Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fundraising Guide
L e s s o n s F r o m A F i l m m a k e r | S i m p l e S t e p s To G e t
C a s h F l o w i n g Fo r Yo u r F i l m
Faith Fuller
published by
Desktop Documentaries, Inc.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 1
iv
vi
INTRODUCTION
Your Treasure Map
If you can imagine it, you can achieve it;
if you can dream it, you can become it.
~ William Arthur Ward
Section 1 covers the prep-work you must do before you can even begin the
process of asking for funding things like setting goals, researching and
creating a fundraising strategy.
Section 2 covers the nuts and bolts of setting up a fundraising hub for your
documentary. You'll get step-by-step instructions on how to create all the
necessary fundraising tools to help bring in funding, things like a fundraising
trailer, a budget and a proposal.
In Section 3, you'll learn the core methods of raising funds including how to
find and approach individual major donors, how to conduct a successful
crowdfunding campaign and how to find and apply for grants.
1
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Documentary filmmaking is part art, part business and part journey of the soul.
Are you prepared for all sides of the filmmaking profession?
Right now, get a pen and paper and jot down three statements that represent your
core beliefs about money. What messages did you get from childhood about money?
1. Money Belief #1 ___________________________________
2. Money Belief #2 ___________________________________
3. Money Belief #3 ___________________________________
This is important, because how you feel deep in your soul about money will directly
impact your fundraising efforts.
As Carol Dean of From The Heart Productions tells filmmakers, Get very clear on
any confusion you have about attracting or receiving money. Your fundraising
success DEPENDS on it.
out just right, maybe the judges couldn't relate to the subject matter, perhaps they
funded a similar project the previous year and are looking for something new.
Fundraising expert Marc Pitman says that getting a no can actually be a GOOD sign
because it means the person is engaging with you and may simply need more time
and/or information to consider your request. Find out why they said no, let them
know you understand and ask them if you can keep them posted on the project.
Above all, let them know you appreciate their time and consideration.
Attitude of Gratitude
Do you believe the things you SAY and THINK (consistently) become reality?
If you continually think of yourself as a failure and say things like I'm not
good at anything, what do you think is going to happen? But what if you say
to yourself, People are going to love the idea of my film and they are going to
want to support it. Isn't that a better intention to put into the world?
Many years ago, I attended an event where Hillary Clinton was a guest speaker. The
one thing I remember in particular from her speech is that she spoke about the
discipline of gratitude. I was totally blown away. I had never thought of gratitude
as being a habit or discipline. What a simple, yet amazing and profound idea.
Pay attention to interviews with successful people. I am struck by how often they
thank others and express gratitude. Maybe they also heard Hillary give that speech!
They freely accept good things into their lives and they openly express thanks to
others. It's as if they are sweet talking good things to come into their lives!
Your Goals
Goals are the foundation of your life and career. If you don't know where you're
going, how are you going to get there? To me, life is made up of all the stuff in
between this moment and your goals. In other words, it's the JOURNEY. So your
goals are simply the guide posts of your life... little arrows that say, Life... that way!
Your goals are your dreams and they propel you forward.
CNN mogul Ted Turner once said Set your goals higher than you can achieve. Big
goals provide excitement, energy and a sense of awe. (It's hard to get excited about a
wimpy uninspiring goal.) As the saying goes, shoot for the stars and you'll hit the
moon.
What progress do you hope to make on your documentary this year? When
do you want to have your documentary completed?
What is your overall goal for the documentary project? Is it to create a small
artsy film that will showcase in small independent movie theaters and on the
internet? Is it to create a high production quality film that can be broadcast
on national television? Is it simply to get something made just for practice
or to prove to yourself you can tell a story? Is it to increase awareness about
a certain cause or issue or is it purely to entertain?
What is your fundraising goal? How much money do you need to raise and by
when?
Each BIG goal then needs to be broken down into smaller bite size goals.
Setting goals can be a great reality check. It's no longer a pie-in-sky-thought or idea.
It's a way to really get down to the nitty gritty of exactly how to turn your dreams
into reality. So, if your goal is make a documentary and have it completed within
two years, you'll need to come up with a schedule of exactly what needs to happen to
reach that goal. You'll create what's called a production schedule which lists target
dates and required tasks. (See a sample production schedule in the Documentary
Proposal Template)
Visualizing
Visualization is extremely powerful. Since you're in filmmaking, you perhaps know
this better than anyone!
Australian Ryan Higgins developed the idea of Mind Movies. He discovered that
the ACT of creating and editing a little movie/slideshow about how he wanted his
life to look had a powerful impact on whether or not his dreams came true. Say for
example he had a dream of living in Hollywood and making movies. He would
literally get a video or photo of himself driving in a car saying he was off to
Hollywood.. and then he would show images of Hollywood and people making
movies and saying There I am, making movies in Hollywood. Or There I am on the
red carpet winning an Oscar for my documentary.
In the context of this book about making documentaries and raising money, SEE
yourself receiving the amount of money you need in order to make your
documentary. Write down the exact amount of money you need to make your
documentary and when you need it. If you need $10,000 right now to create the
trailer, write that down! It's not necessarily important to know where the money
will come from.. just visualize it coming to you.
This is where a budget and proposal can be POWERFUL tools in making your
documentary a reality. Creating those documents at first may seem like a boring and
unnecessary process. But what those documents do is force your brain to think
through all the scenarios to VISUALIZE how your documentary will be made,
where you will be shooting, how it will be written/edited and ultimately where your
film will be seen by an audience.
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See your success and BELIEVE. In your heart, know that the money will come
and your film will get made.
Take the time to write a mission statement, vision statement and set goals.
Setting the proper foundation can dramatically impact your fundraising
success.
Your film is about something bigger than yourself. When you ask for money,
remember that.
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2
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I admit this issue used to baffle me. Why would someone want to give their hard-
earned money to help make MY dream a reality? Turns out, it wasn't about me at all!
(Or at least not completely)
People donate money for all kinds of reasons and it's important to understand WHY
people give so that you can know HOW to ask them for support.
Here are the top reasons people give to documentary projects:
STATUS & FREEBIES: Some people simply enjoy the status of being involved
with a movie project, feeling like they're behind the scenes and they love free
stuff. These folks respond well to an offer of a pre-release dvd, a membersonly directors forum, a signed poster, free t-shirt, a listing in the film credits,
an invite to the documentary premiere or some other exclusive insiders offer
you can make in exchange for a donation.
CONNECTION: A film is a way for people to get their political and social
values out into the world and to connect with others who share their same
values. People like to feel they are part of something larger than themselves.
As an individual, they may feel invisible, alone and powerless, but as part of a
film, their voice can be heard. If a film succeeds, they feel they have
succeeded too. It's validation for who they are and what they believe.
The strongest and best kind of potential supporter is a combination of some or all
the above. It's your best friend who believes in your cause, loves the status of being
involved in a film and owns a business whose customers match your film's audience!
13
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People and organizations give for many reasons. It's your job to find out
what will motivate someone to give to your project.
Don't expect people to give just because it's a good cause. Tap into their
positive needs and desires.
Change your mindset about fundraising. You are not taking people's money as
much as you are giving them an opportunity to be involved in something
larger than themselves.
Above all, send donors a thank you and express your sincere gratitude for
their help.
15
3
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There are no cookie-cutter strategies for raising money for a documentary project.
However, some common tools, methods and questions can be used to help point you
in the right direction.
16
17
People who are connected to the business community and to others with
money. Lawyers, CEO's, bankers, sales professionals, experienced
fundraisers and wealthy spouses are great choices.
Potential major donors; those who are not daunted or intimidated by large
projects and large sums of money.
Friends, family, colleagues and others who are passionate about your project
and passionate about connecting you with people who have funding.
Get some gray hair on your team. Often the best fundraising opportunities
come from existing relationships where the trust and credibility are already
established.
Consider contacting a sales agent. Even though a sales agent typically helps
sell your film and negotiate with distributors once your film is completed,
they may be able to help you with fundraising and pre-sales. In fact, getting a
sales agent involved in the beginning can give you a head start with
distribution. Sales agents are usually well-connected sociable creatures and
they know the money-side of the filmmaking business.
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You can find sales agents by looking through the trades' listings during the
American Film Market (AFM) or you can access a pre-cleared list in the Film
Specific Sales Agency Database. (DazzleEntertainment.com is just one
example of a reputable sales agency)
How do you recruit these money people on your team?
If someone is raising money on your behalf, first and foremost there needs to be a
strong sense of trust. They are using their good name to put their neck out there for
you. They will need to have trust in you personally and in your abilities to handle
the project.
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Fundraising Calculator
The more detailed your fundraising plan, the better your chance of success. I
personally love the snazziness of asking 100 people for $100 to raise $10,000. It's
a great marketing pitch! However, according to fundraising expert Marc Pitman, that
strategy rarely results in actually raising $10,000. Although it's a fabulous way to
break down your fundraising goal into tangible amounts people can understand, he
says the actual giving is never that tidy.
He points to a wonderful fundraising graph (see below) where you can type in your
desired fundraising amount and it will show you exactly how much you need to raise
from how many sources. Pitman says it's a proven formula that works.
Not only is this a great tool to help you narrow down your fundraising strategy, it
can be a powerful visual for potential funders to see how their gift fits in the big
picture. Think of the donation amounts like a bridal registry where you list desired
items that get checked off as people buy them.
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4
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Here's the break-down of all charitable giving in the United States over the past fifty
years: 75% - Individuals, 14% - Foundations, 6% - Estates, 5% - Corporations.
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Individuals
Small Businesses
Corporations
Private/Family Foundations
Non-Profits/Congregations
I. Individuals
Although individuals are more of a challenge to identify and solicit, they are by far
your best chance for funding. Individuals are the most flexible and spontaneous
givers.
Unlike corporations and foundations, which often have lengthy application
processes, individuals are able to make a decision on the spot and take immediate
action.
As part of the 2011 Non-Profit Research Collaborative, people completing the survey
overwhelmingly listed fundraising from individuals as the best opportunity to
increase contributions. Favored methods include directly asking wealthy donors for
major gifts, holding special events and conducting campaigns through social media.
Each of these methods (and others) are discussed in the following chapters.
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Try to find businesses that may be related in some way to the subject of the
documentary. For example for an environmental film, perhaps approach a
recycling company or a solar panels manufacturer.
Make a list of ways the business will benefit by supporting your project. Be
concerned with THEIR image and profits. They'll appreciate it. How can
helping you help them? You can offer to promote their business on the film's
website and on your social media pages , send a press release to the local
media promoting their donation/support, etc.
Ask for a donation or freebie in exchange for a film credit, DVD of the finished
film or product placement. Sometimes just offering a copy of the finished
film is enough!
Use the power of suggestion! This tip is from Carol Dean (The Art of Film
Funding). Create a simple letter-size flyer that says XYZ Business is a proud
supporter of the 123 Documentary. Take that with you to share with the
business owner when you ask for a donation. The flyer is something they can
put near the register which will show them in a good light supporting their
community.
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III. Corporations
Big companies will sometimes help fund your film in exchange for a sponsorship
plug at the beginning/end of your film and in all your marketing materials. Keep in
mind it's very hard to get money from these guys. The only way you really have a
chance is if you have a personal contact inside the company, someone who can get
you in the door. Big companies will be primarily concerned with your film's audience
(size and demographics) and the following questions: Will your film help them reach
new customers? Will your film help boost the image of this company and increase
good feelings about the company among their current customer base?
V. Government Agencies
Just like foundations, there are big and small governmental agencies with money
available for the arts. There can be a lot of bureaucracy to wade through, but there
are opportunities here including your local arts and humanities councils all the way
up to the biggies including the National Endowment for the Arts. More details about
how to find and contact these agencies later also in Chapter 15.
Sometimes, there's just no other way when you've got your documentary idea and
you're ready to go. This is often the choice of first time filmmakers. You've got to
get your experience or get the momentum moving somehow! Use this option
sparingly and only in dire emergencies.
Friends and Family This is a very real option for many first-time filmmakers.
Helloooo Uncle Edmond.
getting a physical letter in the mail. Creating a fundraising letter with a handwritten
note and including a DVD with your trailer (or a URL to your website/trailer) can be
a great way to raise some money. The downside is the expense of printing and
postage.
Wealthy Individuals It's not enough to find someone who has a lot of money
and ask them to donate. The person must have some kind of pre-existing natural
connection with either YOU or the subject matter of your film. Your rich uncle may
not care a hoot about environmental protection of seagulls but he believes in YOU so
he may donate. Or perhaps there's a wealthy philanthropist who supports the local
Sierra Club. You know that person is already committed to the cause and now you
just need that person to understand how your film will benefit the cause.
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fundraising for documentary filmmakers. Foundations big and small will fund your
project if its the right fit. Be prepared to fill out paperwork and have a proposal
ready. Usually grants are reserved for a more experienced team or a promising
filmmaker that comes highly recommended from credible sources. A great resource
for filmmaking grants is The Foundation Center.
involves pulling together a crowd to fund your project or at least some aspect of it.
Crowdfunding is a term that describes an online fundraising campaign to raise a set
amount of money in a set amount of time from a large group of supporters. Two
great options include KickStarter and IndieGoGo. This topic is covered in much
more detail in Chapter 16.
Video Contests This is probably less a fundraising idea and more of a way to
make some extra money on the side. You not only get cash, theres usually a great
promotional opportunity as well. Popular video contest sites include Tongal,
MoFilm, PopTent and Zooppa.
Special Events You can raise money through events such as concerts and
fundraising houseparties. Beware that events can be very time consuming and you
can potentially lose money. So only do this if you or someone on your team loves
organizing events and is good at it.
donated goods is just as good as cash! So don't hesitate to approach businesses such
as hotels, print shops, rental car agencies and restaurants to let them know about
your project and ask for help. It not only helps you, it's great promotion for them!
communicate with your community of supporters about your project and to also ask
for money when the time is appropriate. Social media should not be used primarily
for fundraising. It's a way to stay in touch with people who are interested in your
project so that when you do need funding, you've got a base of support engaged and
ready.
advertising. Every project will be different, but in general, you might sell
sponsorship levels of $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. Depending on the budget and
nature of your documentary, you may even find a business willing to fund the bulk of
the documentary in exchange for an exclusive sponsorship (unlikely, but we can
dream, right!).
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Investors This option is for films that have the potential to make a profit.
Investors will loan money to the project with the expectation that they will not only
get their money back, but will get a return on their investment. Since most
documentaries don't tend to make a profit, this is not a common way for
documentary filmmakers to get funding. If you decide to go this route, I recommend
hiring an entertainment lawyer to help you.
funding that involves getting a distribution company to agree to buy the distribution
rights of your film in advance of shooting. That promise to purchase is used as
collateral for a bank to give you a loan. This kind of deal is usually reserved for highend feature film projects with big names attached.
Studio Funding Sometimes a studio or production company will help fund your
project in exchange for a co-production credit or a cut of the DVD/broadcast sales.
Or more common might be that a production company might exchange production
services such as editing or sound design for a cut of the revenue or co-ownership.
Be very careful with this. There should be a high level of trust established between
you and the production company and a clear contract written up of who gets what
and when.
television pre-sales and other fundraising tips in her excellent audio series
Documentary Production 101. She says BBC paid pre-sales for her documentary
Shakespeare Behind Bars before the doc was completed. (The BBC deal happened
at the IFP market in New York City.) Jilann says HBO, Starz, USA Network will also
sometimes kick in money.
In fact, Mitchell Block, executive producer and co-creator of the Emmy Awardwinning PBS series Carrier, advises documentary filmmakers to market and sell
their films before they're completed. In an interview with the International
Documentary Association, Block cautions, "Films are worth more not finished than
finished, since distributors and networks have different needs, markets, and deals
for works-in-progress versus finished works." Block encourages filmmakers to shop
around their rough cut or work-in-progress and try to get a pre-sale before entering
the film festival circuit. International film festivals such as the Toronto Documentary
Forum at Hotdocs or The Forum at IDFA in Amsterdam are good places to pitch your
project. Keep in mind this can be a tough road if you are an emerging filmmaker.
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Money is everywhere and there are all kinds of ways to get it. In general,
approaching individuals people you have a relationship with and who have
a natural connection to the project will be your best source of funding.
Don't overlook gifts-in-kind. Getting a free rental car or hotel room means
that you can use your cash for other production purposes.
Always look for ways to provide value to your donors or investors. Make sure
there is something about your project that will make them feel good or
benefit them in some way.
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5
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Documentary
Fundraising Tool Kit
Inspiration and genius--one and the same.
~ Victor Hugo
Did you know that making a documentary is a lot like creating a small business?
If you're not surprised by this, then you're way ahead of the game!
I can tell you that I was not prepared for this fact when I started out in filmmaking. I
thought that making a documentary was all about the fun creative stuff!
There are actually many elements involved in the process that have absolutely
nothing to do with the actual making of the documentary.
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Bank Account
PayPal Account
Fundraising Software
Facebook/Twitter Accounts
Website
Logo
Proposal
Budget
Fundraising Trailer
Letters of Endorsement
News Articles
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Being incorporated protects you from liability in case there's a lawsuit. (Someone
can sue you if they don't like how they were portrayed in your film.) If your film is
set up as an LLC or a corporation, if anyone sues you and wins, they don't get your
personal possessions, only the assets that belong to the film.
For tax purposes, having a LLC also allows you to take donations for your film
without the money going to you personally.
I asked Washington-based entertainment/sports attorney Jaia Thomas to clarify the
need for an LLC.
How to get an LLC? Fill out the paperwork with your Secretary of State's office.
Expect to pay around $300.
Of course, talk to an accountant or entertainment attorney for advice on your own
particular project.
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II. Set up a Bank/PayPal Accounts Now that you have your LLC, you'll need
to set up a bank account for your film. Once that's set, open up a PayPal account so
that you can take donations online.
III. Fiscal Sponsor Unless you are planning to start your own non-profit
organization for your film project, it's a really good idea to partner with an existing
non-profit 5013 organization (i.e. fiscal sponsor). Why? Most documentaries
don't make a profit, so you need a way for people to be able to make tax-deductible
contributions. In addition to providing a donation system, a fiscal sponsor helps add
credibility to your project. More about how to set up a fiscal sponsorship a bit later.
IV. E-mail List Manager An e-mail list can quickly get out of hand if you are
just using your personal e-mail provider like Yahoo or Gmail. Those e-mail
programs are simply not set up for mass group e-mails and e-newsletters.
Recommended e-mail marketing providers include Constant Contact, Aweber and
MailChimp.
fundraising tools, you might want to consider setting up fundraising software. These
programs help you manage your contacts/donors (addresses, phone numbers, date
of last contact, total amount donated, etc), integrate donation forms on your website,
manage events, create fundraising reports, etc. Best of all, this kind of software
allows you to have one centralized location for all your contacts and fundraising
activities.
Fundraising software is probably overkill for the average filmmaking project, but
comes in handy if you have your own non-profit and/or you're planning to make
more than one documentary. Examples of fundraising software include civiCRM
(free, open source), eTapestry and SalesForce.
To get impartial comparisons on various fundraising software programs I highly
recommend a non-profit organization called idealware.org.
http://www.idealware.org/topics/managing-constituents
media ASAP! This is simply another way to build interest in your film and start
building your community. If you do nothing else, create a Facebook Page for your
film and get your friends to sign up. Your community of supporters will become an
important part of your fundraising efforts, so start building that community NOW.
Even if you're not 100% sure you are going to make your film, social media can be a
great avenue to test interest in your project.
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Tip! If you can only get a handful of people to engage with you through social
media, you may want to rethink your documentary idea (or your pitch). You may not
have picked a topic/angle that people are interested in.. only you can read between
the lines to figure that one out.
documentary. This is your HUB, your central headquarters. Make sure to put your
trailer front and center on the homepage with a big donate button. Browse the
crowdfunding sites (KickStarter and IndieGoGo) for projects in the fundraising
phase and take a look at their websites for inspiration. More about how to build a
website a bit later
VIII. Create a Logo - Having a nice clean professional logo (the title of your doc)
can be a subtle indicator of the professional level of your project. Make sure there's a
clear consistent look for your film across all platforms using similar colors, fonts, etc
from your website to your Facebook page to your proposal packet. And the
sooner you can start building that brand recognition, the better. If you don't have a
friend to help you, try 99designs.com or LogoTournament.com.
proposal is basically your business plan. Your proposal should include all the
elements of the documentary project including your creative treatment, fundraising
strategy and distribution and marketing plan. Your proposal is an essential tool in
your fundraising kit. Download our Documentary Proposal Template.
X. Budget Creating a budget is as much for you as it is for potential funders. It's
a great way to force yourself to think through every detail of your project. Anyone
serious about giving you big money for your documentary will need to see a budget.
Download our Documentary Budget Templates.
XI. Fundraising Trailer Perhaps the most critical and crucial element of your
fundraising tool kit is your trailer. If you were pitching in money for the
construction of a building, wouldn't you want to see an artists rendering to help you
visualize what it was going to look like? The same holds true for a documentary.
People need to see your vision. If you can move people emotionally through the
trailer, they are far more likely to donate.
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Funders may or may not have time to read your proposal, but if they learn that
someone they respect is supporting you, that can have a major impact on their
decision to give you funding. So make an effort to get letters of support from various
individuals and groups of influence. Examples include getting a letter of support
from your local PBS station, a distributor who says there's a need for your type of
film in the market place, a non-profit or government agency connected to the subject
matter of your film, a local congressman, etc.
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Look at your film as a business. Set up an LLC or S-Corp, open bank accounts,
create a business plan (proposal/budget) and all the other items involved to
set up the infrastructure around your documentary project.
Make sure you have the necessary communications tools in place such as an
e-mail list manager and social media accounts to keep your supporters
engaged and up-to-date.
The sooner you get the business side taken care of the sooner you can start
making your film!
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6
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Engage and inspire conversation Don't just report what you're doing.
That's great, but whenever you can pose questions, ask for suggestions, etc.
people appreciate being involved in the process, not just being told what's
happening. That's the TRUE value of social media. Engagement and
interaction! Otherwise, you're just a news agency and totally missing the
beauty and true value of social media.
Upload videos and photos people love visuals. Anytime you go on a shoot,
take a photo and post it! Have a funny outtake from a shoot? Post it!
Create a custom URL Here's a cool trick to create a custom Facebook URL
which makes it a lot easier to remember and promote your film's Facebook
page. Go to www.facebook.com/username.
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Create a Facebook Causes page to raise additional funds. Check out the
Donate Your Birthday widget. The documentary Rebirth
(www.facebook.com/ProjectRebirth) has a Causes page that raised close to
$3,000 from over 1,300 members.
Use the Insights section of your Facebook page to see the geographic
location of your fans which can help you plan fundraising events and
screenings.
Embed a live video steam during a film festival or fundraising event. Check
out Livestream for Facebook.
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Boosts support for a film An audience plugged into social media can help
increase awareness about a film
Social Proof A large & passionately engaged social media fanbase might be
the kind of social proof that tips the scale for a distributor to buy the film
Twitter
Twitter is at its best for filmmakers during film festivals and
other special events. It's also a great way to keep friends and
supporters updated during a crowdfunding campaign. The
latest statistic showed that Twitter was adding 500,000 users a
day, so don't underestimate how Twitter can help you get the
word out about your film.
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Blogs
Consider starting your own blog and contributing to other
blogs and websites. The more you get your name out into the
internet world, the more opportunities that will come to you.
Here's a story from Jennifer Fox, the director of the award-winning documentary My
Reincarnation:
In a late game brainstorming session after we had met our original goal of
$50,000 but were trying to make $100,000 our team was discussing
strategies of how to push the campaign forward. Among the many ideas, Lisa
suggested that we needed to get people writing about our campaign. We
discussed trying to get someone to write about our campaign at the
Huffington Post. Lisa loves the blog Hope for Film and thought we should
contact Ted Hope, whom none of us knew except by reputation.
She set about searching the web for his contact address, but came up with
nothing. Then I found him on Facebook, wrote him, but no reply. On a lark, I
emailed EP Dan to see if he knew Ted, and indeed he did and immediately
wrote him, pitching the story of our campaign, which led to our first Blog Post
on the site. What I didnt know is that now Ted would also become a strong
supporter of our efforts and keep publishing our story as it spread to three
blog posts and now five.
Jennifer Fox, Director of My Reincarnation
Quoted from IndieWire
(Read more about Jennifer's spectacular success with crowd-funding in Chapter 17)
There is a HUGE need for fresh content. If you can write a half decent article,
reputable sites will publish it on their sites and provide a link back to your film's
website (make sure to request that they not put no-follow code in your link that
tells Google not to see it as a legitimate link). Visitors will then watch your trailer,
sign up for your e-mail list and hopefully donate!
The great thing about having your own blog is that its an easy way to provide
updates about your project and search engines love blogs which means the more
you write, the easier it is for people to find you when they do a search on your
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documentary topic. For example, if your documentary is about toxic waste and
youre blogging every day about toxic waste, pretty soon, Google will take notice and
you will begin showing up in Google searches for toxic waste.
You can set up a blog in minutes and it's free. The most popular blogger sites are
blogger.com and wordpress.com. In your blog, you can talk about anything related
to your film, whether it's about the filmmaking process or the cause/issue that your
documentary is covering. When people read your blog, they will see how passionate
you are about the project and gain a deeper understanding of what the documentary
is about and why it's important. Engagement leads to support!
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Forums
Where are people discussing the issues involved with
your documentary?
If you're producing a film about the environment,
what are the popular forums discussing this issue.
What if you're producing a documentary about video
war games. Where are people meeting online (and
off) to discuss this topic. Join in the conversation!
Here's the key. Only join the conversation if you can add valuable content relevant to
the conversation. Don't just spam people about the project you're working on. In
fact, you may or may not even mention the project you're working on initially. You
are simply adding value and building awareness of your existence.
Once you start adding value, people will become curious about you and that's when
it becomes okay to start mentioning your project. And often, there is a place to
include a link back to your website, but remember, your primary goal is to add value
to the conversation.
Podcasts
A podcast is another way to increase interest and awareness
about your project. A podcast is basically a fancy way to
describe an mp3 audio clip that is part of a series. It's like a
recorded radio report.
If you like the idea of a podcast, you could choose a different theme to cover once a
week or once a month. The key is that it must be something that would interest
people and that they would be willing to share. (It can't just be two random guys
joking about this or that). You've got to offer some kind of VALUE for it to be
interesting to people. You could choose to discuss filmmaking issues, or topics
around the theme of your documentary (i.e. health if your documentary is about the
food industry). It's just one more way for people to get to know you and understand
more about what you're doing.
You could post the podcast segments on your website and promote them through
your social media sites. In addition, there's something called Public Radio Exchange
(www.prx.org) where you can create a podcast series and then pitch it to local
stations to pick up. You can also offer your podcasts on iTunes.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/creatorfaq.html
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YouTube/Vimeo
Creating a YouTube or Vimeo channel for your documentary
is a no-brainer. You will be shooting and gathering various
types of footage while making the documentary. Of course,
you don't want to give everything away, but don't be shy
about posting videos you think might be interesting to
people that won't take away anticipation for your
documentary.
At the end of every video, put a link to your film's website. You could even post
how-to videos which sets you apart as someone adding value. People appreciate it
when you help them and it makes them pay attention to what project you're working
on. Post videos related to your documentary and also helpful videos related to
filmmaking or something else that you think would be beneficial to people.
One filmmaker who used this method/strategy is Kenton Hoppas. He created a
video explaining an innovative shooting technique. You can read about Kenton and
see his video on this page: http://www.desktop-documentaries.com/interviewwith-filmmaker-kenton-hoppas.html
Another filmmaker who posted a how-to video is Sharon Reed. You can see a video
she produced about how to find a film distributor. http://www.desktopdocumentaries.com/how-to-find-a-distributor-for-your-film.html
So you see what just happened there? I told you about Kenton and Sharon because
they offered something of value! I have never met either of them in person, but I
have a certain amount of trust in them simply because they took the time to provide
something useful and I posted their videos on my site. People will share your stuff if
it provides value or entertainment, which in turn slowly but surely builds
awareness/credibility/trust for you and your projects. And plus, videos are a great
tool to share on your Facebook page.
Quote from Devon Smith about Video:
Dont worry about YouTube or Vimeo as a social network. Unless youre
posting new videos as part of a weekly series, all of my previous research
suggests that youre never going to collect enough subscribers to make a true
network. Instead, think of it as a place to store videolike trailers, interviews,
or rough cuts, which other people can embed on their blog, newspaper,
website, etc. SoYouTube versus Vimeo? Slightly more of your peers chose
YouTube (57%) as their network of choice. Vimeo has a better design
aesthetic, more random people are likely to surf across your video on
YouTube, but they both offer the same embedding tool.
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Flickr
Uploading and tagging photos properly with the right keywords
related to your documentary is another great way for people to
find you. For example, they might do a search for documentary
filmmaking Zimbabwe. If you've tagged one of your photos with
those keywords, it may possibly come up in someone's search which would lead
them to learn more about your project. Photos placed on your website that are
tagged with keywords will also be identified in Google Image searches. Talk to
your webmaster about how to do that.
LinkedIn
You may want to consider creating a profile in LinkedIn
just for your documentary project to build interest within
that community. At the very least, you want to include a
link to your documentary site from your personal LinkedIn
profile and vice versa.
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Take it one step at a time. Build your online community at your own pace
and don't feel pressure to be everywhere all the time.
Be thorough and thoughtful about what you post, where you post it and why
you are posting it.
Creating a social media following takes time and effort. Be consistent but
above all be interesting, fun and provide value.
Use other networks and sites to draw attention to your work. Don't just post
information on your own sites.
Start your social media work before or during production. Don't wait until
your project is complete to use these tools.
Have fun!
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Grabbing A Headline:
There are a number of ways you can engage the media to help raise money,
support and awareness for your documentary project.
As a former television news
journalist, I can tell you that
reporters and editors are constantly
looking for new content. If you can
give them an interesting story, they
will run it!
So how can media help you in your
fundraising efforts?
First of all, getting a story in the
media gives your project credibility.
And with credibility, your project is
an easier sell to potential funders.
The media will not directly raise
money for you, they simply help raise
awareness.
Sometimes media agencies will print your story word for word if you write it like an
article and not a press release. Small town newspapers will sometimes do this.
Also, if you send your story out via an online press service such as EReleases or PR
Newswire, thousands of media organizations will simply post your press release as
is on their websites.
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Heres another trick you can use. Say youve got a potential major donor who lives in
XYZ city. You know youd like to get this person or organization involved with your
documentary project, but you have no personal connections with them to help get
your foot in the door.
One thing you can do is pitch a story about your documentary to the local press in
XYZ city. If you can get press coverage about your documentary, it starts giving you
and the project credibility even before you contact your donor. Theres no
guarantee your donor prospect will see the story when it goes out live, so you can
always send a copy of the story (or a link) when you first contact them. This will
give you some legitimacy right off the bat.
Getting stories in the media will also potentially draw people and supporters to you
that you didnt even know existed. And it can create links in to your website which
helps build traffic. So media coverage is not only good for fundraising, it can help
build and grow your base of support who will help spread the word about your
project and maybe buy a DVD.
Popular Blogs
I wrote extensively about blogs in the chapter on Social Media, so I won't repeat that
information here. Many blogs have as much, if not MORE, influence than news
agencies. Identify the influential blogs within the subject matter of your
documentary and entice them to promote your project either by providing them a
guest article or a press release.
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The news media can help to spread your message to a wider audience than
you can cover alone.
Having your project in the news adds legitimacy to your efforts and can help
garner attention from potential funders.
News media will not fundraise for you, but they can help lay the groundwork.
Learn the basics of writing a press release. Press release services such as PR
Newswire will critique your release upon request.
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One of the most important things you can do as part of the documentary
fundraising process is to learn how to pitch your documentary idea both on paper
and in person.
Have you ever asked someone what they do for a living? Did their answer intrigue
you and wanting to know more? Or were you left confused and bored?
Elevator Pitch
Whether it's a chance meeting with a stranger or a formal pitch to a wealthy
philanthropist, it's essential to know how to pitch your documentary in such a way
that captures (very quickly in one minute or less) the unique qualities of your
project and creates excitement and intrigue. It's called an elevator pitch because it
should only last about as long as an elevator ride. This is your one chance to grab
someone's attention and leave them wanting more.
Think pitching your idea is easy? Right now, stop reading, and in thirty seconds or
less say out loud what your documentary is about.
Waiting.....
Could you do it? How long did it take you to say it? Did you stammer or were you
confident with your statement? Practice saying it to your spouse, roommate, friends
and colleagues. Get their feedback.
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Here's a humorous description from an intern trying to figure out how to pitch a
documentary he was helping promote:
When I first saw the trailer for The Way We Get By, I immediately assumed
that I could come up with some line about how the documentary is a
heartwarming tale of how three members of America's "greatest generation"
find purpose in life by greeting troops as they return home from war. Not bad,
right?
I tried out some of these initial lines on some of my ber hip friends and their
responses were all pretty much the same. There'd be a slightly awkward
pause and then a comment like, "Um, so it's like some movie about old people
in Maine who shake troops' hands?" Some would follow that up with a smirk
while the nicer ones would hesitantly offer some half-hearted complement
like "Oh, well, that sounds kind of inspiring" or "That sounds like it could be
good." My test subjects' lack of instant enthusiasm motivated me to refine my
approach, so I began toiling away for what seemed like days, on trying to
come up with the perfect (log)line.
CJ Saraceno, documentary intern
Here's the final pitch for The Way We Get By, captured during an interview with the
documentary's director, Aron Gaudet, on IndiWire's SpoutBlog:
The Way We Get By is like "Cocoon" meets "Coming Home"... but with my
mom in it. We follow the lives of three Maine Troop Greeters who go day and
night to a tiny airport in Bangor, Maine to greet soldiers and marines heading
to war and returning home - over 800,000 troops so far. But what we really
get is an intimate and honest look at what growing old in America is all about,
and how having purpose in your life can help you get through an awful lot.
And yes, one of the three people we follow is my mom.
This is a GREAT pitch. Why?
There's a strong hook at the beginning.
Everyone has a mom.. Everyone can relate to growing old and having purpose
in life. Everyone understands soldiers and war.
He makes the story relatable, relevant and personal.
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How do you pitch your story in a way that will grab someone's attention and they'll
immediately get what you're trying to do?
Ask yourself these questions:
Tip! People support people first, THEN the project. So make sure you
communicate your enthusiasm and commitment for the project.
minute news package. It was almost like magic to them. But it's not magic at all! It's
simply the process of peeling back the layers, the noise, and pinpointing the
intriguing nugget or heart of the story.
The Cove
Daring animal activists arrive with surveillance equipment at a scenic cove in
Taijii, Japan, to capture footage of a secretive and heavily guarded operation
run by the world's largest supplier of dolphins. As the group sets out to
expose the horrifying truths behind the capture of dolphins for the lucrative
tourist industry, they also uncover an environmental catastrophe.
Food Inc.
Drawing on Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan's The
Omnivore's Dilemma, director Robert Kenner's provocative, Oscar-nominated
documentary explores the food industry's detrimental effects on our health
and environment.
Life In A Day
After thousands of people around the world joined together to record banal
and remarkable everyday events on July 24, 2010, director Kevin MacDonald
led a team of editors to condense more than 4,500 hours of video into this
picture of life on Earth.
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web of deceit
determined to unmask
torn apart by
vows to expose
forced to confront
In summary, a great pitch captures the essence of your story and elicits the reaction
I want to see that! So keep practicing and refining.
Creating the perfect pitch for your film is well worth the effort and can be one of
your strongest tools for raising funds.
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Be prepared to pitch your film at all times. If you were on an elevator and
someone asked about your film, could you describe it in thirty seconds or less
and leave them wanting more by the time the elevator doors opened?
Any story, no matter how complex, can be boiled down to a statement or two.
When pitching your story, keep it short and sweet. Don't try to pack in every
detail. A pitch is meant to be a teaser not a monologue.
Practice your pitch over and over again until you can say it in your sleep. Try
it out on friends and family until you get it right.
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can be the difference between funding and no funding at least for the BIG money.
DOCUMENTARY PROPOSAL
What Is A Documentary Proposal And
Why Do I Need One?
There is often a lot of overlap when talking about a documentary proposal,
treatment and synopsis.
Documentary Proposal - This is a comprehensive written document that explains the
full scope of your documentary project from story synopsis to the people youre
planning to interview to your distribution plan.
Documentary Treatment The treatment is almost like a script, detailing exact
scenes and describing what the audience will see, hear and experience.
Documentary Synopsis The synopsis is usually the first section of the proposal. It is
an easy-to-read explanation of what your story is about, why the story is significant
and how youre going to tell it.
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There are multiple reasons why someone might need a proposal. One of the primary
uses for a proposal is to raise funding for a film. It can also be used to convince a
talented filmmaker to join the documentary team or to enlist an endorsement for
the project from a broadcaster or prestigious individual.
Why are YOU uniquely qualified to tell this story? For example, perhaps the
documentary is about the president of Sudan and he is your father. That
certainly gives you unique access and a unique angle to the subject!
Who is on your team and how much experience do they have? This is
perhaps THE most important factor in whether or not you get support.
Who else is already supporting you and how much funding has been raised so
far for the project. (The more items on this list the better!)
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Foundations/Government Agencies
Businesses/Corporate Sponsors
Potential Advisors
Fiscal Sponsor
information. If you are asking for a specific amount of money from the person
receiving the proposal, you may want to put that on the cover page. For example,
you could put Request for $15,000 funding grant just under the proposal heading.
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documentary? Why are they important to the story. Include some or all of your
interviews/characters here. If you can include photos, even better!
Style Approach Explain your artistic vision for the film here. Will the
documentary be filmed in black and white? Will you have a narrator or a host? Will
you be telling your story using stop motion techniques or other animation? Are you
shooting in High Definition or on Super 8 Film?
Documentary Crew/Bios List the key members of your team. Explain not
only each persons accomplishments, but also why they are a good fit for the project.
This is perhaps THE most important section of your proposal. Potential supporters
want to know whos behind the project and whether the team is capable of
completing the project successfully. It is recommended that you list at least three
people here. Funders are much more likely to support a project that has more than
one crew member. If you personally lack experience making documentaries, enlist
the support of accomplished filmmakers. If YOU are the one with a lot of
accomplishments, you can have a less experienced crew. Funders want to know that
at least ONE person on your team has experience managing a successful film project
and can responsibly handle large sums of money.
Target Audience Even if you feel you have a documentary that will appeal to a
large segment of the population, its important to narrow it down to the group most
likely to be drawn to your film. Is it military personnel? Young mothers in the
United States? Teenagers? Internationals living in the U.S.? Stock Brokers?
endorse or support the project. This can be a fiscal sponsor, a broadcaster or a nonprofit. If you dont yet have any endorsements, its okay to list groups that you plan
to approach, just make sure its clear that they have not yet agreed to participate.
film, its often a good idea to have experts who can advise you during the
filmmaking process. You may even want to consider creating a Board of Directors
for your film. These are people who you may or may not include on-camera in your
documentary, but who can serve as advisors for various aspects of your film
including fundraising. Including these accomplished and respected individuals as
part of your documentary team is a great way to provide additional credibility for
your project.
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Interactive Elements This is where you include your plan for a website, social
media, blogs, podcasts or any other interesting ways to engage your audience online
before, during and after the release of your film.
Distribution & Outreach This is a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of the
Production Timetable and Schedule This is where you map out your
production schedule and plan for shooting and editing your documentary. It's best
to use a window of dates approach with a target date for completion as
filmmaking requires flexibility.
Fundraising Strategy List here how much money you need to make your
documentary and how you plan to raise the funds. If you do not personally have
experience raising money, find someone who can guide you on this. There are also
lots of great books on this subject. I highly recommend Shaking the Money Tree by
Morrie Warshawski.
statement summarizing the project and what makes the project unique and
important. Really hit home the impact the film could have.
**Additional details about what to include in each section of a proposal are
included with the Documentary Proposal Template (pdf) document.
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DOCUMENTARY TREATMENT
How is a Documentary Treatment
Different from a Proposal?
Theres a lot of overlap when talking about a documentary treatment and proposal.
Often the terms are used interchangeably.
A treatment, in its literal meaning, is more like an actual script.
A treatment describes exactly what your audience is going to see, hear and feel when
they watch your film -- from the opening sequence to the last shot.
A treatment is just one part of a proposal. A full proposal includes not only the
treatment, but also other items such as the distribution plan, intended audience,
budget and crew bios.
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The nature of a documentary is that the story often unfolds as it is being shot and
edited, so writing a script in advance is difficult, if not impossible.
Writing a treatment becomes easier if your film is historical in nature where the
events have already taken place or if you are shooting reenactments which would be
scripted in advance. But for most documentary projects, the treatment is less script
and more detailed overview. That doesnt mean a dry research report! You still
need to use an active voice and tell a compelling story.
Here are some basic guidelines that can apply to the overall description of your
documentary.
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Establish the basic story line and what you will be uncovering that is
different, unusual or unique to any other film to date.
Include your passion into the treatment. Think about the elements of the
story that intrigue and fascinate you. Let that be your guide as you write.
This is your chance to express your style and vision.
What is your unique point of view and, if appropriate, why are you uniquely
qualified to tell this story.
Do you have special access to the people and story youre pitching?
How will you stimulate new ways of looking at the world through this film
Your treatment should weave a great story, create a human connection and establish
the greater vision of how your film will make the world a better place.
Tip! Keep in mind that the people reading your proposal are busy, so only include
the most critical and compelling information in the most concise manner possible.
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Cover Letter - When you submit your proposal and budget to a potential funder,
more than likely you will also want to send a cover letter, along with any other
support materials such as press clippings, a trailer and letters of support. (Your
cover letter could be in the form of an e-mail)
Your cover letter is a great place to personalize your request and ask for a specific
amount of money. This means you will need to have done your research on the
individual or group youre submitting your proposal to. There are any number of
ways you can figure out how much to ask for. If its an organization, you can just
outright ask your contact what would be an appropriate amount to request. If its a
wealthy individual, try to research other gifts the person has given or ask around the
community for opinions on what the individual might be willing to give.
In your cover letter, make a brief statement about why the project is meaningful for
you and your current need for financial help. Briefly state some recent successes
(Weve just learned the Smith Foundation is giving us $2500 or Weve just lined
up an interview with Senator Jane Williams) people like to be part of a winning
cause. Let the funder know there is momentum with the project and their support
can help you take it to the next level. Explain exactly what their funds will be used
for. Limit your cover letter to one page.
Budget - A budget is a reflection of your entire project. It shows in detail the type
of equipment you plan to use, the shooting locations, travel expenses, music and
archival usage, animation, crew and length of post-production just to name a few.
Anyone making a significant contribution to your project will likely want to see your
budget, so make sure its accurate, professional and realistic.
Press Clippings - Being able to share a link to a news story about your
Trailer - If I had to choose ONE item that is most important -- above all else -- in
your fundraising efforts, I would say its the trailer. If you know the saying a picture
is worth a thousand words, then you can imagine the importance and impact of a
film. According to the online crowdfunding site IndieGoGo, a campaign with a video
raised 122% more money than one without. If the trailer can bring a viewer to tears
or move them emotionally, a donation is almost guaranteed. Of course, a solid
proposal and strong leadership on your team are also key factors, but if you dont
have a strong trailer, prepare for a long hard road.
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Letters of Support - Every little bit helps when youre fundraising. Your goal is
to bring everything youve got and make a slam dunk when you are requesting
funds. In addition to your trailer, proposal and budget, letters of support from
reputable individuals and organizations such as a local PBS station help solidify the
importance of your project.
Proposal are a very personal endeavor and no two pitches will be the same.
Each proposal must take into account the tone of the project, the characters,
the story, style approach and even your own personality.
If you hit a snag while writing your proposal, think back to what originally
piqued your interest about the documentary idea. When you get excited
about the idea, how do you describe the story to friends and family? Let
those feelings guide you through the proposal writing process.
Allow the reader to feel your genuine passion, excitement and intrigue for the
story. Try to stay away from sounding official. Make your words personal
and real. If you can convey your deepest sincere connection to the story, you
have a much better chance of winning over the person reading your proposal.
Is there a story you can tell that might bring tears to the eyes of a reader? Or
make them laugh? Choose the best, most interesting components of your
story and make sure to weave them in throughout your proposal.
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Adding It Up:
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This section covers any items that are involved in the pre-production phase of your
project. These items can include scouting locations, books/downloads and
consultant fees.
This section covers any costs for you and your staff during the pre-production phase.
Not all projects will need this section, but if your film is based on a book, you may
need to pay story rights. You may also want to hire a title search company to find
out if the title of your documentary is clear to use. (If your budget is tight, a simple
Google search is probably adequate)
This covers salaries for all your crew during the production/shooting of your
documentary.
Important! Depending on where you live, you may need to pay Personnel Taxes
(also known as Fringes) in addition to salaries for your crew to cover things like
Social Security, Federal and State unemployment insurance, Medicare and Workers
Comp. Most of the time you can simply hire your crew as Independent Contractors.
But PLEASE check with your accountant or lawyer to make sure you are following all
laws in your area.
List any equipment and video gear you will need during your shoots. Depending on
the length of the production, renting equipment can sometimes exceed the cost of
purchasing the equipment out right. If this is the case, you can purchase the
equipment and sell it once the project ends. Or a crew person may decide to buy a
piece of equipment and rent it back to the production. To protect the integrity of the
project, the rental fees should not exceed 75% of what it cost to buy the equipment.
These items include any items you will need related to production such as hard
drives, DVD's, extra batteries and transcription services.
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List all items related to travel including hotel/lodging, meals, airline tickets, baggage
fees, tips, mileage, etc. A funder may not understand what a P2 card is, but they
know what a hotel room and airline ticket should cost. So be especially diligent to
keep these costs to a minimum. Also, if you choose to give your crew a set fee to
cover daily expenses such as meals (per diems), make sure these are also kept to a
minimum. (Be aware that some funding agencies dont allow pier diems.)
2400 Talent/Host
If you plan to have a host or narrator for your film, they may or may not request
payment. These costs can vary widely depending on who you get. And if youre
using a union performer, make sure you understand all the rules involved.
List all crew and staff involved in the post-production & editing phase.
Whether you are editing out of your home or in an production studio, list all costs
related to the editing process including hard drives, special editing software and
tape deck rentals.
To have a seamless looking film, youll probably want some kind of color correction.
If your footage is less than stellar, this section could end up being a much bigger
budget item than you expected. So do your best to shoot great footage in the
beginning to avoid this section becoming a major budget item.
Some say sound is even more important than the visuals. Include any expected costs
associated with sound design and any special recordings such as narration.
3500 Music/Composer
To keep things simple regarding music rights, its recommended that you bring on
board a composer to create an original sound track for your film. Otherwise, it can
be quite a difficult process (and expensive) to track down rights for every piece of
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music you want to use, especially if its popular music. Royalty free music is also an
option, just make sure to check if there are any hidden restrictions.
Unless you are shooting everything in your film from scratch, you may need to use
some archival stock footage or photos. A lot of footage can be found for free such as
on archive.org or through Creative Commons, but you may need to purchase
specialty shots which you should list in this section.
List here any costs involved in the final mastering of your film such as any special
decks you may need to rent to dub out to a Digi-Beta tape.
4000 Office/Admin
Here you list all the administration and office items for the project including internet
fees, postage, cell phone, etc.
4100 Website
You dont necessarily need a website, but its highly recommended for any kind of
major project. Its like a business card and online hub where people can go and
learn about your project and hopefully donate. If you are on a super low budget, a
Facebook Page can work just fine.
This section can be big or small depending on your distribution plan. Include items
such as film festival fees, logo design, postcards, posters and hiring a publicist. Be
aware that some funding agencies such as broadcasters dont allow this section to be
included in the budget.
4300 Insurance
Talk to your insurance agent and use your own judgment on how much insurance
you need for your project. Insurance should be considered when crew members
travel out of the country or are working/filming in potentially dangerous situations.
Errors and Omissions insurance is also something you'll need to consider once your
film is completed. And if you've created a Board of Directors for your film, you'll
want to look into Officers and Liability Insurance.
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These items include attorney and accounting fees, bank account fees,
fundraising/distribution experts, etc.
If you plan to take your documentary on the film festival circuit, be aware that those
costs can add up. Include here any expected festival fees and travel expenses.
Contingency This is a safety net, usually set at 8-10%, to give you some wiggle
room in case you go over budget.
Fiscal Sponsor Fees This is the fee you pay to a non-profit organization who
handles all the cash flow and donations that come in for your project. Not all fiscal
sponsors will charge a fee, but 5%-10% is standard for those who do.
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Say for example you and your crew have never produced a documentary before and
you have a few short non-profit videos under your belt. You have no awards to your
name and for all intent and purposes, you dont have a solid portfolio of work. All of
your friends are fellow artists and you dont have a lot of business connections to
people with money. Is it reasonable to think you can raise $250,000 for your first
documentary project?
Hmmmm Probably not.
Truthfully, $10,000 - $25,000 is a more realistic goal (and THATs if you have a
fantastic trailer). A budget of $250,000 will probably not be taken seriously by
those you approach for funding.
HOWEVER, if you have a solid portfolio of work and have proven that you are
capable of producing professional work and overseeing a large budget and a crew,
you have a much better chance of raising larger sums of money. People will have
confidence in you based on your past work. So your budget can reflect a more
professional endeavor.
An Organic Budget
A film budget is a constantly changing document. At the beginning of the project,
you will make your best attempt to think of everything you will need and research
prices and rates to the best of your ability. And this is important. DO YOUR
RESEARCH. Don't just guess at what things cost. A business person reading your
budget will catch your mistakes (forget getting money from that guy).
Call up vendors and freelancers and ask what they charge. Even with excellent
planning, things will cost more or less than budgeted (usually more), so the budget
will need to be modified as you go.
Also, if you know that you will be getting some services or equipment donated,
indicate that on the budget. In fact, that can be a great motivator for a potential
funder to see that you and/or others are already pitching in to help cut costs.
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Two Budgets
It's a great idea to create two versions of your budget. One is the official budget
listing all the standard industry costs and the other is a bare-bones worse-case
scenario budget. Although you will be attempting to raise the full amount of money
listed in your retail budget, you also want to know in the back of your mind the
absolute bare minimum you need to make your documentary a reality. The barebones budget is for your eyes only so that you can be prepared for any scenario.
your crew are prepared to defer compensation if needed to get the project
completed. Or that you are donating your equipment or covering your own travel
costs, etc.
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A budget may be time consuming at the beginning, but youll be glad you took
the extra effort to think things through and put it all together.
Yes, include a salary for yourself in the budget, but don't go overboard.
Don't get caught off guard by the high cost of distribution and marketing.
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Tips For A
Sizzling Fundraising Trailer
The only way around is through.
~ Robert Frost
Whatever it takes, make a trailer for your documentary. Even if you have to pay
for it out of your own pocket, this is a must-have when fundraising for a
documentary.
Few people can visualize an idea. So if you want to build or create anything a car, a
house, a film it makes all the difference to have a visual presentation of what you
are trying to make. Think of your documentary trailer as the artist rendering of a
house before its built. If you can SEE it and fall in love it, you are much more willing
to PAY for it because you can now see with your own eyes the potential story it will
tell.
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Catch people off guard Your trailer should grab your audience's
attention right off the bat in the first :30-:45. The trailer must show
something engaging right at the beginning. It's best to catch people off
guard, show something that is unexpected. If documentary is about a
peaceful commune, start with violence. If it's about the mafia, start with a
laughing child. If you show people what they are expecting, they will be
bored. If you can catch an audience off guard, you've got their attention.
that the trailer is a short version of the completed documentary. They should
be left wanting more and with the clear understanding that there is much
more to the story that needs to be told. Pose questions or create a cliffhanger
hinting of more to come or a pending situation.
fundraising trailer should capture or mimic the director's vision of how the
final documentary will look and feel.
Tip! Don't fade to black at the end of a trailer that is posted on YouTube or Vimeo.
Since the last frame of the video pauses, you want the last frame to be the URL of the
documentary's website.. not black.
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his or her vision for the film or a compilation of free clips from the internet. At the
very least, use past work to show the caliber of the director's work. You are raising
money for a FILM, so people need to see a film in some form or another.
As new elements become available, the trailer can be updated and revised. This is a
great way to keep your community of supporters engaged. It shows you are making
progress (i.e. builds confidence that money is being used properly) and creates an
opportunity to ask for additional funding as well as an opportunity to ask for
feedback which further engages the donor.
As a side note, make sure you have a good donation system in place before releasing
your trailer (a simple PayPal button on your website will do). There is only one
chance to make that first impression. If people are inspired, you want them to have
the opportunity to donate right then and there.
Get Inspired!
A great place to get inspiration for your fundraising trailer is to browse the film
section of Kickstarter and IndieGoGo.
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Your trailer should capture the viewers attention with a hook in the first
thirty seconds.
Recommended Reading:
For more detailed instruction on creating a fundraising trailer,
consider grabbing a copy of renowned Documentary Doctor
Fernanda Rossi's book:
Trailer Mechanics: How To Make Your Documentary Fundraising
Demo
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When someone wants to give money to your documentary project, who do they
make the check out to? You personally? Your production company? Or is there a
better option?
Unless you're Michael Moore and expecting to make millions in profits from your
documentary, you are more than likely embarking on a non-profit endeavor.
Instead of investment capital (for-profit), you will be
seeking out donations (non-profit). It is preferable to
offer donors the option of a tax deductible donation/gift.
In order for the donor to receive a tax deduction, the gift
must be made in the name of a non-profit 5013
organization.
You can either 1) create your own non-profit or 2)
partner with an existing non-profit.
The only time you might want to consider creating your own non-profit is if you
anticipate producing more than two or three documentaries. Otherwise it's
probably not worth the hassle. (You have to create a board of directors, submit
articles of incorporation, submit annual financial statements and sometimes you
have to get permits for fundraising. Application and preparation fees can range from
a few hundred dollars to $1500 depending on the type of non-profit you are creating
and it can take many months for the application to go through.)
My personal recommendation is to find an existing non-profit organization to be
your fiscal sponsor.
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Carol Dean of From The Heart Productions says that as part of her fiscal sponsorship
program, she provides filmmakers financial advice, guidance on fundraising trailers
and help with proposal packages.
Learn more about Carol's sponsorship program here:
www.fromtheheartproductions.com/fiscal.shtml
Examples of other organizations that specialize in being fiscal sponsors for
filmmakers:
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Create a written legal agreement outlining how the partnership will work,
including any fees and exactly how and when the filmmaker/production
company will get paid. View a sample Fiscal Sponsor agreement:
http://southerndocumentaryfund.org/uploads/documents/fiscalhandbookrev11.11.08.pdf
Make sure you're working with someone you trust and who you feel is
genuinely interested in your documentary project and helping you succeed.
Unless you want to negotiate otherwise, make it clear that the filmmaker is
the sole owner of the documentary, not the fiscal sponsor. (This can be very
touchy since the fiscal sponsor may feel they are co-owners, particularly if
they invest significant time and effort in the project. Make sure the
ownership language is clear and in writing.)
Make it clear that the filmmaker holds all creative rights over how the
documentary is put together (assuming that's the agreement you want to
make).
Understand that all agreements will be different and must be a win-win for
both the filmmaker and the fiscal sponsor.
Once all is agreed to, ask the fiscal sponsor to provide a strong letter of
endorsement for your project that you can use to raise funds.
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Watch a fun little animated video to better understand the Prenups concept:
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Here's a story documented in the Prenups to represent the types of issues that can
arise:
A funder and filmmaker started out on what they thought would be a great
relationship. The funder was head of a nonprofit agency with $25,000 to put
toward a documentary film on immigration; the filmmaker was interested in
the issue and had a track record in documentaries.
The filmmaker developed a proposal, and since she always felt like an
independent filmmaker, she expected she would have editorial control. The
parties agreed that the funder would be the fiscal sponsor, or nonprofit
umbrella organization, for the project. All the discussions and agreements at
this point were verbal, says the filmmaker. It all seemed fine.
But when the funder made the project proposal more public than the
filmmaker wanted, an angry exchange followed. The filmmaker recalls the
funder saying that since they had come up with the idea together, they would
have equal say. This came as a shock to the filmmaker, who had assumed that
the funder shared her understanding about the roles of producers, directors
and funders. The funder knew the film would cost far more than $25,000 and
that other contributors would be coming on board.
Much as the two parties tried to find common ground, the funder finally put
his foot down, saying that he would continue only if he had equal editorial
control with the producer/director and full copyright ownership. The
filmmaker walked away from the project and is still negotiating the return of
unused grant dollars, as well as ownership of the existing footage. The
funder was as shocked as we were, she recalls. Early on, there was this
flurry of excitement, and maybe that prevented us from talking about the
practicalities of making this film.
You can learn more about The Prenups for filmmakers & funders and download a
free MatchMaker Guide at: www.theprenups.org
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Before moving forward with a fiscal sponsor, make sure both parties are clear
with regards to editorial control and ownership of the film.
Creating a contract or Pre-Nup with the fiscal sponsor helps to ensure both
parties are entering into the agreement with the same expectations and helps
avoids future misunderstandings and conflicts.
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Internet 101:
You've learned some great ways to use social media to help build your audience
www.artasaweapon.info
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Benefits Of A Website:
A website can help establish legitimacy. Since perception can play a key
role in the sale of your film, this is a good reason to have a website.
A website allows you to feature content in ways that social media can't. For
example: a merchandise page/shop, opportunities for the public to upload
their own content to the site and dedicated areas where only the press or
potential funders can download information (for example a pdf of your
budget, copyrighted photos or resumes or your crew).
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Great way to brand your film and create professionalism around your project.
A professional looking and easy-to-navigate website helps build credibility
and illustrates to potential funders that the filmmakers have an eye and
sensibility for what works.
*Word of caution: A sloppy/ugly website can do more damage than good, so if
you decide to build a website, make it worth your effort. As my dad taught
me, anything worth doing is worth doing right!
Allows you to have your fundraising trailer and donate button side by side.
This is VERY important. That way, someone who sees your trailer can
immediately donate and get involved. Grab 'em while they're hot!
Convenient place to send potential donors. Eliminates the need to send out
your full proposal to individuals through the mail or e-mail. One simple link
and they have everything they need in one place. This also eliminates the
possibility that funders will read an outdated proposal that's been sitting in
their e-mail for weeks or months.
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If you answered #1, this chapter may be a bit overkill for you. Just read what you
need and move on to the next chapters. If you answered #2, let's get started!
cubanhiphop.tv
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Why Wordpress?
Wordpress accounts for nearly 25% of all new websites in the world and is currently
the most popular CMS (content management system) in use on the Internet. If you
ever have problems with your site or need help, there's a large base of knowledge
and pool of resources. More than likely your neighbor or colleague has a Wordpress
site and can help you out in a pinch.
Having a Wordpress site allows you to build a website without having to write any
website code or know any website design, so it is ideal for people who know nothing
about building websites.
In addition, Wordpress sites come with a built-in blog function which is convenient
and great for building traffic.
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(*Please note that you'll want to use Wordpress.COM, NOT Wordpress.ORG. It's a bit
complicated to explain, but basically Wordpress.org is where webmasters go to
download code for building custom sites. Wordpress.com is for regular folks who
just want to build a simple site)
Why BlueHost?
There are thousands of hosting sites. To keep things simple, I decided to choose one
option that I KNOW works great with Wordpress.
BlueHost is the top recommended hosting service for Wordpress and the two are
already linked together for seamless integration. Getting a website up and running
is a snap. Go to the BlueHost website and they take you step by step to set up your
website.
According to web designer Tom Jones, it's possible to have a website up and running
in 4 minutes and he has a video on his website to prove it! You can even register
your domain name through BlueHost which is included as part of your hosting
service (saving you about $35 year).
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capitalc-movie.com
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Home page Include your fundraising trailer, donate button and an e-mail
sign-up form. You MUST have a video (this is a film website after all), even if
it's just the director giving a greeting. Also plan in advance if you're willing to
include a spot on your homepage for company logos in exchange for
sponsorship money.
Crew Page Include your film crew and anyone of importance working on
the project. This is a KEY page for donations. People are more willing to
provide financial support a project if there is more than one person on the
crew. And even more important, what are the qualifications of the crew. If
you personally don't have a lot of experience, make sure you recruit others to
be on your team who can fill the experience gap.
About Page Grab attention with your first paragraph. Many people don't
make it past the first 1-2 paragraphs on a web page, so make sure you quickly
summarize your project at the top. You can then provide more details and
background after that. You don't need a dissertation here. In general, the
better your trailer, the less you need on your about page.
valuable and a great tool to build credibility for your project (i.e. donations).
News stories don't just happen magically, you'll need to actively seek them
out.
-A donate button
-A brief explanation about your Fiscal Sponsor partnership and how it
allows your project to accept tax deductible donations.
-An address for those who want to write a check
-A list of incentives and levels of giving. For example, the producers of
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the documentary Dust Radio are giving away a warm and fuzzy feeling for
a donation of a $1 or more ;), a limited edition guitar pick for $10 and a movie
poster/guitar pick/production pack for $50. You can browse the
documentary section in KickStarter to see what other filmmakers are giving
away for various levels of giving.
Partners This is your thank you page. This is a good place to list any
Blog Your blog serves several purposes. You need to have a blog! It not
Link to Facebook and other social media sites It's amazing how
Contact The main recommendation for this page is to use a contact form
(see below) instead of your actual e-mail because spammers will steal your email. Also, your contact page is a great place to ask people to sign-up for your
e-newsletter.
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Tip!
Check out Google Grants for free Google Adwords campaigns to help build
traffic to your website.
Keywords
Using the right keywords is KEY. If you are using keywords that no one is searching
for or if there's a lot of competition for that keyword (ie travel or food), you will
not build your traffic. In order to rank well in search results, you need to use
keywords/keyword phrases that people are actually searching for and that don't
have a lot of competition. How do you FIND these keywords? There are several free
Keyword search tools including Wordtracker and NicheBot. This one topic could
be the subject of an entire book, so take it step by step and dive as deep as you have
time for.
Essentially, try to write your pages based on keywords around the topic of your
documentary. So if your documentary is about flamingos, make sure you write a
page about pink flamingos, another page about blue flamingos, another about
flamingos in Spain... etc.
A page called today I went to the grocery store may be entertaining to your human
visitors, but it will not draw in new visitors looking for information about flamingos.
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Make sure your page about pink flamingos has that phrase in the URL, in the page
title and peppered throughout the article (not too much otherwise Google thinks
you're trying to trick them)... so maybe once every 1-2 paragraphs. And make sure
Pink Flamingos is a text link somewhere on that page. The idea is that you're
giving Google clues to know what your page is about.
Here's how your primary keyword/phrase should be used when building your page:
KEYWORD PLACEMENT ON A WEB PAGE (to maximize traffic):
In the URL address
Headline/title of the blog
First sentence of the blog article
Placed every 1-2 paragraphs
In the Custom Document Title (the one that will show up in Google
Searches)
In the Meta/Keywords section
In the Meta Description (shows up on the Google search page)
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Links In
Another important factor that Google considers when ranking your website is how
many links are coming into your site from other sites. Websites are run by people
and Google figures that if a lot of people are pointing to your site then you must have
something good happening at your site. Links from spam sites don't count. In fact,
they could hurt you. Make sure to get good links from legitimate sites. The bigger
the website pointing to you (ie CNN or Yahoo News), the more cred you have with
Google. And you also want links in from websites related to the topic of your
website.
Write a Blog
I've already mentioned the importance of a blog. A blog is a great way to keep your
website active. Dormant websites do not rank well with Google. Search engines are
constantly crawling the web to find new information. Having fresh new content
keeps Google interested in your site. Plus, every page you write is one more chance
for you to rank in the search engines and help people learn about your project.
Guest Articles
Not only is it important to write you own blog, but writing guest blogs/articles for
other sites is a great way to lead visitors to your site and build up your traffic.
There's a huge need for new and original content on the internet and webmasters
will be very glad to hear from you that you want to provide content for their site.
They will gladly provide a link back to your site in exchange for providing them with
content.
Ezine Articles
In addition to writing articles for specific blogs and websites, you can also utilitze
article publishing sites like EzineArticles.com. The key is these are not promotional
articles or commercials for your documentary. Instead, you might write a how-to
article about crowdfunding. Or tips for writing a script. Or ten steps to better health
(if your doc is health related).
The idea is to write a helpful article that teaches people about something and then
there's a plug for you and your film at the bottom. It can be a bit time consuming,
but it's a great way to increase interest and links back to your website.
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Social Media
There is significant overlap between raising awareness for your documentary,
building an audience and building traffic for your website.
Earlier I wrote about ways to utilize social media to get the word out about your
project. Those same tools can be used to lead people back to your website:
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Podcasts and Forums just to name a few.
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As soon as possible, set up a Facebook page for your project to start building
a base of support.
Make sure your website is optimized for the search engines (SEO friendly).
This is how Google and other search engines find your site and rank you.
Make sure each URL on your website includes the main keyword for that
page like this: www.your-documentary.com/crew-bios
You don't want a URL that looks like this:
www.your-documentary.com/node/99065. Google can't read that.
Include keywords on your site related to the topic of your film so that if
someone is doing a Google search they can find you. For example, if your
documentary is about toxic waste, make sure you have pages with the
keyword phrase toxic waste.
Include a short 1-4 sentence on your homepage to describe your
documentary.
Having a dedicated website for your project adds legitimacy, more branding
options and the ability to accept donations.
You do not have to be a web designer to create a web page. There are many
free and inexpensive ways to create your own unique web presence.
Building traffic and links-in to your website, although time consuming, are
great ways to generate new supporters and potential donors for your film.
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Your Personal Contact List Check your personal list of contacts, your
LinkedIn network, Facebook friends and family connections. Examine any
and every potential connection with people who might be interested in your
project. These will be your strongest links to funding since there is already
an established connection.
Your Local Community Your best prospects for major donations will
be those closest to home. The farther away your donor geographically, the
more challenging to reach and connect with them.
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Tip! These type of sites generally charge fees, so check with your local Foundation
Center libraries for free access these databases. To view a map and list of locations:
http://maps.foundationcenter.org/cc/CCUS.php
Do they already have some kind of natural connection to your project either
to you personally or to the subject?
Do they have a capacity to give a large donation? Have they given similar
donations in the past?
If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, you have a potential prospect!
Do not ask an individual for money until you know what they are capable of giving,
you have established a relationship and are SURE your project is a good fit for them.
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Listen: When you talk one-on-one with the potential donor the first time,
give a brief introduction and then LISTEN!!! Keep the focus on them. Figure
out if they are a good match for your project first before fully pitching them
your project. Figure out THEIR needs, values and interests. Understand what
might motivate them to support you. For example, a business owner may be
more interested in tax breaks whereas a high flyer socialite may like the
recognition of being involved with a film project.
Tip! Don't ask for money too soon! Make sure your project is the right fit
for the donor first.
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Ask for advice: Another great approach with potential major donors is to
ask for advice. There's a saying in the fundraising industry: If you ask for
money you get advice. If you ask for advice you get money. Someone with
wealth is probably in that position because they have skill, connections,
wisdom and experience. Make sure you listen and take notes. Even if they
don't donate, they could provide you with some valuable insights you had not
thought of or an introduction to other potential donors.
Be flexible: You may have initially contacted someone with the hopes they
would donate to your project, but be open to other ways the person can
provide value. For example, they could act as an advisor to your project, host
a fundraising event or simply guide you to other sources of funding. And you
never know, the more engaged they become and the more confidence they
have in the project, they may decide to donate later on.
Follow-up: During that conversation, ask them if theyd like for you to send
them the project's full proposal and the trailer (hopefully you have one). If
they say they want to see more, follow up promptly. This is your first
opportunity to start building your credibility.
Make sure you have everything ready to send before you call or
contact them (budget, proposal, treatment, trailer, etc). If you
fail to follow up properly just ONCE, you begin to plant seeds of
doubt in the mind of the donor and they will lose trust in your
ability to handle their funds properly.
Every donor will be different. Once you initiate contact, you
will simply need to continue following up as needed. The idea
is to keep the momentum going. Do everything you can to
keep the line of communication open. As long as the individual
continues to show interest and ask for information, continue to
follow up.
Be persistent, but dont stalk. This is a fine line. Once you have
made contact say 2-3 times and you continue to get silence, let
it go and move on to the next potential donor. But as long as
the person is engaged, stay with them. Only you can feel
when the time is right to ask for a donation.
Tip! During your first visit with the potential donor, take some materials with you,
but don't bring everything. Save something that gives you an excuse to follow up.
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Friendships are not created overnight. Think of your best friends.. how long did
those relationships take?
There needs to be a genuine connection with the donor. Sometimes this can take
years. Think of your donors as partners and friends (not ATM machines). These are
human beings with their own struggles empathize with them, try to understand
who they are and communicate with them.. not just about your project but asking
about THEIR lives. Send them a birthday card or congrats if a child gets married..
pay attention! Little gestures like that go a LONG way.
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Think about any potential objections in advance and how you can help the
donor work through them. For example, if they're concerned about coming
up with the full amount all at once, a $1,000 donation could be turned into
$100/month.
This final tip is from fundraising expert Doug Lawson. Instead of a one-onone meeting, invite 2-5 potential major donors together in a room and show
them the trailer as a group. Provide an overview of the project, explain how
much is needed and ask for their support. If you can have a respected peer of
theirs in the room the make the ask on your behalf, even better. It carries
more weight and takes that uncomfortable moment away from you.
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Donor Levels
Not every donor will want something in return for their donation. If they are giving
away $25,000, they probably have enough money to buy anything they need. But
you want to be ready with a list of perks and incentives for each level of giving just in
case. (Perks for smaller donation levels $25, $50, $100, etc. are listed in the
crowdfunding chapter)
Major Donor/Sponsorship Levels might look something like this:
$5,000 Donor Level Red Carpet Sponsor
*A thank you in the credits and recognition on the film's website
*Signed Limited Edition DVD, t-shirt and poster
*Two complimentary tickets to opening premiere of film
$10,000 Donor Level Silver Sponsor
*A PRODUCER credit at the end of the film and recognition in all
publicity materials.
*Five signed Limited Edition DVDs of the finished film, plus the
director will come to your local theater to screen/discuss the film.
*Two complimentary tickets to opening premiere of film, plus dinner
with the filmmakers
$25,000 Donor Level Gold Sponsor
*PRODUCER credit on the completed film
*Name/logo shown at the beginning and end on the PBS Broadcast
version
*Box of ten Limited Edition signed DVDs of the finished film, plus the
director will come to your local theater or venue of your choice and
screen and discuss the film.
*Two complimentary VIP tickets to opening premiere of film, plus
dinner with the filmmakers
$50,000 Donor Level Premiere Sponsor
*EXECUTIVE PRODUCER credit on the completed film
*Name/logo shown at the beginning and end on the PBS Broadcast
*Box of twenty-five signed Limited Edition DVDs of the finished film,
plus the director will come to your local theater and screen/discuss
the film
*Two complimentary VIP tickets to opening premiere of film, plus
dinner with the filmmakers
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At the very minimum, make a phone call and thank them, then follow-up with
a heart-felt thank you note.
Send the donor regular updates about the project and how their money is
being used. Even if they don't ask for this, DO IT.
Resist the urge to buy an expensive thank you gift for the donor. They will
interpret that as a sign you are misusing the funds. Instead, a much better
gift is to show them how their money is being used and keeping them
updated.
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Don't cold call a major donor and ask them for a big donation. Build a
relationship first!
When first contacting a potential major donor, you simply want to pique their
curiosity. The idea you want to convey is: I don't want anything from you
other than some quick advice.. do you have five minutes?
No two donors are the same. Make sure you know why the donor is a good fit
for your project and how much they are capable of giving before making the
ask.
Major donors want to hear from someone who's making things happen... not
wasting their time. They want to know you already have support and its not
up to them to make or break your project. Communicate your desire to be a
partner.
Use each success to build on the next. Start with the low-hanging fruit
(friends, family, colleagues) and build your team from there.. Don't just go by
yourself to the biggest player in town without first gathering your core
support. Show these big players you are serious and already have X,Y,Z in
place.
When you're ready to make the ask for money from a potential major donor,
don't just send a letter and a packet with your proposal. You won't get a
donation that way! You must talk with the person face to face and make the
ask directly.
Remember, it's not about you or the documentary. It's about helping the
donor define their values and commitments.
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Mega Millions:
Grants and Foundations
Donors don't give to institutions.
They invest in ideas and people in whom they believe.
~ G.T. Smith
Private Foundations
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I. Federal Government Grants - The three biggies in this category include the
National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and
the National Science Foundation. These grants can range from $50,000 - $350,000
or more. Beware. These are very complex and difficult grants to get. No amateurs
here. While these grants can sometimes fund the bulk of a documentary budget,
they are extremely difficult grants to get without a track record and, in some cases,
require the equivalent of a graduate dissertation to fill out the grant materials,
according to Docs in Progress.
II. State and Local Humanities and Arts Councils These are smaller
grants, usually ranging between $1,000 - $10,000. These grants can be easier to get,
especially if the subject of your documentary has a local connection. Don't discount
these small grants. They can help establish your credibility and lead to additional
funding.
registered with The Foundation Center. They range from the small mom & pop
family foundations to the mega big ones such as The Ford Foundation and the John
D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. They each support their own pet
projects so you'll need to carefully vet each organization to find the ones that are the
right match for your film. Some of the smaller family foundations are not listed with
the Foundation Center and can be found at GuideStar.org.
Tip! Don't be dissuaded if a foundation says they don't fund media projects. If the
foundation's mission is a great fit for your project and they like your pitch, they may
be willing to make an exception if they believe your film will provide significant
visibility to their cause.
whom. You can look up contact information, proposal guidelines, tax information
and deadlines.
HOT TIP!
FORM 990 As mentioned in the previous chapter, this is a deceivingly mundane
term for a GOLD mine of information. All non-profit organizations are required by
the US Government to fill out an IRS Form 990. This is where you'll find some juicy
top secret information including salaries and grant recipients.
So where do you find these forms? The Foundation Center has an amazing database
listing nearly 100,000 grantmakers and more than 900,000 grants. To find a
particular organization, go to the Foundation Finder at www.fdncenter.org.
Here's an example of the type of information you can find on a foundation's Form
990. Below is a list of organizations that received funding from the Amos Family
Foundation:
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In addition to the huge database, The Foundation Center also provides gobs of free
training resources, webinars, podcasts and articles (including a tutorial on how to
read the 990 Forms).
You could spend a lifetime going through their resource library.
They have an entire section just for film and video fundraising which is worth
browsing: http://grantspace.org/Tools/Knowledge-Base/IndividualGrantseekers/Artists/Funding-for-film-videomakers
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3) Go to your local or state arts and humanities councils. The next best thing to
a personal recommendation is a local connection.
4) Watch documentaries that have similar themes to your film and watch the
credits. See who funded those documentaries. That tells you right away that
those organizations are open to funding films.
5) Search the Foundation Center database. Type in your keywords such as
film environment Utah and try to come up with an initial list of maybe
40-50 foundations that seem like a potential fit for your documentary. At that
point, scan the guidelines of each grant and narrow your options to maybe
10-15 foundations that seem to have the strongest, most compelling fit with
your project. STUDY the guidelines, take notes of any questions that pop into
your head and then look up the main contact for the grant. The idea here is
that you are looking to make a HUMAN connection with someone at the
agency and start the process of letting them know you exist so that when the
time comes for them to look over your application, you're not a random
number.
With questions in hand, call the person and tell them who you are. You might
say something like: Hi, my name is Jane Smith and I'm a documentary
filmmaker. I've been reading through the guidelines of your grant and I have
just a few quick questions. Are you the right person to speak to? If they say
yes, continue with your questions and DON'T TAKE A LOT OF THEIR TIME.
The goal is simply to open that line of communication and begin the
relationship. Your last question should be Do you have any additional advice
for me regarding this grant? or Any suggestions where I might seek
funding? Once the call is over, send them a brief and friendly thank you email.
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Many agencies will provide feedback about why your proposal was rejected if you
request it. It's perfectly okay to request a one-on-one consultation either in person
or by phone or at least a letter outlining ways you can improve your proposal for
next time. After all, you spent a lot of time putting together the proposal. You owe it
to yourself to find out where you went wrong. Be humble, kind, gracious and open to
suggestions. Refine your pitch and try, try again!
Applying for grant funding can be a long and tedious process, but can pay off
with patience and persistence.
Although it's possible to acquire all the funding you'll need to complete your
project through one grant, more than likely grant funding will be one piece of
your fundraising puzzle.
When applying for a grant, make a human connection with the grant's
manager.
There are tens of thousands of grants. Seek out the grants and organizations
most closely aligned with your project.
If you are rejected for a grant, it doesn't necessarily mean your project is not
worthwhile. Get feedback and keep trying!
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Ready for some cash? Crowdfunding is one of the best ways for documentary
filmmakers to raise money for their projects.
What Is Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a term used to describe an online fundraising effort that engages
numerous individuals a crowd to each pitch in a small donation to fund a larger
effort. For example, 100 people might each donate $100 which adds up to $10,000.
A signature feature of crowdfunding campaigns is the rewards system. Contributors
receive something tangible for their donation. Various gifts or perks are offered at
different funding levels.
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IndieGoGo
All or Nothing
Funding Model
Keep It all
Funding Model
5% Service Fee
(if project is successful)
Payment Fee: 3%
Payment Method:
Amazon
Payment Method:
PayPal/Credit Card
International Projects? No
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Crowdfunding Perks
Perks are gifts, rewards, incentives, and gestures of thanks that you can create to
help give possible funders incentives to fund your campaign.
Examples of perks include a signed DVD, T-shirt, VIP tickets to documentary
premiere, a producer credit, dinner for six prepared by film crew, private showing of
first rough cut, donated case of award-winning wine, etc.
http://www.artasaweapon.info/
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A very effective strategy is to tie in rewards/perks with the subject of the film. For
example, if your documentary is about a famous musician, give away a music CD
from the artist. And make sure you can easily follow-through with delivering the
gifts and that they're not too expensive.
According to IndieGoGo, creating the right amount of perk options, at the different
contribution amounts, is one of the most important steps to creating a great
campaign. Of course, don't assume that just because you offer 3-8 perks you will
have a successful campaign. Success is dependent on a variety of factors including
your ideas, creativity and hard work... and of course a great story pitch.
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Median goal for money raised was $19,500 (though one film raised more
than 4x that amount), and every film thus far made its goal, including a Most
Improbable Finish award given to Mosquita y Mari for raising $35k in their
final 48 hours.
Average film raised $80 per donor, and found 176 people to give some
amount.
The benefit level for on screen credit was all over the mapfrom $15 to
$2,500; but Producer (or Associate Producer) credit typically began at the
$5,000 mark.
www.myreincarnationfilm.com
Granted, Fox had been working on her documentary for 22 years and had a
significant base of support already established. However, she points out that having
such a long on-going project worked against her because all of the contacts were
long tapped out for donations. So how did she do it?
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As part of a series of guest articles for IndieWire, Fox listed out her top 42 tips for
launching a KickStarter campaign. With Fox's permission, below is a condensed
Top 15 list:
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6. Write From The Heart We learned that writing personally made a big
difference with REAL stories and real struggles including the anxiety of
fundraising and the difficult concept of asking people for money. What I see
too often is people just asking for money in their blogs -- and there are only
so many ways a person can ask for money -- but stories are part of what you
are giving people to donate.
7. Kickstarter Is Not For Sissies No one can prepare you for the
amount of work a Kickstarter campaign involves. Dont start your campaign
until you make the time, mental space and have enough pressure on yourself
(meaning financial need) to do so.
8. How Many"Web-Days" Is Right For Your Campaign? KickStarter
says the shorter the better so that the campaign doesn't lose momentum
(they say 30 day campaigns seem to be the most successful). We didn't know
this and set our campaign for 90 days. It felt like a year! Essentially we
ended up doing two campaigns the first one to reach our initial goal of
$50,000 and then a second campaign to push it beyond $150,000.
9. Fundraising Is Not A Passive Act Running a Kickstarter campaign
has made me realize that fundraising only works if you actively go out to the
potential donors and grab their attention by talking to them directly in a
compelling way, whether virtually via email, facebook, twitter, by phone or
Skype or god forbid, in person. No one is going to accidentally click a donate
button.
10. Words Are Everything What Is Your Message? In our team, we
constantly evaluated our success and changed direction from each
evaluation. One of the very simple things we did was evolve and adapt the
way we wrote about the film in response to what we learned.
We kept rewriting and rewriting our pitches to hone in on what worked.
We also wrote different pitches for different audiences Buddhist,
Filmmakers, and General/Family population. I slowly began to realize that
the word donation was the wrong word to use in a campaign like this. First
we changed the word to Support, but even that was not far enough. Finally,
we changed it to Participate.
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11. GIVE vs GET We are not asking for money per say -- meaning we are not
'taking from some poor shmo' -- but we are 'giving' people the opportunity to
share in an artistic or political experience that gives meaning to their lives.
I think it is very important that we reframe the concept of fundraising especially with crowdfunding -- which is the ultimate form of democratic
patronage. Why did rich people become patrons historically? To become
connected to the artist, his work and his world.
The patron does not have the gift or skill to do what the artist does - either in
terms of beauty or issue. So by giving money we create an umbilical cord
from the patron to the artist, the art, or the cause. This makes the patron feel
good about themselves and gives pleasure and involvement. Now, with
crowdfunding, ordinary people can have the same experience that rich
patrons have had throughout history. This is beautiful.
12. How Many Times Does It Take? The Rule of Three (at least)
For many years I heard distributors say that you have to hear the name of a
film three times before you will go to see it in the movie theater (the same
applies for purchasing any new product). I am not sure why this is the case,
but the idea is that you have to have a new idea reinforced several times and
several ways before you will take decisive action.
13. New News A rollout means that you have to constantly create new
reasons for people to keep checking your site and read your email blasts. This
may not be so true on a shorter campaign but on a longer campaign like ours,
which lasted 90 days, it becomes absolutely evident. I would give it about 10days and then all that newness becomes old hat.
As a campaign goes on, you have to keep upping the ante, which means
adding something new, every two weeks, then every week, then every day
until D-day. So the question becomes: what new incentives are you giving
your audience to continue their involvement or begin their involvement? For
our campaign... we released various new video and photo clips - outtakes
from the film, festival screening clips, photos from world travels, etc.
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Videotape discussions about the film in the edit room with your editor
and yourself and post them.
Bring people into the edit room to screen parts of the film and tape
their responses. Or ask them discuss the films important topic and its
meaning for the world.
Ask your films current partners, who are already on board the project,
to talk to camera about what they love about the film and why they are
supporting it. Then edit that into a string of testimonies for the web.
If you do any mid-game interviews with press, make sure you tape
them and post on your website, your Facebook, your Kickstarter page.
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http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1009530098/fracknation?ref=category
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1085595579/the-illusionists-documentaryinsecurity-sells
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Be Realistic
Depending on the size of your documentary project, crowdfunding will likely be just
one tool in your fundraising efforts. I would not
want to raise expectations that this model of
fundraising will bank your entire project.
You want to set a realistic fundraising goal.
According to a TechCrunch article, only 43% of
KickStarter projects are successful. So that means
less than HALF of all projects meet their
fundraising goal.
What's realistic for your project may be way out of
line for another project. So consider your existing
base of support, the popularity of your project and how much time and effort you
are willing to put into the campaign.
For an unknown filmmaker on a first-time project $5,000 may be appropriate. For
more experienced documentary filmmakers, $25,000+ is a more doable goal.
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Crowdfunding Campaign
CHECK LIST
Tip! To maximize your success, set aside at least 60 days to prepare for your
crowdfunding campaign. (Thanks to Susan Lopes of Good News Reuse for
contributing the majority of these tips)
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Organize your contacts/e-mails into groups such as close friends & family,
cause-specific supporters, evangelists, filmmaking community, partners,
etc. You will be messaging each group differently throughout your
campaign.
Like/Support projects on the crowdfunding platform of your choice
(IndieGoGo or KickStarter). Become familiar with the way the process
works.
Create an email signature with links to your social networks. (Links to
your campaign to be added later.)
Identify and develop a list of relevant targeted media outlets for press
releases local and other newspapers, online publications, blogs. (Find
out what their lead times are and any special requirements and plan
accordingly.)
Leave comments on blogs related to your film. Post genuine and relevant
comments. Don't spam. Build rapport with the site owner so that when it
comes time for your campaign, they already know and trust you.
Make business cards and include campaign web address.
Identify and follow celebrities using social media who might take an
interest in the campaign.
Have an Angel Donor on stand-by to make a large donation in case you
don't reach your goal.
Crowdfunding How-To
When you're ready to get serious about your crowdfunding campaign, both
KickStarter and IndieGoGo have excellent tutorials and online training to teach you
exactly how to conduct your campaign for maximum success.
To get started, check out KickStarter School and the 10 Crowdfunding Tips from
IndieGogo.
Visit both crowdfunding sites to view examples of other ongoing campaigns and
donate to a campaign to experience the process of being a donor. Study the thank
you e-mail that is sent to you and how the filmmakers communicate with you.
To see the most successful IndieGoGo campaigns, click on successes on the left side
of the website.
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When producing your fundraising trailer, keep in mind most people won't
watch the full trailer (according to IndieGoGo, 80% don't watch through to
the end), so put your ask for support up front.
When conducting your crowdfunding campaign, remember the key rules for
successful online fundraising: Create urgency, create a crisis and ask for a
specific amount of money for a specific purpose.
Have a clear call to action. Make a strong pitch as to why you are the right
person, why you are doing the project and why your film is important.
People contribute to people!
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In just a few easy steps you can transform your online fundraising from feeble to
fabulous.
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Their system is specially optimized so that your e-mails dont get sent to
spam folders.
They have e-mail sign up widgets you can embed on your documentary
website to easily gather e-mails from visitors to your site.
They have behind the scenes analytics so you can see who opened your email and what links they clicked on inside your e-mail which helps you figure
out what strategies are working.
You can schedule e-mails to be sent out on a specific date at a specific time.
You can easily organize e-mails into groups (donors, prospects, family,
friends, etc).
E-mails will not go out to the same person twice even if their name is in two
groups that you send your e-mail to. This prevents accidental duplication.
You can set automatic e-mail responders to go out after someone signs up for
your e-mail list. This is a GREAT feature.
E-mails can be automatically personalized (Dear Jane) at the top of every email that goes out.
Easy unsubscribe options for those who no longer wish to hear from you.
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E-mail is recommended not only for fundraising campaigns, but also as a general
communication tool to keep your supporters up to date on your documentary
project.
**To avoid getting blacklisted, make sure to follow SPAM regulations when sending
out bulk e-mails:
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/spam-unwanted-text-messages-and-email
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Surprising Results
The results of the above survey surprised me at first glance. The left side column
with the best open rates don't seem very interesting at all!
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According to IndieGogo, Half of funders who contribute more than once to the same
campaign do it within 2 weeks. They say the key to getting funders to donate more
than once is to thank people and keep them engaged immediately after they
contribute.
E-mail campaigns are an effective way to keep people up to date about your
project and to fundraise.
For every five update e-mails, include one fundraising request. Don't use
every e-mail as an opportunity to ask for funding. People will start tuning
you out. Tell stories and entertain.
There are some great e-mail management services out there. Consider
signing up for one of them once your mailing list reaches 50-100 people.
Be vigilant in your efforts to grow your e-mail list. It will pay off in the long
run.
Make sure to thank your supporters and keep them engaged. They will very
likely donate again if they have a good experience.
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Direct Mail:
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[Source: Australian Direct Marketing Association, Don't Count Direct Mail Out (2011)]
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Your personal contact list - these can be friends or peoples name youve
gathered through your website or by any other means.
Other filmmakers
The contact list belonging to an organization that would most benefit from
your documentary being made.
Tip! Organizations usually will not want to give you their contact list directly, but
they might be willing to include a pitch for your project in one of their own mailings
or newsletters.
The key with a mailing list is to only send your letter out to people who you
genuinely feel might be interested in your project.
Make it personal this is YOUR documentary, explain from the heart why
this project is important to you. Don't be afraid to use words that mirror
your true feelings about the project. This tip should be a no brainer, but
unfortunately, many of us are afraid to use simple emotional language when
we write because we fear it doesnt sound professional.
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Make it relevant Explain why they are receiving the letter. Because of
your past interest in this subject. or Because of your connection to the
XYZ foundation or Your Aunt Jane suggested I write to you..
Make a direct appeal and a direct ask Explain in your letter exactly what
you need and want you want the person to do. I am in urgent need of
$25,000 to shoot the re-enactment scenes of this documentary. Can you
help? If 250 people donate $100 each, we will have it!
Give options for involvement- Let them know they are appreciated and you
want them involved in the process even if they dont give financially. Ask
them to sign up for your E-News and join your Facebook page. They may be
inspired to give LATER once they hear more about the project.
Keep it short Try to keep your letter to one page. In the old days of direct
mail, a longer multi-page letter got a better response. Today, people
appreciate quick succinct information.
Include visuals People support people and things they can see and
visualize. A photo of you, either a head shot or working as part of a
filmmaking team or any other photos that represent your project can go a
long way to capture the imagination of your reader and pull them into your
project.
Include your trailer This is where you really have the chance to grab
someones attention and support. Either include a DVD of your trailer or
include a URL web address to your trailer in your letter. It can add to your
costs considerably if you include a DVD in your mailing, so a link to your
trailer can be just as effective. In fact, it could be even MORE effective to have
your trailer on-line IF you have a donate button just below the trailer where
they can make an immediate donation.
Make the envelope appealing Hand write each address. This will make
them feel they are receiving a personal letter and will be more likely to open
the letter. And make sure to use a real stamp.
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The Follow-Up
Depending how many people you send the letter to and your relationship with each
person, it can be effective to follow up with a phone call or e-mail a few days after
the person has received the letter. It's easy for people to lay aside a letter and forget
about it. Following up can be the difference between getting a donation or not.
**ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL If you remember nothing else from this book,
remember this. When anyone does ANYTHING to help you with your project, thank
them in writing and do it immediately. This is especially important if someone gives
a financial gift.
Please, please, please let people know you appreciate their help and generosity. If
you can make people feel good about helping you, they will be much more willing to
help you again in the future. And not only thanking people for their gift when you
receive it, but thank them AGAIN once you have accomplished your goal. Tell them
because of their gift, you were able to make the film.
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Sending a letter in the mail may seem old fashioned, but can help you stand
out from the electronic crowd. Beware that costs can add up quickly for a
large mailing and may or may not pay off depending on the strength of your
letter and the interest of the person receiving the appeal.
Make sure your fundraising letter captures your heart and passion for the
project and clearly states what you need from the donor. And don't forget
the handwritten note and the P.S.!
Be grateful for all support you get and send out plenty of thank-you's.
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When asking for large sums of money ($1,000 and above), set up a
meeting in advance with the person and explain the project in your own
words. Let them see how passionate you are about the project. This is
where having a fantastic trailer and a documentary proposal can help
show your level of commitment to the project and what kind of work
you are capable of.
As soon as you make the ask for money, shut up and listen. Dont say,
Can you give me $5,000 to help me shoot these next set of interviews?
UmBut if you cant I understand. Stop and listen after you ask for the
$5,000. People need a few moments to process what you've just asked.
Yes, there may be an uncomfortable pause, but let the person you
ask give a response FIRST.
Expand your search. Once youve tapped out your own network of
people, ask around and look on the internet to find people of means who
are already pre sold on your cause (ie the subject matter of your
documentary). Start figuring out who these people are, their likes and
dislikes and whether they might be someone who could support you. By
finding out everything you can about them, it will give you clues as to
the best way to approach them.
Keep major donors appraised of the progress/stages of the film, the
positive and negative. Be honest. If your proposal stated it would take
three months to film re-enactments but it took six months, explain the
delay, increase in expenses, etc.
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Before you can start fundraising, mental preparation is key. Set goals, create a
mission statement and get familiar with some basic rules of fundraising such as not
asking for the full amount of your budget all at once. Take your fundraising one step
at a time.
There is money everywhere, you just have to know where to look. The primary
categories of where money can be found is with individuals,
businesses/corporations, government, foundations and non-profits. Statistically, the
best chance for funding is with individuals. Don't discount in-kind donations such as
a free rental car, donated pizza and discounted printing services which can add up to
big cash value.
Making documentaries is like running a small business. You'll need to set up bank
accounts, get incorporated, find partners, set up a website/social media accounts,
write a business plan (proposal), create a budget, set up an e-mail marketing system
and produce a fundraising trailer (among other things).
Once you've done your research and gathered your fundraising tools, it's time to
hone in on exactly who you're going to ask for money. Whether it's an individual,
business or foundation, make sure they are a natural fit with your project. Stay close
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to home, both literally and figuratively, in terms of people and organizations who are
closely aligned with you personally or the subject matter of your film. That's where
you'll have the best luck.
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RESOURCES
Recommended Reading
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A Funder's Perspective
Read an interview with a grant funder:
http://docsinprogress.org/resources/expert-interviews/trinh-duong-fundingexchange-on-a-funders-perspective/
Inside the mind of a funder (Fledgling Fund):
http://gfem.org/node/293
Recommended Websites
10MPH website Great tips from the filmmakers about how they funded
their documentary
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Visit: http://www.desktop-documentaries.com/store.html
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