How to fund your short film.

[David Quakenbush]

So we've entered the fundraising phase for Automaton.

 

We chose IndieGOGO over Kickstarter, and are working Facebook and other online venues.

What do you think of these:

 

• See our fundraising stuff at IndieGOGO, HERE
• You should "like" our Facebook Page, HERE
• And, of course, the main Automaton Project Page, HERE

 

Crowdsourcing seems popular right now, but it seems odd to ask the cast and crew to spam their (already over-panhandled) friends and family for small donations. (oh, right.... look into my eyes. You want to donate ten dollars).

 

So, anyway, CASA. Tell me. What do you do? Where does your money come from?

 

-David Quakenbush | We Drink it Black

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[Jim Brennan]

This is a great discussion to have.  When you are funding a feature, you at least have the illusion (which you can share with your investors) that you might break even.  That is a much tougher thing to do with a short.   I do know some people who have tried to fund a short by promising potential investors that the short is a a promo to raise funds for a feature.  They further promise that the investment in the short will count towards points in the feature.

 

But I don't know that it has worked.  And, of course, that wouldn't be appropriate for shorts that are not done to promote investment in a feature.

 

Crowdsourcing is hot at the moment, but you are right that it draws from a very small (and shallow) well.  I think it is great for ultra-low budget projects, but most of the people who kick in cash are fellow filmmakers, friends and family.  You can only do that so often, and it does not seem like a great way to raise significant funds for a project that has no attachments unless you are very creative about how you promote the film.  It needs to reach a wider potential audience and cut through all of the other projects looking for funds.  (Hey, it's just like promoting a completed film....)  Otherwise, your potential pool of contributors is limited.

 

Although, my experience has been that the toughest money to raise is the first money in.  So if you are trying to raise 50K, you could use crowdsourcing to raise 25% of that, and then try and attract larger funding sources to get the rest.  Money attracts money.

[Alan August]

Hey Dave

Check out the book "Shaking the Money Tree."  Automaton looks interesting.  I'd like to read the script.