The key facts to get your short film funded:

How to fund my film? The golden question! First, make sure you have your script in it’s best possible form – here’s some help.

There are many ways in this day and age from the good ol’ fashioned film grants to crowdfunding – but what will suit your needs? Let’s find out.

Film funds:

There are many film funds so I will narrow it to the top UK funds and top US funds:

The UK:

• The BFI funding
• FilmLondon
• Northern Media
• Shooting people

READ MORE: The full UK film Commisioning list

The US:

• Ted Rogers Fund
• The Fledgling Fund
• The Film Collaborative
• Catapult Film Fund

 

READ MORE: Seven top tips for a beginner screenwriter

Crowdfunding:

This can be huge, but there is a lot of work to do before you’ve even one as you will want to build a little furore around your project through your social channels and friend networks.

Just a few options:

• Kickstarter
• Juntobox
• Slated
• Indiegogo

Self-fund:

I know, I know you came here for how to get your film funded and I’m now telling you to fund it yourself. But seriously this doesn’t have to be a million pounds, you could go for a no-budget. Source some filmmaking friends and offer to pay for their food. Honestly, there are so many people out there that if you film on a weekday evening or a weekend who will be up for it, especially if your script is compelling – don’t rule it out.

Grants:

You should definitely look to utilise the multitude of grants out there for filmmakers, yep I know some are very obscure and there is room to alter your script a little to qualify for said grants. But they are definitely worth putting in the time and research as you never know this could lead to your script being produced. Here are a few to consider:

• Filmmakers Without Borders.
• Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program.
• Film Independent Sloan Distribution The Roy Dean Grant/From the Heart Productions Grant.
• Moving Image Grant Funds LEF Foundation.
• Women In Netflix Film Finishing Fund.
• The Jerome Foundation’s Film and Video Grant Program.

 

But, there is another way. You can get a page or two of your script… bear with me for a second. You take the most exciting scene which stands by itself, then grab an actor or two, a friend? Hell, even yourself and film it, have fun with it. Then contact the production companies with the content as well. Producers are far more likely to help and/or acknowledge you with video.

Let us know how it goes, and contact here if you want to talk or even collaborate.