before they have
figured out some of the key elements: proving a need for the
program, identifying the specific audience(s), talking to a
distributor, locking in key talent or getting proprietary rights to
elements.
By "unimaginative" I mean that it is easy for a filmmaker to
think there is only one way to fund the film, and only one
proposal to be shopped around everywhere. For
documentarians, that often means relying too heavily on
applying for grants from foundations. For narrative features,
the route might be limited partnerships. Where I see
filmmakers being most successful is when they pursue a
variety of avenues for finding the money - grants from
foundations, sponsorships from corporations, co-production
with foreign and/or domestic entities, pre-sales, fundraising
parties, direct mail campaigns, individual donations, etc.
Auteur: How is financing a film different from financing a
for-profit business, non-profit business, or artistic endeavor?
Film is a funny "business" - part art and part commerce.
Neither fish nor fowl. Also, remember that film is a big world -
it encompasses many different genres from full length
expensive commercial theatrical features to quirky low-or-no
budget independent features to documentaries geared for
non-theatrical educational markets to short personal works.
The full answer would take too much room, but briefly,
non-profit business and artistic endeavors are not really
financed, rather they are funded by people and places who
give "donations" freely of their wealth with no expectation of a
financial return. For-profit businesses are financed by people
and entities who, usually, expect a healthy return on their
"investment." That is why, early in the process, a filmmaker
has to assess the project and decide which path will take
precedence - donations or investments - and then plot
accordingly.
Auteur: How does a filmmaker find a resource pool to tap
into for film financing? What resources for financing does a
filmmaker have?
The filmmaker is literally swimming in a rich resource pool and
just has to start flapping around to bump into money! Start with
your brain (which is full of many more ideas and links than you
may be aware of). Who have you met or talked to in the past
year that likes you and or your work? Who have you wanted to
ask for money but avoided for one reason or another? Who
has someone suggested to you that you completely forgot
about? What organizations should you be talking to? Next, I
recommend a page-by-page examination of your rolodex,
which usually is a gold-mine of ideas. Then check out your
bulletin board and everything surrounding your desk. Open up
the morning newspaper and turn to the business section and
the society column. Call up your mother and your rich uncle,
and any other relative with possible leads. Get the name and
number of your family bookkeeper/accountant/lawyer.
Professional organizations. Neighborhood businesses.
Rotary, Lions and Kiawanas Clubs. The library. The Internet.
Your credit card. If a filmmaker is still stuck, then I recommend
throwing a brainstorming party with people who can help
generate ideas.
Auteur: On your website you talk about throwing a fund
raising party, what kind of guest list should a filmmaker focus
on when planning such an event?
The guest list should match the amount of funds needed and
the house being used. If it's a party where you want to get
modest donations, then lower and middle income guests are
invited to a lower or middle income home. If you want large
donations, then wealthy people are invited to the posh home
of another wealthy individual.
Auteur: What kind of "homework" should a filmmaker do
before starting a financing campaign?
Every kind of homework imaginable! Homework is one of the
major keys to all successful fundraising ventures. First
homework has to do with the project itself - making sure that
the filmmaker knows everything there is to know about the film,
its potential markets, its competition, etc. Second, is detailed
homework about both the avenue of fundraising being
pursued (investment, grants, direct mail campaign, etc.) AND
about each and every person/organization that will be
approached.
Auteur: What makes your website helpful to filmmakers who
are looking to finance films?
The bibliography on my website is the result of a dozen years
of working in the field. It's updated regularly and includes
books on fundraising in general and on film/video in particular,
key magazines and periodicals, internet fundraising links and
software suggestions. It's a place to start doing some
research and help a filmmaker address any blindspots. I've
designed it to help empower a filmmaker to do this process
effectively and intelligently.
Auteur: What marks the beginning, middle, and end to a
financing effort?
The beginning begins before the first dollar, with the idea - that
notion that makes a filmmaker say "This is a story that must
be told." The middle is marked by the filmmaker's realization
that he/she now needs to prove that "This is a story that must
be heard." The end is reached when the audience tells its
friends, "This is a story that must be seen."
Auteur: How can filmmakers maintain long-term flexibility
and strength in their effort to raise money for films?
Precisely by staying focussed on the "long term." This is hard
to do when you are in the middle of a project that seems to be
the beginning, middle and end of your life. But the truth is that
one film will only be a small part of a larger puzzle. I have all
my clients stay focussed on their mission as a filmmaker, and
on their long term vision of success. These two elements put
the short term in perspective.
Auteur: What is the etiquette for approaching a person or
group for financing?
There is no one standard etiquette that will suffice for all
approaches. That's what makes fundraising part art and part
science. Approaching your uncle is different from approaching
the CEO of a corporation, which is different from approaching
the program officer at a foundation, which is different from
approaching the Manager of your local Burger King, which is
different from approaching a venture capitalist, etc.
Preparation and research will be different and important for
every ask.
Auteur: What type of filmmaking do you feel your expertise
is most geared toward?
Filmmaking from the heart!
(The article
is extracted from CFS) |