Tell me if this makes sense (looking fors sponsorship)

F

fiddilydee

I have a movie I'm making, I'm about 90% of the way through filming right now. I need money for advertising and I think this is a good plan to get it, however I am in no way a business man, so I was hoping for some insight and critique of my strategy.

So this is the background, I have pretty much no money, my friend and I wrote a pretty simple and funny script about the 2 of us trying to make a movie with no budget. We shot it documentary style so there is minimal editing, minimal lighting, hell minimal everything, but it looks like a documentary. I also got a couple mics and a hobbyist sound guy. Aside from writing, Motion Graphics and Special Effects are my hobby so this thing is gonna look bad ass. I also have a professional composer who I know who is writing the score, and I write and record music myself so I have insight into that as well. So basically I have a lot of talented volunteers and this is looking really promising.


I have a pretty substantial team dedicated to pushing this on the internet, I want to get radio advertising in my province and make up posters and take them to neighboring cities. I don't want to give too much away, so I am leaving out a few details of the plan but basically I want $5000 for advertising and would I pay half the revenue. I have already generated a buzz in the arts community in my area and I should be able to make at least enough to pay that back from sales. If it went further than that I would offer %50 from sales of the movie. Basically I would be able to offer this with a finished product in hand, I think that is valuable. What do you guys think?
 
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Sorry, it makes no sense. Just cuase you want it dont mean youll get it!

You have no product (90% of a product isnt good enough)
you have no budget for renting theaters
you have no budget for printing DVD's with the "special" features (merchandising is 90% profit by the way)

in short you have no business plan. Why would anyone give you $5000. Seems to me its not good idea to go into business with people who don't get business.. :-)

Embrace the business, learn it like you learn AE, spend as much time on a biz plan as you do on a visual effect.

Your project would probably do well on Kickstarter, work up a good plan, doesn't have to be a profitable plan, just solid and clear so that people who want to see your film completed know that giving you money will result in a positive outcome.

good luck
 
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Okay thanks for the tips. One thing I guess I didn't make clear was that the movie would be done by the time I start looking for sponsors. I can and will finish it with what little money I have. I don't know what to do from this point. I have no real money but I have a solid movie, it's quite funny will look totally professional. I don't want to see it rot but I can't afford to push it really. Where should I go from here?
 
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fiddilydee said:
What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
I don’t understand your plan.

You say, “I pay half the revenue”. Half of what revenue to who?
You say, “I would offer %50 from sales of the movie”. Sales of the
movie? What does that mean? ticket sales? DVD sales? Download
sales?

I get that you want $5,000 for radio advertising and posters. Have
you done the research to show what radio advertising does for an
independent movie? Do you have all the numbers - exactly how much
air time you can buy for the money?
 
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Dont listen to me by the way, Iv never sold a movie or even finished anything longer then 10 mins so far..

Im assuming this is your first big movie (correct me if Im wrong)

Submit this film to any festivals you think you can attend in person.

You MIGHT win a prize
You MIGHT get noticed

Certainly you will have fun and get to see your film on the big screen.


Now with a festival under your belt, you can PLAN for your NEXT movie, using this one as a calling card and proof that you can indeed make a film.

This one you might just show on the internet, build up some credibility.
 
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You need to have a sit down with your local small business association or equivalent. Lay out your project and your plans for it. Get someone to make you a REAL business plan. Pitch that plan. Plus, you might be able to qualify for a grant or get hooked up with a speculator if the SBA guy/gal thinks that you have a marketable product. If you don't already have a facebook/myspace/twitter/etc page, make them. The more potential support you can show for your project the more likely an investor will back it. If you have 5000 fans on the project's facebook page, that means that you can tell an investor that 5000 people are interested (will buy) the product.

You say that you are 90% finished with principal photography. Make a slick trailer and post it. Show that to potential investors.
 
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Lucky Hardwood said:
If you have 5000 fans on the project's facebook page, that means that you can tell an investor that 5000 people are interested (will buy) the product.
Click to expand...

Saying this will almost surely close the door to any investor.

Investors have done their research in way that few filmmakers have.
An investor knows that less than 5% of people who will take less
than one second to click "Like" will actual pay any money for the
product. Than number drops to less that 2% if the product is art,
music or video. "Name" talent is the exception, of course.

I hope fiddilydee returns here to answer questions and continue
the conversation.
 
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For anyone attempting to recruit investment, I highly reccommend the UK show "Dragons Den". It is a show where and endless line of hopefuls approach 5 of the richest investors in England. Some make it, some don't, but along the way, you see what arguments do and don't work, and the pitfalls you may hit in those meetings. I've seen the investors willing to give someone 200 grand, and then pull out becuase they forgot what their annual turnover was supposed to be.

It really educates you about where the landmines are located.
 
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Thanks everyone for your reply. I apologize for being vague in my original post. I am not getting the answers I need, I know I need a distribution plan but I left out a big part of my plan because I want to protect it. Let's try a different train of thought.

Assume that I have an awesome trailer that leaves the viewer wanting to know more (I know that is what they are supposed to do, but mine is different I assure you). The trailer really breaks the mold of what a trailer is supposed to do, it will go viral, again just assume with me. I can convince someone it will go viral. I have 20+ very computer saavy individuals who are committed to pushing this thing through all possible online means the week it launches. I just want some money for ground level advertising to help push the online traffic.

Now if this works (and I know everything like this is a risk), and the video goes viral, the movie (which is not what the viewers will expect, but certainly will appreciate) will sell in whatever form I choose. I don't want to be locked down to one idea when the trailer comes out, becuase the success of it will determine the scale in which I can release thing.

So I don't want any advice or insight on how difficult it is to get a video to go viral, I know, I get it. What I want to know is who should I be looking at (again I only want $5000) and how should I contact them? Thanks again guys for taking the time to check this out.
 
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your still not making sense to me.

You have a trailer, but not a film? I thought your were 90% done with the film? How do you propose to make money from the film?

I have $5000 in my bank right now.

The current rate or return for a 12 month Certificate Of Deposit, a very safe investment, is 1.6%. If I do nothing with that $5000 Ill make $80 just for leaving it alone. But I like to gamble, and takes risks, so Ill bet the entire $5000 to make one more dollar, so now you have to convince me that there is a CHANCE that I will get $81 profit from loaning you my $5000.


How will you turn my $5000 into $5081?

When will you pay me my $5081?

What are your assumptions?

What are your risks?

Answer those questions and you have a plan. If its a reasonable risk then you should have not trouble finding some sucka to bet on your movie.
 
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wheatgrinder said:
edit: I changed my mind on being such a smart a#$
Click to expand...
With a fair business head myself I don't at all think you're being a smart a$$.
The points you're making are 100% dead on balls legit.

Too many artsy fartsy creative types blow the entirety of their mental and financial wad on the product, such that it is... AND THEN they ask "What do I do now?!" in some mad panicky flight of realization of just maybe I don't know WTH I'm doing.

Yeah.
Just maybe.
And there are different degrees of "I don't know WTH I'm doing".
Some folks REEEEEALY don't know WTH they're doing.

Frankly, it seems to me, IMHinexperiencedO, of the "entire" budget one has for a project only HALF should be spent on what a theoretical audience might possibly a snowball's chance in hades see - AND - the remaining HALF should be earmarked for marketing, advertising, distribution, DVD+box+printwork physical product.

That's kinda what I'm seeing as a spectator in the bleachers.


Now, as an investor, a real live blue jeans and sport shirt on the weekends sipping imported beer and watching satellite TV on the 30' marina cruiser where the kids run around on the deck, why should I and my LLC business partners put $5k down on this or any comparable product when gold is going through the roof?
You hearing talk of QE3?
More debt/less IRS revenue=higher inflation risk=higher gold.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=$GOLD&p=D&yr=3&mn=0&dy=0&id=p42336394923

Even a schmuck "investor" could invest in a pair of Krugerrands @ ~$1950 each and get back more than $100 with just a 6% rise in PoG.

Anyone a little more sophisticated knows to just buy the GLD ETF.

So "WHY"?!
WHY would I want to INVEST MY cash on YOUR film thingie dingie that you haven't thought through when I have other investment options?

wheatgrinder said:
well, what I edited out wasn't very nice.. came off a bit rude.. so I self censored.. whats on screen now I stand behind.
Click to expand...
As common, I'm late to the incident. :)
 
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that said,
its ok to make the art... art is wonderful everyone should do it!

Make art for art, submit to festivals and get recognized as such. Its a good thing.

If your going into biz, then do it right.

There is a middle ground, and people DO want to invest in films simply to see good films made, true sponsorship without any hope for return is what Kickstarter is all about, I dig that. Philanthropic film making is very cool and it is working.

This OP is off the mark though, this has echoes of that "incident" on the other thread where the guy lost control and started making threatening phone calls (presumably)

He has a great film 90% done
He has a trailer that changes the definition of trailers, the best trailer EVER
He needs $5k to spend on "advertising" but wont say WHAT hes selling?

Someone is about to have a run in with reality that is going to hurt.
 
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wheatgrinder said:
your still not making sense to me.

You have a trailer, but not a film? I thought your were 90% done with the film? How do you propose to make money from the film?
Click to expand...

I am 90% done the film, even further now. Where did I say I haven't got a film? Are you even reading my posts. They are pretty straight forward.

I don't plan on doing any of this until the film is done. And I'm not in a "mad panicky flight of realization of just maybe I don't know WTH I'm doing." I know I don't know what I'm doing and that's why, a couple months in advance I am looking for advice.

So again, here is my question: assuming I am right about the quality of my product, where should I look for money and how should I contact said parties? That's all I am looking for advice on, if you don't know that's fine, I'll continue my search. And don't worry about me running into reality either, I'm not a baby and I don't need some ass on the internet criticizing the very idea that someone else could have a good plan (without knowing what it is) instead of actually giving helpful answers and wisdom. I could see why you'd have trouble selling an idea, you're an idiot.
 
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"im an idiot,"
cool you catch on fast..

so what you want is a mark. Dentist are a good marks for film scams, or so I hear.

I found this in my spam folder, maybe it will help you.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Wed, Aug 17, 2011 at 3:47 PM, <roger53@fogdam.com> wrote:

hi mate..

ok I`ll give you my trick but if you give it someone else I`ll **** kill you :)

you know in roulette you can bet on blacks or reds.
If you bet $1 on black and it goes black you win $1 but if it goes red you loose your $1.

but I found a way you can win everytime:

bet $1 on black if it goes black you win $1
now again bet $1 on black, if this time it goes red bet $3 on black,
if it goes red again bet $8 on black, if red again bet
$20 on black, if red again bet $52 on black (always multiple your previous lost bet around 2.5x)

if now is black you win $52 so you have $104 and you bet:

$1 + $3 + $8 + $20 + $52 = $84 So you just won $20 :)

now when you won you start with $1 on blacks again etc etc.
its always bound to go black eventually (it`s 50/50)
so that way you eventually always win. But there`s a catch.
If you start winning too much (like $1000 a day)
casino will finally notice something and can ban you. I was banned once on golden gate casino.
So don`t be too greedy and don`t win more then $300-$500 a day and you can do
it for years. I think bigger casinos know that trick
so I play only on smaller ones, you also have to find casino that has european roulette game
it`s because in american roulette you have 60% lower chances to win, right now I play on
vegas slots casino: http://goldslotsgames.com for more then 6 months, because they still have european roulette
I win $300-$400 a day and my account still works.
You`ll find roulette there when you download casino soft and register go to
"specialty" section and choose "european roulette". To load or withdraw money click on "cashier" button.
That's pretty much it, if you have any questions just drop me a line here or on skype.
And don`t you dare talling about it anyone else,
if too many people knows about it casinos will finally found a way to block that trick.
c ya

----------------------------------------------------------

Good luck
Signed
Idiot
 
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fiddilydee said:
So again, here is my question: assuming I am right about the quality of my product, where should I look for money and how should I contact said parties? That's all I am looking for advice on
Click to expand...
You should look for money with private investors. You should
contact them by phone.

I doubt that's what you you're looking for, but there really isn't
another answer. Private investors who are looking for opportunities
to make money on their investments do not exactly check message
boards so you will have to research. If you are right about the quality
of you product and you have the full, complete business plan you
should easily find investors. Not easy to get them to invest, but easy
to find.
 
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fiddilydee said:
but mine is different I assure you
Click to expand...

Wow! Unbelievable! We've someone here who knows what he's doing for a change! Put me down for $5,000, pronto!

minimal editing, minimal lighting
Click to expand...

Wait, WAIT!!!! Give me back my check. Thanks. False alarm people. Nothing to see.

:lol:


---------------

Seriously, investors and rich people will not give you money. They have money for a reason. You're looking for a sucker, someone that wants to be part of the movie business. You have to convince this person you're his ticket to the big time.

Good luck.
 
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GuerrillaAngel said:
Wow! Unbelievable! We've someone here who knows what he's doing for a change! Put me down for $5,000, pronto!



Wait, WAIT!!!! Give me back my check. Thanks. False alarm people. Nothing to see.

:lol:
Click to expand...

Nothing without way too much lighting always sucks.

idiot

Minimal doesnt mean not enough.

It's hard to believe that a fellow artist would spend a bunch of time on internet forums seeking to belittle other artists under the guise of advice, but here we are. You did not see even a single frame of my movie, you didn't read a word of my script but because it required 'minimal' lighting it's not good enough? As if you have set the standard for good lighting and can tell if it's good without seeing it.

I do want to take the take to thank DirectorIK for at least having an open mind.
 
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