How to get investors to invest in your indie film.
You got the idea, the script is there, ready to be brought to life. But now you need the necessary funding to get it done. Even when working with a micro budget, there are still a bunch of costs that come with filmmaking. From the props to feeding the cast and crew, these small costs can add up quick. If you plan to pay your entire cast and crew as well, then your budget can add up to $4000 per shooting day. So now you are seeking investors to help you see your vision through, but how do you convince them to put their money down?
Filmmaking is quite expensive!
So, the bad news is that investing into a film is already a tough sell. The problem is not only does an investor need to put money down, they also need time. It can take a year or two for the film itself to be made. Then if the film runs the film festival circuit, that can be another year. Even when the film goes live to make revenue, it can take months or years before the return of investment is made. When it comes to indie films, you are playing the long game. Film investment is also highly volatile and risky as some film projects never make it to market or make a return on investment.
The first key is finding a investor who is willing to take that risk and can live without the money they put down. So people in tech, layers and medical professionals are all optimal investors Basically anyone who is wealthy. You don’t want somebody who invests their life savings into your film depending on that money. But that is just the first step, as getting them to commit also relies heavily on the relationship with the investor. If they are a family friend or you get to know them, you will have more success. Another good tactic to use is putting some money in the project with the investor. If you have some skin in the game, it will show to the investor you have a incentive for the project to make money as well.
Finding that perfect deal is what it's all about.
To convince investors, you’ll need a solid plan to win them over. Truth be told, investors won’t really care what your story is, unless you have a good gimmick or genre film that can latch onto a niche. Investors are much more concerned with your marketing and promotion. You see, even if you put out a fantastic film, you are just making a spark in hopes that it will catch and light a big blaze. But with a marketing plan, you can help to care for that spark and aid it with kindling and tinder.
Due to the risky nature of filmmaking, you need to reach for other reasons that are not monetary to close the deal. Be sure to pitch the tax saving incentives. As any money invested can used as a tax write off. You can make their name really big on the big screen, or give one of their family members a cameo. Does your film spread awareness of a cause they care about? This can all lead to you locking the deal. Just make sure not to promise them something to crazy like a lead role or something when they are clearly not a actor.
Investing into tech may make you a very good return and could make a difference in the lives of many across the globe. But with indie films, there are still reasons why investors would invest. They may get strange interesting stories or getting the chance to be on set. There’s a glitz and glamour vibe to be enjoyed. Plus, when a movie really does take off, the return on investment can sometimes be through the roof.
