
alt= class=wp-image-10631 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-01-pointing-binder.jpg/> Congratulations, your script is complete! Coming up with a story and writing the screenplay is the hardest part of the process for filmmakers at every skill level. With a script in-hand, you have the blueprint for every other step of the production process. Casting, selecting crew, finding props and locations; the script is your guide to everything.
There is, however, one important factor your screenplay should never dictate: your production costs. There are plenty of examples of ragtag film crews producing action-packed genre scripts on a microbudget. Similarly, I've seen far too many producers spend thousands of dollars on a short film I could shoot for $500.
When budgeting for low-budget films, my advice is always the same.
alt= class=wp-image-10633 width=800 height=450 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-02-kitchen-set.jpg/>A quality cast and crew is the most valuable asset to a director. Photo credit: Judge L. Williams II. Invest In People, Not Equipment Finding the right cast is one of the most important steps you'll take making your short film, and I don't recommend cheaping out. If you care about the story you're trying to tell, you won't settle for casting your family or friends. Luckily for us independent filmmakers, casting great actors doesn't always mean spending big budgets!
Most cities have Facebook groups full of talented amateur and professional actors that are open to working on budget films. Reach out to these groups, find a skilled actor that's right for your film, then work out the financial details after they've expressed interest in your project. Results may vary, but I've often found that many local actors don't require more payment than your respect, craft services, and a credit at the end of the film.
On multiple micro-budget productions, I've worked with my local SAG-AFTRA office to cast a union actor for less than the union rates. If a SAG-AFTRA actor is interested in working on your project, I recommend asking your local office about micro-budget film contracts.
alt= class=wp-image-10634 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-03-camera.jpg/>High-res cameras are a luxury, not a necessity. Photo credit: Mitch Kraus That Means Your Crew, Too Building a successful crew is one of the hardest things for budget filmmakers to learn. The instinct is to do one of two things: make your entire short film by yourself, or spend $400 per day on a cinematographer and ask your best friends to move lights.
There's nothing fundamentally wrong with either of these methods. Amazing films can and will be produced by film crews of all shapes and sizes. But as a first-time filmmaker looking to produce a short film on a budget, there are a handful of choices you can make that will save you time, money, and stress when you need it the most.
Films are an audiovisual medium, but too often we hyperfocus on cinematography. Poor audio is the authenticity killer for any low-budget film project, and it's the first thing that will stand out to your audience. Finding an audio specialist who is comfortable with the equipment, understands how to solve problems, and is willing to help the editor sweeten the film is worth every penny you can spend.
alt= class=wp-image-10527 data-lazy-srcset=https://www.studionetworksolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-04-lights.jpg 960w, https://www.studionetworksolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-04-lights-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.studionetworksolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-04-lights-768x432.jpg 768w data-lazy-sizes=(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-04-lights.jpg />Even cheap rental lights-when used by a team that knows their stuff-can be extremely effective. Photo credit: Mitch Kraus Finding Balance In Your Budget That principle really goes for everyone on your crew. The best indie film sets strike a beautiful balance between serviceable equipment and creative forethought. No matter how much your cinematographer claims they need an ALEXA Mini and a set of Cooke primes, they wouldn't be much of a cinematographer if they couldn't shoot well without it.
The truly important thing is to gather a group of passionate individuals who understand what they're doing with the equipment you can afford, can collaborate well, and can stay on schedule. This is why I sing the praises of the assistant director, an often-underutilized crew member who is guaranteed to save you the most money on your film production.
Time is money, especially when you're feeding your cast and crew a hot meal every day. By taking scheduling and logistics concerns off your shoulders, you are given more time to focus on the execution of your film. Cinematographers, audio mixers, and assistant directors should all be of equal value to a serious filmmaker.
alt= class=wp-image-10636 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/how-to-raise-money-for-a-film-05-bathroom-scene.jpg/>An assistant director that manages your production and keeps a tight schedule can do wonders for your budget and creativity. How To Raise Money For Independent Films Up to this point, I've focused on ways to spend your investment intelligently to get the most out of your indie film budget. I believe that's a very important topic to discuss because-as I'm sure you know-raising funds online can be a very difficult thing to do.
There is a colossal oversaturation of film projects on every major fundraising site, all vying for the same generosity of internet strangers. How c
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
13/03/2025
Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library.
Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...
13/03/2025
AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...
13/03/2025
PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...
12/03/2025
SVT Leverages Ateliere Live to Pioneer 100% Software-Defined Production at Rally...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
12/03/2025
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a you...
12/03/2025
The new process has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, with automation freeing up creators to concentrate on higher value tasks
By Matthew Corrig...
12/03/2025
Jellyfish Pictures, which has offices in London and Sheffield, said it has been battling hard in the face of strong headwinds over the last 12 months
By Jenny ...
12/03/2025
Visit Booth #W2213 to Experience the Latest in AI-Driven Content Discovery and Workflow Automation
Bitcentral, a leader in media workflow solutions, is set to ...
12/03/2025
CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....
12/03/2025
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...
12/03/2025
BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...
12/03/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....
12/03/2025
Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14
Brie Clayton March 11, 2025
0 Comments
Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade
During Marc...
12/03/2025
Ottawa, Canada - March 12, 2025 - Ross Video is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Tunnell as Business Development Director, Cloud Solutions, reinforc...
12/03/2025
12 Mar 2025
VEON to release 4Q 2024 trading update on 20 March 2025 Dubai, 12 March 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms ...
12/03/2025
Getting set for the Winter Olympics: Inside SVT's ongoing software-based pro...
12/03/2025
THE PLAYERS Championship 2025: AI Commentary, Shared-Reality Viewing at COSM, La...
12/03/2025
Seamless SMPTE 2110: A Discussion on Making the Move to IP Less Painful Leaders from Netflix, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, LinkedI, and Megapixel address ...
12/03/2025
Opening Doors of Perception: Meta's Ajit Ninan on Rethinking AR/MR Perceptua...
12/03/2025
With the 2025 Formula 1 season set to begin in Melbourne on March 16, Sky Sports is gearing up to deliver its most comprehensive F1 coverage yet. Following a th...
12/03/2025
Unicanal and Trece TV revolutionize Digital TV in Paraguay with Rohde & Schwarz ...
12/03/2025
Honoring Service, Celebrating Sport: Rohde & Schwarz UK Sponsors NavyFit Rugby D...
12/03/2025
New HVS-Q12 Represents a Quantum Leap in Switcher Design...
12/03/2025
Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity So...
12/03/2025
ABC conducts independent audits across the TAG programs. In the March 2025 TAG s...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Moonlight: ESA program to create a satellite con...
12/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
In 2025, Thales ranks among the top 0.01% of the...
12/03/2025
Consumer show back following hugely successful first series
10 March 2025 Following a hugely successful first series, The Complaints Bureau returns to RT ...
11/03/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
11/03/2025
Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...
11/03/2025
For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...
11/03/2025
The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...
11/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...