Ten* Filmmakers I Would Crowd Fund*

Look at this concept that micro film studio IMAM has recently launched:

http://www.iMadeAMovie.com

It's similar to crowd funding but with the twist of all the value added subscribers receive when they contribute to the project. All projects will be made with a "micro budget" to ensure films get funded within a reasonable timeframe.

I like the idea of crowd sourcing, but it sounds like it's getting pretty crowded. Wouldn't we be better off hitting up dentists or a few rich people? I don't think they would have as many requirements as Ted has for his contribution, which I imagine to be in the under 500 dollar range. I'd bet that it would be just as easy (or as difficult) to find ten investors to put in 30K each than it would to find 3000 investors to put in 100 dollars each.

Azazel Jacobs

Hey Ted & All,

I am doing a DIY distribution project in December - 8 screenings of my movie Date Number One at an art gallery, & making 1000 DVDs available for sale, here is the Kickstarter page for it:

http://www.kickstarter.com/pro...

I'll have space for 8 opening acts (short films, other presentations, etc.) - about 25 mins long - so any filmmakers & other artists interested in that can get in touch.

Thanks!

- Sujewa
wilddiner@aol.com

Why don't you start your own Kickstarter project? A 100k fund for film grants?

I'd pledge.

MDOTSTRANGE has already got my money, and soul.

Dee Rees!!!
Tina Mabry!!!
Julian Breece!!!
H. P. Mendoza!!!

Nice one Ted, you are an inspiration. I'd ride your offering and help fund Lance Hammer. His film Ballast was my favourite at last years Melbourne International Film Festival. I like the fact that he went solo on distribution but admitted he made many mistakes along the way. I think he is experienced enough now to take up your challenge. Good luck and keep up the good work.....Eamon!

Has someone out there got a list with more women in it? Judi Krant, So Yong Kim & Lynn Shelton are great. I'll add Courtney Hunt (Frozen River). Sima Urale (Apron Strings) from this side of the world. Are there six more you can think of Ted?

And, Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah), what a stunner.

I'm not going to add myself because I've only recently, started assembling a crowd site and I'm a long way from the film I want to fund. However (and I don't know if they can be considered new filmmakers), I would follow Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden anywhere. Perhaps you could decrease the possibility of suffocating financial challenge by donating something to them. I'm not one of their people, but I feel very passionate about the voice they inject into the current lay out of films.

Alan Chan
Reuben Lim
Kat Candler

I haven't linked to all the names on your list, yet, but are all these folks director-filmmakers? What about us creative producers, who build the ships that these terrific filmmakers captain...? I consider what I do to be an art. This is something that really frustrates me in grant-seeking and filmmaker labs, too (though moreso in the grants/ fellowships world). As a creative producer with one low-budget indie in the can ("jumping off bridges" by Kat Candler [her 2nd feature], and another one on the brink of pre-production ("Lost in Sunshine" by Jentri Chancey [her first feature]), at a minimum, I would LOVE a vote of enthusiasm like you're describing. And, will some foundation PLEASE begin a fellowship like the Nicholls or the Jeromes for us artistic entrepreneurs, please? We need the cash, too, really. :)

Damn, do I have a Donate button on my website, yet (www.forwardmarsh.net)? D'oh! Bad me; gotta fix that. Thanks for this post's kick in the pants.

ONE LAST THING that I haven't seen addressed in any of your posts, yet: I'd love to see you address the back end of a movie, after its back end (specifically, if it's not sold for all rights to a studio or distributor).

You've produced so many movies - do you have a strategy for creating a library of your future films, given that studio-sponsored or -acquired projects are currently underwhelming? What's the picture for a producer who doesn't necessarily want to become a micro-distribution business, too? How do we anticipate and afford the Overhead that will come with more DIY/DIWO in our Indie World?? Thanks, Ted.

Ted,

can i plug www.biracy.com here?

thanks man

JJ Lask
Bob Byington
Aaron Katz
Joe Swanberg
Alex Karpovsky
Miranda July
Andrew Bujalski

Tze- I like to always have it set at 11. Hence the*.

Great step forward.

How do I get on this list?

I'm 13 days into a Kickstarter campaign for funishing funds for a film with thousands of interested viewers already and a solid grassroots campaign already in place.

I work in both fiction and documentaries but began this documentary a couple years ago due to having more creative freedom considering the economy and the production/distribution costs and uncertainties for getting a first feature done.

Let me know if I can send you a fine cut of the film in order for you to back our campaign along with the others.

Thanks again.

Kickstarter Page:

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1...

I love this question.

Frankie Latina
Judi Krant (again)
Todd Rohal
David & Nathan Zellner
J.J. Lask
John Bryant
Shane Carruth
Lynne Shelton
David Lowery
Dave Boyle

10 of the top of my head...

Great Post Ted.

We would gladly support these fundraising efforts on IndieGoGo. Several of the filmmakers you mentioned are already on the site and we would be excited to explore ways to create an "official" program.

Where would you want the 5,000 fans identified?
How would they have to share their marketing/distribution plans?
How much would you want to crowdfund?

Slava

It's so awesome and fitting that Ted's got eleven filmmakers on his "Ten Filmmakers I would Crowd Fund" list --- TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN, TED!

I'd fund Aaron Katz (Quiet City, Dance Party USA)

I'd add myself, Melissa Pierce to that list... of course, the film is already crowdsourced. http://lifeinperpetualbeta.com - *Pats back for being ahead of the curve*

*raises hand awkwardly* I currently have a KSR campaign going. Actually, Kieran is one of the backers :)

It's an independent film (truly indie though, not like that funny list of major studio backed "indie films") that I've been working hard on for 6 years, it should come in under a $100k budget. We're only $1.5k away from a $8.3k goal! It's been really exciting. http://tr.im/xr5d

Anyway - enough self promoting :P Thanks for the list of filmmakers! It's always great to find new and inspiring story tellers to follow.

Oh, and if I was going to back any filmmaker on KSR, it would no doubt be the team behind http://theblacksheep.be - they recently finished their first ultra-low-budget film, Somewhere Between Here and Now, and it's very, very beautiful. They are kinda' amazing.

I thought this was an interesting response to the concept of crowdsourcing for production funds considering that many of us, myself included, are looking at it as a way to involve our fan base on a more personal level. What you're basically saying is: "I may not personally get a financial return back from getting involved in your effort, but I want some assurances that you are doing everything in your power to connect and innovate in this new era of indie filmmaking". I think we, the filmmakers, need more of this "Tough Love" support. We need to know there are those out there that support "real" art but also are holding us accountable. Thanks Ted for this post.