Any advice on finding money?
 

I have 7 months and $0 in my account for my next film. I'm willing to put some of my own money in, but that's a last ditch effort.

Any advice for raising at least $25,000? And don't suggest donations--I plan on making money with this movie.

Thanks,

heath

Perhaps selling product placement in the movie?

Do it the old fashioned way Heath... ask someone else for it.
:)


If you do indeed plan on making money off this film, then I assume that means you have some sort of distribution plan already in place. With that in mind, it should be pretty easy to write a business plan for this venture... and then pound the pavement for local investors.

I would approach just about anyone who will give you the time to talk to them. Local business owners are a good start.

Being business owners they know what it's like to start something from nothing, and they seem to be more likely to listen to you. It's a tightrope act between coming off like part 'businessman' and part 'artist.'

I don't have distribution, but I do have a plan. I need to be aggressive.

Thanks, guys!

heath

"I don't have distribution, but I do have a plan."

That's all I meant.

Your business plan should outline how production and postproduction will be done, what your distribution channels are, and how the film will make money (basing this off any relavent market research on similar films would be helpful).


Of course, at the $25,000 level, your best bet is to find an 'angel' investor. Someone who is looking to be part of a movie, and happens to have a lot of personal money to put into such a project. The odds of turning of profit are slim at that level, and most business people will know that.

You have get out there and sell the dream, but still seem like you're level headed.

You know, just like Casey Kasem said, keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars.
:)

You could hold an "investors party". Depending on how far along you are in pre-production maybe you could have posters made, and the actors present? Then you can invite rich people (business owners, dentists, etc) and sell them your idea. Convince them that this movie is going to make money and they'll make money by investing. I'm not speaking from experience here unfortunately (although in about a month I will be) but I expect it will work. I've heard of this being done and to great success. It all depends on how well you sell yourself and the project. Regardless good luck on raising the money!

Luis,

Do you feel a higher budget will bring in more money?

Thanks,

Heath

Remarks not specific to raising funds for filmmaking:

$25,000 doesn't sound like a credible sum...far too small. If you asked me for that amount I'd assume (a) you're an embezzler, or (b) you've no idea of the costs you will really face and will be back on my doorstep in a month. You can't even buy a decent car for that amount today.

Even if you're confident of producing a feature remotely salable for that sum don't ask for it. Nobody who could give it to you will take you seriously. Set your sights on $2.5 mil., an amount still well within the reach of many individual investors. Even if you have to settle for 10% of that you'll be far beyond your initial goal.

You might be able to approach a "private equity" investment firm. Most such firms are constantly in search of good unique investment opportunities for their clients. But, in this case, you'll have to be looking for more like $25 mil to even get them to give you a return phone call and you'll have to present a very bullet-proof business plan. It would be quite a stretch but perhaps some West Coast shops would consider it.

In the 1980's I, and several of my colleagues, was approached by a firm to invest in a large feature film (that everyone here would well recognize). The firm's strategy was to gold mine a very specific pool of potential investors to raise approximately 1/3 of the production's budget. The strategy worked. Most of us participated and were well rewarded for the investment. But the amount of schmoozing and sucking-up required to raise the money was really something to behold. Presentations by the director, dinners with members of the principal cast members, yadda yadda.

So investment firms do raise such investments. But, at least in the case I cited above, they were representing a well-established film production partnership with a platinum-plated slate for cast and crew.

The other idea, of course, would be to look for a grant.

I need more time...

heath

I burrowed money for my move from my mother. I don’t know if you can do the same, but friends and family are a much over looked option by a lot of low budget movie makers. Probably a pride thing. But, this is not always an option for some movie makers.

Half joking here.

Find someone who doesn't know what they're doing. In the last year my production partner and I have had two people come to us with close to half a million each to make a film (real funds in the bank).

Neither had made a movie before. They wrote scripts. Neither was any good.

They needed rewriting. One even said his cousin was a big time actor. After reading his script. I told him his big time cousin won't do it unless he rewrites it.

The last we heard of him he was mad at us and his big time cousin.

The other one was afraid he'd lose control of his project. The last we heard of him was that he approached someone else and they told him the same thing.

Just a little rant, but I've never had any luck in raising funds. Always been a producer for hire.

Actually this year we decided to fund it ourselves. Have friends who own restaurants for catering, a friend of a friend with a closed resort. The sound mixer will throw in his services, basically a lot of trading etc.

So, its off to make a horror film.

One person told me I was crazy trying to honest with these guys. He said take the money, change your name and go for it.

If you could incorporate some type of "non profit" thing into your film...you could possibily get a lot of "in kind" funds. Like if your story could have one charactor in a wheelchair...not even a main charactor, but someone that pops up once in a while. If you have that person be totally normal and helpful....that's a big thing for people in wheelchairs. (just using wheelchairs as an example)

I've had this idea for a while and I plan to use it. So, you go to organizations out there and ask for "help" so you can "help" them. It's very subtle and not something pronounced in the film, but you are helping to promote a solid and good view of people in plight. There are so many things to choose from, but your movie in particular might even benefit from a charactor with an efliction? I think it's a good idea because so many people are left in the dust when it comes to films...if anything they are mocked more than anything else. So, even putting someone in a wheelchair in just to add some interesting weight isn't a bad idea. There are others too...blind people or whomever.

It's just an idea...that's all. In-kind donations...whether cash or food, or anything is all the same on a production anyway. It's all cash on the budget if you don't have to pay for it. We've got a saying around here..."if it's free it's for me". :)

Can't legally do non-profit and for-profit, but I do know that I can get a 100% write off, as can other investors, this year on investing in a movie that creates jobs. It's part of the Job Creation Act Congress created, with a little help on the film and TV side from the DGA and SAG. I read about it in the latest Filmmaker magazine.

Also, if filmmakers cast minorities and women into roles, SAG can be very helpful, and they're already helpful. More can be found Sag Indie's site.

heath

Depending on the topic of the movie you may be able to find private groups who would invest. For instance, you could probably get a decent amount of money if you were working on a movie about the horrors that occured in Kosovo during the late 90s. Lots of special interest groups would see that as something worth funding.

I heard that there is a venture capitalist group that meets monthly in my area. Depending on what area you are in, there may be something similar. I think the trick is, have your elevator speach down, your numbers in order, and make at least one of them a believer. Not saying I have actually done that and been succesful but I am in the very same situation and have read stacks of books over the last few years.

Ken,

Just to get clarification, how much of your project do you have to already have accomplished before you can even beging to think about talking to potential investors? For instance it may not be a good idea to show up to a venture capitalist breakfast and not have the whole package ready. On the other hand, is it better to get the capital first so that you can actually afford a decent producer, dp, cast & crew? At which stage do you start requesting the venture capitol?
Treatment & script complete, movie proposal in hand, or, actors, director, producer already attached.

"Do you feel a higher budget will bring in more money?

Heath,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, this thread must have slipped through the cracks for me....

Ken pretty much covered what I would have said anyhow.
Yes, $25,000 is a VERY low budget, which means that the return on such an investment probably wouldn't be too high.

What would you possibly sell the film for?
Realistically, you could sell it straight to DVD for possibly double or triple of your budget.... so an investor stands to make roughly a 150% return. That may sound good, but given the risk involved in filmmaking I don't know that most investors will think it's worth it.

I've seen this happen more than once.
A few years ago a friend of mine was trying to raise money for a feature. We figured, do it on a shoestring and we can get the money faster....so he put together a business plan to raise about $50,000. Guess what, no one was interested. The question he heard more often than not was, 'how can you make a decent movie for $50,000?"
After a year, he decided to take a chance, and rebudgeted his film for $500,000, this time shooting on the Sony F900 with a full crew, etc. By the end of the year we were in preproduction with half a million dollars in the bank.

I'm not saying it's easy to get money... but once he started looking for a larget sum of money, no one ever stopped to ask "is this possible? do you really know what you're doing?"

It's a balance between making it affordable to an investor, but also seeming legitimate. If someone offered to sell me a Rolls Royce for $2,000 I wouldn't immediately think "what a great opportunity!" I would probably stop and think "how is he able to sell me this thing so cheap? It must be a piece of junk."

I ran into a similar problem with a business I'm trying to get off the ground with some friends of mine. We have a full business plan, and are looking for investors.... we tried the venture capitalist route and none of them will give us the time of day. Why? Because we are looking for less than a million dollars, and it just isn't worth their time. And our business isn't even a high risk venture! It's a very straightforward and proven thing that anyone could look at and see....yeah, that would make money. Yet we still haven't found the money for it, because the return just isnt' high enough for many investors to be bothered with it.

I know...it blows my mind...but those who have a lot of money to invest want to make sure it's worth their time to invest it. And $25,000 just doesn't sound like a lot of money.

At that level, you are better off looking to friends/relatives... or a large group of investors (25-30) who would each put in $500 - $1000 dollars.

Best of luck with this Heath!
Keep us posted.

One more thought.

You may want to talk to friends/family about getting some seed money together...that way you can tell investors you already have X amount of money, and you are looking for the rest. People feel more comfortable investing in a project that has already attracted money...it means somone else out there looked into it and thought it was worthwhile.

Also, keep moving forward no matter what. You don't want to give the investor the impression that you are looking for their money to be able to start your movie. You want them to feel like this film is moving forward and getting made regardless...and they have the opportunity to get on board or not.

I've always found that people want to be a part of something that is progressing. But if you give the impression that you are just sitting around and waiting for their money, they are far less likely to invest in you.

(i'm not saying that's what you were doing, just throwing it out there from my own experience)

<<<-- Originally posted by Cleveland Brown : Ken,
Just to get clarification, how much of your project do you have to already have accomplished before you can even beging to think about talking to potential investors? For instance it may not be a good idea to show up to a venture capitalist breakfast and not have the whole package ready. On the other hand, is it better to get the capital first so that you can actually afford a decent producer, dp, cast & crew? At which stage do you start requesting the venture capitol?
Treatment & script complete, movie proposal in hand, or, actors, director, producer already attached. -->>>

Cleveland,
I am no expert in this subject. I only participated in ONE feature film, and that was in the mid-1980's. So I've no idea how representative my experiences were at the time, or are now.

If I recall accurately, the producer and several representatives of the investment partnership held the initial meeting at a local hotel. Their goal for that dinner meeting was basically to present the basic concept for the film, the general funding structure, and ultimately sift-out the number of true potential participants. In brief they presented topics such as the general story line for the film, their ideas for casting, the film's anticipated budget and funding structure (ex: what percentage participation from each of several groups of investors), and the general schedule through release and distribution. So overall I recall that more than half of the initial presentation dealt with business terms rather than entertainment. (Everyone invited to, and attending, the initial meeting was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.)

Later meetings, after the pool of investors had been established and closed, dealt more with the film's details and sometimes involved members of the cast and the director. But business and investment was always at the foundation of these meetings (with the exception of the last one which was mainly a production wrap party).

Which leads me to a significant point which I am certain is still valid. If you're trying to raise serious cash for a project you're going to need to involve people who know the investment business and how various funding structures operate. The financial concepts and structures of a major project become very complex. Investors, of course, can be as star-struck and anyone else and like to meet big-name actors and directors. But that's a side-show to the main event of money. The money people always led these meetings, not the entertainment people.

yes, being active and even having some seed money helps out.

This is all great advice, and i hope it helps everyone, even if it's just one part of the advice given.

Thanks,

heath

"The money people always led these meetings, not the entertainment people."

VERY good point, and one that bears repeating.

This goes back to presenting yourself as a businessman, and not just an 'artist.'
Businessmen make money, artists spend money.
As Ken mentioned, the investors may sometimes be star-struck, and some may be interested solely because they want to be part of making a movie.

The thing is, it's okay for them to be star struck, but it's not okay for the guy at the helm. People want to know that the guy who is taking their money knows what he's doing, not that he just wants to get his dream movie made. No one cares about your dream but you, everyone else wants to make money.

A friend of mine recently had a short film play at a festival, where he was approached by several producers interested to hear about his future plans. Long story short....one of these producers told my friend something very clear. He said "people think it's so hard to get a movie made, but it's really very easy. All you have to do is show me you can make me money. I don't care about the story, or the art, that's the director's job. Most people out here just want to know that you can make them money. If you can show them that, you're in."

It may not be as clean cut as that....but I definitely think there is a lot of truth to that statement.

Just a suggestion, but staying out of personal debt gives you quite a jump. I've worked really hard to have a home studio that's seperate from my house (it's next door) and own all my equipment. (a little debt, but not much)

If you're in it for the long haul...I'd try to imagine yourself 20-30 years from now. The studios or anyone loaning you money to make a film are basically a bank. Whatever you do...make sure you won't have to pay the bank back if your plan fails. It's a film, but really a business plan just like any other.

This is just me, but I decided to give up asking people for money and instead focused on earning it and investing in myself. Since I started doing that I've got 10 times what I started out with...just because all my resources stay put. I've asked others to fund projects before and it almost always turns into 90% chasing and 10% producing. I've spent the last year building a studio with my own money, and now I've got the rest of my life to produce in it. Any money I get can fund specific things - like I'll take investment for less cut or I'm even considering investing in other projects. I'm not at that stage yet, but I do know that I don't need any money to make a film right now. Yes, low budget...but, I'm in this for the long haul. As the years pass I'll have more money, equipment and experience to raise budgets just like the big studios do. If I happen to get some type of funding in the near future I'd make a bigger film that's all - or try pay to have it at the IFM and be there to represent it.

It's just something to think about - a long term plan is generally what I mean. I formulated my business plan in 2002 and have been executing it since then. However, it wasn't to make a film...instead it was a plan to become independently secure so I could make a film without additional funds. I'm pretty much there...it took 3 years though. I had to be patient. If you're serious about a long career (30+ years) and not just to "make a film" you might want to consider a long term plan.

As someone I know who made millions as a stock broker, his advice to people looking for investments (as in, not a millionaire investing in stocks, but people like us) is to invest in themselves. And I agree with him.

Good stuff, Murph!

heath

If you have better chances of getting venture capitol when you are seeking more money, then it seems to me that it is reasonable to use better cameras (like HD vs. XL2), equipment, & crew etc.

So, not to get too far off topic but, can anyone provide me with some links to pricing and rental packages for camera, lighting and audio etc? These are numbers that one could really use when forming the proposal.

Fletcher Chicago might provide you with some good benchmarks. Of course people will be the most costly equipment you'll rent. Rule of thumb: if it eats and poops it's expensive.

I would do a search for info. I'm more familiar with rental houses in Florida. Look in the yellow pages in your local area.

heath

I used to do a lot of corporate work in the O-town area. You know, Disney & Universal. But it was more confrence specific type stuff. I think you probably have more choices over there than you do here. It would suck to have to have it all trucked out to me.

what were you planning on using $25,000 for?

$25,000 covers cast/crew pay, food, lodging, rentals, etc.

heath

Put a budget down on paper, and be sure to include every single little thing that you already have, from notebook paper costs that you used for scribbling notes on.

Once you list everything you already own, and list the prices for that, it's a lot easier to talk to investors. Once you show them how much money you already have in this project, they will be more likely to help.

I'm just telling you some advice a person once gave me, and it did help.

Ask people with money. Business owners, excecutives, anyone who drives a car nicer than you..

Expect to get rejected, but don't go out without a fight. tall smoothly and confident, and ask as many people as you know, including family and freinds. Because, if more people invest in you, they each will be able to invest a smaller amount.

Also, don't expect to make money off of this. statistics say you wont. Don't lie to your investors. Don't lie to your investors. Don't lie to your investors. Don't lie to your investors.

Hope i helped..

Lou is absolutely right!

Also, look at your assets--if you have a fancy car (or a friend/relative has one), you can maybe use it. Have or know of a big house? Use it for multiple locations (interiors).

heath

"Any advice for raising at least $25,000? And don't suggest donations"

humm .. you might as well QUIT the business right now if you won't consider "donation" = gift ... every indenpendent movie receives donations ( gifts ) of some type ... many confuse donation and gift ... in the end it's FREE $ ( or items).
do a budget listing $$ and items you need for project .. then give out this list to EVERYBODY you know..

25K is not that much ... i suggest you ask everybody in your family , friends etc for a gift $$ ( $100 + ) .. in return you offer them NOTHING= remember it's a gift ( donation) ... sure put them in as extra's in the background ...

the secret to making it in the business is when somebody suggest something to you - you view it as a cup that is 1/2 FULL not 1/2 empty ... if you can't see on the FULL side then save yourself years of headaches and find a different form of creative expression/work/hobby etc ...

now here's a person with no $$ and is asking for $$ offering NOTHING in return !!!

http://www.themanwhoknewnothing.com/

Don,

I don't think you realize that a donation or gift can get a for-profit business in a LOT of trouble with the SEC. You can have stuff given as an asset and not count it as an investment, but gifts and donations are really b-a-d with the SEC.

One caveat, gifts can be given to an individual, not a business, as long as it's under a certain amount of money. But one should check with the SEC before doing that.

TRUST me on this one, because there are a lot of articles out there about indie filmmakers who took donations and stuff and can't do much with their films because of the legal problems.

heath

Heath et. al,

Thanks for the great discussion on fundraising and filmmaking. I am in a very similar situation to Heath and looking for the same answers. Where do we find funding?? So far, it has been VERY difficult.

For about a year now I have been looking for funding for my next film with almost no success. I did try an alternate route though. I am working with Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco and they agreed to be my Fiscal Sponsor; basically collecting and managing funds which are tax deductable for donors.

My film is a 30-min narrative short and I have a business plan and budget in place, roughly $30k. I have the script written and submitted it to Zoetrope.com for peer review. It was selected as the Best Short Script for September. With my own money, I purchased an HDR-FX1, tripod, lights, (working on the sound gear now). I also have music royalty-free music lined up and a couple of interested actors.

So it feels anyway that the pieces are in place but I have run out of places to look for funding.

So, what do you guys think? This is only my second film so I don't think I am ready for a $500k film.

1) Are investors at all interested in Shorts? It doesn't seem so thus far but perhaps I am looking in the wrong places.
2) Is my budget too low? I didn't think so given that this was a short but maybe I'm wrong. I think my numbers are accurate.
3) Where else can I look for non-profit funding? Or maybe there is more money in FOR-profit. Thoughts?

Wouldn't it be great if there was one organization you could meet with, give your sales pitch to and then have THEM get the funds if they believe in your project? It doesn't seem like anything like that exists and that each step is piece-mealed together but if one exists, I'd love to pool resources with a group in the L.A. area if one exists. I'm still looking.

Thoughts?
-Douglas Equils
Wild Motion Films

You mention that you're not sure you are ready for a 500k feature. The thing you have to remember--all you need is confidence--and a good screenplay. If you are paying $500,000--you have to remember where that money is going. Not equipment, but people. If you have a $500,000 film in production, chances are it is going to run itself. You don't need to be an expert to make a $500k film--you need to be an expert to make a $5,000 film, or a $50,000 film even. Remember, at that level, you're paying people to do their jobs.

Matthew Overstreet

<< you're paying people to do their jobs.>>

Yes you are. Let me see, I need a good lighting tech, a DP with a good reputation and several other positions that could be filled by young ambitious fresh out of college kids. I know I was willing to to a whole lot more work for a lot less back when I had just finished school. Oh ya, maybe I could get a better camera and lighting package from a rental house while I'm at it. That sounds like what I need to do. So how much confidence is too much? And I since my wife is the one with the NBA, is it better to let her do most of the talking when it comes to meeting investors? I guess that would kinda make her the producer to a certain extent.

" You don't need to be an expert to make a $500k film--you need to be an expert to make a $5,000 film, or a $50,000 film even. Remember, at that level, you're paying people to do their jobs."


I know what you're getting at...but i have to disagree.
While it may be easier to hold people accountable when you pay them, it never gets easier to make a film, it just gets more complicated. You have to be an 'expert' no matter what budget level you're reaching for.

$500K is still not a lot of money.
And the thing is, as budgets grow, so do expectations.

People like seeing a $5000 movie that looks like it cost $500,000.

By the same token, $500,000 movies often stretch themselves thin trying to look like they were $50 million dollar movies.

In some ways it could be argued that if anything it is easier to make a $5,000 movie, because no one expects anything from you.

The pressures and complexities of making a movie never get easier with money... only with experience.

<<<-- Originally posted by Luis Caffesse : " You don't need to be an expert to make a $500k film--you need to be an expert to make a $5,000 film, or a $50,000 film even. Remember, at that level, you're paying people to do their jobs."
-->>>

I think this should be the correct statement:

In making a $500k film, you only need to be the expert at one thing. In making a $5k film, you need to be the expert in EVERYTHING.

How's that?

It's all relative--$500,000 is cheap for a movie, but expensive for a house and so on. But I do agree, a director has more responsibilites as the budget drops.

heath

I think any production that gets *completed* takes hard work. Every completed production takes some level of knowledge - you can't just whip something together and hope it floats. Usually you have resources based on comparable experience - meaning, who has 500k to make a movie? The personal "in charge" of that 500k probably got it because they showed how a 25k movie took on a 500k in quality cinematic story. (note how i said story)

In my personal experience no one gives money to anyone without a proven track record. You have to prove to investors you are consistant in your work. If you look around at all the filmmakers working they all have one thing in common - they made lots of shorts and at least one feature with no money or very cheap money. They get that experience and can understand the meaning of an invested dollar - hence, they won't give producers a hard time when asked to change the film because of budget concerns. (ever notice that A-list filmmakers always talk in interviews about coming in under budget? they sometimes even emphazize it over and over)

That guy on the latest Project Greenlight is the biggest A-hole I've ever seen involved at that level of a production! He was such a bad choice, but we still have a few episodes to see if he pulls through. I know they always cut out a lots of stuff from those reality-type shows, but from the looks of it the guy has no ability to think outside his own bedroom projects. (and he's 46 years old too and lives with his daddy???!!!)

My personal experience of being the Director of Production at an entertainment company "Celebst" had me in charge of a lot more than 500k. I had to spread out money to develop shows, film shorts and other content. (I was in charge of about 15 people.) I learned a HUGE lesson about squeezing production value out of limited resources and time. We needed sets for all the shows and shorts that were about to go into production for and I'm freaking out because there was no time to build sets. So, the owner of the company Alan Mruvka (who started and sold E! entertainment) starts telling me how E! didn't have ANY sets when it started. As a matter of fact, if anyone here thinks back to the first 8-10 YEARS of E! there weren't any sets! It's amazing...but, if you remember they had the "gossip" people sitting at their desks and the camera was just sitting on a tripod in their office. They didn't even use lights! It was the flouresents from the office! That channel operated on a shoestring, but had money to spend. They made so much money and people accepted the low production value because that's what they gave them...lol. I always remembered the "feel" of E! being pretty low-budget, but when he told me that the content was the value...I said, "Right! I see!" So, we went about doing it in a similar way. I shot interviews againts brick walls, in hallways etc. We did entire shows on the street - using the busy street as the "set". That's a cheap set!!!! We sat on a park bench for certain segments, then on "Hollywood and Vine" for certain segments. Whenever we had a celebrity to interview I'd just have them in their enviornment or place them in a place that made it look good. I'd take them on Rodeo Drive and go for walks, or window shop. They do this now all the time with reality programming, but in 2000 it was right at the actors strike and there was no reality programming yet!! That genre didn't really exist in the minds of everyone yet.

Anyway, I'm all over the place with this today. But, I'm just saying that even with 500k you could STILL shoot it with 25k and use the remaining money for marketing your film, or getting a name actor (probably a better idea) - so, maybe thinking about shooting a budget of 25k and overtly making it a 500k movie, but spending the rest on a very hot "up and coming" star??

If I had 500k - I'll write something very "indie" and get a "up and coming" star. I'd make it dirt cheap, but obviously something releaseable....24p production. But, I'd limit locations and bring it in way under budget so you can tout this for your next film you pitch. You had a name actor, came in under budget and the film got *completed*. Whether it got released or not isn't important to a studio - that's not something you can control.

Also, another tip I know I've mentioned before. If you somehow get a budget for say....10k, or 25k or 500k...doesn't matter the amount. Always ad DOUBLE to the budget. Yes, it's a trick used in Hollywood I learned. If you walk around saying, "I'm doing a movie for 25k" that's great, but instead walk around talking to investors saying "I'm doing a movie for 50k". Afterwards when you do the movie for 25k you can walk around saying, "We came in 25k under budget." Now you're the star of the film just like the actor.

If you think that isn't how Hollywood works..you're wrong. It's all about the money and bringing in something "under budget" is HUGE for producers. It's currency for their next project and everyone talks about it.

Just my 2 cents!

Hey guys. Good discussion here about production philosophy, role of director, etc. but I am afraid we are getting a little off topic, at least off my topic. :)

Regardless of the budget ($25k or $500k), what specific places can we filmmakers go for money? Specifics like links, names, groups, people, sources of information, etc.

Also, is a feature more likely to get funding that a short?

And for the $5k vs $500k issue, perhaps a little background is necessary. So far, I have somewhat limited experience in film, although I have written 3 screenplays, have one film completed, and two in pre-production; and although I do have 4 degrees, I have no "film" education to speak of. :)

Do you know anyone who would give someone with this experience $500k? If so, PLEASE tell me! I am very confident and I have a great script but people I have spoken with want to see your "portfolio" of movies and I have one, which I feel was good but hey, it was my first.

So, again, seems like the focus so far has been on "When you have the funds, this, this, and this". How does someone like me get funds in the first place? Please help! There must be somewhere for someone like me to pitch my idea to someone who would be in the position to help me.

Thanks for the responses,
Douglas Equils
Wild Motion Films