Next year I want to start a kickstarter campaign to raise money toward my next Film Project...I've watched a lot of other campaigns to get an idea on how to create one...What I noticed, is a lot of campaigns had some of the main cast already in place....Has anyone held audtions before for a Film which isn't funded...How did you advertise this, and get actors to audtion, and help with the Funding campaign??? Any advice would be greatly appreicated
crowd funding question
- Thread starter derek smith
- Start date
My assumption is those filmmakers are using their friends and actors
previously known to them. That they are not holding auditions.
Do actors actually help a funding campaign? When I look at a fundraising
campaign and see actors I don't know it doesn't make me want to donate.
Did any of the campaigns you looked at inspire YOU to make a donation
because of the actors involved?
I've never held auditions before I have funding AND a start date. I feel
it's disrespectful to keep actors on hold for so long. And if you don't get
the funds they will never get the part so it's a waste of their time. AND...
what if they get a job between the time they audition and you are ready
to shoot and can't be in your movie? the people who donated because
of that actor will be upset that that actor isn't in the movie.
How you advertise is the same as any audition. State in the notice that
you have no start date and that you will be using the actors to help with
fundraising. Be clear that if you don't get the funds through crowdfunding
there will be no movie made. Or the movie will be delayed further until
you come up with a different way to get funding.
There might be actors who would love to be in on the ground floor of a
new project. My advice is to completely up front and fully transparent
with actors.
'did it make you want to donate'..thats a pretty good question to ask yourself when looking at different campaigns....honestly, none of them did...that's excellent advice...really appreciate taking the time to respond in detai..thanks
Glad to help.
I believe that is the question everyone researching crowdfunding should
be asking;
What in the campaign made ME want to donate to a complete stranger?
Was it that they already had actors? Was it the subject matter? Was it
the technical aspects of the promotional video? Was it the camera they
will be using? Was it the perks? Seriously, do you really want a photo or
script signed by filmmakers and actors you have never heard of? Does
a Facebook “shoutout” inspire you part with £5?
If none of things worked for you why do you think they will work on
a complete strange? If something DID inspire you to donate then THAT
is what you should do with your campaign.
I agree that these filmmakers probably already have relationships with the actors. Maybe the actors are also involved in the making of the film, maybe the director has already worked with the actor previously on another project, maybe they shopped their script around to agencies and generated interest from actors who then lent their time to promote on the campaign video because they believe in the film.
There's a million ways to make a film so there's no correct way to promote a Kickstarter video. As a viewer, I'd prefer to see who the actors are before donating because that could give me an indication on the quality of the project. If every actor in the Kickstarter video is acting for the first time in this movie, you can pretty much guarantee I won't donate. Conversely, as the filmmaker, if you have an actor with a fanbase already it makes sense to put them in the video!
Another thing about Kickstarter videos is just make sure the production quality is up to par. If you can't make a well-produced campaign video, how can we trust you to make a well-produced film?
There's a million ways to make a film so there's no correct way to promote a Kickstarter video. As a viewer, I'd prefer to see who the actors are before donating because that could give me an indication on the quality of the project. If every actor in the Kickstarter video is acting for the first time in this movie, you can pretty much guarantee I won't donate. Conversely, as the filmmaker, if you have an actor with a fanbase already it makes sense to put them in the video!
Another thing about Kickstarter videos is just make sure the production quality is up to par. If you can't make a well-produced campaign video, how can we trust you to make a well-produced film?
This podcast might answer most of your crowdfunding questions: http://www.indiefilmhustle.com/crowdfunding/
And here on IT are the experiences of a lot of other filmmakers:
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=39742
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=39742
thanks guys for the links, will watch both of them when I get home from work