Short film funding struggles

J

jghenderson

Well-known member
I'm at that point in my filmmaking life where I need funding in order to achieve the level of quality I need. Problem is, almost nobody wants to fund short films. There's always crowdfunding, but that seems like a gamble at best.

So, for those of you that have successfully funded short films (i'm talking in the $3k-$10k range), mind sharing some tips or stories on how you did it? Did you go through crowdfunding? Invidivual sources? Grants?

I'm really banging my head against a wall right now. I have a dozen short film ideas I really love and just need to find a way to make them happen. Any advice is mucho appreciated.
 
What about saving up for it? I will be doing crowdfunding but I'll also be putting in a lot of my own hard-earned money. Plus over the years I've put a little bit into equipment and software. And way more importantly: helping other friends and building the connections and goodwill for when the time comes.

At the end of the day though, I need a compelling story and vision for my project. If people aren't offering me support when I pitch my idea... and I don't believe in my idea enough to work and save up my own money to make it... then I need to work on my script a bit more then, right?

Just my own personal reasoning.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com
 
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jghenderson said:
I'm at that point in my filmmaking life where I need funding in order to achieve the level of quality I need. Problem is, almost nobody wants to fund short films. There's always crowdfunding, but that seems like a gamble at best.

So, for those of you that have successfully funded short films (i'm talking in the $3k-$10k range), mind sharing some tips or stories on how you did it? Did you go through crowdfunding? Invidivual sources? Grants?

I'm really banging my head against a wall right now. I have a dozen short film ideas I really love and just need to find a way to make them happen. Any advice is mucho appreciated.
Click to expand...

Shoot them with no money. 3-10 k is not going to make any difference in a short film as far as whether a general audience will like it or not, or even whether it gets into most film festivals. I recently went to a film festival and the short made with literally 50 bucks won the audience choice award and another short film made with a 20K budget didn't win anything all. It was pretty, cinematic, very "hollywood" looking, but not nearly as engaging as the short made for 50 bucks.

Shoot them all starting now even if all you have is some cardboard and duct tape. If you have a good story and good actors, you don't need anything else you just think you do. Don't have sets? Draw them with a magic marker on cardboard, and shoot in front of that. I'm serious. Do it.

You do not need "quality" for a short film in anything but story and and acting (which requires some good direction).
 
Wow. Really good advice from both bruceallen and Gillvane. Whatever money you need to spend - spend your own. At this level, especially shorts, is pretty much a charity case. Nobody is going to make money from a short. So whatever they give you is pure charity. So if you are comfortable with asking for charity, go beg friends, relatives, strangers or panhandle on the street. Or - as I do - finance it yourself... now, before you say "I can't", let me say, yes you can - you have credit cards, no? We're only talking 3-10K... almost anyone can put that on CCs. Now you'll tell me: I don't want to go into debt! Exactly. That's wonderful - because now you can ask yourself if your amazing script and likely short is worth going into debt over. If not... you just answered your own question. Listen, if I had a masterpiece in mind, I wouldn't hesitate for 5 seconds to go into debt, because that masterpiece will pay off with an amazing career. But if I don't believe it will, then, like you, I would not go into debt... which answers your question... your script ain't worth it. If I am not willing to put up my own money, I'm not willing to ask anyone else either. Bottom line: put in your own money - as much money, as you feel comfortable with proportionate with the quality of the script - fantastic script, go wild, go into debt, do whatever, weak script, put in only what you'd spend on lunch - and anything in between depending on script quality. That way, you don't have to ask anyone for any money. Easy peasy.

Gilvane is also right - you can make a great film at any budget. There was a long thread - or two! - here, about whether you can make a good feature film for $10K. Respected and smart people said "impossible" - good people, clever people, knowledgable people, experienced people. Other people said "yes, you can" and I was among them. The burden of proof is on those who say it is possible - and there is only one way to do so - deliver such a film. Talking doesn't count. I've been trying myself - so I fully sympathize... I've had some bad luck, and health setbacks that have brought the project down over and over again... but nobody is interested in excuses, no matter how justified. Only results count. But I believe it can be done. Here's how I reason: everything has a price. You set your budget for 10K, and only then, do you write a script that can be executed for 10K or less. If all you can afford for 10K is renting a warehouse and a DSLR for a week and two actors, then those are your conditions. Now the challenge becomes: can there exist a good/great/fantastic film that uses only a warehouse, DSLR and two actors? Yes, of course there can. Imagination and dramatic talent can turn anything into a successful film. My Dinner With Andre, was essentially two actors at a table in a restaurant. That's too rich for your blood? How about one actor sitting at a single desk, talking/reading? Good enough for Swimming To Cambodia. It's content. And content can be created at any budget and any physical setting with almost any tools.

Now, a small caveat. Those "naysayers" who say it's impossible to make a good feature for $10K, do have a point of sorts - and that applies to Gilvane's "you can make a film for $50". Here's the problem: if you go by the book, it's almost impossible to do so on such a tiny budget. The reason is that there are fixed costs, which you simply cannot avoid. For example, in LA, you need a permit to shoot, even if you are shooting in your own apartment or back yard. That costs money. You need insurance. That costs money. There are legal costs associated with certain clearances and deliverables if you ever hope to distribute your film or even show at a festival. All that costs money, and it's not trivial money and it all adds up, and a lot of it is not flexible. Sure, you can get around some of those (shoot where no permits are required etc.), but not all. And you can - I AM NOT ADVISING OR ADVOCATING THIS - break the law, by shooting guerilla style without permits and trespassing and not having insurance and generally taking a horrible chance (btw. there is a court case against the director on whose set a crew member died recently). I am not here to judge you. I am saying, if you go by the book, it may not be possible to "make a film for $50", or a feature for $10K... or at least nothing that can be actually marketed... the stuff you hear about "El Mariachi" made for $7K or "Paranormal Activities" for $11K, or "Blair Witch" for $Xtiny, is all PR - PR and more PR and marketing nonsense. Because they are not counting the $100K it took for post production, and another $100K to make the film actually ready for distribution - somebody had to pay for that (whoever bought the film and distributed), and that cost will need to be recovered.

So, it's not easy, but it's possible. Reach in your pocket and pull out your credit cards - take a look at them, and then take a look at your script. Is it worth it? And can you make it for less? Your call. Best of luck!
 
OldCorpse said:
Wow. Really good advice from both bruceallen and Gillvane. Whatever money you need to spend - spend your own. At this level, especially shorts, is pretty much a charity case. Nobody is going to make money from a short. So whatever they give you is pure charity. So if you are comfortable with asking for charity, go beg friends, relatives, strangers or panhandle on the street. Or - as I do - finance it yourself... now, before you say "I can't", let me say, yes you can - you have credit cards, no? We're only talking 3-10K... almost anyone can put that on CCs. Now you'll tell me: I don't want to go into debt! Exactly. That's wonderful - because now you can ask yourself if your amazing script and likely short is worth going into debt over. If not... you just answered your own question. Listen, if I had a masterpiece in mind, I wouldn't hesitate for 5 seconds to go into debt, because that masterpiece will pay off with an amazing career. But if I don't believe it will, then, like you, I would not go into debt... which answers your question... your script ain't worth it. If I am not willing to put up my own money, I'm not willing to ask anyone else either. Bottom line: put in your own money - as much money, as you feel comfortable with proportionate with the quality of the script - fantastic script, go wild, go into debt, do whatever, weak script, put in only what you'd spend on lunch - and anything in between depending on script quality. That way, you don't have to ask anyone for any money. Easy peasy.

Gilvane is also right - you can make a great film at any budget. There was a long thread - or two! - here, about whether you can make a good feature film for $10K. Respected and smart people said "impossible" - good people, clever people, knowledgable people, experienced people. Other people said "yes, you can" and I was among them. The burden of proof is on those who say it is possible - and there is only one way to do so - deliver such a film. Talking doesn't count. I've been trying myself - so I fully sympathize... I've had some bad luck, and health setbacks that have brought the project down over and over again... but nobody is interested in excuses, no matter how justified. Only results count. But I believe it can be done. Here's how I reason: everything has a price. You set your budget for 10K, and only then, do you write a script that can be executed for 10K or less. If all you can afford for 10K is renting a warehouse and a DSLR for a week and two actors, then those are your conditions. Now the challenge becomes: can there exist a good/great/fantastic film that uses only a warehouse, DSLR and two actors? Yes, of course there can. Imagination and dramatic talent can turn anything into a successful film. My Dinner With Andre, was essentially two actors at a table in a restaurant. That's too rich for your blood? How about one actor sitting at a single desk, talking/reading? Good enough for Swimming To Cambodia. It's content. And content can be created at any budget and any physical setting with almost any tools.

Now, a small caveat. Those "naysayers" who say it's impossible to make a good feature for $10K, do have a point of sorts - and that applies to Gilvane's "you can make a film for $50". Here's the problem: if you go by the book, it's almost impossible to do so on such a tiny budget. The reason is that there are fixed costs, which you simply cannot avoid. For example, in LA, you need a permit to shoot, even if you are shooting in your own apartment or back yard. That costs money. You need insurance. That costs money. There are legal costs associated with certain clearances and deliverables if you ever hope to distribute your film or even show at a festival. All that costs money, and it's not trivial money and it all adds up, and a lot of it is not flexible. Sure, you can get around some of those (shoot where no permits are required etc.), but not all. And you can - I AM NOT ADVISING OR ADVOCATING THIS - break the law, by shooting guerilla style without permits and trespassing and not having insurance and generally taking a horrible chance (btw. there is a court case against the director on whose set a crew member died recently). I am not here to judge you. I am saying, if you go by the book, it may not be possible to "make a film for $50", or a feature for $10K... or at least nothing that can be actually marketed... the stuff you hear about "El Mariachi" made for $7K or "Paranormal Activities" for $11K, or "Blair Witch" for $Xtiny, is all PR - PR and more PR and marketing nonsense. Because they are not counting the $100K it took for post production, and another $100K to make the film actually ready for distribution - somebody had to pay for that (whoever bought the film and distributed), and that cost will need to be recovered.

So, it's not easy, but it's possible. Reach in your pocket and pull out your credit cards - take a look at them, and then take a look at your script. Is it worth it? And can you make it for less? Your call. Best of luck!
Click to expand...

Yes, to all of above.
 
Crowdfunding is fine. I have a friend who just got $11k on Kickstarter. It is a better place to start than credit cards. I raised $4.5 K for my last short. My next one will cost even less because , as Bruce suggests I worked on other's shorts and I can count on them for mine. Plus I have pretty much everything I need to shoot as I DP myself. You need to pay some folks and at least feed everyone. Whatever it takes shoot it, finish it and show it!
 
I don't want to get into specifics about my financial situation, but suffice it to say that no I cannot put them on credit cards nor can I really save the money up for them (or at least it would take me a few years to save the money for one short, which is too much time in my opinion). I really wish I was in a position to finance them myself as some of you seem to be able to do, but sadly i'm not in that position. It has nothing to do with whether I believe in the scripts I have (I think some of them are very good), it has to do with the position life has put me in.


That being the case, it seems y'all are saying that crowdfunding is pretty much the only option? Has no one here ever been financed for a short by a business or individual?
 
Get a 2nd job if you believe in it that much. You should be able to raise 10K in a year. If not then lower your aspirations. One thing I have learned in life is that what seems to be an insurmountable task can be broken down into smaller parts and completed one at a time until done.
 
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jghenderson said:
That being the case, it seems y'all are saying that crowdfunding is pretty much the only option? Has no one here ever been financed for a short by a business or individual?
Click to expand...

No one is going to give you money to make a short because you cannot repay them.

Crowd funding is not the only option but it's a good one. Take a look at Fractured Atlas. You can create a non-profit project with them as the umbrella organization. Then you can take tax deductible donations. Your project becomes what it is, an art project that will not make a profit. This is an honest presentation. You can't pay people back but you can offer them a tax deduction for their donation. Fractured Atlas also has deals on insurance and hooks right into Indie Go Go for your crowd funding.

Then get creative. Get the band together and hold a fund raiser. Charge $20 at the door, or the fence and throw a party. Have a silent auction. Call non-profit theaters or dance companies in your area and tell them what you're doing. They will donate tickets and you can auction them. Ask your barber to donate a haircut and silent auction that. See if you can get others to donate stuff, make a "basket of cheer" from donated booze and raffle that or auction it. Get your pal, the personal trainer to donate a couple of training sessions and auction that. Auction off a walk on.

Do a mailing, pitching your project, what it means to you and how it will help you as a film maker.

In short - self produce. I used my own money for my first short. I do what I described above now. You can't go to the well more than once or twice a year, because you will be hitting up your network of friends and family but you can do it. Theater companies live like this. Lots of artists do. There's no shame in it and if you can project the passion you have for your project you'd be shocked how many people would love to help you realize it.
 
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I raised exactly $3K for my last short film. It was very nice and rewarding being able to actually pay the people who's time I demanded to be on set. It wasn't a ton, but $100 was meaningful. It was hard as hell to raise it. Essentially I contacted about 500 of my friends on Facebook personally. I tracked each person when I messaged them so I didn't piss anyone off. If they said they'd check out my campaign I'd note that and in a spreadsheet record a follow up date. It took 3 contacts with most people to get them to fund. They funded the project because of their relationships with me, or because they are local filmmakers in the same community as me and believe in supporting each other.

This next project I need more like $5K and I'm trying to take what I learned on the last project to hopefully reduce my personal work (I spent several hours minimum, per day, for the whole 30 day period) and increase the amount.

You need an audience for crowd funding to work.
 
I've shot 3 features, anywhere from 62 minutes to 91 minutes, for the high range of what is being discussed here for shorts, and paid all actors and crew (usually a crew of 2) rates similar to what Chris paid. A lot of money gets wasted in filmmaking. You have to be efficient and have total control of the project.

It's not as practical for a feature, but if I were shooting a short, I would extend the schedule a couple weeks and shoot in the AM and PM at magic hour, ensuring beautiful exteriors. I would buy or rent a couple of good wireless lav mics , freeing me up for wider more cinematic shots, and instead of having a huge crew, would primarily have a gaffer, grip and PA. It is absolutely possible to do a quality short for $3000 if you watch your pennies and know what you are doing.
 
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