Grants for Filmmakers
Breaking into Hollywood is tough, even in a good economy. The wariness of studios to take a risk on unknowns has prompted many entrepreneurial filmmakers to raise money to produce their projects. Applying for foundation and corporate grants is one of the first places they look.
Definition
A grant is a sum of money given to worthwhile projects that meet specific criteria established by the awarding committee. Although it does not have to be paid back, recipients of grants are accountable for using the money in the way they said they would in their formal proposal.
Purpose
Film grants enable recipients to develop their projects in a timely manner, purchase or lease filming, lights and post-production equipment, acquire licenses and permits for film shoots, reimburse actors and technical crew for their participation, and create a marketing and distribution plan for the finished product.
Considerations
Film projects that have an underlying educational or social conscience component have a better chance of being awarded a grant than those made for pure entertainment value. Because films in the latter category are deemed commercial ventures, they have to rely more on equity investments than on grants, which are tax-deductible for participating charities.
Size
The size of a grant is predicated on the size of the project. The more money being asked for, however, the more a filmmaker has to prove he deserves it by assembling a seasoned crew, demonstrating a strong need for the film to be made and having a track record of award-winning accomplishments.
Warning
The biggest mistake that grant applicants make is in writing a "one size fits all" proposal and sending it out to every potential funding source without doing any research on what types of projects they like to support. To increase your chance of success, each application and proposal must be individually tailored to the organizations being solicited.
Final Tips
If you don't have a demonstrable passion and faith in your project, a funding source won't be motivated to make it come true. To create the best impression, it's critical to follow every rule to the letter in the grants package, be specific about what you want, and be able to dynamically explain your entire vision in less than 30 seconds.
