How to raise money for short film making through crowdfunding.

I’ve broken some of the rules I normally preach about fundraising in general and crowdfunding in particular. And I can tell you, the rules still apply because breaking them has not worked for me as you can see here.  Check it out!

Money is emotional. If you think creative work is emotional and raw, try raising money to finance it.

Trust is built before asking for money. People with money to spend on crowdfunding sites generally want to see evidence that your project can be completed with or without their little contribution. A goal of $5000 that’s only got $500 pledged…. for a team that doesn’t have prior completed products…. why should someone who doesn’t personally know & like you already risk anything on your project? It’s up to the fundraiser to show the would-be audience why they should trust that their money WILL be rewarded with a finished film with a rewarding resemblance to the film you’ve gotten them to imagine.

Crowdfunding sites can be a way to draw attention to a short film even if the campaign does not fund it. However. Eyeballs don’t equal money.

Raise money from the audience. If you don’t have an audience, do you want an audience? Then start thinking about them now. The sooner the better. Where do your-audience-people hang out? And what interests them? How can you hang out with them and introduce your film to them in a way that appeals to them? A surprising number of would-be filmmakers (and other artistically inclined people of other disciplines, for that matter) don’t really spend time with non-creatives.

Don’t create gatekeepers, especially if they don’t have an established audience they’re willing to share. Try not to view other filmmakers, crew, or people who want to be in your movie as gatekeepers who can bring you an audience. If they can and will, great! But have another plan in mind that goes directly to your audience. Creative people tend to view creative projects not their own as competition. And if they don’t have a dedicated, active audience for their own work, they certainly can’t bring an audience to anyone else they might endorse.

Finding an audience for a creative project is harder than it sounds. Most people are not looking for stuff they’ve never heard of. Remember where it all starts: build trust before asking for money.

We are raising money for a short film, SAG signatory, to make the rounds of film festivals. Follow the saga of this short film in the making on Indiegogo: “Laugh Lines” And, if you choose to support us, we are grateful for your trust!!