Financing / Crowdfunding : How Indie Filmmakers Can Start Thinking Like Financiers (And Why You Should) by Tiffany Boyle

After more than a decade in packaging, sales, and financing, I’ve found that one of the biggest shifts indie filmmakers can make, one that changes the entire trajectory of their projects, is to stop thinking like only creatives and start thinking like dealmakers.

Financing your film isn’t just about raising money. It’s about aligning interests, building trust, managing risk, and most importantly, understanding what makes your project attractive to each potential partner, whether that’s a private equity investor, an international distributor, or a grant panel.

Here are a few questions I always encourage filmmakers to ask when preparing to raise financing:

- What materials do you have prepared to share with financiers, and what makes your project package strong and effective?

- Can you clearly articulate the financial structure of your project in one page?

- Are your budget and vision aligned, or is there a gap that makes investors nervous?

- What’s the why now for your story or your specific connection to the project, and how might that help you attract collaborators?

I’ll be speaking more about this in Cannes during Stage 32’s panel “The Art of the Deal: Innovative Financing for Indie Filmmakers” alongside some incredible professionals who’ve been in the trenches of private equity, co-productions, and international finance.

If you’re heading to Cannes, I hope you’ll join us on May 17th. And if not, I’d still love to open the conversation here.

What’s one question or challenge you’re facing when it comes to financing your project?