Actors? funding? where to begin

[meetbobperfect]

My friends and I are making a comedy. I'm the casting director, the producer and I also wrote some of the screenplay. As of right now We only have 1000 saved and put aside. Where do I get funding? How to I get actors to work for well basicaly next to nothing? Any advice?

 

[indietalk]

Place an ad in www.backstage.com for actors. You will get literally hundreds (possibly thousands) of headshots.

 

[Zensteve]

Pop by your local acting classes/schools and ask if it's okay to leave some info for interested parties.

There ought to be lots of up & coming actors who'd kill for a chance to add something to their reel.

Not sure how committed people would be for a full-length feature, but it's a great way to find free actors for shorts.

 

[meetbobperfect]

thanks, Ive made sponsorship letters to send to local stores, resteraunts ect... but if anyone give money it'll be a small amounts is there any other ways to go about this? Are there any big firms or anything that are willing to take a chance?

 

[directorik]

I will assume you are asking how to get someone other than you, your friends and your family to give you money to make a movie. I will also assume that you have a great script with commercial potential.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE INVESTOR: Of course what’s in it for you is you get to make a movie and someone else pays for it. But people investing in movies do it so THEY can make money.

BUDGET: You need to do a full, complete, “line item budget” for your script. Down to the last battery, roll of tape, gallon of gas and bandage for a little cut on a finger. And don’t include buying equipment. No investor is going to pay for your camera and editing suite.

HAVE A CLEAR GAME PLAN: “Because I have a story to tell.” “Because I need the experience.” “Because I guarantee it will make money.” “Because it’s a great film that people need to see.” I hear this all the time. Not going to cut it - except with people who already believe in you.

Know where you can distribute. Not where you WANT to see your film end up - where it likely WILL end up. Of course we all want our film on the big screen in 2,500 theaters. Hell, we’d all settle for a platform release of 100 theaters at a time.

But let’s be realistic. Difficult for an artist to do.

TRACK RECORD: Do you really have the “chops” to ask for money? This is what the first timer needs to face. Realistically. There are thousands of projects out there with great scripts, enthusiastic directors, go-getter producers and experienced production “teams” asking for money.

Why should an investor give YOU money? Have you completed other movies? Have you won any awards? Have you completed your line item budget. Do you have a clear, realistic game plan?

Once you get all this together. Then you can start approaching investors.

 

[spinner]

...I agree with everything directorik says

...if you are just pulling together with your friends, be realistic about what it is you have. Do you have something that you are trying to gain experience from or are you in a position to shop this product once it is completed? Do you have anything that would convince 'the money' that you can do this?

If its just you and your friends learning, I don't think many people are going to fund you for that, but you can try. I again suggest public access, here you can even get some work on tv.

...If you are trying to shop this to networks or the like, I can't tell you how to do that, but there are people here who can give you advice on this...

You need to do a full, complete, “line item budget” for your script. Down to the last battery, roll of tape, gallon of gas and bandage for a little cut on a finger. And don’t include buying equipment. No investor is going to pay for your camera and editing suite..

...I agree, however, if you go the grant route instead of the investor route, you can put RENTAL into your budget. If a purchase is considerably less than the rental, you might get some consideration. I have found that in the mid-west (MI), it costs thousands less to purchase a dvx 100a than it does to rent one. Frankly, I was floored at the cost of its rental If you know someone who will give you a deal, like I do, go that route.

...as for actors, go to the colleges with theater departments or maybe little theater. You may find people who will do it just for the experience...

--spinner

 

[directorik]

...I agree, however, if you go the grant route instead of the investor route, you can put RENTAL into your budget. If a purchase is considerably less than the rental, you might get some consideration. I have found that in the mid-west (MI), it costs thousands less to purchase a dvx 100a than it does to rent one. Frankly, I was floored at the cost of its rental If you know someone who will give you a deal, like I do, go that route.

I'm not familiar with grants for making commercial movies so all my advice is based on securing funding from investors.

I look through a LOT of budget proposals and see camera and editing equipment purchases rather than rentals. I know that sometimes it's cheaper to buy a HDV or miniDV camera than it is to rent, but it's not the most professional way to go.

Right now very few distributors are even looking at movies not shot HD. HDV is still acceptable - but even that is changing. Also, there's the question of who owns the equipment after the show is over. Of course the movie maker would be glad to keep the camera and editing system the investor bought - but since this is a business, think of the investors point of view.

So I advise the movie maker to put in the rental of a good HD camera and editing bay. If the proposal is a good, professional one and the script is marketable and the team is solid that will get you into a meeting. At the meeting you can then suggest that it might be cheaper to buy a lower end HDV camera and buy an editing system.

Of course all this changes if you're just looking for some friends and family to pony up five to eight thousand.

 

[elly]

As a former filmmaker and a potential investor I would want to see a completed work at least 5 minutes, I would expect you to put in a sizeable amount of cash or equivalent-I would want you to risk something. I would expect you to have a detailed budget including post production. That would be a start. In my case I would expect it to be serious, non-violent, non horror, and non sophomoric And finally I would expect interference and some control form me.

 

[meetbobperfect]

WE do HAVE some MILD violence IN this FILM. We Are Not Changing It. thank you for your time and interest but we put alot into this.

 

[meetbobperfect]

Know where you can distribute. Not where you WANT to see your film end up - where it likely WILL end up. Of course we all want our film on the big screen in 2,500 theaters. Hell, we’d all settle for a platform release of 100 theaters at a time.

But let’s be realistic. Difficult for an artist to do.

Is it realistic to try just local theaters (7 tops) or am I pusing my luck I know Napolean Dynomite was a low budget movie but it made it to the theaters and now its idolized by every teenager/kid in America (i dont know why frankly i thought it was stupid except for like 2 parts).

 

[directorik]

If the local theaters can only project film then you'll have to make film prints. Or you can rent a video projector and install it in each theater showing your movie.

Poke around the messageboards - I remember a thread about "four walling". That's where you rent a theater for a period of time to show your movie. Remember, a theater, even the local ones, need to have a movie that will draw paying customers. If yours will, then it's realistic.

Napoleon Dynamite cost $400,000 was produced by MTY Films and the P&A budget was $3,000,000. Very low budget, but not by our standards. Another thing to remember: it's not about what YOU think, it's about what other people think. Even about your OWN movie.

You though Napoleon Dynamite was stupid except for two parts, but a LOT of people really liked it. That's why it made $45,000,000.

 

[vvalverde]

Elly mentioned having a short. As far as funding goes, making a trailer or short version of your feature is a godo way to try and secure the funding. THis way investors who are serious about film and WILL give you funding will take you more seriously and see that you not only actually the talent and organization to make a film, but that you are serious about making a film. SO I would suggest making a short version first. Then you would really need to put a budget together to shop with the trailer. You need to know how much money you will need to make the feature before you ask for money.

 

[meetbobperfect]

If the local theaters can only project film then you'll have to make film prints. Or you can rent a video projector and install it in each theater showing your movie.

Poke around the messageboards - I remember a thread about "four walling". That's where you rent a theater for a period of time to show your movie. Remember, a theater, even the local ones, need to have a movie that will draw paying customers. If yours will, then it's realistic.

Napoleon Dynamite cost $400,000 was produced by MTY Films and the P&A budget was $3,000,000. Very low budget, but not by our standards. Another thing to remember: it's not about what YOU think, it's about what other people think. Even about your OWN movie.

You though Napoleon Dynamite was stupid except for two parts, but a LOT of people really liked it. That's why it made $45,000,000.

Do you remember where that thread was?

 

[meetbobperfect]

Elly mentioned having a short. As far as funding goes, making a trailer or short version of your feature is a godo way to try and secure the funding. THis way investors who are serious about film and WILL give you funding will take you more seriously and see that you not only actually the talent and organization to make a film, but that you are serious about making a film. SO I would suggest making a short version first. Then you would really need to put a budget together to shop with the trailer. You need to know how much money you will need to make the feature before you ask for money.

I was definitly going to make a short. Do whatever I can to get funding!

 

[spinner]

...well, in case you haven't done this already....try these in your search engine....

funding for new filmmakers
funding for first time filmmakers
student film funding
small grants for films

...also, look at your subject matter, maybe it will have something that you can get funding for specifically. If you are not a documentary, look for narrative grants. Maybe try educational grants for filmmakers. Play around with the wording, there look up the Puffin Foundation, it is a $2,000 grant.

...and then just look under: film funding There is alot of stuff, you just have to wade through it all. There are Arts Councils in every state I would think, see if you might qualify for them... Good Luck, you have alot of work ahead, but if you want it bad enough, and you love what you are doing, it won't seem like work...

--spinner