An article by Rachel Abramowitz in
the Los Angeles Times reveals how independent film-makers are being creative in
order to get financing for their movies. Here’s my favorite:
“Actress-writer-producer Sybil Temtchine has raised about half of the $600,000 budget for her film "Audrey" from female business leaders. About a year ago, she sat in a Borders and collected the name of every famous female author who'd written a book that somehow touched on female empowerment, from Suze Orman to Marianne Williamson. She wrote to 200 of them, and sent a link to her short film "Piece A' Cake," which was the launching point for her proposed feature, a comedy about female insecurity.
About 75% of the women wrote back. Some sent checks and others introduced her to women's organizations like 85 Broads, which support women entrepreneurs. 85 Broads' founder Janet Hanson "blogged about us. It was the greatest blog, like only a mother would write," Temtchine says. “
Is this a method that you could use as a model to get funding for a writing or other artistic project? The key feature was that her film had a very specific theme (women's obsession with their body image and food and how damaging it could be--although the short film handles it with humour. Does your project have a theme that might appeal to lots of people? Among those, which might be willing to support it (not only with money but maybe also by spreading the word)? How can you reach them?
Lots of people would have felt awkward or embarrassed writing to strangers. She wasn't, and has $300,000 to show for it so far!
(If you're interested in finding additional unconventional and inexpensive ways to market yourself or your product, check out my book, "Do Something Different," published by Virgin Books and available at the usual online retailers and in discerning book stores. It features 100 case studies to inspire you to get the word out in this crowded marketplace.)
