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If you have the knowledge to create a movie yet don’t have the backing and support for funding there are ways to get that money. The dream of a movie does not have to die because you don’t have enough money to get started.
There are a few steps to be completed when looking for funding. First, make sure you have a script or synopsis of your movie written out on paper. Most film funding also needs a trailer. There has to be something tangible that will hook investors into your project. They have to be as excited as you are to see this project succeed.
Sites such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo allow filmmakers, artists, writers and entrepreneurs to get funding for their projects through donations. This is where the synopsis and movie trailer will shine. You’ll upload them to the whichever funding source you decide to use, set your donation goal amount and your funding campaign will be ready to go. Sponsors will fund your campaign with small donations. With certain monetary amounts, you can set perks for the sponsor. For example, with a £25 donation, the sponsor could get a sneak preview of the movie while before it’s distributed to the public. A £100 donation could get the sponsor a sneak peek at the movie making process with frequent video updates. The donation perks are completely up to you when you start the campaign. The sponsors should feel like they are actually involved in the process because they have helped fund your dream.
People are not going to flock to your campaign unless they know about it. The perks should be enticing and the project should be extremely detailed, so sponsors will want to pull out their wallet for your project. While you may be able to count on some of your friends and family, you’ll need more than those people to help you meet your monetary goals. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and other social media sites like LinkedIn will help you reach an audience for your work. Investigate hashtags while on Twitter to find the ones that would most appeal to your audience. For your film, you’ll want to find those interested in its genre. Is it a thriller? Is it horror? Those hashtags can lead to others that will help find people interested in sponsoring your work. On Facebook, find groups and pages that have similar interests. It’s not a good idea to spam these places with unsolicited ads and pleas for funding.
Craft a professional press release with all the pertinent details and the information for where people can donate. Before adding it to a page or group, find out about their submission guidelines. If you’re unsure, contact the administrator of the page or group. They’ll let you know whether your submission is allowed. In some cases, they may tell their followers about your project themselves. YouTube is where you can start your own channel with your trailer. You can upload any other kind of video you like there too. You could talk about why you think your film will be amazing, and why others should fund your campaign.
Press releases are an important part of the funding and promotion process, and if you can create a buzz in the community, you’ll have many people already interested when your film hits the public. Don’t be surprised if the Times doesn’t want to do an article about your fundraising campaign, but the local paper might find it interesting. Contact everyone with a professional press release. The ultimate goal is to create a buzz about your campaign so you can get the funding you need for the next step. Don’t assume that creating a campaign will mean instant cash. It will take work and promotion to get sponsors to donate to your cause.