Financing / Crowdfunding : Short Film Funding by Andrew Heard

You will probably have to finance it yourself since it's a short. No one "invests" in a short film. Call in favors from your production friends. Have them donate their time and equipment. Most Go Fund Me and Indie A Go Go's fail. If you want it bad enough figure out a way to make it happen!

I've done quite a bit of research into crowdfunding. It's part of why I haven't really gone that route. My biggest problem isn't the ability to call in favors, it's that I want it to be a real film with a festival run and all that. I sadly don't have the money to do that. I also have union actors involved which requires payment.

How much money do you need for a short? $10K, $50K, $100K? Seriously if you got no 0 and you want to direct, you’re writing the wrong scripts. Write what you have access. That’s how everybody starts- many career filmmakers come from no money.

Work 2 jobs and sell your car. Use credit cards. Piecemeal the short. Just get it shot and raise money showing your footage as collateral

Andrew 'where should you go?'. To your wallet use your own cash or credit cards - there is no money to be made in shorts. There are only expenses - the actual making the film and promoting it on the festival circuit.

Use your short as bait for your FL film financing (this is why it needs to be damn good.)

Typical short film budget for a 10 min simple project: A cast & crew of 8 on a two day weekend shoot, 8 to 11 page script = a little under $500 to feed and water 'em on set. A release party with pizza & beer is about $200 and I drop another $300+/- in festival entries. The whole thing comes out to be $1,000 more-or-less. Everybody gets a reel and a credit. It's my hobby - I don't make a dime.

Perhaps I should look at producing my own short. Where does one start? When complete, how does one market? Or, is it just submitting it to festivals? What benefit in producing a Short? Could my more learned colleagues please advise.

To answer some of the questions people have been asking. I'm in Canada, using the Canadian union ACTRA, not SAG. They have different rules and have to be paid more and can only work a certain amount under the low-no budget rules.

Also, I don't want to direct the film. I have a director who has committed to coming on board but he wants to be paid and he has the credibility to demand it. It isn't a lot, but I still don't have it. I think we can get it done for less than $5k but Stage32 doesn't allow for that low a number.

Nobody will benefit more than you and your director. $5000 shouldn’t break you financially. That’s less than a crappy car payment. Why would Stage 32 website give you $?

In Atlanta a short film - with tax incentive can be done for $5,000. I own a studio and my partners are producers that know everything from packaging to distribution. If you want to sign an NDA (to protect you from anyone stealing your work) fb me and we can talk more. No bullshit.....https://www.facebook.com/laurahuber70.

Dan MaxXx I wasn't asking for Stage32 to give me money. I'm hoping there are producers here who might have connections to people with money who'd be willing to go for it. That's why I did it.

Andrew - I read your logline and glanced through your script. Basically, without going into details here - your script is not ready for prime time yet. External financing is pretty much out of the question and is generally off the table for short films anyway.

Doug Nelson, I would be happy to suggest options with regards to any thoughts you have to fix it via message.

Sorry Andrew no time. I'm sure there are well experienced writers in the Toronto area that can be of help.

Good luck with it all Andrew. I'm sure things will work out for you.

Hi Andrew Heard - I'm actually bringing in a Sundance director in a couple of weeks who is going to teach a webinar on various options to get financing for short films. He started his career in short film, and eventually moved to feature. I'll be putting the webinar up early next week, so be on the lookout for it here: https://www.stage32.com/webinars - I think you'll find it really useful for where you're at in your process.

Hi Andrew, not sure if this helps but ScreenCraft through Moviebytes is offering film funding. Not sure if you'll qualify but it is an option.

Amanda Toney Thank you very much for letting me know. I'll have to definitely look at it.

Patricia Poulos Thank you so much, I know of Screencraft and have put forward this before. I'm not sure about doing it again but perhaps it will.

To fund your short? Rich relatives.