Im officially broke

HerzogisGod

HerzogisGod

Well-known member
and must halt production on my film. trying to raise funds to continue. having trouble doing so. no one seems to gives damn. sucks because its a fine film but only 1/3 complete. need 15,000. put a business plan together and started sitting with potential investors. no luck yet. very depressing. been thinking about selling the HVX and beautiful audio equipment to pay credit cards and rent

who invests in films? where does one go? $15, 000 not a lot of money
 
DON'T SELL YOUR GEAR>>>>

Start selling your services. Pick up local TV commercials, weddings anything you can shoot for money. Indi film is rarely a lucrative deal. Most Indie filmmakers are happy just to get a distro deal right above cost.

I am not saying abandon your film, I am saying get creative with your art to earn some money to finish your film. Your gear has the potential to make you money long after your film is finished.

I think selling a profitable asset like gear to get by for a few months would be a mistake.


Don't think I'M A FILMMAKER I CAN'T DO WEDDINGS AND LOCAL TV ADS. It beats waiting tables and certainly beats going bankrupt and having your significant other tell you to get a real job. You might even find a few corporate gigs that pay well. I just signed a deal that would be more than enough to finish your film. I am not saying I want to invest, I am saying invest yourself in your art and try to make it profitable on your terms.

Good Luck
 
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$15,000 is a whole lot of money in this economy. Good luck getting investors, It is not an easy thing to do unless you want to pay 20% interest. Why didn't you try to secure financing before you started? Since you own your gear just use it to make money as mentioned above. You will be fine.
 
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The question I get a lot is: Do I need 15k to get the film done?

I help a lot of student film makers with budget and breakdowns. I would offer you our services free but our site isn't up and we aren't public yet.

What I might be able to do is take a look at your business plan, budget, and schedule and show you places where you can cut costs.

Low budget film making is possible. Just takes some work-arounds.

Best of luck on it though. Whatever you do, do not pull money out of savings. It is not the time to do that in this economy. And DO NOT TOUCH your 401k or IRA.
 
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Jason is right, you'll have to get your hands a little dirty with weddings, commercials, etc... to pay the bills,

you'll be very angry with yourself if you sell your gear.

- Derrick
 
How much of the film have you shot? How much have you spent so far? What's the subject? How many actors? Why do you consider it a fine film?
 
Good questions from filmman. I'd add one more....

"Why should investors 'give a damn'?"

It's up to YOU to sell THEM on the idea. Maybe you need to find a better salesman to rep your project to investors. (That's my weakest area too.)
 
Yesterday, I got a man to write me a check for ten grand to finance a short. How?

Investor's don't care about your story. At all. And unless Johnny Depp is in the cast, they don't care about how talented the people working on it are.

I got this man to give me all the money I wanted by telling him one thing; how does he benefit? How is it good for him, and how will that ten grand translate into a lot more money for him.

You have to make it attractive for them. I work with lawyers all day. I hear a thousand times about how easy it is to make 3 above prime by dumping cash into real estate, so why should they give me anything and take the chance.

Be confident. Sell it to them. Polish it up, and BS if you have to (you have to).
 
Hans Moleman said:
Yesterday, I got a man to write me a check for ten grand to finance a short. How?

Investor's don't care about your story. At all. And unless Johnny Depp is in the cast, they don't care about how talented the people working on it are.

I got this man to give me all the money I wanted by telling him one thing; how does he benefit? How is it good for him, and how will that ten grand translate into a lot more money for him.

You have to make it attractive for them. I work with lawyers all day. I hear a thousand times about how easy it is to make 3 above prime by dumping cash into real estate, so why should they give me anything and take the chance.

Be confident. Sell it to them. Polish it up, and BS if you have to (you have to).
Click to expand...

Exactly right! I wish I had your salesmanship. Congratulations!

For those who aren't the best salesmen (like me), HIRE a salesman. Somebody who has the knack and the track record. Pay them a percentage of whatever investment capital they bring in, and set them loose!


.
 
Just playing...Couldn`t resist.

All kidding aside you are absolutly right and to take this principle a step further I would even venture to say that knowing your potential partner/victims needs on as many levels as possible gives some extra options when pitching to what seems attractive to them in their current situation...

Sometimes people with lots of cash dont want more cash for their cash very often they want some sort of credibility or status something they can flaunt, never underestimate the vanity of the wealthy nor of any mortal for that matter.
 
DogDay said:
Just playing...Couldn`t resist.

All kidding aside you are absolutly right and to take this principle a step further I would even venture to say that knowing your potential partner/victims needs on as many levels as possible gives some extra options when pitching to what seems attractive to them in their current situation...

Sometimes people with lots of cash dont want more cash for their cash very often they want some sort of credibility or status something they can flaunt, never underestimate the vanity of the wealthy nor of any mortal for that matter.
Click to expand...

Also very true!

And where are you meeting with these potential investors? In some office? Get them into a movie theater. Book a theater before opening, make sure the smell of fresh hot popcorn is hanging in the air, then sit the investor down in a seat and show him your reel up on the Big Screen. Sell the sizzle!

.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
Also very true!

And where are you meeting with these potential investors? In some office? Get them into a movie theater. Book a theater before opening, make sure the smell of fresh hot popcorn is hanging in the air, then sit the investor down in a seat and show him your reel up on the Big Screen. Sell the sizzle!

.
Click to expand...

Well, you might want to trend carefully there. If you turn out a crap product, or can't get distribution and promised them this, they will be mad.

Don't promise something you can never deliver. IE. theatrical distribution
 
Mattykins said:
Well, you might want to trend carefully there. If you turn out a crap product, or can't get distribution and promised them this, they will be mad.

Don't promise something you can never deliver. IE. theatrical distribution
Click to expand...

I didn't mean you should imply your project would get theatrical distribution. Only that the sights and sounds and smells of a theater will put them in the 'movie' frame of mind. Get them interested -- then give them full disclosure about everything including distribution potential.

.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
Exactly right! I wish I had your salesmanship. Congratulations!

For those who aren't the best salesmen (like me), HIRE a salesman. Somebody who has the knack and the track record. Pay them a percentage of whatever investment capital they bring in, and set them loose!


.
Click to expand...

I also wish I had ANY salesmanship skills at all. Never thought about HIRING a salesman though. Interesting thought.
 
DogDay said:
= You got on your knees and drank his milkshake ? :beer:
Click to expand...
LMAO! You know... I was thinking along those same lines :) How much would you charge other film makers to... ahem, "persuade" investors? You might just have found a lucrative niche.
 
thanks everyone. just tough times, i guess. i wont sell my gear. yesterday 2k came through for the film at the last minute. 2k will keep my film going for another few weeks at least.
 
Hmmmm

Hmmmm

Yeah, your gear is a great potential revenue-earner. I have made a decent amount renting out my gear this month and I was on vacation half of the month, haha, so I wouldn't sell that.

I am also looking for a sales person, not that I am not good at it, I'm pretty decent, but I don't want to do that job and don't have time for it ultimately. I have too much else I want to do, so I'm in the process of trying to find someone who would work on commission, take my company's reel and information, and find corporate / commercial clients that are interested in video work. It's important in that case, I think, that they DO NOT work in the film industry. Otherwise, they will find the clients based on my work, then when they figure out how I run my business, it'd be too easy to emulate and steal away my clients. Best to find someone with limited knowledge who just is great at communicating and business, with no real interest in how anything is made in the film industry.
 
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