Crowdfunding for movie production has become a popular way to finance indie films, allowing filmmakers to raise funds directly from their audience and supporters. Many avenues include equity, debt, rewards, and donation-type raises. All of these types of crowdfunding for movie production processes share some of the same steps and needs. We’d be happy to talk to you about your unique project and give you more specific information on whether or not you use our services, but we wanted to provide this overview first.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to the crowdfunding for movie production process.
Film Production Overview Process
Before we explore crowdfunding for movie production, it is important to understand the overall process for making a movie. The movie production process typically involves several key stages:
- Development: This phase involves generating ideas, acquiring rights to stories or scripts, and developing the initial concept for the movie. It often includes scriptwriting, storyboarding, and initial budgeting.
- Pre-production: During this phase, the project moves toward actual production. Tasks include finalizing the script, hiring key crew members (director, cinematographer, production designer, etc.), casting actors, scouting locations, creating a shooting schedule, and finalizing the budget.
- Production: This is where filming takes place. The director, actors, and the entire crew work together to capture the scenes according to the script. This stage involves setting up sets, costumes, makeup, lighting, and sound recording.
- Post-production: After filming, the footage is edited together. This phase includes editing the film, adding visual effects, sound design, musical score, and any necessary reshoots or additional scenes. It’s also where the final cut of the film is created.
- Distribution: Once the film is completed, it’s ready for distribution. This involves marketing, securing distribution deals with theaters or streaming platforms, creating promotional materials, and organizing premieres or screenings.
Throughout these stages, there’s a significant amount of coordination, collaboration, and decision-making among various departments and individuals to bring the movie from concept to screen. Each stage requires careful planning, creativity, and technical expertise to ensure a successful final product. And, of course, the movie production process also requires significant funding. You may be able to get grants and donations to cover some of the steps, but crowdfunding will often be needed for the rest.
Crowdfunding for Movie Production Planning and Prep.
Of course, even before you start, you have likely developed a compelling and unique film concept that resonates with your target audience. Now you need to determine the estimated budget for your film, including production, post-production, marketing, and distribution costs. This, in turn, will help you set a realistic crowdfunding goal that covers a significant portion of your budget. Avoid setting it too high, as it might discourage potential backers, but if it’s too low, they may wonder how you can get it all done and create a quality project.
You also need to ensure you have at least the beginnings of a talented team around you, a general idea of where you will film and other logistics, and a basic timeline. Put yourself in an investor’s shoes, and remember that they can vet many possibilities. They want to know that you have a plan, the ability to carry it out, and a vision for the final product.
Crowdfunding for Movie Production: The Platform
Once you have the above steps done, you need to choose a crowdfunding platform unless you have decided to fundraise independently. First, you need to determine if you will give away any shares of the future revenue of your project, ask for loans that will be paid back, or just run a rewards campaign. Once you have that decided, you should research and select a suitable crowdfunding platform for your project, and of course, we can help! Each platform has its rules, fees, and audience, so choose one that aligns with your project’s needs.
The Pitch and the Rewards
Once you have been accepted to the platform of your choice, you need to craft a captivating pitch video that explains your film, its story, the team involved, and why people should support it. Of course, this step is crucial when crowdfunding for movie production because people will want to see the quality you can create. You must also write an engaging project description that provides additional information about the film, your vision, and your team.
Design attractive reward tiers that encourage backers to contribute at different levels. Rewards could include digital downloads, exclusive merchandise, credits in the film, invitations to premieres, etc. Ensure the reward process will not subtract from the production, marketing, and distribution processes.
Crowdfunding for Movie Production Next Steps
Now that you have a plan and a platform pitch, the following steps are marketing and brand awareness. You should establish a professional website or landing page for your film project. Create social media profiles and regularly update them with behind-the-scenes content, updates, and engaging posts. Behind this should be a comprehensive marketing plan to promote your crowdfunding campaign (we can help!), which might utilize social media, email marketing, press releases, and collaborations with influencers to spread the word about your project.
Ongoing maintenance and contact
During this time, keep close track of your platform results and make changes (if allowed) that respond to how things are going. Engage with your backers throughout the campaign by responding to comments, messages, and updates. Regularly update your backers on the campaign’s progress, milestones reached, and any changes to the project.
Consider setting stretch goals beyond your initial funding target if things go really well. These can encourage additional contributions and help you fund extra features or enhancements for the film. Raising your budget can be good, but early investors will want an explanation that helps them understand why they may have been diluted (meaning that your profits now must be split more ways).
The Results of the Crowdfunding Campaign
Once the campaign ends successfully, thank your backers and celebrate the achievement. Begin the process of fulfilling rewards promptly. This includes delivering digital rewards and organizing physical rewards. Keep your backers updated on the production process through regular updates. Upon completing the film, plan a premiere or screening event for your backers and supporters (remember, you may come back to them for your next project!). When your project is successful, we also hope you’ll be open to helping the next generation of indie filmmakers by giving them a shout-out on their campaign or helping to mentor them.
Our Services and Crowdfunding for Movie Production
Remember that crowdfunding requires dedicated effort, effective communication, and creativity. You will have a lot of competition since so many funding sources and platforms have emerged. You need to stand out and develop a compelling pitch that makes a great first impression and compels investors to help fund your project. All of this is the same whether you choose an equity, debt, donation, or rewards-based raise.
Of course, we can help with the crowdfunding for the movie production process! Most of our services are free, and all of them are guaranteed. We aim to leave you in full control of all the areas you want, particularly the creative side. Contact us to discuss this further or inquire about our services.
