Public Grants vs. Private Investment

I

have just had my first conversation with a state humanities council, and it appears that the same film cannot get both public and private money, because investors are looking for a profit, and federal and state agencies will only consider applications from a non-profit for a non-for-profit project.

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...first, this is not necessarily so. State agencies are nonprofit so they are looking to keep this nonprofit standing. They consider applications but what you often have are stipulations in order for the particular grant to be available to you.

In the state of Michigan, I posted this before somewhere..., If you want a grant from the state, you must
involve the state or a city therein, be about the state or city therein, involve persons in the state, or film in the state. I would think that where ever you are, there are different requirements. Make sure you check them all out. You can never tell, you may qualify for them.

There are also documentary funds for filmmakers, so get on the net and find 'em. Put documentary funding into your search engine.

...I personally am trying to go the grant route, I have a doc I am trying to fund too. Grants, you don't have to pay back, But you do have to make sure that you credit the nonprofit for their involvement. Investors expect a return. Hey, we are indie filmmakers, we have no money to be able to pay anyone back. Most likely you will be trying to pay off the expenses of making the film. If you can do the grant thing, do it.

I had no idea these sources of funding were mutually exclusive. Is this in fact the case, that you either intend for your film to turn no profit (in which case, do only independently wealthy people make independent films?), or you must secure all your financing from private sources?

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...no wealthy people are not the only ones who make films I am flat broke, but determined to find some way of funding this film. You can theoretically make a profit. If you do, good for you!

Many people put some of their own money into the production as I am. But there is only so much one can do. What you want to do, is find a FISCAL SPONSOR. This way, you can apply for grants under the umbrella of a nonprofit organization, which in turn makes you a nonprofit. When you are fiscally sponsored, you have MANY MORE funding opportunities and you also have an incentive for people to give you in kind gifts, because anyone who makes a donation gets a tax writeoff.

...and just so you know, if you are not sponsored, you will have MUCH FEWER places to go for funding, which must be why people go to investors. I personally am avoiding funding my film through investors. What if I don't turn a profit?

GOOD LUCK with your doc. You worked for National Geographic? Go back to people you worked with and get advice from them, get funding ideas if you can. Isn't National Geographic supposed to be the HOLY GRAIL of documentaries? Make use of all that you can... I would be hard pressed to believe that after six years, you have no resources...

--spinner

I'm in a similar boat as you. I'm flat broke and am working on a film with a budget of around $30,000. I've personally raised enough money to complete production and am working on a deal that would finalize the remaining $6,000 for post-production. Filming on my documentary is complete and I'm confident that the trailer will easily raise the final amount needed for a final-cut and music licencing.

The important thing to keep in mind is to never give up. I'm a 19 year old college drop-out that lives in the projects and I'm producing a $30,000 movie. If I can do it, so can you.