What is the most important factor in finding investors? Industry connections, critical response to your films, how much money they're making, how you present yourself on the internet?
Your demonstration of a probability of return on their investment.What is the most important factor in finding investors?
1. What is your track record for making money?
2. Who else is in your production with a track record of making money? (A famous director? A famous actor? Has the material in your script made you money before and how much? Do you have distributors attached?
3. An investor wants their money back. Making a movie is high risk. They want to only deal with people with pre-existing fan bases.
4. Before others will invest in you, you must first invest in yourself.
I love modern's layout. Its so capitalist haha. How much do you invest in yourself before you consider losses and gains? Where does one's 401k fit into this "money making" display? Basically where do you get the capital to invest in yourself?
I think its up to the individual investor. I think having a business plan will work for someone that is a solid business man. A great story on the other hand might be enough for a dreamer who made smart investments but always wanted to be an actor or director or whatever.
I think the best thing is WHERE to find investors. I know DDs who could charm the pants off anyone and sell anything. Put them in the room with the right attire and the world could be their oyster. But like the rest of us, the problem is finding where that room is.
I think focus on making the best product with what you have, find out from peer review the reality of the caliber of your product, and if its good enough then find investors. And like Sin said a solid business plan. What you;ve put in, what you're looking to get out and how much the investor has to gain.
Interesting Chris should make these points when he and I met a film investor at a Pizzzareia Uno's who was telling us the points I just passed along.
How much to invest? Your script will determine that. Your script and your ability to make deals all along the way with people to help you make your dream into a film. The final cut will have a good percentage on how much of a return you will get as well as how well it is marketed.
One way or the other, you have to pay. It takes money to make money.
Probably wealthy relatives. Did you ever notice that the funders on crowdfunding (indiegogo.com kickstarter) sites often have the same last name as the person raising money. 8-)
A lot of people work and save their money to work on their first project. Sometimes you can find others in similar situations and work on each other projects sharing equipment and expertise.
What do the people do who don't have wealthy friends and relatives, which accounts for a greater number of filmmaker?
.... but also a helluva lot from strangers (or people they don't know in real life).
I really don't think it would be impossible to raise $10k for your film from total strangers.