They want to shoot short films, hoping to get grants for their features they wrote. I'm talking about three people here. I am wondering if they have too much confidence and we are just wasting our time when they should just save up for the whole feature themselves, or does it actually happen enough that it's worth the try?
Does getting grants really work, or are my collaborators just dreamers?
- Thread starter harmonica44
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I've known people who've received grants for films, but I know more people who have written a lot of grant proposals and never received anything. I've written a few proposals of my own, and it's a lot of work - at least if you actually hope to have a chance. Personally I'd say it's as much work as any other approach to fundraising for filmmaking, so if they're thinking that grants are just something that they'll be given it might turn out to be little more than a dream...
I have been successful with grants with one of my projects and unsuccessful with another. The one that did well received five different grants plus private funders. The reason it did well is because it was a documentary, the unique subject matter and the social justice issue it covered.
I found the grant writing to be exhausting, but it funded a great portion of our documentary, so it may be worth it.
I found the grant writing to be exhausting, but it funded a great portion of our documentary, so it may be worth it.
As with most government give-aways, osculating the right posteriors and attending all the right functions - and a political connection or ten - goes a long way when applying for and obtaining grants. This is also where film school can help; suck up to the right professors, belong to the right fraternities, sororities, clubs and associations and you have an edge. It really helps to be broadly and deeply networked.
Oh ya. Right now my collaborators are relying on grants. One wants a grant to make a supernatural thriller involving native American religion. But the script is aimed at people who are familiar with the religion more, and should be written to all audiences that do no know about it.
Another friend wants a grant to do a movie based on a true story of a pedophile priest scandal, that went on near where I live, but only people who are know about the true story may be interested as in the true story, just may not have enough climatic material to make for a movie for general audiences appeal. He said he will make stuff up in the script to make it more climatic. But again I don't think their scripts may have enough general appeal to get grants, but maybe I'm wrong, and they will give get grants for being more unique.
I think they are getting ahead of themselves though. One of them made business cards, and made a company name and logo for himself, but he's not a company and just one person. I was told by another filmmaker friend, that the only way you can get ahead is to BS your way to the top though, so maybe I'm wrong, and he's doing the right thing, as long as he doesn't screw up that is.
I guess applying for grants doesn't hurt, but if they don't get them, they won't make their movies unfortunately.
Another friend wants a grant to do a movie based on a true story of a pedophile priest scandal, that went on near where I live, but only people who are know about the true story may be interested as in the true story, just may not have enough climatic material to make for a movie for general audiences appeal. He said he will make stuff up in the script to make it more climatic. But again I don't think their scripts may have enough general appeal to get grants, but maybe I'm wrong, and they will give get grants for being more unique.
I think they are getting ahead of themselves though. One of them made business cards, and made a company name and logo for himself, but he's not a company and just one person. I was told by another filmmaker friend, that the only way you can get ahead is to BS your way to the top though, so maybe I'm wrong, and he's doing the right thing, as long as he doesn't screw up that is.
I guess applying for grants doesn't hurt, but if they don't get them, they won't make their movies unfortunately.
It's not a waste of time.
Not just because of the grants.
But because you all will learn.
You all gain experience.
And have more to show in your portfolio.
This will help you to maybe get a grant, or make crowdfunding easier, or make actors travel faster, or interest investors, or attract other talent (in front or behind the camera) for future projects.
Without a portfolio it's almost impossible to get a feature started, because you'll need people who trust you can pull it off.
Just make sure it doesn't take forever to make those shorts (or that short).
Keep it simple, but creative!
Oh yeah getting experience is not a waste of time. What I meant was, is even trying to grants a waste of time...
Right now I am looking to direct short film scripts directed by people who also want to break into the business, but... In order to make a good portfolio, do the scripts have to be good in the shorts?
The scripts I have access to so far, are not good. They are kind of slow or corny, or both. I'm not much of a writer unfortunately so I am out of ideas right now.
So will people look at portfolio of short films and say "Gee, this guy is a good director, now let's get him on a feature, so he stop wasting his talent on these poorly written shorts".
Or will they just think I'm a bad director, if the scripts suck?
The scripts I have access to so far, are not good. They are kind of slow or corny, or both. I'm not much of a writer unfortunately so I am out of ideas right now.
So will people look at portfolio of short films and say "Gee, this guy is a good director, now let's get him on a feature, so he stop wasting his talent on these poorly written shorts".
Or will they just think I'm a bad director, if the scripts suck?
Go offline.
Live!!!!
And you will discover that without digital distraction it's easier to get ideas.
Write them down, even when they suck.
From all those ideas you will pick 1 or 2 to see what you can do with it.
Sometimes you can combine things.
I'll give you something simple:
Man working hard to meet important deadline in time, also needs to be in time for a date that evening.
His co-worker wants him to fail, his boss wants him to stay longer if needed and his girl wants him to be in time for a change.
How will he survive this day?
Keep scenes short, like sketches.
Maximum 5 locations: 2 at the office, the restaurant and 2 on the road.
How does he get rid of his co-worker? (When does he get in action?)
And how will he get there in time?
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You've written over 3600 posts in the two years you've been on indie talk. At about 100 words per post that's roughly the equivalent of 100 feature length scripts. If you'd put half that time into writing scripts instead you'd probably be an amazing screenwriter by now, and wouldn't need to be looking for a script or asking whether a good one is important.
Just some food for thought.
And looking for scripts is not the same as finding them.
In 1 week I invent 2 new simple ideas that are possible with little resources, so H44 should be able to pull it off.
Offcourse: just an idea is not the same as a script, but it seems to stay unnoticed anyway.
@H44:
See it as a challenge: can you write a short (!) script from that idea without explosions, extreme carstunts and people getting killed?
It may feel a little bit like doing homework for school, but it's a great way to learn :-p
And with a portfolio showing progress with every project (eventhough they are short), chances are bigger when you want to get a grant. Because you can show something.
This is what I do and am doing and I think it works well. One terrible idea might somehow work if altered slightly for another project
Yeah maybe I don't push myself ahead enough. One guy wants to get a grant to do his feature script. So he made T shirts with logos on, and put logos on his equipment, with his production company name on it. Although he doesn't have a production company. I mean no one is really hired. It's just three of us volunteering ourselves to the project. Does that count as a company?
I think he is defrauding himself since the company name ends in 'Studios', even though he has no studios. And he calls himself a DP even though I know more than him just from the questions I have asked on here. I recently showed him what white balance was for example.
He also said he can do sound too, but he tried to put a shotgun in the middle of four people, hung from the sealing, expecting that to be good enough. I corrected him and said I'd boom it. I'm not expert on cameras and mics either, but I have learned more than him obviously.
Yet he goes in with these clothes resembling a fake company and seems like he is really overselling himself to want to get his movie made. Well it worked so far, since he managed to get a pilot for a TV show made, which the network wanted to air... (They wanted six more episodes, before they bought it, but unfortunately the actors did not want to commit to six more).
But I was told by him that if I want to get ahead in the business, you got to take the initiative and just go for it. So maybe you can get grants his way. He got a TV pilot, and I know more than him.
I think he is defrauding himself since the company name ends in 'Studios', even though he has no studios. And he calls himself a DP even though I know more than him just from the questions I have asked on here. I recently showed him what white balance was for example.
He also said he can do sound too, but he tried to put a shotgun in the middle of four people, hung from the sealing, expecting that to be good enough. I corrected him and said I'd boom it. I'm not expert on cameras and mics either, but I have learned more than him obviously.
Yet he goes in with these clothes resembling a fake company and seems like he is really overselling himself to want to get his movie made. Well it worked so far, since he managed to get a pilot for a TV show made, which the network wanted to air... (They wanted six more episodes, before they bought it, but unfortunately the actors did not want to commit to six more).
But I was told by him that if I want to get ahead in the business, you got to take the initiative and just go for it. So maybe you can get grants his way. He got a TV pilot, and I know more than him.
The guy sounds like a great producer. Most of marketing is fluff, but he's getting stuff made and paying the bills, right?
Sure, he's not a production expert in any technical area from the sound of it, but he's had a pilot on the air which is more than most can say.
Sure, he's not a production expert in any technical area from the sound of it, but he's had a pilot on the air which is more than most can say.
If they are in Canada than yes it does really work. You need to show why they should support cultural or historical will be best. Canada Arts Council provides grants and each province have grant money set aside
GHave them investigate the grants and try and speak to who's gotten them before
GHave them investigate the grants and try and speak to who's gotten them before