EDITOR’S NOTE: Part 1 is HERE
Aspiring writers often wonder how the pros got where they are. The truth is, everyone’s story is different, but there are some common elements: dedication, persistence, hard work and not giving up.
With research showing that film financing and going out to ask investors for money are big challenges for female independent filmmakers, Women In Film and Sundance Institute have teamed up for a Female Filmmakers Financing Intensive.
TVWriter.com Contributing Editor, Kelly Jo Brick, was one of the filmmakers selected to participate in this event. She shares these takeaways from her experience with the Financing Intensive.
1. Creating opportunities: As part of a small group selected to workshop our current projects with Sundance advisors, I was quickly caught up in the energy and enthusiasm of those around me, both advisors and participants, real examples of people who aren’t waiting to be chosen, but are going out and making things happen, which is something anyone can do.
What’s the story, Angelo?
It’s insane to even want to make a movie…so call me crazy. With whatever you do in life, you must build on your past success. I’ve made no-budget films and I’ve made films with $10,000 to $100,000 of my own dough…
Now, I want to make something bigger and more badass!
Today’s question comes from Andy, who wants to know:
“I saw your post on the Kickstarter Film Festival and was wondering, what are your thoughts on creatives using Kickstarter, Indigo and the like, especially with regard to TV? Is it good, bad, the future of the industry? Are crowd funded Web series a good launching pad for TV writing careers?
“Are those who go this route blazing a trail or trying to push a bolder up a hill only to watch it roll all the way down at the end?”
Of course, it turns out to be what every salesman has to do in every medium because, dammit, there really aren’t any shortcuts, are there?
How I Launched a Successful Kickstarter Campaign – by Sarah Gilbert
“You can always back out,” a dear friend who had successfully completed a few Kickstarter campaigns told me a few days into my own campaign. “You just have such a short timeline.”