Where would I go/whom should I ask about the process of self-funding a motion picture?
Where would I go/whom should I ask about the process of self-funding a motion picture?
I have some ideas, but I don’t think I would be so lucky to actually try to get things made in Hollywood, so I’ve a mind to produce it myself (it worked for Shane Carruth). I don’t know where I’d go or what research I’d need to conduct to embark on such an undertaking. Is there a community somewhere or some notable figures who are disposed to give advice to a first-time filmmaker?
About 15 years ago I saw an independent film at a local theater and it turned out that the guy who made it was couch-surfing the country showing the film at small theaters and was staying that night with a friend of a friend, so after the showing we went over to the friend's place to hang out and talk.
The guy who made the film was pretty cool and told us lots about the process. Basically he spent a year and all his time and money on it, borrowed money from everyone he knew, and pulled favors from all his friends and their friends to get access to locations for shooting, costumes, props, etc.
What it came down to was that at that level there is no process. You just call in every favor you can, make lots of promises you can't keep, max out your creative problem-solving abilities, and hope like hell you can get it done enough to show before you completely run out of money and friends.
While we enjoyed the film quite a lot the dude was not terribly happy with it (all he could see at that point were mistakes and limitations), and was beyond broke (that's why he was couch-surfing his way through the cities he was showing in, he could barely afford transportation to the next city).
Film making technology has come a long, long way since then, so you could probably make a similar quality film much easier and cheaper now (I wouldn't be surprised if the expensive cameras he was renting at the time are outclassed by what you can do now with a nice phone and a second-hand Canon). But the rest is probably pretty similar. Lots of dollar-stretching and creative problem-solving.
10all he could see at that point were mistakes and limitations)
Same for every hobby of mine. Almost nothing I make I am proud of.
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I don't know if there are any independent filmmaker groups, but if you read Bruce Campbell's if chins could talk he goes into what Ted and Sam Raimy had to go through in order to make the first evil Dead movie.
Basically, they made an independent movie that was super cheap and showed it to some well-to-do dentists and got them to invest in making The cabin in the woods which is the precursor to the evil Dead series, and used The cabin in the woods to get more funding to make the first evil Dead movie.
It was a lot of pulling themselves up by their bootstraps and they go into much more detail in the book then I'm talking about. There are also a lot of other books from Independent movie Makers who figured out ways to get funding, and you should definitely look into them. Your local library will be an invaluable resource
9Credit cards, personal loans, pawn shops, 2nd hand/rented equipment, pirated editing software, your gaming computer and a dozen fools to tag along.
6I have everything but the dozen fools.
Any volunteers?
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Check with any film school, I'm sure you'll find people that will kill for an opportunity to make a movie someone else funds. Either students or indie filmmakers.
Alternatively, there are porn studios that do customs. Obviously they tend to have specific skillsets, but who knows.
5Are you asking about getting crew? Editing? Distribution?
For crew and actors I’d try local theaters and film schools. Many will be happy to have anything on their reel, and you can offer part of the net profits.
For distribution there are festivals and conferences. You show a trailer and they decide if they want to see more.
4Can't you just do YouTube videos and work your way up?
3This is it.
Ideas are a dime a dozen. People want evidence you can do things.
A YouTube filmmaker making a dozen 10 min stories with their friends is way more likely to get paid work. That paid work leads to other doors opening up.
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Read the book "The Unkindest Cut" by Joe Queenan.
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