Currently seeking funding (anywhere from hundreds to several thousand dollars) for ultra low budget horror films, which are pretty well known for returning good profits.
Email me if interested.

Currently seeking funding (anywhere from hundreds to several thousand dollars) for ultra low budget horror films, which are pretty well known for returning good profits.
Email me if interested.
I have funding available for the right project.

I'd like to see the script and any current attachments.

Moved to Classified Ads.

Currently seeking funding (anywhere from hundreds to several thousand dollars) for ultra low budget horror films, which are pretty well known for returning good profits.
Email me if interested.


Chitty.. dont take this as a hostile comment but Arn't you the same cat who just pitched an idea and request for as many low budget indie horror films as possible?

and now you are looking for hudreds or thousands of dollars to invest in a film of your own?

Seems like you always want to be the benefactor in your ideas.


Good luck with that. If its an ultra low budget film then why dont you swing the cash yourself?

BTW.. Anyone want to invest in me as a Low budget film director by purchasing me a nice AG100?

no ?!!


Just thought i'de ask :p

I'm with King Goldfish on this one. If it's "ultra low budget" then why do you need thousands of dollars from other people? And if you are/own a distributer, why don't you have enough money to produce a low budget movie?

...again, I'm not attacking either. Just pointing out what your post looks like to others.

...I would suggest guaranteeing that investers will at least break even when the film is done. That will attract more investors because it's a "nothing to lose-everything to gain" opportunity.

No offense to anybody, but it seems like we're all drawing conclusions here. How do we know if Chitty just didn't buy a new camera with his life savings, and that he doesn't even have a few hundred dollars left to invest in the production aspect of the films. Notice I said films? Well thats because Chitty obviously wants to make more than one. He asked for funding for low budget horror films. Not film. Say each film cost $500, and he makes 3 of them, thats $1500. I don't know many aspiring filmmakers who have $1500 lying around. But then again I don't know either, so I would like to see more details as well.

...I would suggest guaranteeing that investers will at least break even when the film is done. That will attract more investors because it's a "nothing to lose-everything to gain" opportunity.
A guaranteed return - lol - wouldn't that be nice, every indie project would get financing. Unfortunatley that's not the way it works.

No offense to anybody, but it seems like we're all drawing conclusions here. How do we know if Chitty just didn't buy a new camera with his life savings, and that he doesn't even have a few hundred dollars left to invest in the production aspect of the films. Notice I said films? Well thats because Chitty obviously wants to make more than one. He asked for funding for low budget horror films. Not film. Say each film cost $500, and he makes 3 of them, thats $1500. I don't know many aspiring filmmakers who have $1500 lying around. But then again I don't know either, so I would like to see more details as well.


Here's the deal.
I am going to be starting a distribution company. It hopefully will be up and running by late fall.
It will be to distribute truly indie horror films.
All film makers tentatively recieve 50% of gross profits, which is pretty standard with low budget horror film distributors, and they get a distributor who actually cares about their product and takes the time to try to get it out to the public when maybe no one else will.

I had planned this as a means to an end to make a living and to make enough money to finance my own projects, but as it is not up and running yet, and my first two films are currently in post, I have no cashflow to finance my own films at this moment.

And unless you are lucky, an ultra low budget is still not petty cash to your average person.
I don't know about anyone else here, but I don't have hundreds of dollars laying around, let alone the thousands that it is very easy to rack up shooting a movie (even an ultra low budget one). My last film was shot for $70 in 3 days, but that's not the norm because there were no FX.

Anyway, that's where I stand on this.
Just because a film is ultra low budget doesn't mean the filmmaker has the money laying around.
And a low budget film means a faster return on ivestment. Especially a horror film, because horror has and always will be a money maker!

I'm not on too frequently, but I will jump on from time to time to defend my name.email me at passmeabeerprod@hotmail.com if anyone wants any more info on my productions or whatnot.
Thanks.

I don't know about anyone else here, but I don't have hundreds of dollars laying around, let alone the thousands that it is very easy to rack up shooting a movie (even an ultra low budget one).
I do.

Not exactly laying around, but I have money for the right project. If you are interested in an investor I will need the basic information.

Script
Current attachments
Resumes of director, DP, producer, editor and production manager.

Director, I didn't know you were an investor. I'll be shooting you an email soon. :cool:

Please don't hate me chitty for writing him. :no: :)

Here's the deal.
I am going to be starting a distribution company. It hopefully will be up and running by late fall.
It will be to distribute truly indie horror films.
All film makers tentatively recieve 50% of gross profits, which is pretty standard with low budget horror film distributors, and they get a distributor who actually cares about their product and takes the time to try to get it out to the public when maybe no one else will.

my first two films are currently in post, I have no cashflow to finance my own films at this moment.

I don't know about anyone else here, but I don't have hundreds of dollars laying around, let alone the thousands that it is very easy to rack up shooting a movie (even an ultra low budget one).



Haha... So how can you pay me to distribute my films if you don't even have a hundres dollars? How can you promote my film if you have no money?
What experience do you have with distribution?
What is your territory?
When do you expect to launch this company?
Are you planning on self-distributing your 2 films, which are in post?
Are you planning to use the money made from the 2 films as seed money for the distro company?

What can you offer us so we will want to go with you insteat of someone else?

Haha... So how can you pay me to distribute my films if you don't even have a hundres dollars? How can you promote my film if you have no money?
What experience do you have with distribution?
What is your territory?
When do you expect to launch this company?
Are you planning on self-distributing your 2 films, which are in post?
Are you planning to use the money made from the 2 films as seed money for the distro company?

What can you offer us so we will want to go with you insteat of someone else?
All relevant questions, Coot.

I asked for info on chitty's distribution plans on September 1st. He came back to this thread to defend his name, but wasn't interested in answering any of my legitimate questions. I wonder if he will answer yours?

I want to take people at "face" value. I would love to have a new, hungry company distribute my movies and I would love to help chitty find funding for his horror movie.

But I suspect his dreams are bigger than his ability.

Nevertheless. My offer stands. As do my questions on his distribution thread.

A guaranteed return - lol - wouldn't that be nice, every indie project would get financing. Unfortunatley that's not the way it works.

I would NEVER ask for someone to INVEST in my picture if I wasn't sure that I would someday, somehow be able to AT LEAST pay them back what they invested. Granted, I am way thriftier than your average filmmaker.

Now, if I know (or suspect) that my movie will not make any profit, then I would only ask for DONATIONS and/or sell something like product placement or I would earn my own money.

If I have a movie idea that is expensive but not very sellable (is that a word?), then donations (not investments) are ideal....it can be looked at as supporting the arts...

...this is all just me, but I've learned on several occasions that guaranteeing breaking even is how to do it...you're not guaranteeing profit.

Oh Yeah! ...I also learned that in Dov S-S Simens' class...somebody back me up!! I know some of you have taken his class..

I would NEVER ask for someone to INVEST in my picture if I wasn't sure that I would someday, somehow be able to AT LEAST pay them back what they invested. Granted, I am way thriftier than your average filmmaker.
.
That's a loan, not an investment.

You're right...then I guess I would just not ask for an investment.

Although it may not seem it, I am somewhat business-minded...I just try to make things as easy as possible for everyone...

...that IS a loan, but if the person with the money has the possibility of making a profit...then it's a loanvestment. That's what I would do :)

:)

It's nice that you guarantee returns. I think we hijacked chitty's thread, lol, sorry Chitty.

I've been watching this thread develop and I have 4 comments:

1) Just because chitty is planning on starting up a distribution company doesn't mean that he can't ask for funding for his own film. Harvey Weinstein runs a distribution company yet continually gets outside funding for some of the films he eventually distributes. And he's not the only one.

2) Just because he doesn't have a bunch of money lying around to make a feature doesn't mean he can't be starting a distribution co. (all his money could be tied up in the startup).

3) It is troubling that chitty hasn't replied to directorik's questions. But that doesn't mean he's a lying sack of doo doo. It just means he hasn't responded.

4) One of the things newbies always say about this site is how welcoming members are, some welcome we've laid out for chitty.

Poke

4) One of the things newbies always say about this site is how welcoming members are, some welcome we've laid out for chitty.
An excellent point.

Though so far, it seems to me most questions directed at chitty are legit and respectful. When responding to an anonymous person asking for money, one must be cautious. When asking people for money on a message board, one must expect cautious - even suspicious - questions.

Since chitty came to these boards and on one day asked for movies to distribute and for money for his own movies and then didn't answer legit questions posed, I think a little more suspicion is understandable.

One of the things newbies always say about this site is how welcoming members are, some welcome we've laid out for chitty.

Very true. I think I did to a little blast there, and if taken as a harsh and uncalled for response, then I appologize.

I am a business minded person. When someone asks me to invest in something, they better be able to answer all my questions off the top of their head, otherwise the busines wasn't thought out. If a business plan is made, then the questions would be easy to answer because it's been thought out and put in black and white. If you have a good plan, investors will be more inclined to invest. Someone that just wants me to invest in an idea isn't getting any money, Even if it's the BEST idea in the history of the world. An idea is just a thought. Turn that into a plan and then we'll talk.
That's where I'm coming from.


Stick To What You Know . com

I'm not saying we can't ask questions of chitty (and I mentioned that the lack of answers is disturbing); on the contrary. I would have a question or two myself before investing. And just so you know, directorik & CootDog, my comments were not directed at you two.

Poke

Director, I didn't know you were an investor. I'll be shooting you an email soon. :cool:

Please don't hate me chitty for writing him. :no: :)
I won't hate you, but I get a producer credit in whatever film he may fund! :haha:

An excellent point.

Though so far, it seems to me most questions directed at chitty are legit and respectful. When responding to an anonymous person asking for money, one must be cautious. When asking people for money on a message board, one must expect cautious - even suspicious - questions.

I agree, and I am not offended.


Since chitty came to these boards and on one day asked for movies to distribute and for money for his own movies and then didn't answer legit questions posed, I think a little more suspicion is understandable.

I answered those questions to someone, though I think maybe I replied from my email account instead of posting to the board, so they may not have gotten to the right people, so sorry about that.
I can answer any questions people may have. and I understand one being apprehensive about an investor approaching them in a message board.
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to send me an email, as I do not get to the board all that often. That will be much easier for me to respond.

Thanks everyone for all the comments and interest, and again, feel free to email me personally with quetions. :director:

My company has long term plans to go into distribution. In about five to eight years time. This is part of a long term business strategy, which is clearly laid out in our 48 page business plan.

We have already shot and, as anyone reading my online diary will know, are currently completing our first feature film "No Place." We have our second feature "Hellhole" in pre-production right now.

Prior to making these films we spent seven years making shorts, winning awards and studying the business side of the business.

The reason I'm telling you this, is so that you understand why you are getting so much flack for your proposition.

When you ask for people to invest in your project, they need to understand that you have the business and film making skills to ensure that they'll get a return on that investment.

Anybody can claim to set up a distribution company, but without the understanding of the business to back that up why should a filmmaker distribute via you?

The same is true of the film project. Without evidence of your project's commercial potential and your ability to deliver on it, why should people react anyway but with suspicion?

The thing I think about when reading your post is "Would I let anyone with such poor pitching/selling technique distribute my film?" The answer has to be no. I think it's significant that the people giving you the hardest time about this are directorix and Logan L, both people who I personally rate as the most commercially aware members of the forum.

It is good to have ambitions. There is a market for low-budget indie horror, but to fulfil those ambitions you may need to take a step back and take stock of your current skills and abilities. This is a good forum in which to develop those skills. So please take this criticism in the spirit it is intended. That of a welcome to the place, where in time you maybe able to fulfil your ambitions.

An update:

Chitty did email me. He has a start date (Oct. 1) and the cast and crew from his previous movies. But as of his email, no finished script and no written budget.

He has completed at least two movies and his current one sounds pretty good. He sounds like an ambitious guy.

But as clive is pointing out, it takes a lot more than ambition.

OT: director, I just sent you an email with the subject line,"Horror Production seeking funding." Hope to hear from you soon. :)

CootDog]Haha... So how can you pay me to distribute my films if you don't even have a hundres dollars?

I have a good connection that will print dvd's very inexpensively.
i do not have any cash right now, which will change soon, and that is why I am launching the company in late fall/early winter and not now.

How can you promote my film if you have no money?

I will take out ads and banners on various websites, have the film reviewed on various horror film sites, send press releases to horror film related sites and magazines such as FANGORI and VARIETY, arrange screenings at horror film conventions such as the CHILLER CONVENTION and FLASHBACK weekend, and otherwise just do a grassroots underground guerilla marketing job on the films, assuming that most people interested in seeing very low budget films are also on the internet a lot.
I also have a web site currently in the development stages (now put on hold for this film shoot and pre-production) which I will aggressively promote on the net, and may also swing a sub-distribution deal with TEMPE VIDEO.
≈

What experience do you have with distribution?

I have no experience per-say, but I do have aquizitions contacts at HOLLYWOOD VIDEO, BLOCKUSTER, BEST BUY, SUNCOAST VIDEO, ROGERS VIDEO and MOVIE GALLERY and plan to send screeners to all of the above companies for possible sales.

I am a film maker who knows that a lot of great little movies never get distributed.
I realize that there is a market for those films, but that someone who cares about indie film and the "little guy" needs to be in charge of the distribution.


What is your territory?

North America

When do you expect to launch this company?

Late Fall early winter


Are you planning on self-distributing your 2 films, which are in post?

Yes, though they are shorter than feature length, but long for a short, so I have not decided how to package them yet.

the film I am getting ready to shoot, I hope to distribute, but that may change, as there is another investor involved, so... but I would like to distribute it myself.

Are you planning to use the money made from the 2 films as seed money for the distro company?

Yes.

What can you offer us so we will want to go with you insteat of someone else?

I car about indie film, and indie horror in particular.
I will sell DVD's out of the trunks of cars if I need to .
I'm in this to get little movies out, and do something that no one else is doing for the indie film community.
If you can get a distro deal with somebody big, by all means go ahead, and good luck, but the fact is, a lot of good indies are shot on dv and teh majors won't even look at.

I may not be able to get as many out as Mirimax, or Artisan, but they won't even consider a movie if it isn;t "marketable", and I know anythng is marketable, if marketed to the right audience.

It may be a while before the comapany is up and running, but I am trying to aquire films for that time.

Does that answer everyone's questions?
Please know that I will be away from the board for a while for pre-production and production of ROADKILL in OCT.

Also, for the record, I am not using the actors from my previous movie, one of my actors is AD, one of them may co-produce, etc. None of the actors are from my previous films, they are all upcoming actors or models
looking to make it in the film industry.
One has finished the first season of a sitcom, the others have done film work before.

Thank you Directorik though, for saying that HACKS (I believe that is the one) sounds pretty good.

And I did have a basic budget written, but nothing is set in stone, because I have no idea how much money I will be working with. That budget is all relative to what I can get, as all teh actors are working for screen credit.

I also got the final pages of the script from my co-writer and completed them a few days after that post.

That is all for now.

Guys

Anyone who looks into the global film market, will tell you that one of the most profitable forms of indie film making, apart from porn, is low budget horror. There are any number of reasons for this. It's a genre where you don't need a name cast, you don't need good production values, you don't even need much of a script and you'll still get an audience.

For any half decent horror production there is a market. A market serviced by already established distributors and sales agents.

Providing you've got your production completed to a professional standard. i.e. it's within broadcast tolerances, you've got all of your legal work tied up so you can show that you own the copyright to the script, have legal ownership of the performances, music etc, there is no reason at all why you shouldn't get sales in the international market place.

This is not about the sales of individual DVD's, but about the sale of the rights to broadcast your film in foreign or domestic markets, the right to reproduce and distribute thousands of copies of your DVD, of securing sales into global rental outlets.

The global marketing of an unknown film is a complicated business and is more about understanding the relationship between sales festivals, sales agents and distributors, than it is about printing DVD's.

There is a place for DIY indie distribution. Set up the website, do the round of the forums and then sell your film direct via mail order. I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but even if it isn't, there is as much difference between this approach and professional film sales/distribution as there is between a Super 8-mm film camera and a Panasonic DVC Pro 50 with progressive scan.

Distribution is one of the most complicated areas of film making and one of the most important. It's too important an issue in any filmmaker's career progression to put in the hands of anyone who doesn't know their way around the business.

My personal problem in this area is inexperience. I have a completed feature. I have good reviews from Film Threat and Creature Corner. It's been shown in front of a paying audience. But other than selling a few home made copies myself, it's been seen by very few people. I've sent several screeners to distributors, but I know I'm not doing nearly as much as I could to get it out there. When I see posts like Chitty, it's very tempting to make a deal with him, simply because I'm frustrated and want my film to be seen. At this point I'd be happy to break even and just get the movie seen. I hate feeling so desperate, and ignorant about the "process".

My personal problem in this area is inexperience. I have a completed feature. I have good reviews from Film Threat and Creature Corner. It's been shown in front of a paying audience. But other than selling a few home made copies myself, it's been seen by very few people. I've sent several screeners to distributors, but I know I'm not doing nearly as much as I could to get it out there. When I see posts like Chitty, it's very tempting to make a deal with him, simply because I'm frustrated and want my film to be seen. At this point I'd be happy to break even and just get the movie seen. I hate feeling so desperate, and ignorant about the "process".

How many sales agents have you sent the film out to or are you just targeting distributors?
Have you been putting the film into the festivals that sales agents attend and if your have, did you actively market the film to those guys?

The trick here is to identify which sales agents handle the kind of film you make. The only way to do this is to get to the major festivals and network, and also to get on the phone and talk to sales agents before sending your film out. That way you know what kind of films they take and how they like them packaged.

The other thing is, what format did you shoot your feature on? Most distributors and sales agent automatically reject anything shot on mini-dv, dv-cam or any of the other low end digital formats. Some won't even touch films shot on formats like Digi-beta, except for direct to TV.

At a major festival like Cannes, they produce a book which lists all of the attending companies, what they do and who the key contacts are. This kind of information is starting place for getting distribution.

The interesting part of this process is the bit where you discover that in order to sell your film there are a whole lot of things you should have done in production.

A sales agent is going to ask you:
a) How big was your budget? (Anything less than $250,000 and you are going to need a fantastic sales hook)
b) Is there anyone in it I've heard of ?
c) What format was it shot on? (Anything less than High Def and interest will wain)
d) Has it won any awards?
e) Are all your contracts in place? a sales agent won't touch a film that may run into legal problems further along the line.

Before speaking to the sales agent, you need to know why it is that your films is going to do good business for them?

So if your sales story is "Hey, we did this under $1 million picture but Nicole Kidman loved the script so much she came out and worked for free" then you chances of distribution are pretty high. A sales agent can sell that picture.

If your story is that you spent $500,000 shooting a film on High Def after winning several awards as a filmmaker and you have a really beautiful film to show them, then again, they can do business on it.

However, if you have low format, no name film, on which you spend under $250,000 they you need to create a buzz about the film, so that you've got something to sell. If you can demonstrate that your film's website get 35,000 hits a day, you've got a strong case for selling your film.

The key is in understanding what is it about your film that will make people want to buy it/rent it/watch it.

The great thing with low budget horror is that the budget, names, format issues are often put to one side provided that the film hangs together and has a good enough hook to drag in the punters. Most of the really famous cult horror films were dreadful pieces of work that would died on their asses in any other genre.

Going to an inexperienced, direct to DVD distributor should always be the last port of call for any film maker. However, I really believe that even before going into production, a clear idea of where the film is going to get sold, for how much and why it's going to sell, is the most important discussion to have.

Excellent post clive.

I have corresponded with chitty and he is clearly strong willed, very ambitious and has great ideas - but he hasn't done his homework. Distribution is much harder than having contacts who will print DVD's, sending out press releases and knowing acquisition people at video stores. I asked him several questions on his distribution thread that he hasn't answered.

As clive pointed out, it takes a lot of hard work just to get a movie out there.

JReel - You worked very hard to complete your movie. Each of us who has finished a feature know how hard you worked.

Now you need to work even harder getting it out there.

Thanks for the kind words directorix.

I don't want discourage chitty from doing his thing, the indie film scene needs more sympathetic distributors, and there will always be some films that are best served by a more underground approach to marketing. I guess I've just seen so many indies give up film making or settling for film making as a hobby, when a little research into the global film market would give them a better chance of getting a wider audience for their film.

I still consider myself a novice when it comes to understanding film distribution and I've been working at increasing my knowledge for the last four years.

I almost feel like I should start a new thread here, because I'm about to digress even more from the subject Chitty started. But I'll take that risk..LOL.

The problem with my feature, and Poke for one can attest to this, is that it sits on the fence of ultra low budget horror, and drama. It has vampires, but it really isn't a VAMPIRE MOVIE. I has some deaths via vampire blood sucking, but it really isn't a HORROR MOVIE. It's really more drama than horror, plus, God help me, it was shot in black and white. I really made Dawn for myself...to tell a story that I was passionate about. I spent my own money to do that, and for the most part did what I set out to do. At the time that was enough. I accomplished my dream.

Now I want more. I want people to see it. It would be great to at least break even on my budget, but my main focus now is getting out to the public. Dawn certainly has it's flaws, most noticably with the acting, but the story comes through in the end, and I truly feel it has merit.

But it doesn't fit snugly into the ultra low budget, direct to video horror nitch. It's almost a creature unto itself. And I can see a sales agent slitting his wrists trying to market the damn thing.

I'm pretty much screwed I'm afraid. Stuck with a 5 grand, 99 minute home movie.

Sorry to display my self-pity in public. And for diviating from the subject.

Can I suggest you talk to Heidi Martinuzzi

her e-mail address is Superheidi@msn.com

And she's an online journalist who specialises in writing articles on numerous cult horror websites about low-budget horror films. Tell her what your situation is, because she'll not only be able to get the word out on your film, but she maybe able to suggest various ways of self distribution.

You've only got to sell in the region of 1000 DVD direct to punter worldwide to make your money back on this project and Heidi is the person to talk to about this.

She's involved in a site called

www.unspeakablemag.com (http://www.unspeakablemag.com)

You might find it an interesting way of promoting your film

Thanks so much Clive. I just sent her an email.

I've contacted Heidi in the past and she reviewed Voice of the Dead for me. She's really sweet and willing to help as well! :) Glad you contacted her JReel.