Category Archives: Funding

Please do feed the film crew

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According to the adage, an army travels on its stomach. And it’s no different for an indie film production.

Feeding a film crew? A few suggestions, and an idea on how to do it for free:

Sophia Harvey writes Food on Set: Do’s and Don’ts for Feeding Your Crew on No Film School and expounds on these topics:

  1. Don’t be stingy.
  2. Aim for variety.
  3. Keep it caloric, but healthy.
  4. Pay attention to dietary restrictions.
  5. Keep it hot and punctual.
  6. Crafty: no mess, no mayo.
  7. Coffee and water, always and forever.
  8. Choose bulk catering.
  9. Special touches matter.

AJ Unitas lists 8 Essential Tips for Prepping an Awesome Craft Services Table on StudioBinder that include:

  1. Keep caterers away from the craft services table.
  2. Buy supplies in bulk from wholesale markets.
  3. Account for allergies and diets.
  4. Fill your craft table with healthy options.
  5. But don’t get too crazy.
  6. Get brands specifically asked for.
  7. Turn cheese sticks into two.
  8. Keep your Production going.

How to afford what could be your biggest expense on a low-budget short?

Lacee Kloze suggests 9 Ways to Feed A Hungry Film Crew For Free on Creative Live. Her bold strategy?

  1. Create a flashy one-sheet about your project.
  2. Write a form letter.
  3. Send your form letter and one sheet combo EVERYWHERE!
  4. Don’t be afraid to ask for something small — snacks, drinks or desserts — instead of a full meal.
  5. Don’t forget to ask for staples like bagels and coffee.
  6. Hit the grocery stores, natural food markets and co-ops.
  7. Start early.
  8. Team up with a non-profit.
  9. When the yeses start coming back, follow through with your promises.

Three great blog posts to get you thinking!

My take: I like French Hours that keep your work day to 10 hours, with no meal break.

Lynn Shelton $20,000 Grant Deadline August 2

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August 2, 2022, is the deadline to apply for the $20,000 Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” first feature grant.

“The Lynn Shelton “Of A Certain Age” Grant is a project-based award that provides $20,000 to an individual woman, non-binary, and/or transgender U.S. filmmaker, age 39 or older, who is working on their first narrative feature (65 minutes or over) as a director.“

The list of requirements (that you already have, right?):

  • Biography (150 words or less) – Tell the story of you and your work as a filmmaker and/or director.
  • Logline (75 words or less) – Distill the central conflict and important elements of your screenplay.
  • Film Résumé or CV (5 pages or less) – Upload your film résumé or CV.
  • Director Statement (300 words or less) – Articulate your filmmaking voice/philosophy and what about you and your process or work makes you singular as a director.
  • Film Project Overview (300 words or less) – A holistic summary of your pre-production or in-development narrative feature film that articulates the story, vision, and scope of the film, and gives the reader a feel for its main characters, plot, and themes. It should clearly describe what your film is about and give readers a reason to want to watch it.
  • Past Project Work Sample (2-3 minutes) – Provide a URL link to a video sample from a completed work (not a rough cut or work-in-progress) that you have directed within the last 10 years. If you are submitting links to platforms like Vimeo or Youtube make sure you include a password, if applicable. Indicate your start and stop time for the excerpt (e.g., “Start at 3:30 and end at 5:30”). If no start and stop time is provided, panelists will begin watching at the beginning and will watch for a maximum of three (3) minutes.
  • Narrative Feature (Proposed Project) Work Sample – Provide a URL link to one (1) of the following materials from your narrative film project that you are directing: ten (10) pages of your script (can be from any portion), a pitch deck, or clip (2 minutes or less).
  • Work Sample Context (50 words or less each) – Provide 1-2 sentence explanations for both your completed project and your current project that provide context for the reviewers for where we are in the story when your work sample starts.

My take: hey, 20K is 20K! If you qualify and you’re developing your first feature, you owe it to yourself to apply. When you win, these funds could very well be the tail that wags the proverbial dog. If you don’t win, you will still attract attention to yourself and your project. Like they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

TikTok virality spawns Spotify streams

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The Pudding and Vox have posted a video that explores what happens after TikTok songs go viral.

They say:

“It’s no secret that TikTok is a virality machine. Songs get turned into sounds that can be used in any video, and if they gain enough traction they can catapult a musician into the pop culture stratosphere. But we wanted to know exactly what happens between a song going viral and an artist becoming a bonafide success. So in the fall of 2021, we partnered with data analysis website The Pudding figure it out…. We were able to follow the numbers to track what happens to artists after they go viral — and how the music industry has shapeshifted around TikTok. It turns out the app is completely revolutionizing the way record labels work, and giving artists more leverage than ever.”

Key takeaways:

  • 125 artists got their big break and went viral on TikTok in 2020. (4:58)
  • When 15 seconds of a song goes viral on TikTok, people flood to Spotify to stream the full song. (6:14)
  • Record labels monitor TikTok like hawks and aggressively try to sign new viral artists. (9:36)
  • 46% of those 125 artists went from unsigned to landing a major record label deal. (14:12)
  • Musician L.Dre says, “The fact of the matter is, if you wanna make it today, you either have to have money to hire people, or you just need to also become a video editor. Also become a graphic designer. You definitely have to wear a lot of hats for sure.” (18:37)
  • Among the artists who had never toured before or played a show about a third of them have had at least one live show and about 15% of them are actually playing festivals now. (20:45)

My take: I know there’s a lot of hate for TikTok but I love that it grants some creative folks their “15 minutes of fame.” The fact is that there is an overwhelming amount of digital content being created every day — too much for any one person to sift through. The kids on TikTok are choosing the riffs they like, turning them viral. Their creators then get recognized on Spotify — and compensated. Once upon a time “Video Killed the Radio Star,” but now TikTok has killed the video star and, in today’s attention economy, the crowd has truly become the curator.

Claim: Content is No Longer King

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Alexandra Canal reports on Yahoo FInance that Streaming has turned film financing ‘upside down’: ‘It’s VOD or die,’ says lawyer.

She quotes Schuyler Moore, entertainment attorney at Greenberg Glusker:

“Content is not king. Distribution is king.… If you go back 10 years, the studios had all the power, because they controlled the distribution…. Studios are on their knees. They got no clout at the table because anybody can produce. The whole world is upside down, particularly for the studios.”

His advice:

  1. Team up with producers known to the streamers.
  2. Have a realistic budget.
  3. Sell your film upfront (or finance the contract) to make the movie.

She quotes him:

“Most films lose money. This is a losing business, don’t do it, especially if you don’t have a pre-sale to a streamer. But if you can sell to a streamer, then you get your premium. You’re not going to get a share of the net profits. There is no back-end payment, but you’ll get a significant premium and will walk away with some cash.“

My take: it seems there’s always somebody in between my movie and my audience!

Cannes 2022: film quotas drive national production

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Scott Roxborough reports in The Hollywood Reporter that Wall Street Hits the Croisette: Why Private Equity Investors Are Bullish on Indie Film.

He claims:

“Private equity, or PE, firms are pumping money into the entertainment content, financing independent production and snatching up companies at a level never seen before in the indie industry…. Some of the biggest players packaging projects and inking deals on the Croisette have backing from private equity groups…. The bet PE investors are making is that the explosive growth in streaming services will lead to a similar demand boom for content. And that the companies that own the IP, the original films and TV shows the streamers need, will be best positioned to benefit.”

He traces this demand squarely back to government policy:

“Many see particularly strong growth potential in Europe, where European Union (EU) content quotas for SVOD platforms — 30 percent of all content on streaming services in Europe must be European-made — has created guaranteed demand for original, home-grown films and series which most streamers will be unable to fill on their own.”

As to Cannes, filmmaker Jeremy Lutter (pictured above) compares this year’s experience with previous ones:

“Cannes is in some ways the same and in some ways different. I would say it’s two thirds the size as previous non-COVID years in terms of events. But, considering the situation, it’s impressive! The crowds are smaller but it’s still busy. As for deals — people are looking — there’s been less movies made recently — everyone is hungry for movies. Oh yeah, instead of a gift bag, this year you get a PPE mask with a logo on it!”

My take: of course, quotas drive national production. We proved that with CanCon and Canadian music; witness the dozens of Canadian superstars, who, as Simu Liu points out about Shawn Mendes, Avril Lavigne and Arcade Fire, “like me have fulfilled the ultimate Canadian dream of making it in America — but to our credit, we always come back!”

Tips for Indie Filmmakers

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Suzette Brown shares in a guest blog on Women and Hollywood: How to Make a Movie on a $100K Budget.

“On the first feature I produced, I was told by the director, ‘There are three options — good, fast, or cheap — but you can only pick two.‘ As an independent filmmaker without the luxury of unlimited resources, I pick good and cheap every time. That doesn’t mean I don’t stick to my deadlines, but that I should take the time to do things right each step of the way.”

She then shares five tips for indie filmmakers:

  1. “Reverse Engineer. Encourage the writer and director to add elements we already have access to that are either discounted or free. No action-packed sequences, iconic locations, or other elements you cannot afford.
  2. Do a full breakdown of the script. How many different locations are there? How many cast members, crew members, props, vehicles, wardrobe?
  3. Get locations free. A great way to be efficient is to pick locations that are multi-purpose to be able to shoot two locations at one place in one day. Schedule around the locations first, lumping them together, minimizing company moves. This keeps shooting days and travel time down.
  4. Ask yourself what things can be borrowed, made, or repurposed. Take inventory of the equipment your team already has that can be borrowed before using a rental house. Set design and wardrobe is where creativity is paramount.
  5. Proper meals throughout filming are important. Before you begin principal photography, you should already have a list of your entire team’s dietary restrictions and preferences as well as what days they will be working. I love supporting family-owned businesses whenever I can. By working with a local restaurant, giving them our business for the duration of the shoot, I was able to obtain lower pricing and we were able to use them for our diner location in the script, another multi-purpose saving opportunity.”

She concludes with: “It’s vital that you control the things that you can control ahead of time so you can work around unexpected surprises. Proper planning will always be your budget’s best friend.”

My take: great advice! As to where to find $100,000, she didn’t say. But watching her trailer it seems like you just have to look in the right duffel bag!

Telefilm to ask key creatives to self-identity

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In order to create a more equitable film industry, on December 14, 2021, Telefilm Canada shared information on its newest phase of data collection enhancements.

Christa Dickenson, Telefilm Canada’s Executive Director and CEO, is quoted:

“Telefilm’s next phase in data collection will work to bring greater insight into Canada’s audiovisual industry, and help us learn more about our film community, their projects, and their needs. We will be able to capture a more accurate portrait of our project pipeline, and address communities that need additional support, training, mentorship and more.”

Data will be collected from directors, writers, producers, co-producers, and executive producers on a voluntary basis and will cover Indigenous identity, racial and ethnic identity, gender identity and expression, belonging to an 2SLGBTQIA+ community, disability status, and belonging to an Official Language Minority Community.

Note that this self-provided “information will be used in evaluation of the creative material, review of the community engagement plan, as well as to evaluate eligibility to certain specific streams.”

Find more details here: Data Collection

For Telefilm’s diversity objectives and identity definitions, see page 7 of the Essential Information Guide

Find a sample survey here: https://telefilm.ca/wp-content/uploads/telefilm-canada-self-identification-questionnaire-december-2021.pdf

The new Self-Identification Questionnaire will be available on January 4, 2022.

Telefilm has done a great job with gender parity over the last five years. See its Gender Action Parity Plan and 2020-2021 results. See its Equity and Representation Action Plan and June 2021 presentation.

My take: with gender parity, we knew the goal was 50/50, or something close to that. But what are the goals for diversity and inclusivity? From Statistics Canada: “Canada is an increasingly diverse country — data from the 2016 Census indicated that 22.3% of the population were designated as belonging to one or more visible minority groups. Through population projections from 2017, Statistics Canada projects that this percentage would rise to between 31.2% and 35.9% by 2036.” So my guesstimate is that Telefilm’s goal would be 1 in 3.

Crazy8s deadline coming soon

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This Monday, October 25, 2021, at 11:59 pm, is the deadline to apply to Crazy8s on Film Freeway.

Since 1999, Vancouver’s Crazy8s has produced 127 short films. The Crazy8s Film Society exists to provide funding and support to emerging filmmakers to help them produce short films and to train crew and cast.

Each Writer, Directer and Producer team submits a 3-minute video pitch. Forty semi-finalists will be contacted by November 15 to schedule a time to pitch in-person to a jury of industry professionals on either November 20 or 21, 2021.

Next, twelve semi-finalists go into a story editing phase and work with a professional Script Editor.

Then the Top 6 Teams receive almost $50,000-worth of camera, lighting and grip packages, $1000 cash, and mentorship throughout the duration of their 8-day production and delivery of their final films.

The process culminates with a Gala Screening and AfterParty slated for April 9, 2022, in Vancouver.

My take: I’ve seen a number of Crazy8s films over the years and have always been impressed with their professionalism. Highly recommended.

The secret to financing your second feature revealed

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Margeaux Sippell reveals on MovieMaker the 17-Year Secret to Indie Success, From Coatwolf’s Evan Glodell.

Jess Jacklin, Charles Beale and Jake Bowen of the excellent vlog/podcast Demystified recently interviewed Evan Glodell whose first feature Bellflower debuted at Sundance in 2011 and went on to earn two Indie Sprit Award nominations.

He relayed his seven-year story chasing funding for his second film:

“I’m having meetings with literally A-list actors who were like, ‘I want to work with you’ and every big studio in town, and I was like, ‘We’ve made it.’ Nothing had ever worked in my life until one day I said, I’m gonna do this thing and take what was available to me, like in my real-world resources I actually had, which is what we used to make Bellflower. And instead of being like, ‘Hey, that was a big life lesson, that worked!’ we were like, okay, now let’s go back to holding our hands out… What the hell was I doing?”

And he revealed his epithany:

“If I care at all about telling stories in these movies that I say I care so much about that I’m willing to endlessly work and go to meetings for seven years with no outcome, I should just go back in with the resources I have now. The second that I made that decision, all of a sudden everything turned around, and it was like the stars aligned.“

His micro-budget mantra: Just start with what you have.

“You literally have like zero in your way. It’s only you. You can tell your story, but you’re scared of having your story be there bare naked on the screen without the polish of millions of Hollywood dollars and skill, you know? Like 99% of people who reach out to me to say the same thing. I’m like, dude, you just need to get over your fear and just go. Do you have a rich family? Do you have rich friends? No? Okay, you’re in with most of the rest of us. Just go. Nothing’s gonna happen if you don’t go.”

Here’s the trailer for the $17,000 Bellflower:

And here’s how they made it.

My take: I love this sentiment! Nike said it best, “Just Do It!” Need instructions? What you need to know, in 10 minutes.

CMF: no broadcaster, no problem!

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The Canada Media Fund quietly announced a new fund last week: the Development Pilot Program – Experienced Producers.

Up to $100,000 matching funds are available per project, and — the kicker — no broadcaster need be attached.

“This program supports projects in the development stage by experienced producers where no Canadian broadcaster is attached. The total amount of funding available in the program is $3M, divided on a 2/3 English and 1/3 French basis. Eligible projects must be in the Drama, Children & Youth or Documentary genres.”

Take note: this funding is first come, first served, and opens November 26, 2020.

Experienced Producers are those who have worked with the CMF over the last five years creating at least:

  • 5 Dramas, or
  • 4 Children & Youth live-action projects, or
  • 4 Children & Youth animation projects, or
  • 5 Documentary series, or
  • 6 Documentary one-off projects, or
  • 4 Documentary POV projects.

This funding will be welcome relief to 30 or more producers who can continue developing projects during these strange times.

My take: Hey, experienced producers! I have three scripts ready for further development — give me a call! Seriously.