Carole Dean – The Art of Film Funding Blog

The documentary “Homele$$, Inc” explores the intersection of business and homelessness, showcasing Remi Kessler’s commitment to advocacy and raising awareness of the crisis.

by Carole Dean

Homelessness is not just an issue—it’s a crisis that has deeply affected the fabric of our society, especially in Los Angeles, where it’s felt most acutely. For years, many have turned a blind eye to this growing problem, but not Remi Kessler.

In 2015, Remi took his camera to the streets and began documenting the reality of homelessness in a way that hadn’t been seen before—through the eyes of those on the frontlines. His acclaimed documentary The Advocates shed light on the relentless work of advocates who refuse to give up on our unhoused population, no matter how overwhelming the task may seem.

On my The Art of Film Funding Podcast, I interviewed the two-time Roy W. Dean Grant  Winner about his latest project, Homele$$, Inc, which dives even deeper into the complexities of homelessness, focusing on the business of it. His unflinching commitment to telling these stories has not only moved audiences but has started real conversations about how we can address this urgent issue. Remi is an artist with a mission.  Through his work, he’s asking us all to take a closer look at the systems that perpetuate this crisis.

The following contains highlights of our conversation in which Remi shares his insights on the power of storytelling to inspire change, the challenges of documenting such a sensitive issue, and what we as filmmakers and advocates can do to help create a more compassionate world.

“The Advocates”: Humanizing the Homeless Crisis

Carole Dean: The Advocates struck such a chord with audiences. It wasn’t just a film about homelessness—it was a call to action. What do you think contributed to its success in festivals and community screenings?

Remi Kessler: When I started working on The Advocates, I realized there were already films about homelessness, but many focused heavily on the misery of people on the streets. They were difficult to watch for 90 minutes. I wanted to try something different. I didn’t want to showcase only the hardship; I wanted to highlight the resilience and the complexity of the issue without being voyeuristic. I think that’s what made the film successful. It allowed people to connect with the individuals in the film on a human level, without feeling overwhelmed by despair. This connection made it easier for viewers to stay engaged, and, more importantly, to feel motivated to discuss and take action on the issue.

Challenges in Capturing Stories and Breaking Barriers

Carole: You captured some powerful stories in The Advocates, following social workers as they took people off the streets and navigated an incredibly convoluted system to get them housed. What stood out to the audience was the sheer amount of time and work required to get one person into stable housing. What challenges did you face in documenting this process?

Remi: One of the biggest challenges was the time it took. Housing someone is a long, grueling process—sometimes it takes months or even years, and we had to follow these stories for that long. What’s even more difficult is when a story you’re following just disappears. I’ve had people I was documenting leave Los Angeles or fall back into severe mental illness, and suddenly, they were unreachable. It can be frustrating as a filmmaker because you invest so much time, but it’s even more heartbreaking for the people working in advocacy. They put in so much effort to help someone, only for the system to fail them.

Carole: Disappearing? You mean they just vanish?

Remi: Yes, they leave the streets of Los Angeles, sometimes moving to other cities like San Francisco, or they fall back into a mental health crisis, and it becomes dangerous to continue filming them. It’s a harsh reminder of how unstable life is for so many.

Impact of “The Advocates” on Advocacy and Public Perception

Carole: After you released The Advocates, what was the response like from audiences, particularly those involved in advocacy and policy-making? Did they embrace it?

Remi: Absolutely. From the general public, the most common question was, “How can we help?” The film built a great deal of empathy and compassion for those experiencing homelessness. On the advocacy side, social workers and professionals were thrilled that the film showed how complex and difficult their work is. For the first time, their efforts were being recognized. It wasn’t just a job that happened in the background anymore; the film brought their work to the surface, and they were grateful for that. It also opened doors for me to continue working on the issue.

Propositions HHH and Measure H: Progress or Overpromise?

Carole: In The Advocates, you discussed Proposition HHH and Measure H, both of which were meant to address homelessness. Proposition HHH created a bond to build 10,000 units of supportive housing, and Measure H introduced a sales tax to fund services. Were they successful?

Remi: That’s a question I’m asking in my current film, Homele$$ Inc.. Proposition HHH was supposed to deliver 10,000 units, but only around 7,500 have been built so far because of rising construction costs. Those units are just starting to come online, so we’re beginning to see some impact, but we need way more housing than was initially promised. Measure H, on the other hand, was very successful in sending teams of doctors, social workers, and psychiatrists into the streets to help people. But even with all this outreach, the biggest problem remains: there’s no place to put them. The reality is, while both measures were helpful, they were oversold. They weren’t nearly enough to solve homelessness.

The New Project: “Homeless Inc.”—Examining the Business of Homelessness

Carole: Your next project, Homele$$ Inc., takes a different approach by focusing on the business of homelessness. How does it differ from The Advocates?

Remi: Homeless Inc. delves deeper into the structural and business side of homelessness. With The Advocates, we focused on the work of social workers on the ground. Now, I want to show what happens behind the scenes—the financing, the policy decisions, and how public and private entities are involved. There’s a lot of money being spent on homelessness, but is it being spent effectively? That’s one of the central questions. However, the film is still very much about people. The human aspect remains the core of the story, even as we explore these more systemic issues.

Documenting the Crisis Since 2015: The Evolution of Homelessness

Carole: Since you began documenting homelessness in 2015, have you noticed any key developments or changes? Has the situation improved or worsened?

Remi: Unfortunately, it has gotten worse. The most visible change is that there are more people on the streets now than when I started. Proposition HHH and Measure H helped, but they weren’t enough. There’s a growing awareness, though, that the problem needs more time, money, and effort than was initially thought. One of the positive trends I’ve noticed is that the different sectors—private developers, nonprofits, politicians—are starting to come together more to find solutions. It’s no longer fragmented, and that’s giving me some optimism. For the first time, I’m seeing serious discussions about how to really fix the problem.

Challenges of Filming People Living on the Streets

Carole: You’ve been following people on the streets for almost a decade. What are some of the personal or emotional challenges you’ve faced while documenting their stories?

Remi: One of the most difficult things is following a story for months, sometimes years, only for the person to disappear or fall back into crisis. I’m currently following a man in permanent supportive housing—a success story, right? But one mistake by a service provider caused him to fall into a mental health crisis, and now we can’t film him anymore because it’s dangerous for him. It’s heartbreaking. You have these moments where everything seems to be working out, only for it to unravel in an instant.

Partnership with the Department of Mental Health: Educating the Next Generation

Carole: You’ve worked closely with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health. How did that partnership come about, and what role do these educational films play?

Remi: They approached me after seeing The Advocates. They realized I had a unique ability to be accepted by the people on the streets. They asked me to create films that would educate social workers and students about what it’s really like working in the field. It’s one thing to learn about homelessness in a classroom, but it’s a completely different experience to see what social workers deal with every day. These films give future social workers a glimpse into the reality of working on the front lines, showing them how complicated, but also how essential, their work is.

A Call to Action for the Community

Carole: Your work is so vital, Remi. What can we as a community do to help address this ongoing crisis?

Remi: The most important thing is to stay engaged and vote. There are solutions, but they’re expensive and will take time. It’s crucial to support measures that fund housing and services for the homeless. This problem is solvable if everyone—citizens, politicians, developers—works together. While it may seem overwhelming, I remain hopeful that with the right actions, we can make a real difference.

 

Why Delivery Starts in Development and Shapes Your Film’s Success

by Carole Dean

For many indie filmmakers, the thrill of writing, casting, and shooting takes center stage, while the post-production phase is often an afterthought. Yet, those who’ve completed the journey from script to screen know that this is where the real magic happens—and where the real challenges begin.

In post-production, your film isn’t just edited together; it’s shaped, polished, and transformed. It’s also the stage where hidden pitfalls—technical issues, legal hurdles, and budget surprises—can either propel your project to success or grind it to a halt. This phase, often underestimated, is where the future of your film is decided.

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast with Brynn Lucas, an award-winning producer with expertise in post-production supervision, delivery, and creating compelling Electronic Press Kits (EPKs). Brynn’s track record spans working with major studios like Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount, as well as streaming giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Apple.

In this interview, Brynn shared valuable insights about how indie filmmakers can navigate the complexities of post-production successfully. Her advice is practical and deeply rooted in her years of experience.

As Brynn says, “Delivery starts in development.” This key principle echoes throughout her approach to filmmaking, and it’s something every filmmaker should understand from the outset.

Here are the key questions I asked and Brynn’s answers that will help guide indie filmmakers to have a smooth and successful post production experience.

The Importance of Budgeting and Early Planning

Indie filmmakers often overlook or under-budget for post-production, a critical error that can create substantial financial and logistical headaches later on.

Carole: What are the primary challenges filmmakers face when preparing for delivery?

Brynn: Budgeting is a significant challenge. Many filmmakers, especially those fresh out of film school, underestimate costs because they’re accustomed to using free resources and student labor. In the real world, every piece of equipment and every professional service costs money.

Many filmmakers also fail to contract post-production teams through the entire delivery process. This mistake often leaves them scrambling when they need key documents or edits after the main post-production phase.

Why Post-Production Planning Should Begin in Pre-Production

Brynn’s mantra, “Delivery starts in development,” is crucial to successfully finishing your film. Post-production is not a separate entity but rather an integral part of the filmmaking process that should be considered from day one. Understanding the entire flow—from production to final delivery—will not only save you time and money but also allow you to anticipate potential roadblocks.

By having your editor, sound designer, and VFX team in place during pre-production, you can catch potential issues before they become bigger problems. For example, your editor can suggest the shots and coverage you’ll need to ensure smooth storytelling, while a sound designer can advise on capturing high-quality audio during filming. Without this early input, you might discover issues like poor sound, missing footage, or difficult-to-fix lighting problems only after shooting wraps—leading to expensive reshoots or workarounds.

Involving your post team early also helps create an efficient workflow for managing and processing footage. This ensures smooth transitions through editing, sound mixing, and color grading without technical setbacks.

While your post team doesn’t need to be on set full-time, regular check-ins during production allow them to catch any problems early. Having a post-production team in place from the start saves time, money, and ensures your film is delivered at its best quality.

Understanding the Delivery Process: Legal and Technical Aspects

A film isn’t complete when you yell “cut” on the last day of shooting. The delivery phase is equally, if not more, complex. There are two main types of delivery that every filmmaker must understand: legal and technical.

Carole: You mentioned two types of delivery—legal and technical. Could you explain what each entails?

Brynn: Absolutely. Legal delivery involves all documentation: contracts, rights agreements, and clearances. Without these, you can’t secure distribution. Filmmakers must ensure that every location, song, and actor is covered by a legal agreement. Missing documents can stall or prevent distribution entirely.

Technical delivery is about the film’s physical and digital assets, like the master file and audio-visual components. The most critical part of this process is the QC (Quality Control) check, where the film is scrutinized for technical errors such as drop frames, pixelation, or audio mismatches. It’s vital to have your post team on standby to address these issues promptly.

The importance of a thorough QC process cannot be overstated. Brynn made it clear that having a good post-production team in place is essential for catching these issues before they cause bigger problems down the line.

The Role of the Post-Production Supervisor

Many filmmakers assume they can handle post-production on their own or with minimal support. According to Brynn, this is a recipe for disaster.

Carole: It sounds like a post-production supervisor is crucial from the beginning.

Brynn: Yes, they are. A good supervisor ensures that the team understands post-production requirements and that nothing is left out. As I say, “Hire someone who speaks post.” They manage the complex language and specific needs of post-production. Without a post supervisor, filmmakers can quickly become overwhelmed by the technical jargon and requirements they’re unfamiliar with.

Having a post-production supervisor from the very start will save you from countless missteps. This person is your guide through the labyrinth of post-production—ensuring that everything from editing to final delivery runs smoothly.

Navigating the QC Process

One of the more intimidating aspects of post-production is Quality Control (QC), where your film is put under a microscope—literally.

Carole: For those new to this, could you elaborate on what QC involves?

Brynn: QC begins with a print master, the native version of your film, which is sent to a quality control house. They go through the film frame by frame, checking for technical errors and categorizing them by severity. You aim to fix anything level three or higher, though you review all issues initially.

Brynn emphasized that knowing specific QC phrases can help you defend creative choices. “Best source” refers to the highest quality version of a shot or asset, and “creative intent” can be used to argue that certain visual elements, like lens flares, are deliberate and shouldn’t be flagged as errors.

Understanding how to navigate the QC process can save both time and money. A good post-production team, paired with clear communication with your QC provider, is essential to getting through this phase without unnecessary delays.

Budgeting for Post-Production and Technical Needs

Filmmakers often underestimate the costs associated with post-production, and this can lead to financial strain or even prevent the completion of a project.

Carole: You mentioned that filmmakers should budget for post-production early. Can you expand on this?

Brynn: Yes, it’s about anticipating costs from the start. Assume that every time an editor plugs in your hard drive, there will be a charge. Plan for this in your budget to avoid unexpected expenses. Editors, colorists, sound engineers—they all charge by the hour or by the service. Every revision and adjustment comes at a cost, so plan accordingly.

She also stressed that filmmakers should not forget to budget for QC-related expenses and other technical requirements like color correction, mastering, and creating the deliverables required by distributors.

Deliverables: Understanding Sales and Distribution Requirements

One of the most complex aspects of post-production is preparing the deliverables required by sales agents and distributors. These are the materials needed to market, sell, and distribute your film.

Carole: How do you handle different types of sales and distribution deals?

Brynn: First, determine if deliverables come from a sales agent or a distributor. Sales agents often work on general elements for mass sales, while distributors provide specific delivery schedules.

Brynn highlighted that each type of deal—whether it’s for a theatrical release, VOD, or an SVOD deal—will have unique requirements. Filmmakers must understand what’s expected, confirm it, and ensure all materials are prepared and budgeted for accordingly.

Deliverables can range from simple electronic press kits (EPKs) to more complex materials like international versioning and subtitles. Understanding these requirements from the outset will save you from unnecessary stress and additional costs down the line.

Chain of Title and Legal Documentation

Legal documentation is often a daunting aspect for filmmakers, but it is a necessary one.

Carole: Let’s talk about legal documents. What should filmmakers be prepared to deliver?

Brynn: Filmmakers need a comprehensive chain of title, covering every aspect from script development to final production. This includes all rights agreements, location releases, and proof of payment for services. Everything must be documented to protect against legal challenges.

Brynn couldn’t emphasize enough how crucial it is to have these documents in order from the very beginning. Many filmmakers make the mistake of thinking they can deal with legal paperwork later, only to find that they’ve lost critical distribution deals because of missing documents.

“This is why I emphasize that delivery starts in development,” Brynn reminded us again. Preparing legal documentation early on ensures that your film can move forward without unnecessary legal hurdles.

Lessons Learned and Final Advice

Throughout the interview, Brynn’s advice was filled with actionable insights and hard-earned wisdom. Her final takeaway for filmmakers was both practical and encouraging.

Carole: What’s your key advice for filmmakers navigating post-production?

Brynn: Don’t pretend to know everything. Ask questions, learn from those who’ve done it before, and hire professionals when needed. Mistakes in post-production are often costly, but proper planning and hiring the right people can mitigate many of these risks.

Her parting words serve as a reminder that while indie filmmakers are often resourceful, there is no substitute for experience and expertise in the post-production process.

Ensuring a Smooth Delivery

Post-production can be an overwhelming process for indie filmmakers, but with early planning, a solid budget, and the right team, it doesn’t have to be. As Brynn Lucas shared, understanding the intricacies of post-production—from QC to legal documentation—will not only ensure a smoother delivery but also protect your film’s success in distribution.

“Delivery starts in development,” Brynn says, and it’s advice worth heeding. By preparing early, budgeting properly, and surrounding yourself with professionals who understand post-production, you set the stage for a successful, polished final product that is ready to take on the world.

Thank you to Brynn Lucas for her invaluable insights, and we hope these tips will guide indie filmmakers through the challenging but rewarding journey of post-production.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Data Meets Creativity as Largo.ai Revolutionizes Filmmaking: Making Smarter Creative Decisions with Cutting-Edge Technology

by Carole Dean

Imagine having the power to predict your film’s success before it even hits the screen.

Producer, screenwriter, and business executive Alex Gocke, Vice President of Sales at Largo.ai, is at the forefront of this revolutionary shift. Their company harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to deliver data-driven insights that empower filmmakers to make more informed creative decisions for film, TV, and documentary projects.

From the Heart Productions has partnered with Largo.ai to bring their trailblazing technology to independent filmmakers. In my insightful interview from my The Art of Film Funding Podcast, Alex reveals the remarkable advantages of integrating AI into the filmmaking process, transforming the way stories are brought to life.

What is Largo.ai?

Largo.ai is a revolutionary tool that harnesses the power of AI to elevate both the creative and business aspects of filmmaking. Based in Switzerland. it was born out of extensive research from the prestigious École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), often regarded as the “MIT of Switzerland.” 

Largo.ai offers a suite of predictive analytics services. These range from analyzing emotional intensity in scripts to providing casting recommendations and financial forecasts with up to 80% accuracy. The platform aims to assist filmmakers—from independents to major studios—in making informed decisions that can fast-track their projects to market.

Emotional Intensity Analysis: A Key Tool for Filmmakers

One of the standout features of Largo.ai is its ability to analyze the emotional intensity of a script. This tool evaluates key story points and determines the strength of various emotions such as joy, trust, surprise, sadness, fear, anger, and disgust. By doing so, it provides a macro-level emotional score for the entire script and highlights specific areas where the emotional tone may dip or peak.

Filmmakers can then use this data to refine their scripts, ensuring that emotional engagement is maintained throughout the film. This analytical, non-biased feedback is particularly valuable because it provides an objective look at a script’s emotional arc, enabling filmmakers to make data-driven adjustments.

Financial Forecasting and Return on Investment (ROI)

Largo.ai also excels in financial forecasting.  It offers filmmakers detailed projections on potential box office earnings, streaming revenues, and other ancillary income streams like DVD sales. The system factors in industry norms for costs, such as distributor and exhibitor shares, and allows users to input their specific deal terms.

This flexibility means that filmmakers can run multiple scenarios to determine the most financially viable options for their projects. Whether it’s assessing the impact of casting a high-profile actor or choosing between theatrical and streaming distribution, Largo.ai’s financial insights help de-risk projects and attract potential investors.

Global Reach and Industry Recognition

The impact of Largo.ai is far-reaching, with clients ranging from Hollywood studios to independent filmmakers and distributors worldwide. While confidentiality agreements prevent naming specific clients, Alex confirmed that numerous major studios and streaming platforms use Largo.ai’s services to guide their decision-making processes.

As data analytics become increasingly integral to the film industry, Largo.ai provides filmmakers with a competitive edge by offering insights that were once available only to big-budget productions.

Supporting Independent Filmmakers and Documentaries

Largo.ai isn’t just for narrative features; it also supports documentary filmmakers. The platform can analyze documentary treatments, offering insights into genre fit, emotional response, and target audience demographics.

While the casting tool requires dialogue to function, other features like emotional analysis and financial projections are fully accessible to documentary projects. This makes Largo.ai a versatile tool for filmmakers at all stages of development, from early concept to pre-production.

The AI Connect Marketplace and Pitch Opportunities

To further support filmmakers, Largo.ai offers an AI Connect Marketplace. There filmmakers can showcase their projects to potential investors, distributors, and production companies.  Additionally, Largo.ai hosts pitch competitions at major film festivals like the American Film Market, Berlin International Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival.

These events provide filmmakers with a platform to present their projects to a global audience of industry professionals, increasing their visibility and potential for funding and distribution deals.

Ethical Use of AI and Data Security

“Largo.ai is committed to ethical practices, ensuring that client data is securely stored and never used to train AI models,” emphasized Alex.

The company’s AI is trained on a database of over 400,000 films and TV shows. They are drawn from projects that have entered the public domain or gone into production. This extensive database allows Largo.ai to offer reliable and relevant comparisons, helping filmmakers understand how their projects stack up against similar works.

Making Informed Decisions

Largo.ai represents a significant advancement in how data can be utilized to enhance the creative and financial success of films. By providing filmmakers with detailed emotional, financial, and comparative analysis, Largo.ai empowers them to make informed decisions that improve the quality of their work and increase their chances of success in the highly competitive film industry.

Elevating and Securing Your Film’s Chance at Success

If you’re an independent filmmaker looking to finetune your script , Largo.ai offers tools that can elevate your filmmaking process to the next level.

Through the partnership between From the Heart Productions and Largo.ai, you can now obtain reports through From the Heart at special rates for indie filmmakers.  

Click here for more information.  Or please email info@fromtheheartproductions.com

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Conversation with Filmmaker Jonathan M. Smith on the Evolving Tools and Trends That are Changing How Films are Made and Distributed

by Carole Dean

With over 15 years of experience in the film industry, Jonathan Smith is a well-respected figure among independent filmmakers, notably through his latest projects, Broken City and the vertical series Collapse of America. As an instructor in our class Learn Producing: The Ultimate Guide to Indie Film Production, Jonathan is highly regarded for his innovative approach and industry insights.

During a recent interview on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast, he delved into the current state of Hollywood.  He discussed the future of streaming, and the emerging role of AI in filmmaking, while also providing valuable advice on preparing for the shifting landscape of the industry.

The Decline of Hollywood Productions: The Tax Incentive Exodus

The conversation kicked off with a discussion of a significant topic in the film world—Hollywood’s 40% drop in production output. Jonathan outlined several reasons for this decline, highlighting tax incentives as a major factor. California, once the undisputed hub of the film industry, has lost ground to states like Georgia, New Mexico, and international locations such as the UK. These regions offer far more competitive tax incentives, drawing filmmakers away from California’s traditionally higher production costs.

Countries like the UK not only provide financial incentives but also offer diverse landscapes, skilled crews, and state-of-the-art studio facilities. He emphasized that the global nature of the film industry today means that content can be created and distributed from virtually anywhere, making California less of a central player than it once was.

“Streaming and content are a worldwide market now,” Jonathan remarked, noting that productions have even moved to Mexico due to its lower costs. As the film industry continues to evolve, California will need to reconsider its approach to taxes and incentives to remain competitive.

The Post-Streaming Wars Era: Cost-Cutting and Viewer Trends

Shifting the focus to the state of the streaming industry, he noted that we are currently in a “post-streaming war” era. Platforms like Netflix and HBO, having aggressively grown their user bases in the 2010s, are now entering a phase of cost-cutting and stabilization. This marks a shift from the era of high spending on original content to a more conservative approach, focusing on tentpole releases such as Game of Thrones rather than smaller, riskier projects like Mozart in the Jungle.

One of the most interesting points he made was the impact of password-sharing crackdowns, which companies like Netflix are already implementing. This move aims to curb revenue losses and encourage new subscribers.

He also mentioned a growing trend of audience segmentation by age. Younger viewers, especially those aged 2 to 17, account for 30% of YouTube’s viewing metrics but only 13% of traditional TV metrics, signaling a shift in viewing habits that will drastically impact the industry in the coming decade.

“Kids today are growing up with free, ad-based platforms like YouTube. The question is, why would they pay for streaming services when they have all this content at their fingertips?” Jonathan said. He suggested that this generational shift could result in significant changes to how films are distributed and monetized in the future.

The Role of AI in Filmmaking: From Sound Design to Screenwriting

Jonathon predicted that AI will soon dominate various creative fields, particularly in smaller, independent projects. Graphic design, sound engineering, and even writing are areas where AI is already making significant strides. He shared his personal experience using AI to clean up sound on a recent project, which eliminated the need for a sound engineer.

“AI was able to clean the audio up, remove background noise, and leave me with professional-quality sound. It’s amazing what can be done now, and this is just the beginning.”

While acknowledging the benefits AI brings to low-budget productions, Jonathon was cautious about its potential to replace human jobs, particularly in the independent filmmaking sector. However, certain roles, such as acting and directing, are likely to remain safe for now due to the human element required to avoid the so-called “uncanny valley” effect in AI-generated characters.

Still, Jonathan encouraged filmmakers to expand their skill sets and embrace AI technology.

“Think of yourself as a conductor, not just an instrument,” he advised, urging filmmakers to master multiple disciplines. He believes that in the near future, filmmakers will have the tools to handle several production roles themselves. This will reduce the need for large crews and streamlining the filmmaking process.

The Future of Filmmaking: Vertical Content and Audience Engagement

Jonathan’s current project, Collapse of America, exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking approach he champions. The series is designed as vertical content, optimized for platforms like TikTok and Instagram.  This allows viewers to consume it in bite-sized pieces or as a full-length documentary. This format reflects his belief that filmmakers must adapt to the viewing habits of modern audiences, particularly younger generations who prefer shorter, mobile-friendly content.

By incorporating AI tools and leveraging social media platforms, Jonathan is exploring new ways to reach and engage viewers. He sees platforms like YouTube as crucial to the future of independent filmmaking. It’s where creators can build audiences and gain industry recognition without needing traditional distribution channels.

How to Become Renaissance Filmmaker

Throughout the interview, Jonathan’s insights highlighted the importance of adaptability and innovation in today’s rapidly evolving film industry. Whether it’s navigating tax incentives, understanding the post-streaming wars landscape, or embracing AI technology, filmmakers must be prepared to wear many hats and think outside the box.

Jonathan’s approach—combining creativity, technology, and a deep understanding of industry trends—positions him as a true Renaissance filmmaker.

As Carole Dean aptly put it, Jonathan is “taking us into a new direction.” As filmmakers face the challenges of a changing industry, his example serves as an inspiring blueprint for success.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Imagine having the power to shape your own destiny as an indie filmmaker using just two simple words

by Carole Dean

Neville Goddard, a visionary author who penned fourteen influential books on the power of the mind, believed that our thoughts are the architects of our reality. His teachings, still relevant today, offer profound insights that can empower filmmakers to build the confidence needed to secure funding and bring your creative visions to life.

In our recent Film Funding Guidance Class for our fiscally sponsored filmmakers, we explored the transformative power of the words “I AM.”

These words hold the key to manifesting your desires. They are not just words but powerful affirmations that can elevate your consciousness and influence your filmmaking journey.

The Power of the “I Am” Factor in Creating Your Future

As “light beings,” a concept often found in ancient texts, we are vessels of consciousness. Goddard teaches that “all things, when they are admitted, are manifested by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light.” This light, this consciousness, is the essence of who we are, capable of manifesting our dreams across various levels of reality.

Neville writes that there is “no one that is not all that is; for consciousness though expressed in an infinite series of levels is not divisional. There is no real separation or gap in consciousness. I AM cannot be divided. I may be a rich man, a poor man, a beggar man or a thief, but the center of my being remains the same regardless of the concept I hold of myself. There is only one I AM manifesting, and I AM that I AM.

“We are each individually part of a greater whole.  All of us are one yet we are self. 

“I AM Is this self-definition of the absolute. The foundation on which everything rests, I AM is the 1st cause substance. I AM is a self-definition of the universal being. 

“I AM is the feeling of permanent awareness. The very center of consciousness is the feeling of I AM.

“I may forget who I am, where I am or what I am. I AM is that which is ever the same. This great discovery of cause reveals that good or bad, man is the arbitrator of his own fate, and that it is his concept of himself that determines the world in which he lives. His concept of himself is his reactions to life.”

In other words, if you are unsure about your ability to raise the money for your film, the I AM factor, the power of the words, will allow you to capture anything.  You can achieve the confidence that you need to acquire the money and produce the film. 

Neville continues with, “I AM is that reality to which whatever happens, we must turn for an explanation of the phenomena of life. It is I AM’s concept of self that determines the form and location of its existence.”

You are creating yourself.  You’re setting your limitations; you are the one responsible for creating your future.

Pretend Your Future Has Happened

What do you see for your future? This is what you are attracting.  Do you see a future? 

This is one of your many gifts, the ability to create the future you want.  I know you want a lot of things.  But the universe works on visions and belief systems.  It’s your job to see yourself in the future and get into that consciousness. 

Pretend it has happened and live like you would if your vision was real.  How would you feel?  What would you say and how would you think if you were at the filmmaking height of Scorsese or Spielberg? 

When you think, I can’t do that, stop and ask yourself why can’t you do that? Where is the restriction?  Whatever the restriction is you can overcome that.  You might find it’s something you got from your childhood that no longer serves you.

You determine your future with your thoughts. Your thoughts are things, they are bundles of energy waiting to manifest. Watch your thoughts and do not limit yourself.  Once you realize how powerful your mind is, then you realize that the magic power words to bring you into the state of consciousness to achieve your goals are the two words I AM.

In stating those words, you come to the center of your being, you are aware of your consciousness.  In that state of realization, you can then form the future you want.

Raising Money for Your Film Requires No Doubts

Start with the simple statement:  I am confident. With confidence you will move into a stronger, higher vibration and people will feel your confidence.

You will emit an energy that allays all fears.  Your confidence will convince people you can achieve your goal.  Your “being” lets them know you are honest and truthful. That you absolutely know you are successful.

Raising money requires that you have 100% confidence in yourself and your film.  To raise money and to produce films, you can have no doubt about the success of your film.

The I AM principle is to take you to the center of your being, so you are in an all-knowing state of consciousness. You recognize that you are alive and your power to create. You realize that you came here with goals and strong intent to achieve in this lifetime.

When you realize the God-given talents you have, you realize that to reach this goal you need to take control of your life. Bring yourself into a state of knowing that you are a talented creator. You were given these gifts to use to nurture and support your fellow human beings.

I AM is that reality to which, whatever happens, we must turn for an explanation of the phenomena of life. It is the I AM concept of self that determines the form we wish to create.

Neville wrote “That which it will not affirm as true of itself cannot awaken in this world.” 

In other words, if you can’t state what you want clearly you will not bring it into this world; you cannot awaken it.

Creating a Vision of the Future You Want

You must identify your desire, feel it, know it, in every cell in your body.  Your desire is your future. 

Express it in the I AM statement if you want it to appear in your life. You have this power; it is up to you.

Your concept of yourself such as, “I am strong, I am secure, I am loved” — determines the world in which you live. When you say “I am a woman, I am a father, I am an American,” you are not defining different I AM’s.   You are defining different concepts or arrangements of the one I AM.

When you know that consciousness is the one and only reality this knowledge can strengthen itself to be something good, bad, or indifferent. You are in control. You are free from the tyranny of second causes; free from the belief that there are causes outside of your own mind that can affect your life. 

THIS IS POWERFUL INFORMATION. YOU CAN CREATE YOUR FUTURE.

It is in the state of consciousness that you find the explanation of the phenomena of life. Meaning you recognize your control of yourself, THROUGH the words I AM. Your concept of yourself being what it is, everything in the world is possible when you take up the mantle and the recognition of your power through your creative power words I AM.

Remember that I AM is infinite. You are infinite. The I AM takes you to the consciousness that survives throughout all time. You may come into this life in a body, and you leave the body when you cross over. This consciousness is who you are, this is the I AM.

Making Your Confidence Part of Your DNA

You are the creator of your fate; you are the manifestor. You are the one that can bring joy, prosperity, enlightenment to people through your life’s work.  Be who you truly are. Empower people through your consciousness through your ability to support and nurture your fellow man.

The most important aspect of fundraising is the pitch. You must have 1000% confidence in the fact that you can raise the money and can make the film. This is where the I AM can sincerely benefit you. 

Say to yourself “I am confident I can raise my budget” and believe it. You might have to say this ten times a day for months to get that confidence into your DNA.  But, if that’s what it takes, that’s what you want to do because you must carry that confidence in your body.

People of money recognize and feel your energy.  If it has the slightest bit of disbelief, they will recognize this as insecurity and not invest or donate to your film. Think about this.

What can you create for your own personal needs with the words I AM that can take you to the level of confidence that you need to make and fund your film?

Neville teaches that if you are sick, you say I AM healthy. If you are poor, you say I AM wealthy.  

Your job is to create what you want and to use your consciousness to achieve your goals.  You want to realize your unlimited personal power.

Manifesting your Filmmaking Future

This begins when you have a clearly defined vision of what you want to achieve. You’ve been given the ability to turn your life around at any point.

Neville says, “The changes that take place in your life because of your changed concept of yourself always appear to be unenlightened to be the result, not of a change of your consciousness, but of chance, other cause, or circumstance. Do not believe this.

“Because the fate governing your life is the fate determined by your own concepts, your own assumptions; for an assumption, though false, if persisted in, will harden into fact.”

Many of us are working on assumptions that may be holding us back. Perhaps we created belief patterns around things that were our parent’s beliefs and assumptions.  When you find yourself making a choice based on an assumption, check and see is that true for you in this day and time?  Is that your feeling? Do you believe this?

To achieve your goal, you must remove limitations. These could be ones acquired early in life through difficult experiences or by taking on incorrect information. One great way to determine fact from fiction is to ask yourself, has this ever been done before? And if it has? How did they do it? If it’s been done before then you know it’s possible.

When you know what you aspire to have others have achieved, this alone should be a green light to you to recognize that it is possible. If he/she, did it then I can do it is what you want to  believe.  This knowledge should give you confidence.  You need confidence to use the power words I AM. When you say these words, you are making a statement to the universe that this is who you are.

You want to use these words to create this reality.

I AM confident I can produce profitable films. I AM confident I can direct movies. I AM confident of my limitless future.

Using your consciousness and the I AM statements are the first part of your ability to move into your new consciousness.  Now you must realize that the ideal, the goal you seek will not manifest or be realized by you until you have imagined that you are already living that goal.  This is where daydreaming becomes an asset to you.

Turning Daydreams into Reality

When we were children, we daydreamed all the time. Did you ever see things on television you wanted? Did you pretend you had it, and you saw yourselves playing with it?

This daydreaming is part of our natural ability to manifest.  Think back about your first bicycle and how you saw yourself riding it and then on a special occasion, you were given what you wanted.  This has happened to you before, so you know this is real. 

You saw something you wanted, you pretend you had it and you manifested it into your reality. You got what you wanted with your mind. Daydreaming is a major asset to creatives.   It allows you to visualize and live in the future you want.  Please give yourself daydreaming time each day.

I think we came in with this ability to manifest and somewhere in our lives we lost our magic.  School can sometimes take confidence away from you.

Whatever happened in your life matters not for you can change it once you put your mind on the vision you want to achieve.

Neville says, “all transformation is based upon suggestion, and this can work only when you lay yourself completely open to an influence. You must abandon yourself to the ideal for complete abandonment of self to the goal is how to unite you to your new self.”

“To reach a higher level of being, you must assume a higher concept of yourself. If you cannot imagine yourself as other than what you are then you remain as you are.

If you believe that you are the person you want to be, that’s who you will become.

Perhaps that is an award-winning filmmaker or an award-winning director. Perhaps an award-winning first-time producer or an award-winning editor. All of these are available.

Recognizing that you are a conscious being and using your consciousness along with the power words I AM to shore up your confidence and then using daydreaming of you living your new life will insure you will achieve this new life.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Essential Knowledge for Indie Filmmakers in Building a Strong Promotional Foundation

by Carole Dean

In the dynamic world of filmmaking, creating a successful film is only half the battle. The other half lies in effective marketing, ensuring that your creation reaches and resonates with the right audience.

Tony Panaccio, a seasoned public relations expert with nearly 35 years of experience in the media industry, shared on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast invaluable insights into the critical elements of a successful independent film marketing campaign.

He provided a deep dive into the world of film marketing, from understanding the industry’s pillars to navigating the modern media landscape.

Understanding the Pillars of the Film Industry

Tony emphasized that the film industry stands on three main pillars: creative, business affairs, and marketing.

“Most independent filmmakers that I encounter are very squarely educated in the creative side,” he noted. “They’re subject matter experts or they’re just good writers or storytellers. But when it comes to marketing and business affairs, they’re woefully uneducated and inexperienced.”

This lack of knowledge in marketing and business affairs can significantly hinder a film’s success. Understanding the elements that connect with the consumer audience is essential.

“When you’re trying to market your film,” he stressed, “the first thing that you really need to understand is precisely what is the element that is most connected to the consumer audience.  Because that is where it becomes commercially viable.”

Finding Relevance in the News Cycle

Tying a film’s subject matter to current events can be a key to gaining coverage.  Tony recounted his work with a filmmaker on a project about an exhibit on the Enola Gay, the plane that delivered the first atomic bomb. The exhibit’s relevance was tied to the story of the man who tried to create it, a survivor of the rise of Nazism in Eastern Europe.

“The relevancy is the journey of the man who tried to put the exhibit together,” he said. “The thing that makes it more commercial is his connection to that rise of fascism, because there are a lot of people today who think we’re headed down the exact same path.”

By highlighting the contemporary relevance of historical events, filmmakers can create a compelling narrative that attracts media attention and engages audiences.

“You have a clickbait headline that’s waiting to happen,” Tony added, emphasizing that these elements can generate awareness for a project even before its release.

The Importance of Awareness

One of the key challenges in film marketing is creating awareness. Tony explained, “If they don’t know your project exists, then how do they know how to access it?” Awareness is the first step in leading potential viewers to the “buy decision,” whether it’s purchasing a ticket, renting, or streaming a film.

To build awareness, filmmakers must generate buzz and get people talking. “The best marketing is word of mouth,” he affirmed. Social media plays a crucial role in this process, as it allows people who are interested in a subject to become ambassadors for the film, spreading the word and creating a ripple effect of interest and engagement.

Navigating Business Affairs: The Chain of Title

A significant aspect of the business side of filmmaking is ensuring a clear chain of title.  Tony warned against the common practice of indiscriminately sharing scripts and treatments.

“The problem with that is that you lose what’s known as clear chain of title because that’s the first thing a funder’s attorney will ask for during due diligence.”

He cited the example of Warner Brothers’ legal battle over “The Watchmen” movie, where Paramount filed an injunction claiming they had a stake in the film due to their earlier development work. This underscores the importance of securing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and non-circumvent agreements before sharing project details.

“The tales of projects being stolen by other producers who were in that communication chain early are vast and tragic,” he cautioned.

The Shifting Trends in Film Genres

Understanding current trends is crucial for marketing a film successfully. Panaccio noted that audiences’ preferences can shift rapidly, affecting the commercial viability of different genres. Recently, he observed a shift towards films that are fun and offer escapism.

“What movie audiences are tracking recently is they want to have fun at the movies,” he explains. “When money is tight, that’s when comedies and movies that are fun do the most business because people want that escape.”

This shift has implications for filmmakers, suggesting a need to pivot towards lighter, more entertaining content to meet audience demand. “If you’re having fun and it’s defended, the audience is going to have fun, and that’s what they want right now at theatrical,” he advised.

The Modern Media Machine

Understanding who makes up the modern media machine and how to work with them is another critical element of film marketing. Panaccio likens the media landscape to “a big giant mechanism” but reveals it’s actually “hamsters on wheels” due to the intense pressure and low pay faced by media professionals.

“The modern media is not generating the revenues that they used to generate,” he pointed out. As a result, media outlets have significantly reduced their staff, leading to fewer contacts and greater workloads for those remaining. This means that filmmakers must make it as easy as possible for reporters to cover their stories.

“You have to help them because they don’t have the time,” he emphasized. This involves providing all necessary information, including potential interviewees, in a well-structured pitch.

Crafting the Perfect Pitch

A successful pitch must avoid being overtly commercial and should tie into current news cycles.  Tony explained, “You can’t just go up there and say, buy my book. You actually have to have a news story that follows something that’s in the news cycle that people are already interested in reading about.”

He shared a personal anecdote of profiling film critic Nell Minnow. By emailing questions and allowing her to write her answers, Panaccio facilitated an efficient and painless interview process that resulted in a well-received article.

“It was a very painless interview. It took me 20 minutes to prep the questions. It took her 20 minutes to answer them,” Panaccio recalled. This approach can be a model for filmmakers looking to generate media coverage for their projects.

The Importance of Understanding Both the Creative and Business Sides of the Industry

By staying attuned to current trends, ensuring clear chain of title, and crafting compelling, newsworthy pitches, independent filmmakers can significantly enhance their chances of success. As Tony aptly put it, “If you don’t have awareness, you can’t bring people to the buy decision.”

In an ever-evolving media landscape, these strategies are crucial for navigating the complex world of film marketing and ensuring that your film not only reaches its audience but also resonates with them.

By adopting these practices, filmmakers can better position their projects for success in an increasingly competitive market.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

The Potential and Rewards of the Three-Act Structure in Documentary Filmmaking

by Carole Dean

In the world of documentary filmmaking, the challenge of applying fictional narrative structures to nonfiction stories can be both daunting and transformative. In a recent class in our Learn Producing Course, documentary editor, educator, and founder of New Doc Editing Karen Everett delved into this intricate process.  She revealed her journey and the invaluable insights she gained from working with esteemed editor and story consultant, Deborah Hoffman.

Understanding the Challenge

“I wanted to figure out how can I apply non-fictional structure that’s been around for thousands of years to a nonfiction story,” she said when starting out, “and it was raising all kinds of questions.”

The questions arose around the expectations of conflict escalation in the second act. Real life, she observed, often doesn’t unfold in the neat, incremental manner that fictional narratives demand.

Seeking Expert Help

Recognizing the complexity of her task, Karen acknowledged the need for expert guidance. “I began to suspect that I couldn’t edit this film alone,” she admits. Financial constraints initially prevented her from hiring an editor, but she soon made a pivotal decision. With $5,000 to her name, she sought the expertise of Deborah Hoffman, a renowned editor who had worked on the Oscar-winning documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk.”

Identifying Key Narrative Devices

Deborah Hoffman’s involvement marked a turning point for Karen. “I watched how she intuitively identified the key narrative devices, the inciting incident, the midpoint, and the climax scene,” Karen recounts.

Deborah’s ability to distill complex story elements and eliminate redundancies was crucial. Karen witnessed her pace sequences to ensure that protagonists evolved over time, creating a compelling and coherent narrative.

Making Tough Decisions

One of the most challenging pieces of advice Deborah offered was to reduce the number of characters in the film. “I had eight characters, and she said viewers could follow no more than three, maybe four,” Karen recalls.

Though difficult to hear, this advice was essential. Ultimately, they eliminated four characters whose roles were redundant, focusing on a core cast that included Karen, her girlfriend, an ex-lover who was a close friend, and a lesbian couple in a long-term relationship.

Refining the Narrative

Deborah’s expertise extended to crafting the film’s narration. Despite being a skilled writer, Karen found herself too close to the material to write effective narration for her story. “I was lost in the forest,” she explains. Deborah’s guidance helped translate the film’s ideas for a broader audience, ensuring it resonated beyond the niche community it depicted.

Exploring the Three-Act Structure

Karen’s experience underscores the value of the three-act structure, a tool commonly associated with fictional storytelling. This structure is pivotal in shaping a documentary’s narrative arc.

Act One: The Setup

The first act, or the setup, introduces the protagonist’s desire. In traditional Hollywood terms, this is where “boy meets girl.” For documentaries, this act sets the stage, introducing the key players and the central conflict.

The inciting incident, a crucial event that disrupts the protagonist’s world, propels the narrative forward. As Karen explains, “The inciting incident is a mandatory structural device because it kicks off the real story.”

Act Two: The Conflict

The second act, often the longest, is where the protagonist encounters a series of obstacles. This act is critical for building tension and maintaining audience engagement. “It’s imperative that the editor ratchet up the conflict,” Karen notes. Each barrier the protagonist faces should be more daunting than the last, culminating in an emotional peak greater than that of the first act.

Act Three: The Resolution

In the final act, the protagonist confronts their greatest challenge. “Things are as bad as they can possibly get, and then in act three, they get even worse,” Karen explains. This act is shorter, more suspenseful, and marked by rapid pacing and heightened stakes. The protagonist’s transformation is central to this act, reflecting the core of many character-driven documentaries.

Evolving Through Conflict: Importance of Character Transformation

Karen highlights the significance of character transformation in the three-act structure. “In order for the protagonist to change, they must have a character transformation,” she emphasizes. This transformation often involves challenging the status quo, a departure from traditional narratives where the goal might be to restore equilibrium.

Female Perspectives on Storytelling

Karen also points out the contributions of female screenwriters like Dara Marks, who have enriched the conversation around narrative structure. Marks emphasizes that the protagonist’s journey often involves a deeper, more personal transformation rather than merely overcoming external obstacles.

Crafting a Compelling Documentary

Karen’s documentary, shaped by these principles, serves as a case study in effective storytelling. By focusing on a limited number of characters and emphasizing their personal growth, she created a film that resonated with audiences.

The film’s success, screening at over 50 film festivals and securing distribution on platforms like Amazon and Netflix, attests to the power of a well-structured narrative.

Lessons for Aspiring Filmmakers

For aspiring documentary filmmakers, Karen’s experience offers valuable lessons. Investing in expert guidance, embracing the three-act structure, and focusing on character transformation can elevate a documentary from good to great. By distilling complex real-life events into a coherent and engaging narrative, filmmakers can create stories that captivate and inspire.

Conclusion

Karen Everett’s journey illustrates the transformative power of applying fictional narrative structures to nonfiction stories. Through her collaboration with Deborah Hoffman, Karen learned to harness the three-act structure, refine her narrative, and focus on character transformation. These principles, rooted in traditional storytelling yet adaptable to documentary filmmaking, can guide filmmakers in crafting compelling, emotionally resonant stories.

As Karen’s story demonstrates, the intersection of fiction and nonfiction storytelling holds immense potential. By embracing these techniques, documentary filmmakers can create powerful narratives that not only inform but also deeply move their audiences.

About New Doc Editing – Editing Documentaries that Inspire

They are story-telling experts and can quickly edit your documentary. Or help you edit it through compassionate, insightful story consultations. Their talented editing staff is led by story editor Karen Everett, who taught editing for 18 years at the #1 ranked U.S. documentary program at UC Berkeley.

See IMDb Credits for Karen Everett

Need an editorial roadmap? Or another set of eyes to provide perspective? They excel at bringing to the screen the gems in your footage: strong emotions, cinematic drama, and seminal ideas. Their clients’ films have screened at venues such as SXSW, Sundance, Berlinale, HBO, BBC, and Netflix–as well as local libraries and art theaters.

Click here to contact them.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Understanding Sections 181 and 168: A Comprehensive Guide from Fred Siegel

by Carole Dean

In the world of independent filmmaking, navigating the financial landscape is as critical as crafting a compelling narrative. For indie filmmakers, understanding and leveraging tax benefits can make a significant difference in their financial stability and overall success in raising money for their projects.

Fred Siegel, an esteemed tax and business consultant for indie filmmakers, joined me as a guest on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast to offer invaluable insights into how sections 181 and 168 of the federal tax code can be used to maximize these benefits.

With over 30 years of experience working with renowned filmmakers and emerging talents alike, Fred’s expertise is a beacon for those seeking to optimize their film projects financially.

Section 181: A Game Changer for Film Funding

Section 181 of the Internal Revenue Code is a powerful tool for indie filmmakers, allowing for the immediate deduction of film production costs. Traditionally, film production costs are capitalized and deducted over several years, which means filmmakers often face a long wait before seeing any tax benefits.

“Section 181,” Fred explains, “is an accelerated deduction for film costs. It allows you to write off the costs you incur in a given year, which can be crucial for indie filmmakers who need to attract investors and manage cash flow.”

This accelerated deduction can transform a film project’s financial outlook by generating immediate tax losses that can be passed on to investors, thereby reducing their tax liability for that year.

Benefits for Investors and Filmmakers

One of the primary advantages of Section 181 is its potential to attract investors. By enabling investors to deduct film production costs in the current year, it significantly reduces their taxable income, providing a compelling financial incentive to invest in film projects. This immediate tax benefit is particularly attractive to investors who are looking to offset their income tax liabilities.

For filmmakers, Section 181 not only aids in attracting investment but also helps manage the financial risks associated with film production. It provides a means to offset the substantial costs of making a film by generating tax losses that can be used to counterbalance other income.

Taxable Income from Grants and Crowdfunding

Documentary filmmakers, in particular, benefit from Section 181 when it comes to managing taxable income from grants and crowdfunding. Typically, financing obtained through these sources is considered taxable income. Without Section 181, filmmakers would face a situation where they have taxable income without corresponding production costs to offset it. This could lead to an unexpected tax liability, reducing the effective budget available for the film.

Fred notes that with Section 181 “documentary filmmakers avoid having taxable income from grants and crowdfunding. This is critical for maintaining the financial health of a project, especially when dealing with non-traditional funding sources.”

Expiration of Section 181

As of now, Section 181 is set to expire for films that do not commence principal photography by December 31, 2025. This deadline is crucial for filmmakers to understand. It dictates the timeframe within which they must begin principal photography to take advantage of the benefits offered by this section.

“The term ‘commence,’” Fred elaborates, “is key here. It means the first day of principal photography, not just pre-production activities. Filmmakers need to ensure that their projects are in full swing by this date to benefit from Section 181.”

Grandfathering Provisions

For films that commence principal photography by the December 31, 2025 deadline, there is an opportunity to utilize Section 181 through what is known as grandfathering. This means that even if Section 181 expires, films that have met the commencement requirement can continue to benefit from the deductions.

“Grandfathering means that if your film starts principal photography by the deadline, you can still make the election and continue to use Section 181,” according to Fred. “However, it’s essential to understand that merely starting principal photography isn’t enough—you must also make the election correctly and on time.”

Potential Pitfalls and Misapplications

One of the key risks associated with Section 181 is the misapplication of its benefits. If the election is not made correctly or on time, filmmakers and investors may lose out on significant tax advantages. The election must be filed with the tax return for the year in which the film costs are incurred, and failure to adhere to this can result in losing the right to claim these deductions.

“If you fail to make the Section 181 election by the due date of the return including extensions,” Fred warns, “you lose the opportunity to benefit from the deduction. This can lead to substantial tax consequences and a loss of confidence from investors.”

Overview of Section 168: Backup Option for Indie Filmmakers

Section 168 provides an alternative to Section 181, particularly useful if the latter is not applied correctly or is unavailable.

Fred explains, “Section 168 can serve as a backstop to Section 181. It doesn’t have a dollar limit and allows for depreciation deductions. It doesn’t offer the immediate write-off benefits that Section 181 provides. For most indie films under $15 million, Section 181 is preferable.”

Application and Timing

One key difference between the two sections is the timing of the deductions. While Section 181 allows for immediate deductions, Section 168 requires that the costs be depreciated over the film’s useful life. This means that investors will not receive the same immediate tax benefits. Also filmmakers may face delays in seeing financial returns from their production costs.

Fred emphasizes that “for indie filmmakers, Section 181 is often more advantageous due to its immediate deduction benefits. However, Section 168 can still be a useful option if Section 181 is not available or applicable.”

Best Practices for Utilizing Tax Benefits: Early Involvement of Tax Professionals

To maximize the benefits of Section 181 and Section 168, it is crucial for filmmakers to involve tax professionals early in the process. This early involvement ensures that filmmakers and investors fully understand the tax implications and can make informed decisions about financing and production.

Fred advises, “Engage with a tax professional during the pre-financing stage. This is when key decisions about entity structure, financing, and tax elections are made. Waiting until tax returns are due is often too late to fully capitalize on these benefits.”

Proper Deal Structuring

Effective deal structuring is essential for leveraging tax benefits. This includes understanding the nature of the financing, the type of entity involved, and the specific requirements of each tax provision. Proper structuring can help ensure that the tax benefits are maximized and that potential risks are mitigated.

“Deal structure is as critical as budgeting,” he explains. “By understanding the implications of different financing structures and tax provisions, filmmakers can better manage their financial risks and optimize their tax benefits.”

Avoiding Common Misconceptions

There are several misconceptions about Section 181 and Section 168 that can lead to mistakes and missed opportunities. For example, the assumption that investors will automatically receive a write-off equal to their investment amount without considering actual production costs is a common error.

“The amount written off in the current year is based on the actual costs incurred,” he clarifies, “not the total amount invested. Misunderstanding this can lead to incorrect financial projections and investor dissatisfaction.”

Conclusion: Navigating the Financial Landscape of Indie Filmmaking

Navigating the financial aspects of indie filmmaking can be complex.  But understanding and utilizing tax benefits such as those offered by Sections 181 and 168 can significantly impact a project’s success. By engaging with experienced tax professionals, structuring deals effectively, and avoiding common pitfalls, filmmakers can optimize their financial strategies and attract the investment needed to bring their creative visions to life.

Fred Siegel’s expertise provides invaluable guidance for indie filmmakers seeking to maximize their tax benefits. His insights into Section 181 and Section 168 underscore the importance of proactive financial planning and informed decision-making in the indie film industry.

As Fred aptly puts it, “The key to financial success in indie filmmaking lies in understanding the tools available to you and using them effectively. With the right guidance and preparation, filmmakers can turn tax benefits into a powerful asset for their projects.”

By leveraging these insights and adhering to best practices, indie filmmakers can navigate the financial landscape with confidence and achieve their artistic and financial goals.

Click here to get contact information for Fred Siegel.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Conversation with Screenwriter Hollis Rich on Challenges of Creating Successful Comedies, Building Industry Relationships, and Pitching on Zoom

by Carole Dean

In the dynamic world of television production, crafting and pitching a comedy series requires more than just a good script. It demands a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and personal connection to captivate audiences and secure funding.

Hollis Rich has been able to combine all of that and carve out a successful career as a television writer and producer that spans both half hour comedy and hour drama.  Her shows include Doogie Hauser MD, Grace Under Fire, Picket Fences, and Party of Five. She co-created and co-executive produced the critically acclaimed series State of Grace which earned two Humanas nominations and four Jewish Image Awards for its humorous, authentic depiction of two girls of different faiths.

I was fortunate to have her as a guest on The Art of Film Funding Podcast.  In my interview with her, this acclaimed filmmaker shares her expertise on writing comedy and navigating the competitive landscape of TV funding pitches.

Comedy and Pathos: A Winning Combination

Hollis explains her approach to writing comedy intertwined with pathos.

“My whole thing is to replicate life as closely as possible because I feel that is how audiences connect with character and story,” she says. “It really is replicating how life feels, which is comedy and pathos.”

“It really is that tension between the two in a scene or tonally throughout a series that I feel makes it all more powerful,” she explains. “Because you’re dealing with real issues, and to have comedy in that context hits a chord with audiences and makes the comedy actually funnier.”

“In a comedy, when you have pathos, it also can be unexpected,” she explains. “And if it’s done right, it doesn’t just feel clunky, like a sentimental, overly sweet moment. It feels real. And yet the surprise of both keeps the audience alert and interested also.”

Focusing on Representation: Disabled Leads in Comedy

One of Rich’s recent focuses has been on developing two half-hour comedies featuring disabled leads. She was inspired by Jim Le Brecht, a filmmaker a wheelchair user and advocate for the disabled community. Jim co-directed the Academy Award nominated documentary Crip Camp.  Witnessing the insider humor of the disabled community sparked her interest in creating comedies with disabled leads.

She acknowledges the challenges of representing disability in mainstream media but believes that it’s a barrier worth breaking. “It’s just another barrier to break,” she says.

Hollis emphasizes the importance of portraying disabled characters realistically and humorously. “I tend to depict these people as just people who happen to be disabled,” she explains. “The humor is about their lives; it really is character humor and character-based humor that comes out of the stories and just their point of view.”

Embracing Challenges: The Power of Thriving, Not Surviving

Hollis emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges, particularly when crafting narratives that defy convention. By portraying characters who thrive despite their handicaps, comedy can transcend mere entertainment, offering viewers a glimpse into the resilience of the human spirit.

“We tend to focus more on the sense that these are people who are not just surviving, but thriving,” she says. “It really reflects the reality of the disabled community, which is not just one block of people but a range of disabilities and abilities.”

The decision to condense the series into a half-hour format was driven by the desire to maximize impact through surprise. By challenging audience expectations with a disabled lead in a comedy setting, Hollis and Jim sought to carve out a unique space in the television landscape, echoing the groundbreaking impact of shows like “Will and Grace.”

Brevity is Key: The 10-Minute Producer’s Pitch

One of the top priorities in pitching a TV series, according to Hollis, is brevity. In today’s fast-paced industry, time is precious, and producers appreciate pitches that get straight to the point.

Hollis learned from industry veteran Mary Jane Skalski, who emphasized the importance of brevity in pitching. Instead of the typical 20-minute pitch for a half-hour show, Hollis and her team have condensed their pitch to around 13 minutes, dubbing it the “10-Minute Producer’s Pitch.”

“We’ve paired it down to the basics,” Hollis explains. “It’s about telling the producers the budget, how it films, where it films, what’s going to happen, and who the main characters are.” The key, she says, is to keep it simple yet engaging. By adding humor and dialogue to the pitch, they ensure that the information is conveyed in an entertaining and memorable way.

It’s Ok to be Nervous, But be Passionate

“In doing that kind of pitch,” she explains, “you need to embellish, especially with a comedy, have some humor in there, and just the way you actually convey the information should be in a humorous tone.”

“And we also find we get a lot of mileage out of the short synopsis of the pilot, which people really respond to, because we really make it very dynamic and include some dialogue and have some dramatic moments and some very funny moments.”

“I mean, everybody’s a little nervous, but it’s fine to say that you’re nervous. It’s important. They really want to see you being passionate. Being nervous does not bother them, you’re not an actor. You’re not going to be on stage. You’re not going to be on camera acting this out, but they want to see your passion and commitment to it, which is important to convey.”

Scripted Versus Improvised: Finding the Right Balance

When it comes to delivering the pitch, having a well-rehearsed script is essential. While Hollis admits she used to be able to memorize pitches, she now relies on a script, especially when pitching via Zoom.

“Jim and I pitch it together, so we absolutely have a script that we have practiced,” she says. While Jim generally sticks to the script, Hollis might add her own improvisational flair, connecting with buyers through the camera.

Pitching on Zoom presents its own challenges, as reading body language and gauging audience reactions can be more difficult. However, Hollis emphasizes the importance of connecting with buyers, even in a virtual setting.

“It’s as if you’re continuing the conversation,” she says, “which puts everyone at ease.”

Engaging the Audience: Creating a Conversational Atmosphere

One of Hollis’s key insights is the importance of engaging the audience during the pitch. “They’re not just committing to your show and your ideas,” she explains. “They’re committing to you.” By creating a conversational, relaxed atmosphere, Hollis ensures that buyers feel comfortable and interested in the project.

Hollis encourages participation from buyers, leaving room for questions and comments throughout the pitch. “They want to know that you can do your part,” she says, “which includes being open to input from them.”

By demonstrating flexibility and openness to collaboration, she shows buyers that she’s not just selling a show but building a creative partnership.

Building Relationships and Making Connections

In the competitive world of television production, relationships and connections are key. She emphasizes the importance of working with respected industry professionals and leveraging existing connections to secure meetings and opportunities.

With the support of Mary Jane Skalski and Echo Lake Entertainment, Hollis and her team have been able to secure high-level meetings with industry insiders. “People know her,” Hollis says of Mary Jane, “and they know that what she brings in is good.”

By aligning themselves with reputable production companies and industry veterans, Hollis and Jim have positioned themselves for success.

Leveraging Experience: Coaching and Consultation Services

Drawing on her extensive experience in the industry, Hollis offers coaching and consultation services to aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters. By providing personalized guidance and feedback, she helps clients refine their comedic scripts and pitching strategies, empowering them to navigate the competitive landscape with confidence.

Crafting and pitching a comedy series for TV funding requires a multifaceted approach that blends creativity, strategic planning, and personal connection.

By embracing challenges, mastering the art of brevity, and fostering collaborative relationships, creators can elevate their pitches from mere presentations to compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and investors alike.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

“People Respond to Passion” – Roy W. Dean Grant Winner Shares Her Journey to Fund and Complete her Documentary  “A Photographic Memory” 

by Carole Dean

In a landscape teeming with creative endeavors, securing financial support for cinematic projects demands not just artistic vision but also strategic prowess. From navigating grant applications to cultivating personal connections with potential investors, the journey to funding can be as intricate as the films themselves.

Rachel Elizabeth Seed, a director and producer whose work spans film, photography, and writing, offers invaluable insights into the world of film funding. Her documentary “A Photographic Memory” which is a poignant exploration of familial connection through archival materials, has been supported by prestigious institutions like the Sundance Institute and the Roy W. Dean Grant.

In my interview with Rachel for The Art of Film Funding Podcast, she shared her inspiring journey which serves as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring filmmakers grappling with the complexities of financing their visions.

The Genesis of “A Photographic Memory”

Rachel’s foray into filmmaking was catalyzed by a deeply personal quest—to unravel the enigma of her own familial heritage. As a photographer and curator at the International Center of Photography, she found herself drawn to her mother’s legacy, a figure shrouded in mystery due to a lack of memories of her.

The serendipitous encounter with Sheila Turner Seed’s archival recordings laid the foundation for “A Photographic Memory,” a cinematic odyssey delving into the essence of familial bonds and the resonance of archival artifacts.

“When I heard her voice for the first time since I was a baby, when I listened to her interviewing photographers through her work, I just had a flash,” Rachel remembers. “I felt like I was in the room with her and the photographers in the 1970s, and all of a sudden I got this insight that time doesn’t really exist and that I was able to time travel and be with her.”

“It felt so real to me that I felt like this is something I have to share with people – this experience,” she explains. “I have to explore it and understand how close I can get to her through all of the essence of her that was left in all of her work.”

The Fundraising Odyssey: Strategies and Challenges

A photographer by training and experience, Rachel realized early on that telling this story required making it into a documentary.  But, she had never made a film. 

“I literally remember googling, how do I write a documentary treatment?, she recalls. “And I looked up budgets. I knew one other filmmaker at the time, now I know probably hundreds, but at that time it was just one. And so I really started from zero.

“I hadn’t gone to film school, and I just was like, well, I have to figure this out – this thing came to me and it needs to be a film, so how do I do this?”

Seed meticulously curated her grant applications, weaving a compelling tapestry of storytelling that resonated with funding institutions. However, she emphasizes the importance of discernment in grant applications, cautioning against the indiscriminate pursuit of funding opportunities without aligning with the project’s essence.

Building Relationships with Grantors

“I think so much of the time, it is about relationships and it’s about really understanding who you’re asking for funds from,” she advises, “and understanding what’s important to them and their organization and seeing if you’re really aligned.”

She adds that while there are many factors to take into consideration when applying for a grant, one of the most important ones is honestly knowing people.

“I mean, I know when I applied to your grant, Carole, you didn’t know me at all, so that was lucky on my part. 

“But for some of the grants, it really helps if you meet the people in person who are granting before you apply, if you reach out by email or call and make a personal connection so they’re aware of your project, or if you have someone on your team who is established and has a track record so they know that the risk they’re taking is going to most likely pay off.”

In addition to grants, Rachel harnessed the power of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, engaging with a global community of supporters passionate about her project. The success of her crowdfunding campaign underscored the pivotal role of audience engagement in the filmmaking process, transforming backers into stakeholders vested in the project’s success.

Navigating the Filmmaking Landscape: Lessons Learned

Her emphasis on the human element in fundraising underscores the transformative power of personal connections, transcending the confines of traditional grant applications to engage with funders on a visceral level. By imbuing her proposals with a palpable sense of passion and purpose, Rachel captured the imagination of funders, transforming abstract narratives into tangible investments in cinematic storytelling.

Moreover, her journey underscores the importance of resilience and tenacity in the film funding and filmmaking process.  Very rarely did she get a grant on the first try. 

“With Sundance, I’d applied a couple times before we got the grant, but one of my producers had been to the producing lab at Sundance, and when she came on board my film and then we applied again. They didn’t just say yes. There was a very long, probably months long process of intensive interviews where they were getting to know me because they knew her, but they didn’t know me.

“We had a long interview on the phone. It was very challenging. It wasn’t just an easy send in your grant and then get a green light.

“They had to meet me at the Story Lab and go through the whole process there. And then they still didn’t even have an answer. And then a few months later, they told me I got the grant, and then after that, they invited me to pitch at the festival.”

The Power of Community Screenings

Beyond the realm of traditional film distribution, Rachel recognizes the transformative potential of community screenings as a vehicle for social engagement and dialogue. By engaging with diverse communities—from photography enthusiasts to those grappling with the loss of a parent— it amplifies the impact of “A Photographic Memory.” 

Through strategic partnerships and outreach initiatives, Seed aims to connect with audiences to embark on a collective journey of introspection and discovery.

“Now that I’m in the phase of getting the film out there,” she says, “I love connecting with communities. They’re kind of endless possibilities because if you think about how many photo programs are there in the world, there’s got to be thousands, and people love photography.”  

Seed’s vision for community screenings extends beyond the confines of traditional exhibition spaces, encompassing educational institutions, cultural centers, and grassroots organizations.

People Respond to Passion

Discovering the story of her mother and her early relationship with her by making this film, not only changed her life.  It impacted the lives of those who viewed the film as well.

“It was so personally challenging what I went through to make the film emotionally,” she reflected. “At the end of it, I did get a relationship with my mother that I never had. And I love more than anything that people are seeing that possibility for themselves because it’s shocking to me how many people in the world have lost a parent or lost a parent young or somebody very close to themselves.” 

“People respond to passion. And if you don’t fully believe in your project or whatever you’re doing, whether you’re a filmmaker or any other profession, people are going to sense that and they’re not going to come along for the ride.

“I don’t think passion is something you can just invent or just pull out of thin air. But if you are passionate about what you’re doing and you do feel like it’s inevitable, then I think you’re in the best position to get it done.”

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Exploring the Hidden Nuances of Comedy Writing Along with The Timeless Allure and Lessons of Classic Films

by Carole Dean

For years, Steve Kaplan has reigned supreme as a luminary in the comedy domain. His profound insights and invaluable contributions have solidified his position as one of the most respected authorities in the industry.

His first book, the Hidden Tools of Comedy, is a bestseller in its field. Steve has taught workshops at companies such as Dreamworks, Disney Animation, NBC’s Writers On The Verge and others. He has taught his comedy intensive workshops around the world from Los Angeles to Mumbai to New York, from Australia to Rio.

I was fortunate to have him as a guest in my The Art of Film Funding Podcast.  In this extensive interview he discusses his second book The Comic Heroes Journey, serious Story Structure for Fabulously Funny Films which peels back the layers of comedic storytelling, revealing the underlying truths that resonate with audiences on a profound level.

The Genesis of a Comedy Maestro

Steve’s journey into the film industry defies convention, mirroring the unpredictability and eccentricity often associated with comedy itself. Through a blend of originality, innovation, and sheer determination, Steve carved out a niche for himself, setting the stage for his eventual transition to the world of film.

“Well, I originally got started in the film industry by not being in the film industry,” Steve explained. “I started out as a theater director. A couple of actors, friends of mine wanted to start a theater in New York, and they asked me to join in.

“I pitched them a theater that was completely devoted to comedy, which was at that time in New York, not very usual. And so we started it, we called it the Manhattan Punchline, and it wasn’t a standup club, it was a theater completely devoted to comedy.”

After it closed, he thought “what can I do with all this information that I have about comedy?” And so he went to Los Angeles and got a gig at HBO doing some developmental work for them.

Along the way, somebody suggested he could do for comedy what Robert McKee does for story. He started a small workshop in Los Angeles which grew into workshops in New York, in London, in Tel Aviv. That led to relationships with writers and producers.

“So that’s how I kind of got started in the film industry by focusing on one thing that was important to me. And that’s what comedy is, how it works, why it works, what’s happening when it doesn’t work, and what can you do to fix it.”

Unveiling the Essence of Comedy

At the heart of Steve’s philosophy lies a profound understanding of the essence of comedy. Beyond the superficial realm of laughter, he contends that comedy serves as a mirror to the human experience, illuminating our struggles, triumphs, and idiosyncrasies.

Through his seminal work, “The Hidden Tools of Comedy,” Steve draws from his vast reservoir of knowledge and experience.  He elucidates the intricate dynamics of humor, offering invaluable insights into the art of crafting comedic narratives.

“A lot of people think comedy is simply what you’re laughing at. If it’s funny, if you’re laughing at it, that’s comedy. But, I have a niece, and when she was very little, if I shook my keys at her, she would laugh at that. So to her, that was funny.

“But you wouldn’t take a set of keys and shake them to an agent at CAA and say, would you sign me? Maybe I can develop this into a feature.”

Steve believes that comedy is the art of telling the truth, and specifically, it’s the art of telling the truth about human beings. 

It’s about somebody who is an ordinary or less than ordinary person struggling against insurmountable odds without many of the required skills and tools with which to win, yet never giving up hope.

The Rule of Three

“Buster Keaton said, you get a man up a tree, you throw rocks at him, you get the man down from the trick,” Steve expounds. Comedy is “all about somebody very much like us struggling against something that’s outside of their control and not giving up.”

Steve says this is called the comedy equation.  From it, you can draw usable, practical tools to write comedy.  Other hidden tools are what he writes about in his second book The Comic Heroes Journey, serious Story Structure for Fabulously Funny Films which are the things that people aren’t being taught in colleges or universities. 

“If you dig deep into how comedy is working and what’s happening, these are useful tools in terms useful practical tools in terms of creating comedy.”

Deconstructing Cinematic Gems: A Case Study of Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day stands as a testament to the timeless appeal of comedic storytelling, transcending generations with its universal themes and enduring charm. Steve delves into the intricacies of this cinematic masterpiece, dissecting its narrative structure, character development, and thematic resonance.

Through the lens of the “Comic Hero’s Journey,” he unveils the transformative arc of protagonist Phil Connors, whose journey from cynicism to enlightenment serves as a poignant allegory for the human condition.

“A guy wakes up every day and it’s the same day, it’s Groundhog Day,” Steve says diving into the movie’s plot, “and that’s a lie. That could never happen. But if it did happen, if it does happen, what can happen next?

“A comic premise is developed by characters. And characters are brought on into a story by need and theme. You have a scene with a boy and a girl at a cafe. Who do you need? Do you need a waiter or a waitress? But characters are also brought on through theme in ‘Groundhog Day’. The theme is ‘how can you be a good person in the world?’

“One of the things about ‘Groundhog Day’ and about great comedies is that it not only appeals to your sense of humor, it makes you laugh, it makes you care, but it also makes you think, and that’s why ‘Groundhog Day’ has been adopted by every major religion.

“So a great comedy not only has a great premise, a great setup, it has great characters and it has great meaning.”

Legacy of Laughter: Celebrating the Genius of Charlie Chaplin

Reflecting on the indelible legacy of Charlie Chaplin, Steve references him frequently in his books.  

Through his groundbreaking work, Chaplin revolutionized the art of silent comedy, imbuing his characters with humanity, empathy, and resilience. Steve explores the enduring appeal of Chaplin’s films.  He sheds light on the universal themes and timeless truths that continue to captivate audiences to this day.

About the character Chaplin plays in “City Lights”, Steve says ” he’s not the brightest, but he keeps trying his best to help the blind girl or to figure out how to serve when he’s playing the waiter, he’s trying to serve all these plates while everybody’s dancing, and it’s impossible.”

“What we love about Charlie Chaplin is that it’s universal, his universal humanity, and that humanity without the restriction of language is available to everybody because everybody shares the same things that great comedians do. It’s tough to get by.”

Crafting Comedy with Precision: Unveiling the Hidden Tools

At the core of Steve’s methodology lies a meticulous approach to comedic craftsmanship. Through his innovative framework of “hidden tools,” he empowers writers and performers to unlock the full potential of their comedic endeavors.

Concepts such as the “non-hero” and “straight line, wavy line” serve as foundational principles for creating authentic, relatable characters that resonate with audiences on a profound level.  

Steve says “the idea of winning comedy gives your characters the permission to win.  But it also gives your characters the permission to do what they need to do in order to win.”

By understanding the nuances of comedic performance and narrative structure, creators can harness the transformative power of laughter to entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Populating the Comedy Landscape: Kaplan Comedy Workshops

At the height of pandemic in October of 2020, Steve began offering his intensive comedy workshop online for the first time. It was wildly successful.

Now he teaches online and you can go his Kaplan Comedy website to learn more.  He is teaching the Hidden Tools online, and  also teaching a course in the Comic Heroes Journey, what he calls ‘write your comedy screenplay.’

He has started up live workshops again. This coming December, he is going to be teaching at the university in Milan, and is probably going to be also teaching a workshop in London. 

You can join his mailing list at mailinglist@kaplancomedy.com to learn more.

A Tribute to the Transformative Power of Laughter

Steve leaves us with a poignant reminder of comedy’s enduring legacy and transformative power.

Beyond its capacity to entertain and amuse, comedy serves as a catalyst for introspection, empathy, and connection. Through laughter, we find solace in the shared absurdities of human experience, transcending barriers of language, culture, and geography.

With unwavering passion and boundless enthusiasm, Steve Kaplan continues to champion the art of comedy.  He is inspiring generations of creators and audiences alike to embrace the joy of laughter and the beauty of shared humanity.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Lessons from brilliant author Neville Goddard on how to create your future using the power of your mind

by Carole Dean

In his book The Power of Awareness, Neville Goddard explains how these two words,  I AM, are so powerful.  He believes that by using the I AM words you can turn on abilities that you possess and are not aware of. 

He is right.

The Potency of “I AM”

There actually is a book, entitled The I AM Discourses that was said to be channeled by Saint Germain.

The entire book focuses on the power of the two words I AM. Saint Germaine says that using I AM can change what is happening to you. These words are so powerful that they can bring you what you want.

Example: If you are sick, The I AM Discourses say that you simply state on an ongoing basis “I am healthy.” The power of the I AM is that it will bring you what you state. It explains that these two words are powerful manifesters.

From studying it, I really love The I AM Discourses book. It’s an empowering book. It makes you feel that there’s nothing you can’t achieve by using these two affirming words I AM.

Cultivating Belief and Self-Improvement

Try it. Perhaps use this on something that you think you are not talented at. Begin daily to reverse that by saying, “I AM good at…” whatever it is you want to improve.

Example: Many people call me and immediately say, “I am not good at pitching my film, but I will tell you about it.” So, why not start saying, “I am good at pitching my film!”
I AM receiving donations almost every time I pitch my film.

Use the I AM mantras daily and turn yourself into being good at pitching your film. Please, just pick one thing and try it and you will be amazed. These are two powerful words.

Now what I love is when I read or hear the same thing twice or three times. It is then that my interest picks up. It is then that I realize the universe wants me to know this! Now, I sincerely pay attention.

So, when I read how Neville was explaining the importance of the I AM statement, I found it a strong reminder that we are that close to improving ourselves.

Just using two words and believing in them will bring that talent to you. It can be done. But you need to believe it.  To other people we may sound very good, but we believe that we are not good and of course, that overrides our abilities.

Overcoming Negative Self-Concepts

Your mind is powerful and when you say I can’t do that, well, then you can’t. Remember Henry Ford told us that. He said, if you think you can or if you think you can’t, YOU ARE RIGHT!!

Neville explains that I AM is a feeling of permanent awareness. It is the center of consciousness. Everything depends upon attitude towards itself; you need to awaken your unused potential with the power of the I AM.

Try using these words to access untapped potential and unrealized dreams.  Consider picking something that you feel you want to be good at and turn that around using the two words I AM.

It can benefit you. You might say any of these statements:

I am good at pitching.
I am excellent at directing.
I am an award-winning filmmaker.

You will need to use this in a constant flow of thinking and feeling. 

The Heart Chakra is the Power Center of the Body 

In my bi-monthly Film Funding Guidance class, we studied the work of Greg Braden, a five-time New York Times best-selling author, scientist, and international educator.   He believes you need to put this flow in your heart chakra and feel it with passion. Put your mind and your emotions together in the heart chakra because that’s where the power is to create your future.  

That’s how you make the I AM work. Go into the heart chakra and focus with statements like I AM good at pitching my film.

Perhaps you put this in writing and put it by your toothbrush, put it in your jacket pocket, put it with your credit cards, with your computer, and in the kitchen where you spend time cooking and cleaning. Put it in places where you can make that part of your mantra and use those I AM words to bring you a talent that you currently don’t have.

Neville says, “health, wealth, beauty, and genius are not created they are only manifested by the arrangement of your mind–that is, by your concept of yourself. And your concept of yourself is all that you accept and consent to as true.

What you consent to can only be discovered by an uncritical observation of your reaction to life. Your reactions reveal where you live psychologically; and where you live psychologically determines how you live here in the outer visible world. We are connected to nature and to each other. You need to accept this.

Connecting to the Quantum Field in a Quiet Place

Understanding that our consciousness of the outer world is most important to us. We need to connect to the consciousness of everything. This is critical to our success in this universe.

Knowing that we are connected to all living things and to each other.  Realizing that we truly are part of the universe and that universal laws govern us. That we can improve. It’s up to us to open up and ask for what we want and become who we truly have the power to be.

We are powerful beings and can change who we are. We can improve ourselves no matter what age, or what condition we are in, that can change with our belief.

Neville wrote most of his books in the 40s and 50s. Since then, we have discovered and explained much about how quantum physics works. This is saying the same thing Neville said, which is that we are all connected through the quantum field.

Carl Sagan said, “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff.”

Lynn MacTaggart’s book The Field  tells of 12 physicists each working on individual projects and yet coming to the same conclusion,  that there is a field of energy surrounding us and extending throughout our Galaxy. 

This field is alive. It is the recorder of all things. Everything you think and do is recorded in the quantum field. This field is our field of consciousness.

This is what Neville is talking about and we need to realize that we are more than our physical beings. We are connected to the sun, moon, stars, we are connected to the universe, to each other, to our plants, to the ocean, and even to the rocks on the shore.
All our outer world is connected to our inner world.

By realizing and including these things we become all that we can be. We want a solid connection to all that is. Please, open your heart and connect to the outer world.

Meditate in your Heart Chakra and Open to Receive

When you meditate, open yourself to receive goodness from all you are connected to.   Once you begin to do this you have more empathy for your fellow man. You have more respect for all living things. And most of all you will recognize your important position in the universe.

Each of you are very special. You are here for a purpose. You chose that purpose before you came into this world. Have you found it?

Usually, the universe will give you the tools and the talents to achieve your life mission. However, it’s up to you to identify this mission.

One great way to find your life’s mission is through meditation. Another great way is using the powerful words I AM to give you the talents you need to achieve your life goals.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Fostering community and creativity by making great films accessible to audiences in diverse settings

by Carole Dean

In a rapidly evolving landscape where traditional cinema experiences are being redefined, innovative platforms like Kinema are spearheading a revolution in film distribution. Founded and led by Christie Marchese, Kinema is reshaping how audiences discover and engage with great films, transcending the boundaries of traditional distribution models.

In my in-depth discussion with Christie on my Art of Film Funding Podcast, she sheds light on the intricacies of Kinema’s platform and its pivotal role in empowering filmmakers and studios to reach their audiences while maximizing revenue through screening tours, virtual events, and TVOD (Transactional Video On Demand).

Kinema: Redefining Film Distribution

At the heart of Kinema’s mission lies a commitment to fostering community and creativity by making great films accessible to audiences in diverse settings. Christie explains, “We built this platform initially to support screening tours, a form of non-theatrical distribution aimed at reaching audiences outside the traditional distribution system.”

Drawing from her extensive experience at impact agency Picture Motion where she was CEO for nine years, running impact for Righteous Pictures, and other ventures, she recognized the power of community screenings in amplifying the reach and impact of socially relevant films.

The Evolution of Kinema’s Platform

Kinema’s journey from supporting screening tours to its current multifaceted platform mirrors the dynamic shifts in the film industry, particularly accelerated by the pandemic.

Christie likens Kinema’s evolution to that of Etsy, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for filmmakers and distributors to seamlessly host in-person and online events, streamlining the booking process, and ensuring swift payment to creators.

In-Person Screenings: Building Community Beyond Theatres

In-person screenings represent a cornerstone of Kinema’s platform, offering filmmakers a pathway to engage with diverse audiences in unconventional venues. As Christie explains, “These are physical spaces that have another primary purpose besides supporting movie-going, such as businesses, museums, or places of worship.”

By facilitating secure film delivery and seamless payment processing, Kinema empowers hosts to curate immersive screening experiences while retaining control over their film rights and audience data.

Virtual Events: Crafting Immersive Digital Experiences

With the onset of the pandemic, Kinema swiftly adapted its platform to accommodate the burgeoning demand for virtual screenings. Christie describes Kinema’s virtual cinema as a live experience, enabling hosts to create interactive events with synchronized film screenings, real-time chat functionalities, and live Q&A sessions with filmmakers.

The platform’s scalability and robust infrastructure ensure a seamless viewing experience for audiences, with capacity extending to thousands of attendees per event.

On-Demand: Empowering Flexible Viewing Experiences

Kinema’s on-demand screenings offer unparalleled flexibility, allowing audiences to watch films at their convenience within a specified window. This feature caters to a diverse array of hosts, from businesses seeking to engage remote employees to influencers curating exclusive viewing experiences for their followers.

By integrating customizable branding options and prerecorded messaging, Kinema enhances the immersive quality of on-demand screenings while providing a lucrative revenue-sharing model for filmmakers and hosts alike.

Nurturing Audience Relationships: The Key to Sustainable Filmmaking

Central to Kinema’s ethos is the cultivation of meaningful relationships between filmmakers and their audiences. “When you send people to watch the film through us,” Christie emphasizes, “you will have that audience data and you’ll know who they are.” This underscores the platform’s commitment to empowering creators with actionable insights for audience engagement and future projects.

Unlike traditional streaming platforms, Kinema prioritizes privacy and transparency, enabling filmmakers to forge lasting connections with their audience beyond the confines of a single screening.

Unveiling the Audience: Know Thy Viewer

The foundation of audience engagement lies in a profound understanding of your viewers. “The most important first step,” she articulates, “is to know who your audience is.” It’s not enough to create a film for “everybody”; specificity is key. By pinpointing the demographics, interests, and passions of your audience, you carve a path towards resonance and connection.

“Be very focused and specific in who your immediate audience is.” Whether your film revolves around skateboarders, social justice issues, or underrepresented populations, identifying your niche is paramount. Moreover, recognizing where your audience congregates—be it online forums, social media platforms, or specialized publications—equips you with the tools to engage them effectively.

The Path to Discovery: Reaching Your Audience

Once you’ve defined your audience, the next step is reaching them. Christie advocates for a multifaceted approach that leverages organizational partnerships, media outreach, and social media influencers.

“Define who your audience listens to,” she expounds, “and where they get their information.” By forging strategic alliances with organizations and media outlets aligned with your film’s themes, you amplify your reach and visibility.

Moreover, in the era of social media dominance, harnessing the power of influencers emerges as a potent strategy. she confides, “We follow influencers and micro-influencers.” Collaborating with individuals who resonate with your target demographic fosters authentic engagement and extends the reach of your message.

Crafting the Narrative: Building Buzz and Momentum

In the realm of film distribution, storytelling extends beyond the screen—it permeates every facet of your promotional endeavors. Noting the importance of creating a narrative around your film, she states, “We’re all moved by stories.”

By humanizing the filmmaking process and cultivating a connection with your audience, you cultivate a loyal following invested in your journey.

She champions the concept of “film drops,” akin to merch or sneaker drops, where films are made available for a limited time, fostering a sense of exclusivity and urgency. This strategy, coupled with engaging live events and interactive experiences, ignites excitement and drives audience participation.

Monetizing Your Craft: Navigating the Financial Landscape

While artistic passion fuels the filmmaking process, financial sustainability underpins its longevity. Christie clarifies the intricacies of monetization, emphasizing a balance between accessibility and profitability. Filmmakers are charged a nominal subscription fee, ensuring commitment and dedication to the distribution process.

Additionally, revenue sharing models ensure equitable compensation for filmmakers, with platform fees adjusted based on scaling. She affirms, “Our aim is to lower the barrier of entry while fostering a community of financially invested filmmakers.”

Through transparent pricing structures and secure payment platforms, filmmakers embark on a journey towards financial empowerment.

Success Stories: Pioneering Pathways to Prosperity

The testament to Kinema’s efficacy lies in its success stories. Kinema’s founder shares anecdotes of filmmakers who’ve harnessed the platform’s capabilities to achieve remarkable outcomes. From documentaries garnering widespread acclaim to feature films captivating niche audiences, Kinema serves as a catalyst for cinematic triumph.

She described Kinema’s experience with the documentary “Spellers.”

“They were looking at doing one film, they did a film festival, and then we’re looking at their schedule for the year and thinking, how do I just get this to our audience faster?

“And I looked at the film like, oh, this is a great film. I’ve enjoyed it, but it seems it might be a smaller film just based on what I’m seeing here. And they knocked it out of the park, the film team behind it. They knew exactly who their audience was. They had an email list ready to go, and they set it up to release through us last April.

“And about two months before they sent an email blast to the network of curated organizations and partners. They had, I don’t know, I think maybe 200, 220 bookings instantly and immediately. And that film has continued to book, maybe one or two screenings a week. They continue to have people coming to screenings of the film.”

“It’s an active and engaged audience, and it’s working because people come, they see the film, they love the film, they want to have their own screening. And so, it’s spreading out from there outside of its original intended audience.”

The Road Ahead: Innovations and Future Endeavors

As Kinema continues to innovate and expand its offerings, Christie envisions a future where the platform seamlessly integrates merchandise sales, donation functionalities, and enhanced audience analytics. By harnessing the power of technology and community-driven engagement, Kinema aims to democratize film distribution, empowering creators to share their stories with the world while fostering a vibrant ecosystem of cinematic discovery and connection.

Kinema stands at the forefront of a paradigm shift in film distribution, championing inclusivity, creativity, and community-driven engagement. Through its innovative platform and unwavering commitment to empowering filmmakers, Kinema is not merely reimagining how films are distributed but reshaping the very fabric of cinematic storytelling in the digital age.

As Christie aptly summarizes, “Our intention is to make a platform that’s easy for filmmakers to use, get paid quickly, and for audiences to discover fantastic new titles that they might not have otherwise.” With Kinema leading the charge, the future of film distribution is boundless, promising boundless opportunities for creators and audiences alike.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  Essential classes for indie filmmakers on how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

 

Exploring the Rich Landscape of American Documentary

by Carole Dean

As the President of From the Heart Productions, I’ve long been an advocate for the transformative power of independent filmmaking. It’s not just about telling stories; it’s about shaping narratives, challenging perspectives, and fostering empathy.

So, when I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris White, the executive producer at American Documentary Inc., I was eager to delve into the rich history and mission of his organization, renowned for producing PBS’s award-winning documentary series, POV (Point of View), and America Reframed in partnership with GBH World Channel.

A Legacy of Empowering Independent Voices

American Documentary, founded in the late 1980s by Mark Weiss, emerged from a pressing need for independent voices on American television.

Chris White, reflecting on the organization’s journey, encapsulates its essence: “Hundreds of beautiful cinematic stories being brought to the American public, addressing the issues of our times.” This dedication to uplifting long-form documentary filmmaking resonates deeply with my own passion for storytelling that transcends boundaries and challenges societal norms.

POV: A Showcase of Human Stories

POV stands as the longest-running showcase for independent documentary on U.S. television, completing its 36th season. What sets POV apart is its focus on character-driven, story-centric cinematic experiences that delve into the human condition.

As Chris aptly puts it, “Through our films, you can see all the contemporary issues we’re dealing with.” This approach, centering on human narratives, enables viewers to connect deeply with the multifaceted issues of our times.

America Reframed: Focusing on American Stories

While POV offers a global perspective, America Reframed zooms in on American narratives. Chris notes that while both platforms share similar approaches, America Reframed specifically focuses on stories from the United States, creating a nuanced tapestry of American experiences.

The Role of an Executive Producer: Nurturing Filmmakers and Stories

In his role as Vice President of Programming and Production and Executive Producer, Chris wears many hats. He serves as the public and curatorial face of POV, actively engaging with filmmakers at festivals, pitch forums, and industry events.

His journey from intern to executive producer underscores his profound understanding of the filmmaking process and the importance of fostering emerging talent.

Embracing Diversity and Innovation in Documentary Filmmaking

Chris emphasizes the importance of diversity and innovation in documentary filmmaking, encouraging filmmakers to experiment with storytelling techniques and embrace diverse perspectives.

This commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices is evident in their partnerships and initiatives, such as the Diverse Voices Project, aimed at supporting emerging BIPOC filmmakers.

Paving the Way for Short Form Nonfiction: POV Shorts

The emergence of POV Shorts, now in its sixth season, highlights the organization’s adaptability and commitment to showcasing the best in short-form nonfiction. By providing a platform for shorter narratives, POV Shorts enables filmmakers to convey powerful stories in condensed formats, further expanding the reach and impact of documentary filmmaking.

Empowering Filmmakers and Engaging Audiences: The POV Engage Initiative

Beyond airing films, American Documentary prioritizes civic engagement through initiatives like POV Engage. By collaborating with a vast network of organizations, they facilitate discussions, panels, and educational programs, transforming films into catalysts for dialogue and action within communities.

Looking Ahead: Sustaining the Documentary Ecosystem

As American Documentary looks to the future, Chris outlines their goals of sustaining the documentary ecosystem by increasing support for filmmakers and expanding co-production opportunities. By nurturing emerging talent and amplifying authentic voices, they aim to continue enriching the landscape of independent documentary filmmaking.

My conversation with Chris White reaffirmed the profound impact of independent documentary filmmaking in shaping our understanding of the world. Through compelling storytelling, diverse perspectives, and community engagement, organizations like American Documentary are not just documenting history—they’re actively shaping it.

As filmmakers and audiences alike, let us continue to champion the power of storytelling to inspire change and foster empathy in an ever-evolving world.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

by Carole Dean

From a recent interview in The Hollywood Reporter with 2024 Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown.

Hollywood Reporter: Was an Oscar nomination or winning an Academy Award on your actor vision board?

Sterling K. Brown: I would say so. 

I want to dive into a powerful tool that can truly transform your filmmaking journey and elevate your career: vision boards.

As someone deeply invested in nurturing indie talent and fostering creativity, I believe wholeheartedly in the magic of manifesting our dreams through visualization.

Picture this: you’re sitting in a cluttered room, surrounded by scraps of paper, scribbled notes, and a myriad of ideas swirling in your head.

You’ve got a passion project brewing, but you’re feeling stuck, unsure of how to turn your vision into reality.

This is where the vision board steps in to work its wonders.

Now, you might be thinking, “Isn’t a vision board just a collage of pretty pictures and quotes?” Well, it’s so much more than that. A vision board is a tangible representation of your goals, aspirations, and deepest desires.

It’s a visual roadmap that helps clarify your intentions and keep you focused on what truly matters.

Here are ten tips for making a vision board for your film:

Film Aesthetic Collage:

Include visuals that capture the aesthetic and mood you envision for your indie film. This could involve color schemes, textures, and images that convey the atmosphere of your project.

Character Inspirations:

Feature images or descriptions representing your characters. Find actors, real people, or even fictional characters that embody the personalities and traits you want to portray in your indie film. 

Location Scouting:

Add pictures of locations or settings that align with the backdrop of your indie film. This can help you visualize the environment and set the tone for your storytelling.

Storyboarding Elements:

Incorporate elements of your storyboards. Include sketches, visuals, or snippets that represent key scenes or sequences in your film.

Genre and Style Indicators:

Use symbols, words, or images that signify the genre and style of your indie film. Whether it’s drama, comedy, thriller, or a mix, make sure your vision board reflects the essence of your project.

Budget and Resources:

If applicable, include images or notes related to your budgeting and resource needs. This could be representations of equipment, funding sources, or potential collaborators.

Film Festival Goals:

If submitting to film festivals is part of your plan, feature logos or images associated with those festivals. Visualize the achievement of screening your indie film at prestigious events.

Collaborator Images:

Showcase images or names of potential collaborators – cinematographers, actors, producers – to manifest the collaborative aspect of indie filmmaking.

Quotes and Inspirational Words:

Integrate motivational quotes, affirmations, or words that inspire you. These can serve as constant reminders of your passion and commitment to your indie filmmaking journey.

Distribution and Audience:

Include symbols or visuals representing your goals for distribution and reaching your target audience. This could involve logos of streaming platforms, audience reactions, or successful indie film examples.

Remember to arrange these elements in a way that feels intuitive and visually compelling to you.

Your vision board should serve as a source of motivation and focus, aligning with your aspirations for your indie film.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But Carole, I’m a filmmaker, not a professional collagist!”

Fear not, for creating a vision board is as easy as 1-2-3. Simply gather your materials – a corkboard, magazines, scissors, glue – and let your intuition be your guide. There are no rules here, no right or wrong way to do it. Trust your instincts and let your creativity flow freely.

And remember, a vision board is not a one-and-done exercise. It’s a living, breathing entity that evolves with you.

As you progress on your filmmaking journey and your goals shift and expand, don’t be afraid to update your board accordingly. Think of it as a visual journal of your growth and transformation.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

Crafting Success: Inside The Film Festival Doctor’s Winning Strategies

by Carole Dean

 

Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith is an award-winning film festival strategist and founder of The Film Festival Doctor.  They are committed to securing film festival screenings, winning awards, and earning positive recognition within the film industry for their clients. Currently, Rebekah’s company has helped win more than 2,000 awards for its clients and has supported nearly 850 creatives across the world.

Rebekah said, “I help filmmakers get their film seen in the right festivals by creating a very streamlined and targeted strategy for their film. Every festival strategy and campaign is bespoke to the film that we’re working with. Nothing’s the same. Every client has different goals and different budgets and different types of films. We create the right kind of plan for each film.”

Filmmakers normally come to me when the film is close to completion or fully completed and they say, look, we’ve made the film, what do we do with it? What festivals do we send it to? How high can we aim? And we solve those problems by finding the right festivals for their film to achieve their key goals.”

 

Aligning goals with festival selection  

Goal setting for your festival run is crucial as it’s important to be in alignment with what you want to achieve and decide if the film can achieve it. The most common goals she discusses with filmmakers are, do you want to get it into Sundance, Slamdance, Cannes, Berlin, Tribeca, all the key festivals? Or do you want to qualify for the Oscars or BAFTA or are you more keen for exposure and networking?

You want to ask yourself, is your film strong enough for the top festivals and awards? If it’s not, there are other festivals that can help you get the film seen and achieve your goals.

This is a very important process. The Film Festival Doctor gives honest feedback based on years of working with festival programmers. They will not say it has potential for top tier festivals if it does not. They give you an excellent constructive critique and explain if the film can potentially achieve the filmmakers’ goals. They take into account if it is possible for Sundance, Tribeca, and Cannes, they do a very detailed plan and timeline. If it’s a no, then you decide if you want to use plan B. If so, they will detail and curate that plan for you.

 

Personalized festival strategies for every film

Plan B will be festivals a tier below which will still be a good fit for the film. What’s the key goal here? Why do you want to get into those festivals? Most of the time filmmakers want a lot of exposure and access to the right kind of networking. Rebekah wants to get your film seen by people in our industry and your peers.

Setting goals is a priority because I know that I’ve talked to many filmmakers and they have totally different goals. Some of them simply want to promote themselves. Some say they want people to see their film and recognize their talents.  Some people want to change belief patterns. Some just want the film to be seen for educational purposes. Some want to find distribution.

Once you have firmed up your goals then Rebekah and her team will “unpack the film.” Let’s pretend it’s a horror short film. The question is, can it break out of the horror genre niche, or will it do better to stay within its niche and thrive on the genre festival circuit?

The benefits are you may meet the right kind of people to build long term relationships with and get the right type of exposure.  She really wants you to receive appreciation for the film and win awards. She says, “We give each film a thorough and detailed look.” And the reason is because Rebekah and her colleagues have an excellent background in film festival programming. They bring a fresh pair of eyes to the film. They know what kind of festivals to choose for each one.

Every filmmaker gets this very specific and very targeted outline for their film festival strategy.

 

Leveraging short films as visual business cards

If the goal is about promotion for themselves like a short film, Rebekah considers this short film as a “business card,” she says it is a “visual business card” showing what they can do as a director, writer, actor, DP, sound, etc. It is showing what the filmmakers can do and can show that with bigger budgets this filmmaker has the talent to make a feature. So, the festivals to go to that can help them achieve that goal of networking and promo in the right way will be festivals that have a large industry presence and a big filmmaker presence. A lot of festivals can be more like local communities, with local audiences that don’t work in the film industry. On the other hand, a lot of them can be very filmmaker focused which is good for connecting with the right kind of people.

 

Selecting festivals with industry presence and networking opportunities

Rebekah and her team look at different perspectives when they are putting your strategy and list of festivals together. They base decisions on their personal programing tastes from their years of experience curating festivals. They know what films their contacts like and what their individual tastes are. They know what kind of stories these programmers like, what kind of executions they find interesting, and what kinds of themes they like. This is where their knowledge pays off for filmmakers.

Some festivals are heavily focused upon LGBTQI+A. Some on women filmmakers, some on filmmakers which are within the local area of say New York, Miami and LA etc.

 

Researching previous winners and nominations

Part of the planning process comes from The Film Festival Doctor staff researching what kind of films win at these festivals by looking at the previous winners, nominations, and what kind of categories they have. Obviously, all festivals are different. They don’t have the same kind of awards or the same kind of programming techniques. Their decisions are based upon long-time knowledge and knowing where best to position your film.

 

Academy Awards submission strategies

To submit to the Academy Awards, there’s two ways you can submit to the Oscars. With a narrative feature, you must do a limited theatrical run release 1 screening for 7 consecutive days, which requires screening your film in theaters that are Oscar approved in one of six U.S. cities (L.A., N.Y., Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, or San Francisco).

For documentary features, live action short films, animation & documentary, you can apply to the Oscars by doing a release theatrically in an Oscar approved theater in one of those cities in the US. Or if you win an Oscar qualifying award at an Oscar qualifying festival, then you can submit. You may need advertising and a PR film to help.  Rebekah will advise you on all of this.

 

Budgeting for festival expenses and The Film Festival Doctor’s services

What are the costs for your festival budget? Festival fees may run from $1,500 to $2,000.00.  Rebekah’s services begin at $800.00. She suggests you put $3,000 minimum for your festival expense.

Their strategies are global.  They are familiar with all of the key international festivals and can strategize for you all over the world.

I am impressed with her staff’s knowledge.  They are living all over the world and specialize in creating film festival strategies.  You may want to talk to The Film Festival Doctor and learn more about the possibilities you have to get your film seen on the circuit.

Rebekah says, “I’m proud of all the films I represent. I am proud of every single one of them because they’ve all been seen on the circuit, they’ve all achieved their goals, and everything’s been what they wanted. It is not always a linear journey for results to come in, but they’ve got there in the end.”

 

Learn more at www.thefilmfestivaldoctor.com

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

How to use the screenwriter’s definition of a story to create a good story structure for your documentary

by Carole Dean

Karen Everett is one of the world’s leading documentary story consultants. Her company, New Doc Editing, has pioneered ways to tailor screenwriting principles to non-fiction films. She has helped filmmakers structure captivating documentaries for PBS, HBO, Sundance, and other top film festivals. 

 

 

On my recent podcast, The Art of Film Funding, I asked Karen what is a good story structure?

A Character Driven Documentary

Karen said she follows a screenwriter’s definition of story. A good story is normally about someone who wants something badly and that something is difficult to get.  And in this world, we call this a character driven documentary with a three-act structure, a beginning, a middle and an end.

In act one, we meet the protagonist and learn something that throws their world upside down into chaos. That’s called the catalyst, or the inciting incident.

What comes out of their desire is their quest, it is the story we’re telling. Karen says it is important to include in your script narration or in an interview what she calls “a protagonist statement of desire.” This is where the protagonist says in one or two sentences exactly what they want. This should be punctuated with sound effects or music to guide the viewer to the narrative arc.

Tips from Aristotle

Karen notes we use the three-act structure from Aristotle, which has been used in all kinds of art forms. We are adapting it for a nonfiction format.

The protagonist’s desire should be something important like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. This first act is where you introduce me to your characters and begin your character development. This act one is 25% of the film.

The second act’s focus is on how difficult it will be to achieve the goal and we see many obstacles in their way.  This is where a lot of drama happens, and it is about 60% of the film.

In The shortest act, which is act three where the protagonist either reaches or does not reach his objective.

Plot Driven Vs. an Idea Driven

That structure adopted from Aristotle is a plot driven documentary as opposed to an idea driven. This idea driven film is an essay style documentary.  People often start those by posing a thesis statement.

This type of documentary was radical 20 years ago.  Karen mentioned An Inconvenient Truth as an example. That was Al Gore’s hypothesis, and he spent most of the film proving it. For this type of film, you start with a thesis statement. Then, through most of the film, you’re finding arguments to bolster your notion.

At the end of the film, you say now we’ve proven it. This film could also start with a central question like who killed the electric car? This gives us several culprits who were all behind the killing of the electric car, General Motors or was it the battery technology or was it the executives or the consumers? You have those questions to answer yourself at the end of the film. 

You should feel that you’ve learned something purposeful from this type of documentary.

A Paper Edit 

In idea driven films, many people make a paper edit. Karen says she likes to have at least a one-page outline that identifies the central question or the central thesis. It then lists the ways that we’re going to examine this thesis, this idea.

At the end, we have meaning so the viewer walks away with a sense of “Oh, I’ve not only learned something, but I’ve also learned something useful.”

Karen explains once you have that list of plot points; let’s say you have four items that are obstacles and the protagonist is facing, you look at those closely and say, ‘I have a lot of ideas, so which plot point best relates to this idea?’

Now, use the plot points as a springboard for opening a discussion among the characters or the experts on an idea that you want to explore in a character driven documentary.

How to Start the Opening of a Documentary Story

I asked Karen to tell us how they start the opening of a story. I find this is most important to grantors and to viewers. Where do you begin?  She replied, “Yes, the opening is so important you should be trying at least a dozen different openings.

Personally, I believe it’s the most difficult part of a documentary to edit. I’ve heard people say that. So here are a few things to keep in mind for the first 20 seconds:

1. Make sure you’re using sound and video that looks and sounds stellar. You must have high production values because research shows that the first thing the audience notices is not what the film is about but how it’s made. And they will make judgments immediately if the footage is dark or the composition is wobbly or even more important than video the audio is scratchy. Do not start with this type of material unless it is highly compelling.
2. You need to hook the viewer in the first 20 seconds. You might use a crazy image. You might pick a bit of a conversation or start with humor. The thing that works most of the time is to come up with three or four very good one sentence sound bites that are emotional, like, how could they let them do that? And use a voiceover or a related music theme. You need something that captures the theme of the film. What works well here are superlatives, meaning the first or the best. Like, what was the first surgeon general to recommend we stop smoking. It’s just a statement from an interview somewhere that you put at the beginning. And when you have four or five of those, they can build on each other. So how could they let this happen? This could follow that statement and it generates two things. One is a sense of excitement about the conversation, and two, we began to get an understanding of the content of the film.
3. And certainly, by two minutes the viewer should basically have a sense of what the film is about. Establish the film storytelling grammar. In the first two minutes you want to reveal a few of these and by seven minutes you should ideally get those off the ground so that the viewer has a sense that this is not only an interesting film, but it’s artistic, it’s cohesive, it’s using a recurring motif.
4. Once you have introduced all of this within the first 7 minutes, you use these different looks and sounds periodically throughout the film.

Free e-book “Documentary Editing”

Karen Everett is offering a free e-book on documentary editing which is filled with 27 chapters that include:

• Organizing Folders and Sequences
• Launching and Editing a Character-Driven Documentary
• Pacing With A Doc Plot Map
• Editing An Essay-Style Documentary
• Editing Trailers, Sizzle Reels, and Fundraising Samples
• Multiple Protagonists and Subplots

“With an insider’s love and knowledge of documentary form, Karen Everett takes us into the beating heart of documentary filmmaking. Filled with useful references and possible scenarios, her book ‘Documentary Editing’ will be of enormous help to those of us who have sat in front of our unmade films and wondered how the hell we were going to move forward.”  Robb Moss, Harvard Film Professor

Click here to get your copy. 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Platform provides creators, including filmmakers, with the infrastructure to raise capital from a community of investors

 

by Carole Dean

Read Ezell, Director, Venture Partnerships and Fundraising at WeFunder, shared an insightful overview of his company during our most recent Everything You Wanted to Know About Film Funding Webinar. 

It’s clear that Wefunder is not just a platform for raising capital; it’s a tool that can help creators engage their communities and democratize the fundraising process.  That includes being used as a fantastic fundraising tool for filmmakers.

Understanding Wefunder’s Core Purpose

WeFunder was founded over a decade ago, and its inception was closely tied to the passage of the Jobs Act in 2012, which allowed for the crowdfunding of investments from unaccredited investors. Since then, Wefunder has worked with thousands of founders and funded a wide range of projects, including over a hundred film and entertainment projects.

At its core, Wefunder operates by enabling creators to accept small investments from a large number of individuals, breaking down the traditional barriers to capital access. This means that filmmakers no longer must rely solely on a few wealthy individuals or institutions to finance their projects. Instead, they can tap into a broader pool of potential investors.

Building and Engaging Your Community

One of the unique aspects of Wefunder is its emphasis on community engagement. Read mentioned that the first group of people filmmakers should approach is their existing community—friends, family, fans, or enthusiasts in their niche. Building and mobilizing this community is key to launching a successful fundraising campaign. Once you have your initial supporters, they can help spread the word about your project, significantly increasing its visibility and chances of success.

Another significant advantage of using Wefunder is the ability to publicly promote your fundraising campaign. This is a departure from the traditional fundraising model, where soliciting investors was limited to accredited investors in closed rooms. Wefunder allows creators to leverage social media and other platforms to reach a wider audience. Moreover, once you have some initial backers, you can enlist them to help promote your campaign, creating a grassroots marketing effort.

Investment Options and Syndicate Structure

The flexibility of fundraising structures on Wefunder is another noteworthy feature. Filmmakers can choose to offer revenue sharing, equity, or future equity in their film project, tailoring the investment terms to suit their specific needs. This flexibility allows creators to align the investment structure with the unique aspects of their project.

Wefunder also simplifies the process of handling numerous investors. Instead of dealing with individual investors, all the investors on Wefunder’s platform are part of a single syndicate. The project leader or founder selects a trusted person to lead this syndicate, streamlining communication and administration.

So, why should filmmakers consider using Wefunder? Firstly, it can help raise capital more quickly, especially if you already have a community of supporters. Secondly, by engaging a broad community of investors, including your fans and enthusiasts, you can potentially create a dedicated army of advocates for your project. These backers are not just providing financial support; they become emotionally invested in your success.

Benefits of Using Wefunder for Filmmakers

Moreover, Wefunder allows filmmakers to maintain greater control of their projects. By distributing ownership among a larger group of smaller investors, you avoid the risk of a single major investor exerting significant influence over your creative decisions.

However, Read emphasizes that using Wefunder for fundraising is not a passive process. It requires effective communication, storytelling, and the ability to persevere in the face of rejection. While having an existing community is advantageous, creators who hustle and pitch their projects passionately can still achieve success on the platform.

Wefunder is more than just a crowdfunding platform; it’s a powerful tool for filmmakers to engage their communities, democratize fundraising, and maintain creative control over their projects. It offers flexibility in fundraising structures, the ability to publicly promote campaigns, and access to a vast community of potential investors.

So, for filmmakers looking to finance their projects and connect with their audiences, Wefunder is a valuable resource to consider.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

How to use repetition and the magical words “I am” to manifest your success

by Carole Dean

In our biweekly Film Funding Class for our fiscally sponsored filmmakers, we cover books on the power of your mind.  Currently we are studying Project 369: The Key to the Universe: Evolved Consciousness by David Kasneci. It is an excellent book and I highly recommend it for filmmakers.

The Power in the Two Words “I Am”

This book suggests you can create your future by writing manifestations that you want to achieve. David suggests that you begin with the two magical words I am and finish with what you want to achieve.

Here are some examples you could use:

• I am an award-winning filmmaker.
• I am a successful director.
• I am an award-winning producer.
• I am receiving large donations weekly.
• I am winning grants.
• I am most successful with my crowdfunding campaign.

David says that success comes through repetition. He wants you to write your I am many times a day. He believes that all limitations are illusions that happens when you think, this doesn’t work!!!! That is an illusion!

He says this because he has seen people be very successful with writing and believing you can manifest your future daily.

Creating a Manifestation Book

David wants you to get a manifestation book where you start writing your affirmation. Your goal is to believe your affirmation is true. Your affirmations and your manifestations should be interchangeable.

Belief is the key element in this process. The fact that we can believe anything we want is an important asset in the creation of your future. This is the critical step. Understanding that you can believe anything you want, and with enough focus and intent, you can achieve it.

Writing your manifestation out as an affirmation is a proven way to achieve your goal. You must overcome the naysayer within you. Belief is the key to creating your future. We learned in our class when we discussed Napoleon Hill’s classic book, Think and Grow Rich. He starts out telling us that your faith and your belief in yourself are critical to achieving the future you want. You must believe in yourself and your film!

It’s the power of the mind. We have this infinite power within us. Acknowledging this power and using it to improve our lives is very important now, above all other times when the world seems to be upside down.

The Power is Within You

We cannot lose sight of our own internal power to achieve what we want.  Ther are things in the outside world causing strife for everyone.  But that is not going to affect your success in any way, that is the outside world. With this practice, you’re working on your inner world, which is where creation begins. This is where you want to focus. This is where the power is, inside you.

Start with what is it you want. Do you want to finish the film you’re working on? If so, what’s the first thing you really need to focus on? Take that and start working on it through the following steps:

• Choose what you want to achieve.
• Choose a time limit to achieve it. That is month day year.
• Make a commitment to give yourself time to do the things that will bring this desire into our third dimension.

This becomes your To Do List. It is important that you focus on this list. This movement along with your belief and your faith in yourself will create your success.

The Way to Achieve It is to Feel It and See It

Now is when you start writing. Please find a blank book.  Amazon sells them and they’re at your local drugstore.

Get a book and start writing what you want to achieve. Use what David is suggesting, writing the I am affirmation continuously to achieve the manifestation of your affirmation.  Those that believe they can become the ones that achieve their affirmations.

We’re back to the old saying from Henry Ford, “if you believe you can, or if you believe you can’t, you’re right.”

David also says that since our feelings create our beliefs, it is how we feel about what we write that helps us manifest.

We know that feelings are powerful. Feelings and emotions attached to what you write will help you manifest 10 times faster.  As you write your affirmation you want to feel that it is true. You want to feel that your affirmation exists in this very moment.

Child-Like Belief Creates Miracles

You want to pretend like you did when you were a child, that you are living with the affirmation completed that it is true, and you already have it.

These are things that will bring your affirmation into this reality faster because belief is the key.  Emotions heighten belief.  They are the power to supercharge your thought process and bring it to this dimension.

As you start to write with feeling and belief, your brain starts to create millions, possibly billions of new neural pathways. This is one reason that your affirmations work.  The brain is creating pathways that help you believe and achieve.

Meditation Connects You to Your Source of Power

David also suggests that your meditation will deepen your connection to the universe and the source of it all.  

On the first page of From the Heart Productions website, there is a free meditation that I wrote and Claire Papin did the voice over. Please use this meditation. It is exactly what you need to get you into a relaxed state where you can take your goal and see and feel it completed. Please check it out.

“As you begin to imagine and feel the fulfillment of your desires,” David writes, “you will realize you need nothing outside of yourself. You will realize your inner world is the cause of it all.”

I truly believe this. However, the only way for you to believe it is to use this information to create your future. Start with something small and obtainable.  There is power in completion.  You need to be successful with this, just once and then you will realize that the powers are within you.

This success will remove insecurity and fear.

We Each Have this Magnificent Ability to Create our Future

We need only to focus on our affirmation intently.

“This journal should only be used as a tool to detach yourself from all things external and satisfy your desires by feeling the possibilities within you,” David explains.  “Learn to use your personal power.
Realize that there is no power outside you.”

This is one heck of a statement. I’ve never looked at it that there is no power outside you.  It is all inside you. “This is where everything begins and ends.”

Put Your Attention on Your Intention

He is saying that we have total control over our future.  That once we begin to focus on our future, we can achieve it.

And he’s making sure we understand that the act of writing by journaling what you want as a way we can use our power to achieve our future. That truly comes from our belief in ourselves. Knowing what we journal can happen. Our belief is what brings our desires into this reality.

He also proposes that you meditate to get closer to the source for advice, guidance, and information.

This is all available to us free, this is one of the greatest parts of life.

I have been meditating since 1974. It is a wonderful way to solve problems and refresh your body. Every organ in your body gets a rest when you meditate 15 minutes to 20 minutes a day. Meditation is a great way to center yourself and move forward with your objectives.

“Your feeling is the secret that decrees a thing,” David writes. “Do what feels best, how it feels best and when it feels best. You are the creator.”

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

by Carole Dean

 

Melinda Raebyne, Stories of Us, and Ellos Gritan Libertad, is a filmmaker who “is able to give voices to the voiceless and, through her films, allows her audience to hear those voices loud and clear.”

Melinda is the Manager of Meaningful Movies Project or MMP, a non-profit organization that assists neighborhoods, groups and individuals organize, educate and advocate using the power of social justice documentary film and relevant conversation to build positive and meaningful communities for a more just and peaceful world.

The Role of Meaningful Movies Project (MMP) in Social Change

MMP, has around 20 different groups throughout the northwest and beyond. And their mission is to use social justice documentary films to bring communities together and to engage, encourage and support open conversations and look at ways to improve and move forward.

Example, how can we come together as a society and grow a little closer to peace? I think that is through understanding issues and being open to hearing other sides to issues.

MMP looks at giving a voice to many different topics. They have been working with inclusion and diversity from its inception in 2003.

Empowering Neighborhoods for Positive Transformation

If you have a social justice film that you would like to screen to communities, go to https://meaningfulmovies.org and send an email.  Melinda will answer you. She has a film review committee who watch your film and get back to you with information on how to share your film through their community.  Most of her groups are still doing online screenings through zoom and some are now opening in person screenings.

Example, MMP is attached to an environmental group in Las Vegas who want to look at environmental issues films from a wide spectrum.  They can put you in contact with this organization. Melinda stays with you and helps as your manager to find and negotiate with them.

Some of the current films they are screening are Love in the Time of Fentanyl, Bring them Home, about our veterans and The Call we Carry about Firefighters.

Depending on the content of your film, Melinda and MMP will connect you with the organization that has an audience for your film.

These screenings are normally free to the viewer and the communities work out a fee with the filmmaker.

I highly recommend Melinda and MMP for your social justice film screenings. 

You can listen to the full interview here:

 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

by Carole Dean

 

The Nudge Podcast is an excellent place to learn about behavioral science used in marketing.  Filmmakers need to know as much as possible about how and why people react to marketing techniques.

The Nudge Podcast recorded a brilliant episode on filmmaking trailers. They said that in 1913 the first trailer was shown after movies at Lowe’s theatre, hence the name trailer.

Surprisingly, it was not for a film but for a Broadway play called The Pleasure Seekers. Soon after that the National Screen was created to do much of production work including creating the trailer from the 20s to the 60s.

In the 60s, filmmakers like Kubrick and Hitchcock started to create their own trailers. In the 70s, Spielberg created his brilliant trailer for Jaws which was a milestone.  Jaws overtook The Godfather at 59 days in the theater, breaking the highest grossing film record in North America. Nudge says it was the trailer that drove the demand with statements like “Jaws, see it before you go swimming.”

This success changed the movie industry and convinced producers the key to a box office hit was a good trailer.

 

What makes a good trailer?

At the end of the 70s a young filmmaker premiered his first film called THX 1138. This was a futuristic film with everything new and different and it was a complete flop. The young filmmaker decided to create a new and better movie rather than drown himself in misery.

He researched storytelling to find the keys to a good old-fashioned story.  Studying The Hero With 1000 Faces, he realized that there are striking similarities in hero’s myths.  He found that these are shared across cultures because they are part of human development. 

From this he created Star Wars. Lucas now took a familiar tale of a hero’s journey and mixed it with space travel and science fiction.  This mixture worked.  His trailer was created to tell a tale that would connect with viewers.

The trailer says, “Luke Skywalker was just a farm boy until he received a mysterious message from a Princess.” Notice they’re not saying that this is a Sci Fi movie.  Lucas is selling this as a brilliant story, one we can all relate to.

The Nudge says that this is the result of mixing novelty plus familiarity. Something new with something we understand and know.

 

Mixing the new with the familiar.

The film is based on existing templates that audiences recognize in standard adventure stories, but it is based on a new and novel world.

“Help me, help me” begs Princess Leia in the trailer. 

This is just what we are familiar with from childhood when parents read fairy tales. A princess is in distress and a farm boy bravely accepts this opportunity to rescue the princess!

Back then, George Lucas did not know that a familiar story mixed with novelty had hard scientific evidence that proves this is the perfect mixture for successful marketing.

Researchers tested this in printed ads. They put familiar brand logos like McDonald’s and Heineken in new and novel areas in printed ads. Sometimes you would see a logo at the bottom right or at the top of the ad but instead the researchers moved the logo to new areas in the middle to the right, to the left or in the very middle and the result with these subtle changes led to a 20% increase in the subject’s preference for the brand.  The participants in this marketing research did not notice the differences. But it was putting a familiar name with something new.

Food marketing is done the same way.  Watch and you’ll see they are introducing the avocado to go with the old familiar toast you have for breakfast.  Notice how they are putting new food items with old familiar ones to entice you to try them.

Nudge also used the trailer from the recent Academy Award winning film Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.

This film starts by telling the story of an overworked, middle-aged mom in a failing marriage before they tell us about the novel element of the multiverse.

In the trailer, they say, “Mrs. Wang, are you with us? I am paying attention now. You may see only a pile of receipts, but I see a story. I can see where this story is going.”

And then the trailer says, “I’m not your husband. I’m the universe. I’m here because we need your help.

Does that sound familiar? Yes, of course. It’s just like Princess Leia asking for help. This is mixing the novel with the known familiar story.

As Robert McKee says it’s all about story, story. story.  Now with the information from tested marketing strategies, we realized that the way to make a successful, money-making trailer is to mix the novel with the comfortable. The novel, something unique and exciting, with something familiar which is something that we all recognize and feel comfortable with.

 

Leaving something unknown is a key to a great trailer.

Nudge explains that watching a trailer and feeling that you’ve seen the whole movie will quickly put you off the film. Leaving something unknown he says draws people in. The phenomenon is often referred to as the Zy effect, named after the psychologist Ulner Zy.

In the book, Blindsight, Zy focused on studies of memory. They found that when students are given a task of memorizing a list of words and are interrupted halfway through by another task, they remembered the words far better than if they’d been able to complete their memorization without being interrupted.

It goes back to the feeling when you leave something unfinished, you want to complete it. You seem to be desperate to finish it. That is human nature.

Notice how we have been taught by Netflix and other streamers that after you watch something auto play starts to open the next episode or another film. They show you that you have not finished all the series or here is another film, meaning you are not finished. 

Johnson and Gruman at Marvel Cinematic Universe have the highest grossing film franchise with 26 billion in sales. They trigger the Zy effect through their trailers and their post credit scenes. These foreshadow future films hinting at what’s to come leaving the story unfinished and triggering the Zy effect.

 

Trailers using known dates to project releasing your film.

Have you noticed that movies announce they are coming to cinemas by holidays or seasons like spring or fall? This is a tactic that is used on purpose. There is something called The Fresh Start Effect which suggests we’re more likely to do something if we say we will do it on a significant date. This could be New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, or the beginning of spring. Nudge says that The Fresh Start Dates don’t just encourage behavior, they can change behavior.  This was proven through much research.

 

Time is running out!

Scarcity is also an important ingredient in marketing. I know it’s an important part of film funding. This is why crowdfunding works so well because you have a scarcity of time to reach your goal, you have a deadline and that initiates action.

Richard Shotten in his book Choice Factory found using scarcity in his trailer was successful.  He found that by telling people the date films would stop airing caused 36% more people to watch the movie. This is because scarcity kicks in. People act when a resource is scarce.

Have you ever looked at what’s leaving Criterion this month? Of course, we all look to see what we are going to miss, and we watch that first. This is scarcity at work.  This is also great marketing.

There are only five tickets left for my premier! Sign up now.

Using behavioral science for trailers can help highly creative independent filmmakers compete with the giant film marketing budgets.

 

You can listen to the full podcast by Nudge at https://www.nudgepodcast.com/podcast/episode/483a6f51/the-secret-psychology-behind-movie-trailers

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

by Carole Dean

 

In the world of filmmaking, the journey from concept to the silver screen is a complex and multifaceted process. One critical aspect that often determines a film’s success and reach is its funding and distribution strategy. In a captivating interview on the Art of Film Funding podcast, Skye Bergman, an accomplished photographer, and director, delves into the intricacies of her directorial debut, “Lives Well Lived,” while sharing her insights into securing funding, navigating distribution channels, and connecting with audiences. This article offers a detailed exploration of Bergman’s interview, shedding light on her experiences, strategies, and valuable lessons for aspiring filmmakers.

 

The Genesis of a Documentary

Sky Bergman’s journey into filmmaking began with a personal passion project inspired by her grandmother’s remarkable life. The seed for her documentary, Lives Well Lived, was planted during a series about her grandmother’s cooking called “Kachina Nana.” Bergman’s desire to portray aging in a positive light led her to interview 40 individuals aged 75 and older, amassing a collective life experience of 3000 years. This diverse group became the cornerstone of her film, serving as role models for vibrant and fulfilling lives in the later years.

 

Crafting the Narrative

One of the most intriguing aspects of Bergman’s approach was her meticulous crafting of interview questions. Drawing upon her academic background, Bergman engaged with experts in social sciences, honing her questions to capture authentic and diverse perspectives on aging. Through a montage of interviewees, even those not prominently featured, she seamlessly wove a tapestry of shared experiences, resulting in a rich and comprehensive narrative.

 

A Festival Premiere and Distribution

Premiering at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, “Lives Well Lived” gained initial recognition and momentum. However, Bergman’s journey did not end there. Her strategic decision to partner with Ken Isen, a distributor and festival programmer, played a pivotal role in the film’s theatrical release. By retaining control over specific rights, including community and educational screenings, Bergman empowered herself to generate income for future projects while maintaining her artistic vision.

 

The Power of Community Screenings

Bergman’s advocacy for community and educational screenings proved instrumental in extending the film’s impact. Leveraging relationships and networks, she secured a plethora of screenings, engaging diverse audiences and sparking discussions around aging and living life to the fullest. Her creative strategy of offering sponsorships to organizations lacking funds showcased her resourcefulness and commitment to spreading her film’s message.  If the nonprofit wanted to screen the film she gave them the time and opportunity to find sponsors and then promoted both in the screening.

 

Nurturing Relationships and Expanding Reach

Bergman’s success underscores the significance of nurturing relationships within the film industry. Her proactive approach to attending conferences and engaging with potential partners not only secured screenings but also facilitated valuable connections. By showcasing teasers and behind-the-scenes insights, she generated enthusiasm and anticipation for her film, enabling her to broaden her network of supporters. This way she made sales of the film to convention attendees and created virtual screenings that were sometimes priced with her or without her.

 

Navigating Distribution Channels

Skye Bergman’s journey into the world of distribution was marked by strategic choices and a deep understanding of her target audience. Partnering with PBS Plus provided her film with a broader reach, while her engagement with PBS distribution facilitated various platforms, including Amazon and iTunes. Bergman’s insightful negotiation, where she retained certain rights for community and educational screenings, demonstrated her commitment to both financial sustainability and meaningful engagement.  She did not put her film on PBS for three years during which she was able to use the lucrative virtual distribution window for many screenings.

 

Crafting Successful Underwriting

Bergman’s approach to securing underwriting for her film involved more than mere solicitation. By identifying synergies between her project and potential sponsors, she forged meaningful partnerships that went beyond financial contributions. Bergman’s research into similar films and reaching out to like-minded filmmakers served as a blueprint for identifying potential sponsors and underwriters.  She reached out to filmmakers with similar films, and they shared beneficial information willingly.

Skye Bergman’s podcast interview unveils a treasure trove of insights into the world of film funding and distribution. Her journey, from a personal passion project to a nationally recognized documentary, serves as a beacon of inspiration for filmmakers navigating the complexities of bringing their creations to a global audience. Through strategic networking, community engagement, and a deep understanding of her audience, Bergman’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, creativity, and a genuine connection with the stories we tell on the big screen.

 

You can listen to the full interview here:

 

 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Don’t Let the Naysayers or Lack of Money Stop You From Pursuing Your Dream

The most important thing I can give you is a lesson I learned early.

Back in the 70’s, I created a multi-million-dollar a year sales company with an investment of $20.00 (from my grocery money) and a good idea.

If I had let money or the naysayers stop me, I would have never created a $70 million a year industry consisting of buying leftover, discarded, what everyone called waste “short ends” of film stock.

Those who insisted it would never work didn’t know that there were thousands of talented independent filmmakers, desperate to make their features and documentaries, that needed every penny available to get it on the screen. These budding producers and directors snapped up the “short ends” at a fraction of the cost of new Kodak stock, made their films, and started a revolution in filmmaking.

My greatest asset was the fact I knew I could do it.

I never doubted that I had a good idea. I found ways to make it work. I needed cash to buy film stock so I would find where film was available for sale. I’d buy it on a handshake, and then sell this same film using the money from the incoming sale to pay off the purchase. In the beginning, I can remember days when I had the seller in one room and the buyer waiting to pick it up in another room!

This idea developed into three productive sales offices in NYC Film Center Building, Hollywood and downtown Chicago. I managed all three of them. I ran this business for 33 years until I had almost 10 million dollars a year in sales.

Why only 10 million? Because I hired a VP from ABC Television News Division as an advisor and he said that “Getting over 10 million a year in sales was very hard.” I found that to be true. But, now I know that this information of hitting a wall at $10 million was his experience. Unfortunately, it became my belief and then the outcome.

Please be careful of what you hear and what you believe.

Remember, when listening to other people, that what they are telling you is not your experience, it is theirs. The universe could have something different in mind for you. You must know you can create a better outcome for yourself with your belief.

Discern what is fact and what is belief.

What do you believe you can do? Think about that. Can you make this film? If yes, then what’s the actual budget you need? Can you raise that much money?

Consider, are other films made with that budget? If the answer is “yes” then it’s a fact that this amount has been raised for other films, right? So, it must be your belief that says you can’t do it because it is a fact someone else has raised this money and made a film at this place in their career.

Work from this principal to separate belief from fact. Work from fact, not your own belief system. That’s something you created early in life probably from your parents or society. You may have unconscious programming to overcome and you can do this by separating fact from belief.

Your belief in yourself and your film are paramount to production and completion.

You must know that you can raise the money to make you film and then you will find a way. Turn your filmmaking creativity into funding creativity. All that talent you have you can use to find ways to fund your film.

That includes finding high net-worth Individuals or investors for features to using funding parties, grants and donations for docs. Have fun with it. Look for lateral ways to fund your film and your distribution.

You have the talent, it’s a matter of believing in yourself and the quality of your film.

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.

by Carole Dean

 

The Rise of Angel Studios: An Audience-Driven Film Company

There is a similarity happening between what Angel Studios is doing and what Peter Broderick is teaching. Angel studios have four men who are all technically educated and are running a brilliant company online using all new innovative technology.

They created a filming studio, and they created their own online platform to raise money for their film. Then they created another branch called Angel Investors to give you money to make your five-minute torch film to enter the Angel Studios financing program.

They want you to create a five-minute video to apply. They call it a torch. They take this from the creator of the Statue of Liberty, Bartholdi. To raise funds to build the statue, he built the torch first. With this metal display of the partial statue, he was able to fund the Statue of Liberty, which they say is the first crowdfunding campaign.

Angel Studios are very smart in using the audience to choose the films that they want to see.

 

Peter Broderick’s Audience Focused Filmmaking Approach

Peter Broderick is teaching you to go find your audience. Does this sound familiar? He wants you to go to conventions covering the content of your film. He shares successful examples of filmmakers with films on whiskey, on forgiveness and on loneliness who successfully did this.

One film about loneliness found their audience while making the film. They kept them interested in the film by entertaining the audience. They created quizzes for how lonely are you? They found and engaged their audience and raised money from the audience & their strategic partners while they were in production.

That’s using your crowd to fund your film. Rather than using the crowd funding platform like Angel Studios is doing, you’re getting right to your audience and corporations at the convention who make money off this audience.

 

Successful Examples of Direct Audience Engagement

Your audience and potential corporate partners will be at conventions and when you start working with your audience these corporations will find you. Peter Broderick in a recent seminar for Keith Ochwat, shared information about a company who had a whiskey film and they talked to a film festival about screening their film on the streaming platform. The film festival offered the filmmakers a split of the income if they brought their film to the festival and screened it for the filmmaker’s audience and the festival’s audience. Since the filmmakers had worked hard to create their own audience they decided against this agreement.

Instead, they wrote a story about their whiskey documentary and sent it to Forbes knowing that Forbes advertisers were whiskey and cigars, and their market was wealthy people. Forbes liked the film and promoted it with an article and drove people to the filmmakers crowdfunding which helped them tremendously.

Because of this Remy Martin read the article and they got involved. They paid the film makers $25,000 for some screenings. This worked well and Remy Martin paid another 25,000 for screenings. This also worked well for Remy Martin, and they gave these film makers a contract to do their Super Bowl commercial. What a step up for the filmmakers! Since they signed an NDA, they could not tell Peter Broderick how much they made for this commercial. 

As it turned out, it really was a good move for the filmmakers not to take their work to the festival but to reach out directly to their own audience. This is what Peter Broderick calls, “the new world of documentary distribution.”

 

Greenlighting Films Based on Audience Participation

Here are my notes from Neil Harmon, co-owner of Angel Studios from a recent conference.

No one at Angel Studios can green light a film. Everything is done by the crowd.  The crowd chooses their favorite films and that’s how a film gets made. In other words, the audience is choosing which films get made. That’s a unique way to green light a film.

To submit a film to Angel studios you need to create a torch. That is a 5-minute trailer that tells you the story of the film. You need to put your own money into this and if you don’t have the funding you can go to www.angelacceleration.fund, and they will take a percentage of the film and loan you the money if they like your product.

 

The Power of Test Screenings and Audience Reviews

Once you have the torch, you submit that with $50 to Angel studios. They then let the crowd decide if they like it or not. If the crowd likes it and it is one of the top scoring films, then Angel studios will fund it by crowdfunding.

They will also release it by crowdfunding for the P&A through their list of people who want to see more Christian films. He said the people that invested in the film, The Chosen were paid back 120% and that they are getting ready to pay back the investors in Sound of Freedom 120%.

Angel reiterated what the distributor Udy Epstein told us just a month ago that it is all about test screenings. Once the film is finished, they ask their crowd to screen the film and get feedback. Then they make changes, they screen it again more feedback more changes until they get excellent reviews.

 

The Audience as the Ultimate Rotten Tomatoes Score

They say that the reviews they’re getting from their crowd are the same as you’re going to find when the film is released from Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the same people, it’s the audience who is choosing Rotten Tomatoes scores and Angel studios are smart enough to figure that out and use it as their form of knowing when the film is ready to release based on scores from the audience.

Doesn’t that sound like a simple way to find and fund films?  It’s the audience who chooses and funds them.

Angel studios say they have over 100,000 Angel investors and these are the ones who are choosing the 60 projects a month that come in. The audience is looking for and focused on finding good stories. Stories the audience likes. That’s how they green light a film. They get the audience to watch the “torch” and vote on it.

 

Green Lighting Films Based on Audience Decisions

They do not want to see the script.  They do not want to hear a pitch.  Films are funded only from torches. You need to pay to create a five-minute story of what your film will be.

You must put your money into a torch then submit it with $50.00. If it is rejected, you can rework the torch and resubmit it, they don’t care how many times.

They ask the crowd to watch the film and decide if they want to fund it. The question they ask is, is this a story that amplifies the light? Do you feel empowered when you see this story?

They want you to feel that the film you are watching is a story that is true, honest, noble, authentic, admirable. This is how you decide. They are working from the wisdom of the crowd. They chose the animated film Wingfeather and they raised the money by crowdfunding. They greenlit the film from a torch film.

They work by audience decision only. I think it is a magnificent way to run a company.

 

“Pay it Forward” Movement: Audience Contributions to Expand Film Access

The Shepherd was selected to become the series The Chosen which brought in over $100 million. Now the Sound of Freedom has brought in over $100 million. The theaters love this. This is a crowd pleasing film and it fill up the theaters.

Angel studios are trying something new which is called “pay it forward.” The Angel studios are working with the theaters so that when you see the film and you are touched by the content you can buy a ticket for someone in America or any country in the world. The theatre will give your ticket to someone who doesn’t have the money or might not see the film.

The audience is doing this. They are so touched by the film they want to give other people tickets. It is a pay it forward movement. Angel Studios set up an agreement with theatres in countries all around the world.

 

How Angel Investors Choose and Fund Projects

Angel asks the audience, “Do you want to be part of stories at amplify light?” That’s what they ask you. They rely on the wisdom of the crowd to make decisions. It’s a collective effort. The Angel Guild chooses the films, and you can join that through Angel.com.

They have built a community around filmmaking. This is a brilliant way to create films. They are totally separate from the studio system. They could end up making more money than the studios because they know they have a hit before they even greenlight the film.

 

Looking to the Future: The Audience as the Heart of Film Industry Success

Studios are still wondering if they will make money on a film.  Angel Studios knows they will make money and pay back their investors. They said that was a major goal. They know going into the theatres that the investors are the audience for the film. These are the same people who want to see the film.

Angel studios went to CinemaCon to pitch movies to theatres. They said theatres loved their Christian films. The theatre said it’s wonderful that you’re bringing us films that the audience loves.

This is filmmaking by the audience for the audience. You may want to read Peter Broderick’s brilliant bulletins or go to Angel.com and learn more about it. 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

by Carole Dean

 

Our award-winning podcast, The Art of Film Funding is dedicated to exploring the world of film financing and tax incentives for filmmakers. We recently interviewed the renowned entertainment lawyer Corky Kessler. He is directly responsible for shepherding the tax law 181 and helping to create the new tax law 168. The purpose of this interview was to determine how and when you use these lucrative tax laws created for features, theater, and documentary filmmaking.

Currently Corky Kessler works at Filmojy, whose mission is to support film makers by providing guidance and funding for movies in the United States under section 181 and 168.

 

Grandfathering under section 181 of the U S Tax Law

To use section 181, you need to qualify and you must meet specific requirements. Corky explains you need a screenplay, summary budget, one day of photography with dialogue, and investor’s documents. Once you have these you can be grandfathered under section 181 for life. That way you can shoot whenever you get the funding, there is no expiration date.

Corky says the best countries for film shoots with attractive incentives are England, France, Germany, and Canada. This is where Corky and FILMOJY can help filmmakers with presales and navigating the process of shooting in these countries.

The highest state rebates currently are New Jersey, New Mexico, Georgia, and Louisiana.

 

Understanding section 168 versus section 181

Corky informed us that section 168 and section 181 under the US tax law are both beneficial. Section 181 offers more advantages for filmmakers with budgets of 15 to 20 million. Section 168 has certain limitations and requires timely action for maximum benefits. Your benefits are reduced by 20% for each year you don’t screen your film. The law says that investor’s write off happens when you put your film in service and Corky says that means when you screen it to an audience.  168 requires that you screen the film in the year you make it to get 100% write off and each year that passes you lose 20% of that write off.  Section 168 has no upper limit; it can be a $100 million budget and you still get your U.S. tax law return.

 

Raise 25% of the funding and get the balance with tax and state credits.

Corky gave an example of investors who are 35% taxpayers. With the 181 they can get a 35% reduction on their taxes.  Now when you shoot in one of these states with 40% rebates New Jersey, New Mexico, and Louisiana, you can guarantee your investor’s that they are covered by $0.75 on every dollar spent. There is no other business in which you can do this. You’ve got 75% of your investment back before you even start and if you can get presales, you can get 100% back.

For more questions on this subject, you can call Corky at (312)925-2110. Tell Corky that you read this blog or heard our interview, and he will take good care of you. He’s one of our great film funding, tax specialist attorneys in the film industry.  Corkykessler@aim.com 

You can listen to the full interview here:

 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

by Carole Dean

 

Listen to the Full Interview on Blog Talk Radio 

 

You can learn more about Jewish Story Partners at www.jewishstorypartners.org.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Direct to your audience: Building a documentary distribution strategy

by Carole Dean

Keith Ochwat from Show and Tell and Peter Broderick gave an incredible workshop. They talked about golden opportunities in the new world of distribution. They work exclusively with documentaries. And what they’re talking about can also be used for shorts and scripted films because it is about connecting with your audience.

Keith starts out by saying if your plan A is to go to a festival and make a deal to sell your documentary, you’re in for a rude awakening.

 

Sundance’s disappointing sales and streamers’ changing preferences.

This is not happening in today’s world. Peter Broderick wrote a bulletin telling us that Sundance did not sell any documentaries this year.

He covered the changing landscape of what the streamers are purchasing, and this caused people to get upset so Peter took this opportunity to explain what is happening and how documentary filmmakers should be looking at the new world of distribution in the future.

Peter told us that in 2019 lots of films were sold at Sundance and 53% of them were directed by women. The festival seemed to proclaim it was the beginning of the golden age of documentaries. But this year 2023 there were no sales at Sundance and of the international docs in competition there was one sale so that is startling. Streamers bought nothing.

However, they brought their own films. They brought all celebrity doc films that the streamers found easy to sell and non-controversial. The films the streamers bought in previous years were of no interest. What they’re financing now are safe, commercial, and mainstream.

Many of the films screened at this year’s Sundance would have been sold in previous festivals but not this year, it’s changed that fast.

To sum it up, there was no interest in political films in terms of acquisition. There was a film about Harvey Weinstein and one about Elizabeth Holmes and both sold or were financed by the streamers. But not this year. What happened was a shocking, depressing change.

Peter says that most festivals have little or no impact on distribution, of course there are always exceptions. One reason to go to a festival is to see your film on the big screen and in a theater. Another reason is to get a laurel for marketing.  Peter says two laurels are enough.

Going to film festivals will not find distribution for you. There may be other reasons to go to a festival, perhaps to enjoy the city they’re in, to meet other filmmakers and to network. Just be honest and realize you’re not going to get a distribution deal.

It’s time to understand that festivals are not essential for selling your film or making money.

Now we’ll get into Peter’s new world of distribution. He said I wouldn’t spend more than 10 percent of my time on festivals, and I would put 90% on conferences. You need to design a customized festival strategy based on your distribution strategy and your goals.

 

Reduced acquisition of documentaries.

You need to know that not only has Sundance gone as a sales outlet for documentaries, CNN is gone! They’re not acquiring docs, they’re making their own. Showtime is gone.  HBO is in the quicksand of Max and it’s dissolving and disappearing in some way. The fact that HBO’s been a brand that was built over the years and has a great following doesn’t seem to matter at this point.

People are not going to movie theaters to watch documentaries anymore.  This change happened during COVID.

What we see in theaters is superheroes. I looked at a list of independent films listing the gross this year and the first independent film was 31st on the list so those other thirty above it were all from studios.

 

Streamers new narrow focus.

The steamers have gone as a distribution source for independent documentary films.  The streamers told one filmmaker we’re only interested in true crime, celebrity, and music. That’s a very narrow market.

And there’s one other possibility if the film has tremendous international appeal and if the film falls into the buckets as stated in Variety, which is crime, food, music, and sports you might have a chance. If you’re not in one of these buckets in terms of acquisitions they’re not going to take your film seriously so narrowing the categories is a real problem. Realize when you say celebrity that means that the subjects are instantly recognizable to viewers. And they must appeal to people not just in the US but in Brazil, Japan, and other places.

The algorithm tells Netflix if you have a market in that country when they put your product in their computer. This is how they decide if your film fits their audiences.

Most film festivals show diverse films that are innovative, politically driven, and provocative, pushing boundaries. However, the distributors are not interested.

If you want to make a commercial film that’s highly accessible, easily promotable you might get this financed but you would be a director for hire. It would not be something that you’d dream up on your own.

 

The impact of international appeal and specific content categories.

One filmmaker summed it up and said, “the need for celebrity and star driven projects with enough reach to be watched in Brazil and Canada” is what streamers want.

Peter shared a story with us about festivals being virtual and how it has greatly expanded the audience for people that want to see good docs coming out of a festival.

Example, Edward Snowden was going to do a live festival with Q&A remotely in one room and this room had 620 seats. The festival decided that they really wanted it to go virtual and said this way 2000 people can watch it.  They did. After that another 90,000 people watched it so think about this. You are expanding your viewership and reaching a huge audience through international virtual screenings, and you don’t have to be at a festival to do that.

Peter says it’s not that there will be less documentaries because you will see documentaries on Netflix and Amazon, but they will be much narrower in content.

And he admits that independent films are not working in theaters right now. He believes that the mainstream of content is online rather than in theaters. Netflix recently said that they’re not looking to do projects that reach 2 million people, they want projects that reach 20 million people. That’s their current thinking, that’s how they want to curate their content. And maybe have the same amount or fewer titles which reach more people across broader geographies.

Peter says it’s a tough reality to swallow this shift and know that the old world of documentaries is not coming back if the streamers are in control.

 

Building core audiences.

He said we must get into the reality of what’s happening and look at new ways to market and fund our films and that is you want to sell direct to your audiences.

If you have core audiences, then that’s who you need to start with. You can reach out to them while you’re making your film and connect with them before it’s finished. They can give you useful feedback. That’s very important because Udy Epstein, the owner of 7th Art Film Distribution told us how important it is to keep giving audience screenings and getting feedback and making changes before you release your film.

Do not rush to get your film into a Film Festival, it will not benefit you. Audience response and guidance will give you a better film every time then you will be accepted in film festivals. Put the time and effort into audience screenings for feedback.

Udy said you need to do a lot of screenings before you release your film and don’t apply to festivals until it is in excellent shape, and you have very good audience feedback. He also shared that he is going to many less festivals than he did before. This is the new way. The distributor will let you come direct to them. It is a lot cheaper when you approach them directly.

 

Building relationships with your audience and partnerships with corporations.

Keith & Peter shared a film called Water of life. They did a successful crowdfunding campaign and raised $80,000. The documentary was about Scotch whiskey and prominent distillers in Scotland. They built a big e-mail list from their crowdfunding, and they brought on some large partners in their audience.

The filmmakers did a couple of focus group screenings and then they were invited to come have their premiere at a festival.  The deal was the festival would give them a split from the ticket sales. The film team was expected to do quite a bit of promotion and send their personal list of donors and fans to the film festival. In other words, they had to give their audience to the festival people and then split the income. They decided to take a risk and do it themselves.

Bravo for them! They made a difficult decision to skip festivals altogether and do a virtual event.

 

The success of Water of Life documentary film.

They did not hire a PR team, but they emailed Forbes magazine which had advertisers of Scotch whiskey & cigars and an audience interested in whisky. They reached out to Forbes who read their information and watched their film. Forbes wrote an article that said the film was great. And linked it to their virtual event where they made $13,000 in ticket sales. They kept every bit of it for themselves.

One of those partners in the virtual room for their premiere was Remy Martin and they sponsored a series of whiskey club screenings for around $25,000. This made the film makers very happy. Then, Remy Martin sponsored another series of events six months down the road. 

During this time, the filmmakers built a good relationship with Remy Martin who ended up hiring those two filmmakers to do their Super Bowl ad and signed an NDA, so they never said how much they made but it was a good career step-up for them.

The most important part of Peter and Keith’s teaching is to show you how to get away from the gatekeeper and make your own decisions to move forward. You need to find your audience and if that is at a convention then that’s the best place for you to go.

Frances Causey is a From the Heart sponsored filmmaker. She has been working with Peter Broderick for many years and follows his advice. She has done exceptionally well with all her documentaries. She says, “it is a lot of trouble, and it is costly, but it does pay off.” Going to conventions, finding your audience, and then taking the product direct to the market.  This is her priority over film festivals. She may go to a few festivals, but her focus is direct to her audience.

I highly recommend both Keith and Peter. You can learn more about Keith Ochwat and Show&Tell at www.showandtell.film and Peter Broderick at www.peterbroderick.com.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Since its inception, the foundation has provided over $2 million in grants to more than 70 projects.

 

by Carole Dean

Founded in 2015 by Hugh Rogovy, the Rogovy Foundation has established itself as a significant contributor to the future of our planet. With a primary focus on education, civics, and the environment, the foundation supports various projects, particularly documentary films, that aim to educate, inspire, and enrich audiences. Since its inception, the foundation has provided over $2 million in grants to more than 70 projects, showcasing its commitment to fostering a successful functioning democracy and promoting access to information.

 

Unveiling the Power of Documentary Films

Hugh Rogovy recognizes the crucial role of the fourth estate in a democratic society, where the freedom of the press is instrumental. He believes that documentaries have the power to captivate and engage a wide audience effectively.

By combining visual storytelling with critical thinking, documentaries can educate and inspire viewers, making them an ideal medium for the foundation’s mission. Through its support for compelling documentary projects, the Rogovy Foundation aims to contribute to the betterment of society.

 

From Bravery to Triumph: A Transpacific Journey

Losing Sight of Shore is one of the remarkable documentaries funded by the Rogovy Foundation which follows the incredible journey of four courageous women who rowed across the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia. This gripping film takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster as they witness the hardships and triumphs of the team. The captivating storytelling and visual engagement of the documentary led to its quick acquisition by Netflix, demonstrating the foundation’s commitment to promoting impactful films.

 

Unveiling Elder Abuse

Another groundbreaking documentary funded by the Rogovy Foundation is The Guardians. This investigative film exposes the systemic abuse of elderly people in Las Vegas, Nevada, where vulnerable citizens are robbed of their life savings. By shedding light on this cautionary tale, the documentary raises awareness about the need to protect and empower the elderly. Through in-depth case histories, the film reveals the disturbing realities of the guardianship system, not only in Las Vegas but in jurisdictions with similar rules.

 

Promoting Excellence through Grant Applications

They receive around 600 applications annually for grants, making the selection process highly competitive. To ensure quality submissions, the foundation has identified specific criteria and red flags that they consider during the evaluation process. One key aspect is the log line, which many filmmakers fail to construct effectively. A concise and attention-grabbing log line is essential to capture the interest of the foundation.

Additionally, applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review the foundation’s website and guidelines to avoid common questions and misunderstandings.

 

Understanding Audience Impact and Distribution Strategy

For a documentary to be considered, it must not only entertain but also engage its potential audience. The Rogovy Foundation emphasizes the importance of selecting subjects that resonate with viewers and present them in a compelling manner. Filmmakers are also expected to have a well-thought-out distribution strategy, considering platforms like Netflix or Hulu for national exposure. Furthermore, non-English language films are welcomed, provided they include English subtitles.

 

The Role of Fiscal Sponsors

The Rogovy Foundation suggests that filmmakers seek fiscal sponsors, as it simplifies the funding process. Fiscal sponsors act as intermediaries between the foundation and the filmmakers, facilitating tax-deductible funding. By partnering with reputable fiscal sponsors, filmmakers can receive financial support more efficiently. The sponsor handles the transfer of funds while retaining a small fee. Notably, the Rogovy Foundation recommends From the Heart Production as one such fiscal sponsor.  Detailed information regarding this process can be found on their website.

 

Collaborating with Investigative Journalism

Extending its support beyond documentary films, the foundation has been partnering with the Center for Investigative Reporting and their radio show, Reveal. This collaboration aims to amplify investigative journalism efforts in the visual realm. By providing additional funding, the foundation assists in the development and advancement of journalism-focused documentary projects. Future partnerships with other newsrooms are also being explored, further expanding the foundation’s impact in the visual world.

 

Investing in the Power of Documentary Films

Established by Hugh Rogovy, the foundation continues to make significant strides in supporting documentary films that educate, inspire, and enrich society. With a focus on promoting democracy, access to information, and progressive values, the foundation has funded impactful projects, ranging from awe-inspiring transpacific journeys to exposing systemic abuses.

Through a rigorous grant application process and emphasis on effective storytelling and distribution strategies, the Rogovy Foundation empowers filmmakers to create documentaries that make a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. As the foundation expands its collaborations with investigative journalism platforms, its reach and influence continue to grow, reinforcing its commitment to a better future for all.

 

You can listen to the full interview here:

 

 

You can learn more about The Rogovy Foundation at rogovy.org.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

How to Use AI to Build Your Audience for Your Documentary, Feature, or Short Film

 

by Carole Dean

 

I had an enlightening interview with Patrick Martin on the Art of Film Funding Podcast. Patrick is an AI expert, and the Co-Founder and Head of Technology and Development for AIFocus.net.

Patrick has been helping us at From the Heart Productions to stay ahead of the curve with AI technology, and to understand how these innovations can help filmmakers.

In the first half of the interview, Patrick walked us through a system to use AI to help optimize YouTube videos to reach more traffic. YouTube is an important platform for filmmakers to build their audience by sharing films, clips, trailers, interviews, and a wide range of other supplemental.

Patrick’s process uses three different technologies, Otter.AI, ChatGPT, and vidIQ,  to determine the best keywords and to write descriptions for videos that will achieve high visibility on YouTube. This same process can also inform us of the best topics to focus on for future videos based on what people are searching for. There is another program he discusses called DALL-E which can be used to improve your video content. I’ve taken the highlights from that interview to prepare this guide.

Otter.ai: Accurate Transcripts for Video Content

The first step is to get an accurate transcript of your video or audio. Patrick says “there’s a system called Otter.ai that is 99.9% accurate, especially if you train it, meaning that you give it a lot of the same speaking voice, that will provide you with a complete transcript just by uploading the video. So now you’ve got a transcript that’s extremely accurate.” The Pro Plan is about $17 a month for everything you need.

ChatGPT 4 and 3.5: Choosing the Right AI Tool

“Now you can take that transcript and off you go to ChatGPT. We recommend that you get yourself a paid account. It’s only $20 a month, but that gives you access to both ChatGPT 4 and 3.5. What’s the difference between the two? 3.5 is a bit like a regular horse, and ChatGPT 4 is like a racehorse. It goes faster, and it wins more races. But if you don’t know how to ride a horse, don’t jump on a racehorse first.”

Multi-Prompting: Boosting Efficiency with Context-Specific Questions

Regardless of which version of ChatGPT you use, Patrick says you’ll be faced with what’s called a ‘prompt engine.’ The prompt engine is a very important thing because it’s not just going to give you a simple sequence of answers like Google. It’s going to do work, real work.

“What we want to do,” Patrick pointed out, “is to put that transcript from Otter.AI and cut and paste that right into ChatGPT. Then ask it to provide a set of long-tailed keywords.

“A long-tail keyword is a combination of keywords. It’s a fancy way of saying, well, here’s a sentence with two or three keywords in it.  80 to 90% of search is governed by these long-tails, meaning there’s lots more variations of combinations of keywords than there are single keywords. The great majority of traffic comes from long-tail keywords.

“ChatGPT will spew out 15 short sentences of long-tail keywords. What we’re really doing is called multi-prompting. That means start by doing one thing and obtain a result. We’ve taken an audio tape, and now we have text of a transcript. We then take that transcript from the AI and off we go to GPT4, which is much more of a large language model.

“Now what we’re doing is we’re going to get another artificial intelligence, and this is one that anybody that’s on YouTube should be using, because they’re pretty much a monopolist on this. They’ve got all the data, and it is called vidIQ.”

vidIQ: Leveraging AI to Identify Low-Competition Keywords 

“vidIQ is a different type of AI. It’s an AI that is looking at all the data that is flying around in YouTube, and it’s saying, well, we’ve got access to all this data, and we can tell what keywords are highly competitive.”

We talked about some search terms that might be appropriate for From the Heart to use for our videos as examples.  But the same principles will apply to whatever your film is about.

“For example,” he explained, “‘movie making’ is a highly competitive keyword that has 500,000 people looking for it. It’s extremely high competition. So, the likelihood of ever getting a top position for anything you post is virtually zero, and you’ll be on page 96, with no traffic.

“If on the other hand, you ask for terms that are less competitive for argument’s sake, film funding for documentaries, you happen to be making a documentary. So therefore, you are looking for ‘film funding for a documentary.’ Well, we see there’s not that many people looking, maybe 2000 or 3000.

“The amount of competition, meaning the number of people that are competing with you for that term, is low. Well, that’s important to know, isn’t it? So now you can take the results that ChatGPT 4 has given you, all the long-tail keywords that are associated with the transcript, and you can put them into vidIQ and test which of those keywords are effectively low competition with a reasonable amount of traffic.”

What we’re trying to do here is find the “low-hanging fruit,” which are the “keywords that I can actually get a top three, top five position and really get some traffic for people that are interested in what I am doing.”

Crafting Powerful Titles: Combining Human Intelligence with AI Insights

Now, you can use your human intelligence to create a title for that work. “These types of technologies use traditional skills. You must be able to construct a meaningful, important title for your video once you’ve got the information on what is likely to be the low-lying fruit. Using your existing skills as a writer, screenwriter, editor, or as a designer, all of these tools are now available to speed up the work and to produce a quality of work that’s much higher with much less time.”

I’ve also found that ChatGPT is a great tool for coming up with titles as well. I put my transcript in the prompt, and asked ChatGPT to create a title and to optimize for the long-tail keywords I wanted to focus on. It came up with some terrific options. 

Writing Video Descriptions and Chapter Segments with ChatGPT

The next step is to put our title and transcript back into ChatGPT and ask it to come up with a good video description for YouTube. It will come up with some great keyword-rich text that will help your visibility. The other thing you can ask ChatGPT to do is to divide the video transcript into chapters or sections if your video is structured that way. It can help you come up with titles for these chapters as well.

“What we’re doing is called ‘prompt engineering,’ which asking very specific questions in a series to get very important information.”

DALL–E: Creating Compelling Images and Avatars for Videos

Another thing you can do with AI to improve your videos is to use DALL-E, which allows you to create images from prompts. So, you can say “’give me a hobbit living in an oak tree,’ and it’ll produce a hobbit in an oak tree for you. There are other operations with AI that will then take that hobbit in an oak tree and create mouth movements for speaking for 10 or 15 seconds, realistically just sort of Disney standards of talking with what I would call a ‘locked off shot.’ No moving cameras, just a locked off shot, somebody facing camera or a hobbit facing camera.”

“Then you put in the text, and then the Hobbit will say, ‘I’m a hobbit that lives in New Zealand.’ And those are the technologies that are also extremely useful in certain important categories, such as news releases and all the various things where avatars are now being used by the BBC, Microsoft, and everybody else.”

Democratization of Data: Harvesting Your Own Insights from Google

“Google became the biggest advertising agency in the world. Most people think of Google as a search engine. No, it’s, it’s an ad agency cleverly disguised as a search engine. That’s what it is. Everybody’s interested in Google, but Google’s only interested in itself because the more times you look at Google, the more money they make.

“And so, from that point of view, yes, they give you lots of free stuff, and AI has been used on everyone for the last 10, 15 years. They have been using AI to gather as much data on human beings that are using Google system as is humanly possible so they can sell it to advertisers. So, you know, if everybody’s worried about the government and having information on you, well, I’m not worried about that at all, but Google is another matter.

“The democratization of data has begun, and now the big boys are being forced to give up their data. So, to a certain extent, the work that we do is allowing businesses like yourself and other businesses that we work with to harvest their own data from Google, which Google allows you to get.” There are many types of data that can be gathered from Google. Patrick gave the example of “how many people found you by searching a map.

“A lot of people look at the map, they don’t look at search. And so with all these variations of how people found you, what did they do? Did they come to you with a train? Did they come to you with a plane? Did they come to you by driving? And how did they get there? And what did they do when they arrived? And so on and so forth. All that data’s available that every business, every school, every university can collect that data from Google. Very few do, but those that do tend to excel.”

Navigating the YouTube Landscape: Building Consistency and Subscriber Base

“Having your own YouTube channel and putting your flms and marketing yourself is the way of the future. If people are interested in your specific subject, whatever that may be, then they will subscribe. And the key is consistency.”

“90% of the traffic that you’re going to get is not going to come from search. It’s going to come from suggested videos.What is a suggested video? Well, first of all, let’s look at what most people do when they make a video. They don’t do anything other than upload it. And then they say one sentence or two sentences about it, and there it remains collecting digital dust until it disappears, because nobody’s watching. It gets 50 views or 60 views.”

“The reason that it’s important is not for you or for the person watching it. No. It’s important for YouTube to keep you looking at the ads. That’s why we’re here, right? To watch the ads. We’re not here to do anything else other than watch the ads. Google is not concerned with the content. It’s only concerned with whether the content is interesting enough to keep you watching on YouTube.”

“So, you’ve got a bunch of keywords such as ‘documentary filmmakers and funding’. And you then look at the top of that particular keyword, ‘documentary film funding.’ And what do we see here? We see lots of old videos, two years old, three years old, five years old. What does that tell us? It tells us there’s no competition, and we’re more than likely to get a top three position because of a very important term.

“That’s another lesson to be learned here. Recency. It means “when was this published?” Because the only thing Google is really interested in, if you really want to succeed on them is “am I a consistent publisher?” Being a consistent publisher means putting out a couple of videos at least a month, and some people are putting out two and three a day. They don’t have to be long. It can be 10 minutes, 15 minutes.”

“The point is that consistency builds up what we call channel authority. And what does channel authority confer? It confers reaching for the higher fruit. So at the beginning, you can only go for keywords that are relatively low competition, and maybe not so many people looking for them. After you’ve got your channel authority in whichever niche you happen to be in, then you can become visible with those more competitive keywords.”

Conclusion: Embracing AI to Optimize Your YouTube Success

AI is here to stay, and we must embrace these technologies to stay ahead of the curve. There are wonderful tools here to help us to get our film and our voices to a much bigger and more engaged audience, and I encourage all of our filmmakers to take the time to learn more.

Listen to the entire podcast in the link below:

 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

“Good interviews don’t make good trailers; good stories make good trailers.”

by Carole Dean

In my first blog about my interview with Michael Torres on The Art of Film Funding Podcast, I shared his wisdom for creating successful film trailers. In this blog, we’ll go more in depth into best practices for conducting documentary interviews, and how to incorporate those into film trailers.

Michael is a talented filmmaker, editor and teacher, and considers himself a lifelong student. He combined his love of history and storytelling with his passion for metaphysical studies to create art that uplifts, inspires, and unites.

His first Installation, The Gods of Puerto Rico is a 12-part documentary series on Afro Puerto Rican revolutionary Pedro Albizu Campos and his quest for Freedom. Michael has created content for Fox Sports, Spotify Studios, The NFL Network, ESPN, and YouTube Originals. When he’s not in production, Michael is a teacher of metaphysical studies and meditation at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. 

Michael has also been a friend of mine for many years. He was also a student in my Intentional Filmmaking Class. We were very fortunate to have him as a guest!

Plan in advance.

Documentarians often choose to include excerpts from their interview in their trailers. However, sometimes filmmakers just hope that the interview will produce good content for their trailers without planning enough in advance.  This is not the best approach.

“If you’re hoping you capture what you need for your trailer,” Michael explains, “then you haven’t articulated a vision for yourself and your film, right? You need to be intentional about the stories you want to tell.

“During interviews you will get surprises and hear things to take you somewhere else. But the clearer you are about what you want and need from an interview, the more success you will have.”

Stories make good trailers.

Michael also gave some advice about a common pitfall for using interviews in a trailer. “I’m speaking from experience with this one, with my own film. Good interviews don’t make good trailers, good stories make good trailers. And so you might have this kick ass interview, the person is brilliant, but did they tell you a fantastic story?”

What he suggests you want to do instead is to use the interviews to craft a compelling story, not just give information.

“I think there’s a lot of prep that goes into preparing to film something for a trailer or do those initial interviews. I’d say research, research, research. Once you know who you’re going to interview, maybe they’ve been interviewed before, maybe they’ve been on television, maybe they have a blog post.  Read an article that they’ve written, but understand how they communicate, and what their point of view is.”

Michael highly recommends conducting “pre-interviews” to prepare. “I love the world of Zoom and what that’s opened for us. We could do these pre-interviews on Zoom, and I’ve used Zoom interviews in trailers or bytes from Zoom interviews in trailers.

“That’s something you may not want for your finished piece, but to help you get these ideas down, I think that’s important. Then it’s taking that and really being clear about what it is before you sit down to talk to someone. Then you can have a real conversation. Then you can genuinely and sincerely be an interested listener and confidently know what that person can give you.”

Reduce your costs and do out of town interviews with Zoom.

Zoom is a great benefit for low budget documentaries. In many cases, I believe that footage from Zoom interviews is often good enough quality to include in a trailer, or sometimes in the documentary itself.

Michael agreed.

“I think we’re in a time,” he said,  “where with our willingness to engage with social media that we don’t need to shoot an interview (on a Red Camera) necessarily. There’s a tolerance for low resolution video.

“There’s an intimacy that you get on a Zoom call that you don’t get in a standard sit-down interview… You’ve been on a Zoom call, you’ve been on the other side of that call. It’s not foreign to someone. So I think you get them to be a little more comfortable in a Zoom environment than you would in a three light setup and with a small crew under a hot light.”

This is so true! It’s not uncommon for someone you’re interviewing to have never been on a professional set or filmed with a professional crew and camera before. They might be nervous. They are more relaxed on Zoom. They’re in their home where they are comfortable, which can help you to get a very up close and personal conversation.

And of course, you’ll also save a lot of money without having to travel or hire a crew. This can be crucial if you are still raising funds or in early development for your film. You can get the interview you need for a trailer without spending anything.

A “chicken or egg” situation.

Michael expanded that “you can always go back and refilm that interview… now knowing exactly what you’re going to get, or having a better sense of what the subject can deliver. I think this is going to be a consistent feature in documentary going forward… the lower quality Zoom video camera, phone footage and things of that nature.”

Filmmakers often find themselves in a “chicken or egg” situation. They need to raise the $15,000 or so to make the trailer, but they need to have the trailer to raise money! Using Zoom interviews can help create that initial funding trailer when funds may be limited or nonexistent.

Furthermore, it shows that you are very creative by being able to get such great content over Zoom, and that you are resourceful for being able to create a compelling trailer for a minimum amount of money. 

During your interviews, you must listen for the sound bite that will make the film or trailer move forward. Sometimes, this requires asking the same questions two or three different ways to get the response framed in a way that works.

To tell your story, ask leading questions.

“Some people will probably not like this,” Michael suggested, “but I tend to ask leading questions. I’ll pepper in a piece of the answer in my question, and then I’ll also be very clear with the person I’m interviewing that I need them to mirror back to me the question that I asked.

“So, for example, if I ask you, what’s your favorite color? I can’t do much as an editor if you just say ‘purple.’ But ‘my favorite color is purple’ just conveyed a piece of information. So, it’s being clear about the answer you want, and then figuring out ways to ask questions to get it.”

Learn Adobe Premiere or Final Cut

Once you have your interviews and other footage you can use for a trailer, the next step is to organize it and select the best clips to create the trailer. Michael recommends taking the time to at least learn enough editing on Adobe Premiere or Final Cut to create an assembly of your footage. You can learn everything you need on YouTube in a day.

Michael considers that “then you’ll be a proficient enough editor to assemble, to take an interview apart and break out bites and things of that nature just to play with it and begin seeing how it strings together.

Get interviews transcribed

“But I’d say even before that,” he suggests, “you want to take your interviews and get those transcribed. That’s a really important tool and resource for me. I lean on my transcripts and I try to cut on paper as much as I can before I start cuttingin the program, because I only get to see this a couple of times with fresh eyes. I only get to experience it a few times.

“And so I want to take it as far as I possibly can on paper and work with the producer or director that I’m working with to really get a tight outline.  Knowing that once we start editing, that outline may go out the window. We might fall down the rabbit hole and it leads to somewhere else, but we’ve set an intention and we’re moving towards that intention. Now that we’re on that journey, we can allow it to take us where we want to go, but first we’ve set a destination.”

Rev.com is excellent for automatic transcriptions.

Michael and I both recommend using www.rev.com to create inexpensive transcriptions of your interview footage.

He considers it “a great resource. You could take your interview, you upload it, and minutes later you have a transcription. One thing I will just remind listeners is please, please, please get the time code, on your transcriptions. It really helps speed up the process when I know 10 minutes and 13 seconds is where I’m gonna find that bite versus listening through the interview to find it.”

I highly recommend you take a moment to view the trailer that Michael created for his Albizu docuseries at www.whoisalbizu.com, where you can also learn more about the project.

In case you missed it, please make sure to check out my first blog about my interview with Michael Torres (Insert Link Here). You can also listen to the full interview on Blog Talk Radio. You can learn more about Michael Torres at www.mtorresproductions.com.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

How screenwriters can use psychology to develop characters and scripts more effectively

by Carole Dean

I had a truly fascinating interview on The Art of Film Funding Podcast with Dr. William Indick. He is the author of the book Psychology for Screenwriters: Building Conflict in Your Script. (Published by Michael Wiese Productions, the same publisher for my book, The Art of Film Funding).

 

William earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 1993 and his Ph.D in Developmental Psychology in 2001 from Cornell University. An active screenwriter, author, screenwriting consultant, William is also an Associate Professor of Psychology at William Patterson University where he teaches courses in media psychology, psychology, and film.

Writing psychologically complex characters requires a deep understanding of human behavior.

In his book, Dr. Indick uses his years of study and experience to convey this to the readers in a way that doesn’t require them to have a Ph.D in Psychology. He does this by sharing insights from brilliant psychological theorists, such as Freud, Young, and Adler, and teaches you how to apply these principles to screenwriting and character development. The book can be a wonderful guide and inspiration for writers at any phase of development of their script.

“The psychological theories that I apply to film,” Dr. Indic explained during our discussion, “are basically just explorations of human behavior. Each model tries to understand what makes us tick, and by understanding that, we can predict what someone may or may not do in a given situation.

“We’re trying to figure out what are these characters will do once we put them in the specific scenario that we’re developing. Their actions tell us more about their character than anything they could say about themselves, or any type of voiceover narration can tell us about the characters. “When we’re looking at the screen, we, the audience, are looking at behavior and analyzing behavior like psychologists.”

“The best tool we could have is the models that psychologists created for understanding behavior.”

I think this is such a valuable insight from Dr. Indick. There is already a wealth of information from expert psychologists that writers can draw from to make the challenging task of character development easier. This book does a terrific job making these theories and principles easily accessible to the writer, who may not have a background in psychology at all.

I asked Dr. Indick to speak on how these psychological models applied specifically to development.

“Using these models,” he responded, “that do predict human behavior based on an understanding of what this person’s personality…can generate new ideas.

“If my character is having, say, an identity crisis. Well, what did Erickson have to say about identity crisis? And what would Erickson predict? Meaning what would this person do to express their identity conflict? You might find what people they seek to help them? What new behaviors or new ways of dealing with conflict will this person adopt?

“Once you understand the model and how it works,” he continued, “there are different ways that you can express conflict in this character through their behavior or through their dialogue. And that frees you up from having to explain what’s going on in the character’s head with giving voiceover narration that literally tells the viewer what the character is thinking.” 

That is something that I know Robert McKee would appreciate. He wants information through action and short dialogue.

Creating dark and psychologically complex characters from shows such as The Sopranos and The Wire.

I find a character like Tony Soprano fascinating. He plays a killer who is a terrible person, yet the audience becomes engaged with him and connects to him. We want to understand what makes him tick. I found that the more I watched and tried to understand how he would handle murder and mayhem one minute and then deal with his family life, the more engaged I became.

Dr. Indick explained that we are “looking into his character, seeing how evil he is, yet also wondering, why am I so interested in him and why am I sort of connecting with him? So, we’re questioning the character, which makes us question ourselves, but then at the same time, the character is questioning himself and his own morality and his ethics and his basic identity and character.”

He believes that the reason we watch anything, “whether it’s a show or a movie, we’re trying to learn something about ourselves. We do that by watching other people and we can learn some extreme things about ourselves by watching other people do extreme things.

“So that’s the benefit of film as often it is a virtual reenactment of life that we could view and learn from, but not actually have to go through mistakes and do some horrible things.”

That certain air of mystery.

He talked about the fact that developing psychologically complex, and therefore more engaging characters, requires maintaining a certain air of mystery about them. It’s not as interesting if the character is predictable or if their motivations and actions are surface level. The most interesting characters, in a way, are puzzles for the viewer to solve.

“When a character does something that is inexplicable and is fascinating for the viewer,” Dr. Indick told me, “ then what the writer needs to do is keep it explicable by explaining exactly what’s going on.  But keep the mystery there and reveal little by little through action and dialogue what’s going on and why they’re doing this inexplicable thing.

“We all love mystery stories because we like to figure out the mystery for ourselves. When you give away the mystery in voiceover narration in the first five minutes, then you will lose the audience. The audience has no mystery to solve and therefore they’re not interested any longer.

“Mystery keeps us tied into the plot and tied into the character. Confusion pushes us away, but mystery leads us in. The screenwriter has to master treading that line between confusion and mystery. The plot must never be confusing, but the characters should always be somewhat mysterious.”

You can find Dr. Indick’s book at mwp.com/product/psychology-screenwriters-building-conflict-script-2nd-ed. It’s an invaluable resource.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

Called the earth’s heartbeat, harmonizing your life with this electromagnetic phenomenon will help you achieve success

by Carole Dean

Scientists tell us that there is an increase in electromagnetic frequency and energy occurring now.  In this era of information, they suggest that anything not aligned with the advancement of this emerging consciousness is being brought to light. This heightened energy is being experienced within both humans and nature, generating a sense of excitement.

The history of peace gathering projects, an initiative or event aimed at bringing people together in a spirit of harmony, unity, and non-violence, shows how best to harness that energy.  Studies, including those by the Rand Corporation, showed that If people had meditated with the energy and emotions of peace, unity, and oneness, without physically doing anything, that unified community can produce results 70% of the time.

Those results include an immediate reduction of crime, warfare, and terrorism by an average of greater than 70%.

Think about it! That means that if all of us are meditating daily with the intent to live in a world that is peaceful, with no terrorism, no wars, that as a unit we can achieve this.

The heartbeat of the earth.

Physicist Winfried Otto Schumann had a hypothesis of a resonant frequency of 7.83 Hertz for the earth that is now accepted and which now bears his name.  The Schumann Resonance was established by measuring global electromagnetic resonances generated by lightning discharges in the ionosphere. It acts as a background frequency influencing the biological circuitry of our mammalian brain.

People think of this electromagnetic phenomenon as the earth’s heartbeat.  Ancient Indian Rishis, often called “the scientists of Hinduism,” referred to this as OM or the incarnation of pure sound. It also happens to be a very powerful frequency with brain wave entrainment and it’s associated with low levels of alpha. It is this range of brain waves that allows us to get beyond the analytical mind and into the subconscious.

This frequency has been associated with high levels of suggestibility, meditation, increased growth hormone levels, and increased cerebral blood flow.

The earth’s frequency and the brain ‘s frequency have very similar resonances.  Our nervous system can be influenced by the earth’s electromagnetic field.  Perhaps this is why getting into nature often provides a calming effect to all of us.

People unconsciously read your body language.

Researchers at the HeartMath Institute discovered that when an individual’s heart rate is in a state of coherence, or harmonious rhythm, it radiates more coherent electromagnetic signals into the environment. This can be detected by the nervous systems of other people as well as animals.

The heart generates the strongest magnetic field in the body, and it can be measured several feet away. This provides a credible explanation for the fact that when someone walks into a room you can feel or sense that individual’s mood or state of independent from their body language.

This is what UCLA professor Mehrabian found when he did his research on pitching projects or ideas or making presentations.  He says people are reading you from your energy.  They are reading you from the influence of your voice, your eye contact, your posture, your entire presence, and he measured how it affects the recipient.

For filmmakers this information is important for you to know and understand so that you can connect with potential donors and with other industry people to help you make your film.

This information from Professor Mehrabian’s 55-38-7% can help filmmakers in many ways.

He says that 55% of the decision-making process is based on how you handle your body. Are you proud of yourself?  Are you confident?  Do you belong here? Are you comfortable among wealthy people?

Are you carrying yourself with good posture? Do you look people straight in the eye? Are you comfortable talking to people? When you sit, are you facing them and are you present and relaxed?

38% of the decision-making process is your voice and how you sound. For pitching a project, you should be excited, you should be at the top of your game with your very best pitch totally memorized. I want you to have your film’s pitch as part of your DNA so it is very easy for you to deliver.

The balance of 7%? What is that? That’s how much the content of your pitch matters. Can you believe it?  93% of the decision-making process for presentations is based on your voice and your body language and only 7% is on what you say.

Now you understand why I was so thrilled to find this research by the HeartMath institute on the Schumann resonance.

First connect to your heart for others to like and trust you.

HeartMath Institute’s research explains how beneficial it is when an individual’s heart rate is in a state of coherence or harmonious rhythm.

If you’re going to a gathering where you’re pitching people, sit in your car for a few minutes before you get into the event.  Or,  take a walk in a quiet place. Focus on peace, love, and unity to bring your heart and mind into the Schumann Resonance.  Fall into that perfect resonance of coherence with the earth. Focus on 7.83 hertz as a frequency to balance your body and create coherence in your body and mind.

This will put you in a wonderful place to be heard and felt and seen as the carrier of important information.

Now when you begin to pitch your project you are at one with your heart and with your Schumann resonance. People will believe you; people will understand you and they will fully support you.

When you are felt by the other person, they will be more apt to believe and trust you because you are totally coherent in your being.

You will have reached a state where the energy coming off you is congruent with the earth’s energy, it’s the relaxed supportive natural energy of the planet.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

A high-quality film trailer is crucial for independent filmmakers to win grants, build an audience, and attract investors, donors, and partners.

by Carole Dean

Creating a film trailer is a very specific skill, a unique art, and science. The trailer not only has to tell a compelling story, but it also has to show that this filmmaker knows how to tell it in two minutes.  It needs to have three acts that are energy driven by music.

Michael Torres is a talented filmmaker and editor with whom I had the pleasure of interviewing for The Art of Film Funding Podcast. He shared his wisdom on how to create a stunning film trailer.  And we learned best practices for finding a film trailer editor.

I can speak from experience with our own Roy W. Dean Grant that a stellar trailer can be a deciding factor in which films we select as finalists and winners.

Creating your trailer is a discovery process.

“It seems like such a catch 22, right? You have to show the film so that someone gives you permission to make the film,” Michael explained.

“I really do think it’s an opportunity to conduct experiments with your film to find out what the visual language is, to find out what’s working, what’s not working. I think you can get insights into your film in this trailer editing phase because you’ll learn a lot about yourself and your material in this process.”

Trailers are not one size fits all, and there are different kinds of trailers for different purposes. A sizzle reel is very different than a funding trailer.

He described a sizzle reel as “anything from 30 seconds to two minutes. You want it fast paced, you want it to have a three-act structure, and clearly communicate an idea. I think a sizzle should be the vibe of your film, or the spirit of your film. This is really what you’re trying to articulate. What does this film feel like?”

A grant, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, may ask you for a 15-minute excerpt from your film. For Michael, “that is really an exploration of how you intend tell the story. You need to explain, what is the film, what are the elements of the story, and then taking a complete scene and laying it out from A to Z and stringing together sequences.”

What’s the story?

Michael said that regardless of the format or length of the trailer, “I want that element of a reel right up front. And whether it’s a sizzle reel or it’s a funding trailer, in that first 30 seconds or so, I really want whoever’s watching this to know what this film is about, why we’re making it, who the main characters are, and what it is we’re trying to convey. And then we can get moody with it. But I want to answer those questions right up front.

“So, whether it’s a 30-second sizzle, a two-minute film trailer, or a 15-minute demo, we want to excite the viewer and leave them in a place where they want more. We want to tease them, so to speak.”

While it may not apply to all film genres, Michael believes all trailers should also typically convey what is the central conflict of the story.

Following the A,B,C’s

The progression a successful film trailer must include, what Michael refers to as he “A, B, C of the trailer.”

“It’s the opening, the middle and the end, the act one, act two, act three, there must be movement,” he explains. “If I’m introducing a character, there should be a change in that character. Meaning, by the end they are different from the person I met at the beginning.”

As a grantor, I look for the trailer to catch my attention in the first five to ten seconds. One of the things I don’t like is when the trailer starts with 10 to 20 seconds of titles.

A funding trailer should not have long credits at the beginning.  I am here to listen to an engaging story.  People must realize that grant judges are watching one trailer after another after another. It’s just how they do it, so to stand out over the rest, engage me with the first frame!

The faster you tell me the story, the more you engage me. We fund stories.

Tell me a “Sticky Story” that I can remember.

Michael agreed that the trailer needs to draw you in immediately. “I want a splash of cold water as soon as I step in. You don’t want to bog down the opening with your five second animated logo and a 20-second moody drone or anything like that.

“Because I don’t know what I’m watching. I want to engage with the viewer as soon as humanly possible. So, I use an inciting line, or an image, or a scene or a moment that drops me into what this film is about, what the essence and the vibe is, that’s what I really lead off with.”

For me, one of the most important parts of a trailer is to convey a “sticky story.” This is a story that the viewer can easily remember and wants to share with others. I teach this in my Intentional Filmmaking Class. I recommend a book called Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath, about why some ideas survive, and others disappear.

Something emotional, something credible, something shocking

They found what is most important is something emotional, something concrete, something credible, and something shocking, and tell your story around this. The reason is because almost everyone you’re going to ask for money has a significant other, mother, brother, or someone with whom they will discuss your film.

When that happens, they are now pitching your film. Your job is to make sure they get the essence of the film in your pitch or in your trailer, and something shocking, concrete, credible and emotional create “sticky stories” people can remember.

“That’s about the attention span you’re gonna get from someone too,” Michael concurred. “You may have this brilliant treatment that lays out every beat of the story, but if I can’t kick it to you in an elevator and you understand it, or understand it in two minutes, then I’ve lost you.”

I also recommend, if possible, to make different trailer versions for different purposes. One way to do it is called ‘Cover Your Bases.’ This is to get a 10-minute film trailer, a five-minute trailer, and a two-minute. Those seem to be the ones that are asked for the most if you’re going after grants.

I don’t have a time limit on my trailers, but I like a three-to-five-minute trailer.

How to find the right trailer editor?

I also spoke to Michael about his recommendations for finding the perfect trailer editor. Michael said “word of mouth is probably how I’ve gotten 99% of my work and it’s also how I go about finding editors. I want to work with people that have been recommended.

“You’re getting into a relationship when you’re bringing someone on to work on something that you love. So, I think it’s important that you vibe with the person. Just as important as their work, is how comfortable you are working with them. Giving and getting feedback means you really want to be with someone that you trust and can be vulnerable around.”

Working with an filmmaker

About his process as an editor, Michael wants “to know everything I possibly can about the film, but even more so why they’re interested in making the film.

“I really want to understand why it’s important to them and what the feeling is they’re trying to communicate. How do you want the viewer to feel about your subject after they watch this trailer? My focus is always on the quality, the feeling, the tone that we’re trying to communicate.”

The big question is, with so much content to choose from, how does an editor decide what goes into the trailer?  Michael looks for the most interesting things he has.

“So, it’s the scenes that already work, the low hanging fruit, that’s working. What do I know if I match this piece of b-roll with this interview? Sometimes it works and it conveys a message. I’m not working linear necessarily. I’m not starting at the beginning and ending at the end.

“I’m taking everything I have that I know works, building that, and then starting to find ways to connect them.”

You may want to read part 2 where we speak in depth about conducting interviews for documentaries, and how to incorporate these interviews into trailers.

Listen to entire podcast in link below:

Podcast is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Goodpods, and Blogtalkradio

You can learn more about Michael Torres at www.mtorresproductions.com.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Through their initiatives, the Catapult Film Fund aims to nurture unique voices and stories that might otherwise go unheard

by Carole Dean

I had the honor of interviewing Megan Gelstein and Theresa Navarro from the Catapult Film Fund on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast.

The Catapult Film Fund was launched in 2010 with the intent to support documentary filmmakers with development funding at the earliest stages. Catapult offers early funding and mentorship to propel films forward and supports filmmakers with authentic voices who tell stories with integrity, creativity, a cinematic vision, and a strong perspective.

The fundamental idea was to provide funding for documentaries at a stage where there was very little support.  At this point of development, filmmakers often had no proof of concept, sample, or trailer.  Catapult is dedicated to supporting nonfiction filmmakers with critical early stage funding and mentorship to launch distinctive, story-driven, and cinematic films

“We look for filmmakers who are envisioning a film that asks really engaging questions and embraces the language of cinema. Whether or not they’re clear on the exact forward motion of the story, at its core we’re looking for great stories with great characters.”

Catapult offers two primary grants, the Development Grant and the Research Grant.

The Development Grant is Catapult’s flagship program, launched in 2010. These grants are $25,000 in non recoupable grant funding and are designed for, “filmmakers who have a clear sense of the project that they want to make, they have access to their characters, and they’re pretty well ready to go.”

Catapult takes a personal approach with the filmmakers they support. Megan went on to say that the “we look at the application as an opportunity for us to get to know the filmmaker, and then ultimately for the filmmaker to get to know us.”  Catapult staff serve as ongoing advisors and advocates for supported filmmakers, sharing industry knowledge and introducing them to members of the film industry who can fund and provide meaningful guidance for their work.

Catapult Film Fund reviews applications for the Development Grant in two rounds per year. The first round is open from January – mid February, with  final decisions by June. The second round is open from June – mid July.  They make final decisions by early  November. The Development Grant is open to domestic and international filmmakers and,  “our final annual slate tends to have an equal number of domestic and international filmmakers,” said Megan.

The Research Grant is the newest expansion and expression of Catapult’s commitment to providing support when it is riskiest to give and hardest to find. Launched in 2021, the Research Grant was designed specifically to help filmmakers in early stages of development for their projects, when filmmakers don’t have all the questions answered, when their projects are not yet fully “buttoned up.”  It was created to support filmmakers whose projects are at an earlier stage than would be required to be eligible for the Development Grant.

The Research Grant awards a combination of $10,000 of non recoupable grant funding and six months of professional mentorship. It is open to US based filmmakers only. 

Through this program, a cohort of filmmakers with projects in the research stage will be selected by Catapult staff and the Catapult Advisory, which is made up of experienced filmmakers and industry members. Selected filmmakers will receive funding and participate in a six-month mentorship program, which will include peer support and one-on-one mentorship from both Catapult staff and members of the Advisory.

Listening to the director’s voice.

Rather than focusing on the importance of the subject matter of the film, their priority is to get to know the filmmaker and their unique take on the subject. 

“One of the key bits of advice that I might give to a filmmaker thinking of applying to Catapult,” Megan pointed out, “is we are really interested in hearing your particular voice and understanding your vision as a filmmaker.”.

“I think we have a pretty good sense of what the key issues are that filmmakers tend to gravitate towards. So as opposed to highlighting, the urgency of climate change, kind of fair more towards how you as a director want to tell that particular story.”

Expand your creativity in a supporting environment.

About the mentorship aspect, Megan believes that “especially in the research stage, it’s such a prime opportunity to take risks, to think of different ideas, to hear other people kind of weigh in on what you’re trying to do, and that can accelerate that path of thinking.”

The application window opens for the Research Grant once a year in October, and final decisions are made by January.

I asked about the application process and what they are looking for from their applicants.

“The process of applying both for the Research Grant and for the Development Grant are very similar,” per Megan. “The application can be found on our website at catapultfilmfund.org.

“The questions are pretty straightforward and it’s not too difficult of an application. Mostly, we’re asking for generally who those filmmakers are, what their background is, and what they’re interested in. It’s not necessarily tied to a particular project. We don’t ask for a super buttoned up log line, but we do ask for general ideas of what you’re thinking of.”

Rough Cut Retreat

In addition to the two grants, Catapult offers another very unique program called the Rough Cut Retreat. Theresa explained that the program “is a partnership that we run with the True/False Film Festival and CMP (Community, Media and Philanthropy – also known as Chicago Media Project).

“Every year, for five days in the summer, we invite five film teams who have a project at the rough-cut stage. Essentially, we also invite five experts from the industry. Sometimes these are editors, sometimes these are directors, sometimes these are film executives who have a lot of experience of giving pointed feedback on a project at a particular time.

“This is really a chance to be in community, to be in nature and to really have dedicated time and conversation around your project that is both with structured time including screenings that are dedicated to your film with folks who are giving feedback for your particular film, as well as time where people can just be together, sharing meals, maybe sitting by a river or at a swimming hole and naturally, organically, conversation can arise.”

Applications for the Rough Cut Retreat open in March, and decisions are made by late May or June. The retreat takes place in late July.

We are so lucky to have the Catapult Film Fund. This is a terrific resource for non-fiction filmmakers in early phases of development. I highly encourage filmmakers to consider applying for their supportive grants and programs. You can learn more at catapultfilmfund.org.

You can listen to the entire interview in link below.    

The Art of Film Funding Podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, Goodpods, and Blogtalkradio.   

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

The Redford Center is one of the only non-profits in the U.S. dedicated solely to environmental impact filmmaking.

by Carole Dean

I had the opportunity to interview Heather Fipps from the Redford Center for The Art of Film Funding Podcast. Heather was an amazing guest and this was one of the most important interviews we’ve done on the show.

I wanted to share some of the highlights from the interview, and let you know the incredible work the Redford Center is doing to support filmmakers making films about protecting the environment.

The Redford Center has been instrumental in driving the environmental movement for almost two decades. It was co-founded in 2005 by Robert Redford, and his son James Redford. It is a non-profit organization that advances environmental solutions and promotes awareness through filmmaking and storytelling. It’s one of the only non-profits in the U.S. dedicated solely to environmental impact filmmaking.

As the Program Manager at the Redford Center, Heather cultivates opportunities for environmental filmmakers, produces impact media projects and campaigns. She is also a filmmaker and producer of multi-platform stories. She is the co-founder of the Hollywood Climate Summit, an annual conference for cross-sector creative industries to build a coalition of climate conscious storytellers.  It is supported by Netflix, Paramount, NBC Universal, and more. We were very fortunate to have her as a guest!

An environmental middle school program

The Redford Center has supported over 150 film and media projects with grants and other services. All in all, they have dispersed more than $12,000,000 to support environmental film projects. They have produced three award-winning feature documentaries and more than 40 short films. Their Youth Stories Program, an environmental curriculum aimed at middle school classrooms, has led to the creation of more than 550 student films.

Heather gave some insight into the environmental films and projects The Redford Center is supporting.

“The Redford Center has funded stories of people doing work to care for our earth, change the way that we live, show our relationship and connection with nature, participate in community activism, advocacy, and really take up action, in moments where it can feel like we’re overwhelmed and there’s nothing we can do.”

Redford Center has two grants for environmental stories.

“We’re telling stories of people who are doing something and who are centering and prioritizing the impact that these stories can have,” explained Heather. “So, we are not only telling the story, but pushing out resources, and connecting with organizations who are doing this work daily.

“We are advancing and shifting the conversation to an attitude of we still have work to do, we’re in it, and we’re building resiliency and courage to face the many diverse environmental crises that we are facing worldwide.”

She went on to explain that The Redford Center tries to focus on stories that are going to advance the conversation to people who may not feel invited into the conversation yet.

There is perhaps no more important issue facing our planet today than our environment. With film being such an important medium for advancing environmental protection and action, many filmmakers in this field are faced with a surprising lack of resources and support.

Heather shared that “we have found in our landscape mapping a stark gap of funding for environmental films, particularly independent environmental filmmakers. There are only eight grants available globally that are regularly available for filmmakers telling environmental stories specifically.

“The Redford Center provides two of those eight grants. Whereas at the Redford Center, that is explicitly what we support consistently… these are the stories that we need to help us make sense of our rapidly changing world, give us hope and solutions and resilience in this time of rapid change that we’re going to need to undergo together.”

Impossible Town was funded by both From the Heart Productions and The Redford Center

Impossible Town, one of our Roy W. Dean Grant winners, was also a recipient of a Redford Center grant. The film, by filmmakers Meg Griffiths and Scott Ferris, documents toxic contamination threatening a community which leads to an outbreak of cancer, and the efforts to relocate and seek justice for the citizens of this town. The Redford Center not only provided funding for the film but continued to stay in touch and support the film throughout its development.

Heather describes The Redford Center Grants program as “a two-year program where the film projects that we support have an opportunity to let us know how they’re doing in their first year, what their impact goals are, and what it will take for their film to reach the finish line.

“And we’re so thrilled to support them with second year funding, which is something that we do through our grants program. We funded (Impossible Town) in 2020 and 2021. We are in very good touch with our filmmakers. We’ve also had the chance to write some articles about the film and their story.”

Bringing filmmakers together to share information and resources.

This is what truly sets the Redford Center apart. Not only do they support the underrepresented niche of environmental filmmakers, but go above and beyond to create a community of support.

“We’re trying to build community,” Heather clarified, “and not just with the capacity that we have on our staff, but really bring filmmakers together to connect with one another, and be cohorts and mentors to each other.”

The Redford Center Grants program supports documentary, feature films, and docuseries. It runs on a two-year cycle. They do not have an open call this year but will have one next year.

You can visit their website and subscribe to their newsletter at www.redfordcenter.org to get the first announcement of when the next open call begins. The grant supports projects for up to two years. The first award is a gift of $20,000 toward the project, with several different bespoke in-kind services they offer.

She described how they “plan a grantee story summit where we invite all of our grantees to come and meet with our Redford Center advisors, which is an advisory board of just incredible filmmaking and climate and environmental experts who coach these filmmakers on tools for success for their project and provide them with different levels of resources.”

At these summits, they also check in with grant winners from the previous years to see where their films are –at and what their impact goals are, and to potentially give them additional funding, sometimes in a substantially greater amount.

Short filmmaker grants and opportunities to pitch to audiences and professionals.

The Redford Center also offers a second, unique grant for short films.  It is a pitch opportunity and a professional development opportunity called, Nature Connection Pitch. This consists of a gift of support for the films, but mostly an exposure and professional development opportunity for the filmmakers. 

They get to pitch their short film ideas to an audience and a panel of professional groups that are interested in supporting their short films.  And who also might provide additional resources for them or hopefully development opportunities for them, or distribution.  

This year, participants received awards of $5,000 for their films. Last year had a competitive format where the winning team received an award of $25,000. What a wonderful program!

Learn more about the Redford Center

I thanked Heather for taking the time to share all the remarkable resources they have for environmental filmmakers. This interview was so rich, and what I’ve shared here is just the beginning. I will very likely put out another blog to cover all the resources and insights that Heather shared.

You can learn more about the Redford Center, their grants, and all the wonderful resources, events, and programs they offer for environmental filmmakers at www.redfordcenter.org. You can listen to the full interview on BlogTalkRadio here. It is also available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Goodpods.

From the Heart thanks Heather and the Redford Center for all of the work they have done to support film and to protect our precious environment!

You can listen to the full podcast here:

The Art of Film Funding Podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, Goodpods, and Blogtalkradio 

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers.

She is creator and instructor of Learn Producing: The Ultimate Course for Indie Film Production.  26 classes which will teach indie filmmakers how to produce their films.

She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

The answers about how to raise money and create your project are all around you.  Tune in and trust your gut. 

by Carole Dean

Have you ever thought about film funding by using your intuition? It’s one of your greatest attributes and rarely used to its potential. Dean Raiden, in his book The Conscious Universe, concludes after the 300 pages where he explained the rigorous technical methods he used in his parapsychology experiments,  that everyone is psychic. “Get over it, just enjoy it,” he said.

 

 

Realizing How Powerful You Are

Because filmmaking is so complicated, being both a startup business with every production as well as an art form, there are many things you need to learn.

• I think you must be a paralegal to handle the legal aspects.
• You need to be able to write.
• You must learn to pitch your film, that’s acting.
• You want to memorize the pitch.
• You need to be a good salesperson to bring in the money.
• You must be a good writer to win grants.
• And you have to be a good manager and producer to create the film.

These are a lot of skills for one person, but that is what is required of filmmakers.

So, I am suggesting that you realize that you are connected in some way to a higher source.

Dean Raiden would say that you have extra sensory perceptions that came with you at birth.  And by using this gift, you can enhance your life and create your film faster and better. Because the more you use this ESP, the stronger it becomes.

I know that most of you recognize that you have this inner knowledge.  It is now just a matter of trusting it.  Go along with it, no matter how silly it sounds.  Once you do, you will find that it has a purpose, that it is valid, and the next time that you get the little message you will see how helpful it can be.

We Are All Psychic!  Your ESP is Shared with All of Us

Dr. Deepak Chopra says that guidance and information comes to us through the gap between other thoughts.  That is how it happens to me.  I recently got a brilliant idea while writing the grocery list.  It just popped in between the bananas and the celery.

Sometimes you hear the little voice when you are driving.  That’s great because when you’re driving is a wonderful time to relax and that’s when you get some really good ideas, and you also get good ESP.

There are so many decisions that you need to make daily that have to do with you making and funding your film.  When you begin using this inner knowing, this ESP, it can help you make more reliable decisions.  And you will get “short cuts.”  Yes, you may quickly see how to go from A to Z much faster than you had planned.

We are all psychic.  Once you take this into your consciousness and say OK, I am psychic, you can use your instincts to improve your life and create your film.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Start asking questions of yourself and of the universe.  Give yourself time to listen for those answers. They sometimes come in very strange ways.

I’ve seen the answer to my question on a billboard.  I know that sometimes people start talking to you on another subject, but they answer what you needed to know!  That’s always amazing to me.

Don’t be surprised if the answer to your questions comes in unusual ways.  Normally, your answers come within a reasonable amount of time.

Here’s one funny example.

I decided to give up coffee so I was considering if I should drink hot tea to get off my coffee addiction.

I asked the universe; can I replace coffee with tea?

That very night I went to watch a TV show and within the first 5 minutes this woman had a shock and the detective said to her, “what you need is a nice cup of hot sweet tea! That’s exactly what I needed to hear. Believe me, this works, the universe is listening.

The Answers to Your Questions are All Around You

That’s what we’ve heard from Doctor Joe Dispenza.  He writes that the quantum field, the energy that’s all around us, is a recorder and that it has recorded all the information from the beginning of time.

That means the answers to your questions are all around you. It’s simply tuning into it. Trust your gut feelings, trust your inner voice.

That’s what I want you to please do to enhance your life and put your film on the fast track.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

 

A remembrance of my talented, irreverent, and irreplaceable son, Rick Dean

By Carole Dean

“I’ll see your bet and raise you $5.00,” I said with my best poker face.  Looking at my two pair and the cards my challenger had showing, I just knew I could win my five-card stud hand.  It was a joy to rake in those chips and in doing so I felt my first contraction.  Rick Dean had decided to arrive just as I was on a winning streak.  The timing was perfect.

It was late April and, as you may know, you can’t rush a Taurus.  So, he didn’t make his entrance for 24 hours.  My son was born the next evening on April 29^th at 9:30pm in Dallas, making him a fourth generation Texan.

When Rick was 2 years old, he and I drove across the country to Los Angeles. We found a home in Hollywood.  I worked all day, so when Rick turned four, I enrolled him in Hollywood Professional School, where children of actors and other Hollywood creators spent the day.

By the time he was five he was teaching the other children math.  When his teacher said he was having trouble reading, I was shocked. She said come to see me and I will show you. In the meeting, she said, “watch this.”  She then asked Rick to read for us and he read about 4 pages perfectly.

Then she opened the book to the middle and covered the pictures.  Now read this, she requested.  Well, he couldn’t!  What happened? She shared with me how astonished she was when she realized he had memorized every word from the pictures. Once he knew the game was up, he got with it and became a good reader.

He excelled at Hollywood Professional school so much that when I put him in public school, they advanced him a year.  I thought that was wonderful, but the principal called me in and made me watch him on the playground. 

He was a year and half younger than the other children, so he was not participating in sports.  She wanted me to put him back a year.  I did not like that idea so we agreed that she would give him an I Q test and we would let that decide.

When I went to hear the test results, she said to me, “His IQ is higher than yours and most people.”  You will have problems with him, she warned me, because he will get bored easily. 

She sent us to a child psychologist whose job was to advise me how to raise a gifted child.  This helped because I learned to listen closely to Rick and to talk things over with him.  He had good insights.  He had great people and problem-solving skills that benefitted both of us.

He learned to play tennis at 9 and he loved school.  He went to Notre Dame High School in North Hollywood and was so gifted in philosophy that they gave him a one-on-one class with a philosophy teacher.  After he graduated, he went to college and hated it. 

While in Notre Dame he was in a play, and he played a woman.  I remember fastening his brazier and thinking this would be the end of acting! Thank God, I thought to myself, he can get acting out of his mind.  Then, he can get on with a law degree and use his tennis skills to get to know professional people.

This idea backfired.  He loved the theatre.  He asked to apply for The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and of course he was accepted for two years.

He took acting lessons constantly and thrived on preforming on stage and on camera. He met and fell in love with Cinda Jackson at the Loft Theatre while studying with Peggy Feury and William Traylor.  Sean Penn, Angelica Houston, and Michele Pfeiffer were fellow students. 

Roger Corman found Rick to be a talented actor and included him in many pictures. They included “Nam Angels,” “Heroes Stand Alone,” “Stripteaser,” and “Naked Obsession.”   He also appeared in many great television series such as “Matlock,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “Dragnet,” and many more. 

Later, Rick met Susanna Schulten and they were happy together for many years.

I started the Roy W. Dean Film Grant in 1992 when Rick’s grandfather, the grant’s namesake, passed away.  Rick said to me that creating that grant was the “craziest thing you ever did.”  After 4 years of receiving, reviewing applications, and giving grants to filmmakers, he told me, “That grant was the best thing you ever did.” 

He helped me review submissions.  He read every word and looked at their reels and made notes to share with them.

Together, we made it a point to call everyone who entered and tell them how talented they were. We always found what we thought was their gift and encouraged each of them to keep applying for grants and never give up.  Filmmakers loved to talk to Rich.  He always encouraged them and left them feeling empowered.

We all miss Rick Dean.  Today is his birthday, April 29.

I like to think he is surrounded by angels and creating a script for his next life.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

 

“Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside, awakes”  Carl Jung

by Carole Dean

Every other Saturday we have a film funding class. We’ve learned that the power of your mind is a major asset in funding and making your film.  I read mind power books for the class and share my understanding of the book with our fiscally sponsored filmmakers.

We are currently working on Joe Dispenza’s book Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon.  You will find that it’s as if he is talking to filmmakers.  There is so much similarity in what he says and what filmmakers deal with on a daily basis.

How Living in Survival Mode Holds Us Back

In his brilliant book, Joe explained that the long-term effect of living in survival mode. 

In time, we begin to thrive on it and we become addicted to stress chemicals. The result is a frenzied state where we shift our attention from one person to one problem to one thing in our environment.  We live on constant high alert because we view our external environment as unsafe.

Because the outer world appears more real than our inner world, we’re addicted to someone or something in our external environment.  The longer we live in this state the more our brain waves move into high beta brain waves which causes us to feel pain, anxiety, anger, impatience, and aggression.  As a result, our brain waves can become incoherent.

Where You Place Your Attention Is Where Your Mind Goes

When the emotions of survival are controlling us, we focus on the external world on finances, terrorism, dislike for your job, and we’ve become preoccupied with what we think could be causing that problem.

When this happens, we’re living in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Where you place your energy is where your attention goes so if it is on a problem in the external world, you’re giving your power away to someone or something else. And your energy is stuck in the material world, where you are constantly reaffirming your present reality.

What is happening is you are tied to the energy of the known trying to predict the future based on the past. For you to make a change in your life, you need to step into the unknown because that’s where things can change, says Dr. Joe.

The more you live in stress the more you’re trying to affect matter. Matter trying to fight and force and manipulate for an outcome. As a result, everything you want to change is going to take a lot of time because in this space-time reality you must move your physical body through space to create the outcome you want.

Finding Room for the Unknowns

The more you’re living in survival, that’s the first three chakras, the more you’re using your senses to define reality, the more you’re separating yourself from a new future.

Between where you are now and where you want to be is based on how you think and predict it should happen. 

But if you’re predicting then your thinking is based on knowns, there is no room for an unknown or a new possibility in your life.

Let’s say you want a new job so you might take the time to create a resume get online and start looking for positions and go on interviews. Now this requires time.  We all look at time as linear.  So you must project it’s going to take you maybe a week to get a good resume, two or three weeks of research, and then interviews.  After that,  you might have a job in so many months.

All of that takes time because you are matter trying to influence other matter.  There is a distinct separation in space and time between where you are and where you want to be.

Focusing Our Attention Outward

Because we don’t have those things we feel lack and separation, so we live in a state of duality. We want things we don’t have and that’s how we create things.

When we experience separation from our future desires, we think and dream of what we want and then we set about a series of actions to get them. Example, if we’re always under financial stress, we want money.  If we have a disease, we want health and if we’re lonely we want a relationship.

Because of this experience of duality, we are driven to create. And he reminds us we are matter focused on matter trying to influence matter to get money or health, so we’ve established it’s going to take quite a bit of time and energy.

While we’re doing these things like looking for the new job, we are waiting for something outside of us to change how we feel internally.  However, when something in the outside world doesn’t happen or it seems to be taking a long time then we have more lack. 

We feel even more separate from what we’re trying to create and our emotional state of lack, and frustration keeps the dream at a distance further increasing the time for the outcome.

Let’s Talk About Quantum Laws

Quantum inward expression of the laws of nature is an invisible field of information.  It is the energy that unites everything material.

Now this material field organizes and connects all the laws of nature.  It’s a dimension where there’s more time and space.  In other words, it’s a dimension where time is eternal.

We want to get beyond time. We want to get beyond this self and go from the consciousness we have of being somebody to nobody.  OK?

We want to go from the consciousness of something to nothing.  We want to move from the world of the senses to the worlds beyond the senses, stepping into the quantum to create the future we want.

Joe Dispenza’s Walking Meditation

That’s why Joe Dispenza created his walking meditation.  In it, you must constantly give up who you are, where you are, and what you are.  You go into the nothing, into the  world of nothing, feeling nothing. 

It is through this that you can reach the quantum field and move through time and space because in the quantum field everything is unified you are one with the field.  Things can happen quickly.

As we begin to surrender all aspects of self and remove from the external world of people and things and places, we move to the inner world of energy, vibration, frequency, and consciousness. This is where magic happens.

Joe says that when we take our attention off objects and matter and open our focus to energy and information then different parts of the brain work together in harmony.  This unification of the brain is what makes us feel more whole.

Connecting to the Quantum Field

When we do this properly, our hearts begin to open and become more coherent.  As our heart moves into coherence, so too does our brain. Meaning we’ve gotten beyond our body and we are eliminating things that allows us to move to the alpha and theta brain waves patterns.  There we connect with our autonomic nervous system.

When this becomes activated, its job is to restore order and balance causing coherence and wholeness. It is in this state where we begin to connect to the quantum unified field.

The Wye Cottage

Back in the 80s, I had a friend who owned a large 10,000-acre sheep farm in New Zealand. On a visit to see him we were driving down a country road and we slowed down to go over a one-way bridge. On the left side of the bridge was a cottage sitting on a river with the name “the Wye cottage.”

I jumped out of my seat and said oh what a lovely place. I could go there and write a book.  He paid no attention.  He just kept driving we crossed the bridge, went to his sheep farm, and I started daydreaming about that house. I saw myself living in the house.

It had a veranda on three sides with a huge wisteria plant covering most of the porch with gorgeous pink blossoms. I got into the energy of the area.  I felt the peace and serenity.  New Zealand has this feeling you pick up of independence. It gives you a feeling that you can do your own thing.

I went back to the United States thinking I could buy that house and have a wonderful life.  In fact, I thought, I could live there forever. Then I got into the real world and forgot the dream.  But I put it in the quantum field and it stayed and began manifesting.

Making My Move

Fast forward to 2001. I sold my New York & Chicago & LA companies and was looking for what to do with the rest of my life.  In my quiet daily meditations, I started seeing the house in New Zealand as if it was waiting for me. Then 9/11 happened and I decided I needed to have a safe place outside of the United States and the white cottage was no longer a dream but a strong possibility.

I called my friend in New Zealand and said I’m really interested in purchasing the Wye cottage. No, he said there is a sweet couple living in the house. They’re very happy they don’t want to sell but come on over anyway, so I did.

This couple were interested in selling all I had to do was ask. I bought the house I went back to The United States, and I had to wait six months to come back.

What Was I Thinking?

When I got back to New Zealand and looked at the house I was in shock. The inside and outside had not been painted in 30 years. The gutters were falling off the house. It needed a better roof.  It was in a terrible state. There was just so much that had to be done and why didn’t I see that before?

Because I was feeling into the energy and the joy that the house could give me.  I saw the house in the state it became while I lived there.  I loved every minute I spent in that house. It was an early 1900’s Craftsman house that was moved from the city into the country.

I will always believe that my Intentions of living there, my visions of happiness in that house and my vision of growing a garden and becoming part of the community we’re all instrumental in bringing the house to me.

Yes, it took years from the time I saw the Wye cottage until I bought it but that’s because I put imitations on when I could buy it.  Once I sold my business, the time was right for me, and the house was waiting.

Seeing and Acting on All the Eternal Possibilities 

In the world of the quantum, where time is eternal, everything is happening in the eternal present moment. As you move through time, you experience other space, other dimensions, other planes, other realities, and infinite possibilities.

It’s like you are standing between two mirrors and looking both ways at yourself into indefinite dimensions and the mirrored images represent an infinite number of possibilities that you’re living now.

Your future could be any number of possibilities. It’s up to you to choose what you want.

I believe that one way to get into a lower state of brain waves is meditation.  When you sit in a quiet place with no phone or interruptions you lower brain waves and allow yourself to connect your vision to the quantum field.  This is where you can attract what you want.

I attracted The Wye cottage. When I moved into the house, I promised to restore it to its former glory, and I did.  I put a lot of attention and love in it. I painted the house myself I took great joy in owning and restoring it. I gave a grant for a writer’s retreat and sent writers to the Wye cottage for a month.   I think the cottage loved to house these creatives.  We all enjoy it.

Using Meditation to Realize Your Dreams

Meditation is a quiet place where you can imagine feeling into and become the person you want to become. Perhaps becoming the award-winning filmmaker, you truly are.

Think back in your life and see if you’ve created things you envisioned. Where  you wanted something, or some person and you focused on a vision, and it happened?

Perhaps you can use that energy and that memory to empower you to spend time daily to move yourself into this quantum field through walking meditation or sitting meditation.  Whatever it takes to allow you the quiet time with lower brain waves to get into the quantum field and plant your dream.

To me this information about going inside to create your future is exactly how to do it. Many people use meditation to lower brain waves and visualize.

I’ve been meditating since 1974 normally twice a day, this is most important to me.  I think this has given me better health an easier life and has allowed me to achieve my goals.

See the Future You Want

To bring them fast, outside of our time-based reality, we must get in a quiet place and live like the goal already exists. This is how you can compress time and bring it to you quicker.  Be in the no one, no place, nothing space to create and attract.

We did this as children. We had no past to limit us.  We saw something we wanted, and we asked someone in our family for it. We went to bed visualizing we had it and we got it.  Life was that simple for most of us. 

To get back to this immediate request and immediate fulfillment, we need to drop the past and see the future we want, not be influenced by the outside information, go inside, and create your own reality, live it, feel it, breath it and achieve it.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus Your Mind and Thoughts on Creating Something Believable and Achievable

By Carole Dean

I am a firm believer in meditation. I have been meditating for more than half my life and I love it. It allows me to relax and connect to my higher self.  It’s helped me with solving problems in business and life.  It lowers my stress benefiting my health and my brain power.

Intention is similar.  But instead of focusing on your current situation, you are mainly focusing intently on what you want.

Focus Attention on Your Intention.

Intention requires a high degree of focus. It’s more like relaxation. It’s a calm hyperawareness that you can get into through practice. You want to turn the self off and feel like you’re in a state of total oneness.  This is where the miracles happen.  You want a quiet place where you can put your “attention on your intention.”

You can use intention as a group and intend things for your film.  I’ve covered that my blog Unleashing the Power of the Film Crew.  I highly recommend it as it is powerful.  Rhonda Burns had weekly meetings with her film crew when she made The Secret.  She used a weekly mastermind intention group with her crew and look how well she did.  She is extremely wealthy from that single film.  You can do the same thing.

For your personal intentions, remember to use of all your senses to focus.  You want to feel GRATITUDE for your success. You want to feel the emotion of completion. You want to see yourself with the intention completed.

You are creating what Joe Dispenza, author of Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon, would call “mind.” You are creating new pathways in the brain and something that is believable and achievable. 

You can get back to that intention area of the brain quicker each time you want to intend.  With practice, it becomes easier and easier. This has been researched.  Lynn McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiment, talks about seeing studies of brain waves that show when people have certain thoughts this part of the brain gets larger.

Your Brain Works Like an Antenna.

Because the brain is essentially an antenna which is receiving and sending, thoughts are not locked inside the head.  That ability to receive and transmit gets larger depending upon the thoughts we have. What you are doing is building a larger channel in your brain which is your intention channel. This is how you create your future.

Studies have shown that people who are focusing on a particular object or a particular vision create cortical fitness in the brain quickly. If what you are intending is something that you feel will bring benefit to the world, then you should do it with a feeling of gratitude for universal support to enable your success. 

Then that gratitude energy will be reflected in the mind area where you’re creating this intention. You need to believe this focus of intending works because the more you believe it the faster it works. 

A wonderful side effect of strong intentions is that your intuitive abilities also increase.

Your intuition is your most important asset in filmmaking.  Many filmmakers, including Sidney Lumet, have stated that they always used their intuition. I recommend that you always consider your intuition over logic.  Using my Intuition has proved to be 90% correct.

Focus Brings Results.

Focusing on your intention is important. To get to the place where you are focusing intently, you might try little activities. Perhaps in the morning, when you’re having your first cup of coffee, you intently focus just on the coffee. How does it taste? How do you feel? How does it smell? What emotion does it bring up? Is it joy or happiness or clarity?

You should see it, feel it, taste it, focus on all your senses. This gives you an idea of what intention is. It is total focus. Being in the moment with a visualization of your intention and no other thoughts.

Focus on swallowing your coffee and how it feels as it goes down your throat. How does it feel when it gets in your body? Tune into your senses and tune out any other thinking you have at that time. If a thought comes across your brain like, what you need to do today, forget about it. Simply go back to your five senses and focus on that.

Stay in the moment learn how to intently focus even on the smallest thing. It could be eating your breakfast croissant or your oatmeal. Just focus on this action and learn how to experience your 5 senses in a focused moment. This is the same place you take your intentions.

Mentally Rehearse Using Your Intentions to Achieve Your Future.

Another key essential in creating intentions is to rehearse each stage. Mental rehearsal is used by athletes.  Muhammad Ali, taught us all about intentions.  He began saying in his early days in the ring, “I am the greatest!”  And that’s just what he became.

He also created rhymes to tell us his intentions.  He did that about his fight with Archie Moore. He said, “Archie Moore must fall in four.”  He knocked Archie Moore out in the 4^th round.  Ali was intending on a daily basis and he had us intending for him!

Athletes practice what they want to achieve in their head.  They do this while eating breakfast, driving, exercising, etc.  When you get to the level of an Olympic athlete, you know that a hundredth of a second is all you need.  Olympians use their minds to intend their outcome.  You can too.

The same neurons responsible for executing a movement are activated when we think about doing that movement. They have found that mental rehearsal works just as well as physical action in preparing the body for an event. It stimulates those same neural pathways that are used when you’re performing. The more you intend with great focus the easier it is for you to reach that pathway.

From your own perspective it’s as if you’re really doing it. To achieve this, you want to imagine yourself having and being what you are intending. You are rehearsing an intention you also want to imagine yourself succeeding. It’s important to approach your intentions with a positive outlook and block out all feelings or images of doubt. You want to engage all your senses especially the KINESTHETIC sense.

Use your Imagination.

You must be able to imagine in detail with all your senses. Now you are really using your power to intend. Begin with the image of yourself when you achieve your intention. Surely you will be in joy and thrilled with success. Once you learn this vision and can feel the emotions and be in that moment, then you can imagine scenes that will take to you to that final achievement.

You might use this intentional focus to intend an outcome of a meeting where you are pitching your project. See yourself pitching your film perfectly and your potential donor is nodding and smiling and see yourself getting a fat check.  How much? You can intend whatever you want, $10,000 or $20,000.  The purpose is to intend yourself successful in making an ask. You can intend your funding.

You can also intend yourself to receive a grant. Keep focusing on the fact that you are notified that you have been chosen as a finalist and then intend that you have won the grant.

Now, to achieve winning the grant, you write a superb proposal, or you hire someone to write a superb proposal. You still have the work to do but it the intention on the outcome is your focus.  You are using intention to bring your vision to life.

Be Very Clear on What You Want.

I keep my intention to one sentence and that works for me. I have it on my Mirror and I have it on my computer and I look at it daily.  I’m intending my vision and I feel the completion.

When I’m focusing on that one simple intention, I am sending my request to the universe. I am being very clear about what I want. I am following what Stuart Wilde, author of Infinite Self, said, I am ordering a dress size 10 in red, and I want it delivered by and I give day, month, and year because the universe is time sensitive.

If you’re intending to raise $20,000 and you intend for over $20,000, give the universe the chance to send you even more money. Be sure to set a day, a month, and a year for the completion of the intention. And it must be reasonable, you have to know you can do it.

The biggest problem people have with intentions is they are not specific. The universe is like an online shopping service.  You need to be very clear and concise with what you want.  Start this intention with one thing, something you want the most. Once you achieve the first thing, it will be much easier to do the second and the third.

Remember You are the Magic!

You ARE the creator you were put here with all this talent for writing directing, producing, editing, it’s amazing the talent you have. Really, in all honesty, why wouldn’t the universe fund you? They gave you all this talent so of course you can get funded.

Creating and manifesting your intention is a great way for you to achieve.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Turning your thoughts and words into daily intentions can help with your film’s financing, production and enhance your life

by Carole Dean

As filmmakers, your mind is occupied around the clock thinking about how to fund, produce, and complete your next project.  You talk about it at coffee with friends, lunch with co-workers, and over drinks with investors. 

Those thoughts and the words that sprout from them that you use to express your desires form the basis of powerful intentions. I will show you how create and use those intentions to realize those dreams and reach your goals.

Let’s begin with the word intention. 

It is the act of putting your focus, attention, and thoughts on a specific desired result.  Something that you believe you can achieve. I suggest you start with something that is reasonable, something you know you can achieve. 

Dr. Deepak Chopra taught that we can create our future by putting our attention on our intentions.

Stewart Wilde, author of Miracles, The Force, and Affirmations, taught us intending is a simple process. The universe, he says, is like a department store. You place your order for exactly what you want, and they deliver it. You see a picture of a dress, you ask for a size 12 in red, and that’s what you get.

You want to visualize what you intend to create. Being able to see and feel exactly what you want will bring it to you much faster.

Our thoughts are intending for us daily.  Each thought by each person is an intention. The key is to make your intentions clear and to intend 24/7.

What you think is what you can create.

Your thoughts are powerful things. In the film, The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, daughter of an English grocer, intended herself into the position of Prime Minister of England by using the power of her mind. This is her advice:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become your character.

And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

What we think, we become.

How using intentions can help produce and fund your film.

Intending is all about your thoughts. I want you to think of thoughts as things about to manifest.

What if everything you thought could potentially manifest? Would that make your life a better place? This is the most important aspect.  Learning how powerful your thoughts are.

Each thought is energy waiting to manifest.  Once you become aware of this you realize how important it is to think only of the things you want, not what you don’t want. 

By paying attention to your thoughts, you can control your future. 

Having a Eureka moment.

As described in the book The Field by Lynne McTaggart, a German physicist, Fritz Albert Popp, was looking for a cure for cancer.  He accidentally found light coming out of the body; just a tiny current, but it is light. Popp called this light biophoton emissions.

He said we are all lighted candles. Meaning that we are constantly sending out light. This is not ordinary light it is well-ordered light that scientists call coherent.  This means all the waves are moving in sync with each other.

Popp says we are sending this coherent light out of our body to other human beings and they’re responding to us.

In other words, if you and I were having a verbal conversation, we’re also sharing our light with each other.  

Thoughts are light and they are energy about to manifest.

Thoughts are light and every cell in our body is part of this light. Every thought we have affects every part of our body. That means good thoughts are healing to our bodies and bad thoughts could be detrimental to our bodies and bad for our health.

Now here comes the interesting part, research indicates thoughts are not inside your brain. In the 1960s, Karl Lashley and Karl Pribram were looking for a location where memory is stored in the brain.

After much research, they came to believe that the brain is not a storage unit but a sending and receiving unit.  We are sending and receiving all the time.  Your thoughts are alive, they are energy and light.

Another interesting fact about the brain, is the placebo effect. Research shows that sometimes people who take placebo pills made of sugar and water, have the intended results they are told they can have from the medicine that they did not get. 

Their belief that they would be healed overrode the fact that what they took was sugar and water. 

Let’s Recap

I want you to realize how powerful you are and use this power to make and fund your film.

Remember:

Your thoughts are energy waiting to manifest.

Your thoughts are electric.

Your thoughts are light.

Your thoughts are manifesting what you think.

Your brain is constantly sending and receiving light-filled thoughts.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

There are thousands of non-profit organizations offering grants each year.  Here is how to locate and win grants for your film. 

by Carole Dean

Grants are a wonderful way to fund your film.  We’ve got the best list of grants for filmmakers on our From the Heart Productions website.

The second-best list is what you would find at candid.org.  They offer a Foundation Directory Online (FDO).  This is a database from which you can view over 242,000 granting organizations.  It is an essential resource for finding grants.  The majority of these grant makers do not have websites and would otherwise be almost impossible to find.

Getting Started with the Candid Foundation Directory

Candid offers subscription access to their database.  The FDO Professional plan at $199 per month offers the most exhaustive and up-to-date knowledge and insight on the social sector.  FDO Essential, starting at $49.99 a month, is the quickest, least expensive way to identify the grantors that will fund you. 

You can also find free access to the Candid Foundation Directory database through some local city and nonprofit organizations. We have one in Camarillo, CA.  Candid makes it easy to find a location near you with an interactive map on their website.  You can also use the map to find locations that offer free training on how to use the directory.  I strongly suggest to take a class to learn how to get the most out of your database searches.

Another free option is FDO Quick Start.  This allows you to research for specific organizations from which you’d like to seek a grant.  Through this search, you can find the foundation you’re looking for by name, EIN, location, and assets or giving range.

You can be sure if you do what I suggest you will find dozens of grants.  They say they have 24 million grants listed.  It is worth the time.   Especially for documentaries and for webisodes. Features and shorts that have important social issues may benefit too.

The Powerful Information on the 990

I highly suggest that you pick a month where you can focus only on looking for grants and just pay for one month and use it to find grants.  This should bring you additional income.

When you search the database, you will want to seek out each 501(c)3 non-profit’s government form, the 990.  This form has great benefits for you.  All nonprofits must complete this form.  It lists all donations the nonprofit receives from $5,000 and up.  And it lists the name of the person or organization that donated to the nonprofit and how much they donated! 

This is what you want.  It shows you who else is interested in the subject of your film.  You could do a letter writing campaign to these people to introduce them to your film.

Plus, you want to create strategic partners for your film.  Finding nonprofits with the same subject will benefit you in many ways.  Read my blog on “How to Find and Engage Strategic Partners for Your Film.”

Creating Keywords for Your Film

You need key words to describe your film because that is what you use to search Candid.org’s database. What are the keywords of your film? There could be 15 keywords to define your film so keep an open mind and look at all the aspects of your film and create your keywords because that’s what you’ll use to search with.  You may have used key words when you created your website.  If so, use those to begin with and keep expanding on them.

I think finding local grants and smaller grants for around five to ten thousand dollars is a good way to get started. If you’ve never applied for grants before that’s where I would start.

Consider setting up an excel chart by date of each grant deadline you intend to pursue.  That way,  you can plan ahead and apply for the grants all year long.

What Grantors Look for In Your Application

As a grantor for the Roy W. Dean Grants for over 30 years, I’ll say to you the most important thing I look for is why are you making this film?  What is your connection to the material? This information will tell me how connected you are to the project. I want someone who will stay the course and finish the film. The average documentary takes six years and two more for marketing. The average feature can take up to 10 years to find the funding.

Every grantor I know is worried you will not finish the film.  We have all funded films that were never finished.  So, your connection to the material is most important to us.  Your passion for the project must jump off the page and inspire me.  I must know that you will finish the film.

Next, and this is also very important, what’s the story? I don’t care what kind of camera you’re using or who your set decorator is, because I want to know is, what’s the story. Focus on telling me a good, engaging story in a visual manner, so that I can see the film as I read your application.

Last Minute Stuff Doesn’t Work

Every filmmaker who is part of the From the Heart Production Fiscal Sponsorship Program, can contact me and send me your granting materials.  I will read them and give you feedback before you apply.  However, I want you to come to me at least a week before the deadline. Then I can review it and discuss it with you to help you improve it.

Last minute stuff doesn’t work. I’ve seen too many people miss grants by waiting to the last minute. Their computer may have technical difficulties, they can’t get on the granting website, or it takes up so much time to complete, that they’re over the time limit and can’t apply.

Please plan ahead with grants. Give yourself lots of time and get it in before the final minute because that’s when everybody applies for the grant.  I can see this on my own grant. I can sit here on the final day of the grant and from three o’clock Pacific Time on it’s like a slot machine!

We get sometimes 50% of the applications on the last day.  This means that the computer is stressed out and there are many opportunities for problems.

The Benefits of Just Applying for a Grant

Grants are a fantastic way to raise money for your film.  Even if you don’t win the grant, I promise that you will improve your project just by applying.

Every time you apply for a grant you continue to improve and develop your film.

Even if you don’t win you have benefited.  Applying for grants is like being a salesperson.  They know that it sometimes takes 10 “no’s” to get a yes. The secret is just keep applying and go back to the same grant year after year if they let you.  Because once they give you suggestions to improve, and you do what they say, they will recognize your willingness to take direction.  You have a much better chance of winning in the second and third application.

A Grant Success Story

Rebecca Dreyfus applied for the Roy W. Dean Grant about 20 years ago and I can still pitch you her film. She wrote an incredible story. She wanted to document the largest art heist at the time. The Gardner Museum was robbed of one of the 26 known Vermeers and many other incredibly valuable pieces of art.

Rebecca told me that she applied for five grants and won four!  How did she do that? She said she carefully chose the grants that she felt she had the best chance of winning. She did not go after the NEA or some of the more difficult grants.

She put her time into writing a good story for each of the five grant she applied.  This worked for her, and I think it will work for you. 

Meeting the Grant Criteria

Be sure to include in your grant application the criteria of the grantor. Say it back to them and explain how your film fits their criteria. This may sound mundane, but it is very important.  Grantors are reading scores of grants at one time. When you can clearly tell me how your film fits my criteria, it benefits you. That’s what the judges are looking for. Grant judges want to know if you fit the grant criteria and do you have a good story to tell.

For example, if you were applying to the Roy Dean Grant our criteria is that we want films that are unique and that make a contribution to society. I love it when filmmakers tell me why their film fits my grant.  It’s that simple.

And please, put some passion in your proposal!  We want to know that you care about this story. Please put your heart on the page so we get to know you.  It’s you we are giving the money to.  It’s you we want to support. You are the artist.  You are the magic.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

And we need to create a galaxy of relationships around us to thrive professionally and personally

by Carole Dean

All of us need to realize that personal relationships are vital to us, just like the air we breathe. We really need friends, companions, and people with whom we can share our lives.

This is especially important for filmmakers. People in our industry can be a great source of growth and support for us.  By forging meaningful relationships, we can strengthen ourselves in the process as well as enriching and empowering one another.

When we open up, people respond and accept us.

When this happens, every contact becomes meaningful.

One way to do this is to start thinking that “every person is a star.” because every person is unique. No matter who they are or what their status is we need to give them the respect they deserve. We need to see beyond what people see in themselves because everyone has this seed of greatness.

This power is transformative. Once you start treating every person as a star, wonderful things happen to you. If someone provokes you who you do not enjoy being around,  just turn it around and look at them as if they are a ray of sunshine. You can change.  When you change it will surprise you how much this will improve your relationship.

See the greatness in each person.

If you recognize people as worthy of respect and respond them accordingly, you empower people by seeing the greatness in them.

When you adopt this attitude, you will develop some meaningful relationships with everyone you meet, and it will enrich both you and the other person.

Please remember this and next time someone does something unpleasant to you.  Start asking what kind of pain they might be in? Maybe they’ve been through a loss and are having difficulties in their lives.

You want to be kind to everyone.  You can change a relationship with someone by changing your attitude and your thoughts towards that person.

I know this can be done. You need to start thinking of them as wonderful people no matter how they talk to you.  Even if they were rude to you, this can overcome their rudeness when you see them as human beings with flaws and realizing they deserve respect and consideration.

Keep being nice and smiling to them and watch them change towards you.  You can also do this as you meditate.  Send them love, they will feel it.

Change your thoughts toward people.

What happens is that as you change your thoughts towards people, then people change towards you. I have seen this happen. I know it is possible and it certainly makes for a better life especially when you need to work with or be associated with someone that is not pleasant to be around.

Making friends in our industry and keeping them is important for you to create the future you want. Everyone you meet, no matter where they are in the film industry from the lowest job, you want to treat them as “special people” and stay connected to them.

When I started in the business, I did not know one person and I knew nothing about motion picture film.

It was the lab people, the Kodak people, the filmmakers themselves that educated me.  I kept my friendships through the years with many of the people I met at the beginning of my career. This is something you can look forward to.

Make an effort to meet the people you want to know.

Being from Dallas, on a trip back home, I made a special effort to meet the Kodak Rep and we really got along well.  I kept up my friendship with short phone calls about things of interest in the film industry.  He seemed to love the fact that I highly respected him and would ask him technical questions.  He was an engineer and Kodak had him selling film!

As luck would have it, he was made manager for the Los Angeles office which was right across the street from my company in Hollywood.

I continued my friendship with him until he retired. That was nice to be able to call Kodak and go straight through to the top man.

We are all in this business alone, together. One night at one of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers formal dinners, a producer explained to me how people get into the industry and stay.

He said, “In this entertainment industry, what you find is that people may move from one company to another but once they get into film industry and love it, they stay.”

So, the person you met in film school could end up being an acquisitions person for Netflix. So, keep up with all your contacts. 

Your P.A. today could be running a studio in a decade.

As a matter of fact, I have a good story on just that. There are two women who were making a multipart story for Netflix, and they hired someone from a major film university like Columbia to be a producer for them.   This man had to moved to another city to take the job. And after a few months they fired him without notice.

He never knew why he was fired; he was never given any reason. It was about two years later when he graduated from this prestigious film school that Netflix picked him up as an acquisition manager.

He then became the person these two producers had to talk to when they wanted to do the second series. He said he loved it when they came to him to pitch this new series.

So, be aware that you have no idea where your second assistant cameraman will be in three years. He could be working at as a director of photography on Academy Award films.  I think this is one of the perks of working in the industry.

Keep your friends up close and personal.

Be sure that you wish them happy birthday and are always there at holidays.

This is one of the things Tom Malloy covers in the first part of our Intentional Filmmaking class.  Meeting people, saving their information, and creating your database of friends in the industry is important. 

He built his career on casual meetings at events, conventions, and festivals.  These friends have helped him make 18 films.

Finding, keeping, and nurturing people in the industry is very important. It is one of the best parts of the industry. Friendships in the film industry are a true blessing.

 

 

“To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you know how to fill your hands.”  Kahlil Gibran

by Carole Dean

Prosperity consciousness is something you need to develop; it does not happen by chance.  None of us were born with it.  It’s a state of mind tuned and vibrating to expect prosperity and opportunities everywhere. It’s a key to success in work and life.

Many of us, unfortunately, were born with a scarcity consciousness.

That the case with my childhood.  I grew up in a home with little money and always wondered why some people had so much money and other people had none. When you look at it from a child’s perspective, it is a good question, i.,e., what is the difference between the wealthy and not so wealthy people?

And one of the answers is prosperity consciousness.  Those who have it see money everywhere. I had to let go of scarcity consciousness when I started my business. I had to believe that I could achieve my goals, believe in myself and my business.  

It’s all about your faith and your belief in yourself.

Do You Have Prosperity or Scarcity Consciousness?

If you are living under scarcity consciousness, then you must get rid of it.  It can be like a ball and chain pulling you back or holding you down.  It could prevent you from achieving. To develop the necessary prosperity consciousness takes focus.

Here are some ways to develop prosperity consciousness and beliefs:

Realize You Live in an Abundant Universe.

Look at our universe and discover how much abundance there is. All around me in Ventura, California are massive farms bursting with strawberries, cabbages, and celery.  There is abundance in nature.  Start to notice that the universe is abundant there is plenty for all.

Scarcity consciousness believes that there is not enough for all of us. Scarcity consciousness believes that we must compete for everything.  There is not enough to go around.  When we can see abundance all around us, we can realize that is not true. We must recognize that we are not taking anything from another person.  There is plenty for all of us.

Get into Creative Consciousness and Out of Competitive Consciousness.

Your creative consciousness knows no bounds. You see more possibilities than most people.  But, when you find yourself shutting down, saying or thinking scarcity, ask the creative part of you to take over.  You must look for the good side and how you can make this situation an opportunity.

Meditation can help you with more ideas.  Always take your worries to your meditation, state them and ask for help. Ask for creative ways to handle the situation. Then let go of it and let the universe work. Stay open for answers as you will surely get them. 

Sometimes they are very clear and come to you as Dr. Deepak Chopra says, “in the gap between thoughts.” 

Sometimes they come to you from a statement made in a movie!  Yes, you can get your answers from many places, billboards, neighbors, friends, the newspaper!  Just keep listening for the answers and you will have them.  Ask and you shall receive.

Life is Fun and Rewarding.

Many people, including me, were taught you can have what you want but you need to work hard to get it.  Somewhere along the line it dawns on you that the people you know who have money do not work that hard. They have a nice balanced life between work, family, and entertainment.

The rich people take time to exercise, to eat right, and they take good care of themselves. While those who were taught you must work hard are not taking time for themselves. We need to realize that in prosperity consciousness, you can have what you want without working yourself to death.

Prosperity consciousness looks for fun and joy in life and always finds it. When problems come, they look at them as challenges and opportunities. Prosperity conscious people appreciate life and know that with every new challenge comes reward, new adventures and more fun. This is a wonderful way to live.

Reward Yourself.

Let me ask you, how often do you reward yourself? When you win a grant do you give yourself a bonus? When you make an ask for funding and someone gives you a nice donation, do you pay yourself first? 

Prosperity consciousness loves rewards. I highly recommend that you set rewards for yourself. You decide you want to go after a grant.  You spend a month on candid.org searching. Give yourself an award for the time, effort, and success in finding that grant.  Take yourself to a spa or a massage. Treat yourself in some way that is fun.

Keep paying yourself on an ongoing basis while you’re making your film. When you sell your film, you may only get a small amount of money down. Please, you must always get your money for your work as the funds come in. Think, me first!

A filmmaker who won our grant called me once she got her check.  She said, “I have credit card bills I charged for production to get me to this point, can I use some of this money for my credit card?”  “Yes, I said of course.”  You are the film.  Without you it would not exist.  Take care of yourself first. 

There Are a Staggering Number of Opportunities in Every Aspect of Life.

Scarcity consciousness believes there are no opportunities.  They believe there is very little money and no opportunity. 

Let’s look at grants. I hear filmmakers say, “there are fewer grants.”

I suggest you open your mind on this subject and realize there are hundreds of thousands of grants available. It’s a matter of searching for the grant that matches your film.

If you get onto the large database at candid.org you will be shocked. First, you really need to take a class on how to use their giant search engine. There are so many grants that you need to have your description clearly defined. Search using key words of your film to find the grant that matches your project. Once you use your key words, you will find it is overwhelming how many grants are available for a film like yours.

Now, I admit, that more grants are for documentaries and short films than for features. However, I have seen features get many grants through us.  They are available. 

We had one feature film where the protagonist was a drug user.  The filmmaker found that his state had a grant to bring out the dangers of drug use.  His feature had what they wanted.  He found several nice $60,000.00 grants by his research.  Keep an open mind and stay in the creative not the competitive consciousness.

How One Filmmaker Used Prosperity Conscious to Create a Career.

There’s a story I want to share about a woman I highly admire for her skill in manifesting her desires. She decided to get into filmmaking at an advanced age and is determined not to let age bother her. She moved to Los Angeles to be near the film industry and had a high paying job and they closed her division. She went on unemployment.

Now this would put some people in a dither because they’ve lost a really good job. She didn’t take it that way.  She saw this as an opportunity, got online, and found a class at UCLA on how to produce films. Telling her unemployment agent about this class, she showed him that there was a grant for taking the class. The unemployment agent got her this grant.

It cost others over $7000 and was 6 months of study. She used this time between jobs to study and improve herself in the area she wants to manifest a job. That is living in a prosperity consciousness.

There are tens of thousands of grants available. It does require your time to find them.  I want to assure you grants are out there waiting for you to find them.

It is My Responsibility to be Successful.

Scarcity consciousness believes that having tons of money is wrong. It has you believe you only need enough for your basic needs and anything beyond that will deprive other people.

Prosperity consciousness says that bringing wealth to yourself will enable you to do a world of good for other people.  Once you have money, you can use money to benefit others. Bringing your ideas into this reality is beneficial to you and to others.

I see the benefits that steel magnet Andrew Carnegie created with his income over 100 years later. We’ve received grants from Carnegie of over $300,000 in the last two years. This was money that he made when he was using the ideas in the book by Napoleon Hill, Thank and Grow Rich.

Because Carnegie aligned his thinking with acquiring wealth and his achievements, his riches are here a century later to be shared with others. He handled his wealth in such a way that it is still giving and supporting film makers 100 years later. Just think of what you can do with the wealth you can make.

Making Money is Fun.

Becoming wealthy is easy for creative people. Please put your thinking in the creative consciousness. This is a way to solve problems and move into financial security.  It’s also a way to use your many talents, not only for you and your own family, but for future generations through your generous donations.

Remembering these prosperity beliefs can be beneficial to all of us.

• It is an abundant universe.
• Life is fun and rewarding.
• There are a staggering number of opportunities in every aspect of my life.
• it is my responsibility to be successful

These can be statements you print out and look at daily. You need to shore up your own confidence.

Program Your Mind for Prosperity and Wealth.

You can make this fun. Go to some of the great hotels and sit in the dining room.  Have a cup of coffee and order the cheapest thing possible. You want to feel the energy around rich people. You want to know that you are welcome in expensive hotels and restaurants. Realize that this is the life you were meant to have.

If you live in LA, you might consider driving up toVentura for a fun day and go to the splendid Miramar Hotel in Montecito.

There is a place there for you to sit by the ocean and have a light lunch for a very reasonable fee. The point is you belong in this hotel.  You want to go there and feel this lavish type of living. This can be a place for you to stay in the future.  It is there for you.  Get used to this luxury energy.

If you are in NYC, go to the Waldorf for breakfast.  It is full of wonderful wealthy people.  Yes, it may cost you $50.00.  I have been there and just had coffee and toast and it is such a wonderful experience. 

Look around the room and ask yourself, what’s the difference between me and them? Notice how nice most people are and how they look just like you.  There is no difference. Say to yourself, “this is where I belong.  I am in the success conscientious.”   My success can help many people.

Get Yourself into Places Where Wealthy People Go.

Feel into that energy and become part of it. Know that the universe put you on this earth at this time to be here at the most beneficial time in the history of mankind for filmmakers. This is the digital revolution.

Filmmaking is exploding. They are building sound stages and sets all over the world. Everybody is making films and you are needed. You are the talent. You are the creators.

Empower yourself with the knowledge that you are here at the right time to achieve exactly what you came here to do, create your art, and become wealthy.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Six Creative Tactics for a Using Your Creativity to Thrive and Enjoy a Successful Life

by Carole Dean

In our bi-monthly fiscal sponsorship Film Funding Guidance Class, I share books with our filmmakers that teach the power of our mind.  Currently, we have been studying the number one bestselling book, Mind Power into the 21st Century: Techniques to harness the astonishing powers of thought.

Author John Kehoe says that we all possess creativity and it’s our nature to be creative.  From working with so many talented producers and directors, I know that independent filmmakers are the most creative people on the planet!

John writes that unfortunately many of us were told at an early age that we were not creative.  We need to make sure that we overcome any of this type of programming.

Six Creative Tactics for a Successful Life

It’s important for us to realize that all of us are creative. I think we use creativity to get through the day, through the week and through the month.  With all the changes we are living with we need to believe that no matter what happens, we have our creativity to rely on.

John Kehoe gives us six creative tactics for a successful life:

1-Be an Explorer

It’s one thing to be open to new ideas and it’s another thing to actively seek them out. An explorer is forever trying novel and different ways of doing things. They believe that there are new worlds, new options new product, new services and ideas waiting to be discovered.

An explorer is not afraid of the unknown. They believe that success and happiness come not from following others but in finding their own unique way, so they forge ahead always on the lookout.

2-Ask Questions

Yes, question everything. The word question comes from the Latin word QUARERER to seek. John says the creative life is a continued quest.  Asking questions is indispensable to growth. “Don’t take anything for granted, be naïve, question everything” said Buckminster Fuller.  John says to ask questions like these: Why am I living like this? Why am I doing this job? Why am I not exercising? What have I been neglecting? 

I want you to ask: How can I develop my film today? What actors can I attach? Why can’t I get an A list actor? What would that really cost me?  Remember actors want to work.  They like to take parts in good independent films.  Don’t be afraid to ask for who you want. 

I did an Everything You Want to Know on Film Funding Webinar with Roy W. Dean Short Film Grant Winner Lorenzo De Stephano.  He got 2 well-known actors for his short film.  How? Because he believed he could.  He made the effort and convinced Sean Young and Quinton Aaron to come to Los Angeles to shoot his film.  It can be done.

Author Kehoe says don’t censor yourself no matter how impractical or outrageous the question or the answer sounds. This allows for fresh insights to reveal themselves. We are the creatures of habit and fall easily into routines.

He writes that our future depends directly on how well we question and examine our beliefs, actions, values, goals, and way of living.  I think this has a lot of merit especially for us in the film industry.

Too often people decided they can’t have an A-List actor or can’t have an actor that would get them distribution. Please question this.  Ask yourself, why can’t I get the actor I want for this part? Perhaps you need to raise extra money and are worried about this cost. But this decision would allow you to sell your film faster and definitely make more money. 

Think, how can you get a saleable actor? Begin to question these things and do some research.  Why not spend this next week questioning everything and see what happens Maybe you’ll make a breakthrough and find brilliant new ideas for your project?

3-Get Lots of Ideas

Linus Pauling, the Nobel Prize winning chemist said, “if you only have one idea and one solution to the problem, you’re facing then you only have one course of action.”

In a world where flexibility is a requirement, that is risky and I don’t like that.  That’s when I go to my meditation, and I say, “here’s the problem and here’s some solutions. What do you suggest?”

I leave it with my spirit guides.  I let them think about it.  Then I relax and meditate and usually I get the answer within 24 to 48 hours.  The answers the universe gives me are 10 times better than my ideas.

Edward De Bono wrote in his wonderful book, Lateral Thinking to have group meetings in which no negativity is allowed.  Anyone can say anything as crazy as it seems. Then the next person can build on that craziness and when you get through you may have some incredibly brilliant ideas.

The main point is not to stifle each other’s creativity but to enhance it, to build on it, and to expand each other’s ideas and just be kids again.

You may have read my blog on the “mastermind class” where people get together and brainstorm ways to improve situations.  This is what Napoleon Hill teaches in his brilliant book, Think and Grow Rich. 

This is exactly what the U.S. President does. He has his mastermind group of advisers from the corporate world who come to him monthly. The richest people in the world have their mastermind groups. That is how millionaire Andrew Carnegie made all this money in the steel world. That’s how Henry Ford made all his money, through mastermind groups.

Try creating a mastermind situation with your film crew or your associates. Even if there’s only two of you then you have the beginning for this mastermind meeting on a bi-monthly basis where you can get together and brainstorm. Be creative. Think outside the box just let yourself go. Creativity knows no boundaries and the greatest creativity in our industry comes from those who do something different.

I remember reading an article about John Ford our great director. He told a young cinematographer that when you’re able to put the camera where the horizon is and not in the center of the film you just took your first step to becoming a good director. If you look at Ford’s work, it’s stupendous. He chose some of the most unusual places to put cameras and that is the highlight of his work for me.

I saw a western where he put a camera in the middle of a river because he wanted a master shot of his two stars sitting on the bank of the river talking to each other and the only way to get that scene was to stand in water and shoot it and that’s exactly what he did. It was an incredible scene and it was all one take of about 4 minutes of dialogue.

4-Break Rules

This is what I love about the brilliant filmmaker Werner Herzog.  In the description of one of the classes he taught on documentary filmmaking, he includes lessons on lock picking!  Yes, lock picking is one of the items he teaches. 

Also, I remember seeing something like faking bureaucratic paperwork.  I’m sure he teaches how to steal shots without getting permits.  He teaches breaking the rules.  

John says sometimes you should consider breaking rules. Because being creative means breaking out of old patterns to create new ones.  Sometimes by experiencing new ways you totally break into a whole new creative place.  

Think about changing things in your daily routine.  Consider, what habits or rules can you break? I know I’ve set a lot of rules for myself.  I must be up at a certain time and I have to do things by the clock.

Perhaps breaking personal rules can get you into a more creative place.  Try breaking some of your rules this week and see how you feel, does it free you?  It’s all for the sake of expanding your creativity!

5-Use Your Imagination!

All of us have brilliant imaginations. Please use this like you did when you were a kid. When you were a kid, anything was possible, you could be anyone and do anything. Don’t let the collective unconscious tell you that you can’t do what you want to do!  Who cares if no one has done this before?  What is it that you want to try?  We need to believe that anything we can conceive, we can achieve.  How is that for a great mantra?  Anything I can conceive, I can achieve!  This is using our mind to create our future.

Here is another idea. Imagine how other people would do it. Think about your favorite director and imagine how he/she would set up that shot.  This could be a lot of fun for you. Also think about the qualities you admire in people. Who do you respect for creative achievement? 

Pick a role model, someone you would like to emulate.  Perhaps Jane Campion, Baz Luhrmann, Orson Wells, Fellini, Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow, or Sophia Coppola.                                                                         

Once you pick a role model, imagine this person is in your position faced with your problem or challenge. Imagine this person in your body because your imagination is not bound by real world constraints.  Let this person be in your body and take over your situation. 

He or she is now able to live your life, what would they do? Let’s say if Orson Welles took over your body and you said “Orson how do I solve this problem?” Just listen for the answer. This is a fun thing to do.

You might want to ask some of our greatest producer’s, actors, writers, directors, important questions. Think about it, they would not be bound by a lot of things that you consider important. They might jump immediately into something unique and unheard of. This process can be valuable to move out of self-imposed restrictions.  

John Kehoe quotes the book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and says that Napoleon would choose nine men whose lives and life work had been most important to him like Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, just before going to sleep at night. 

He would close his eyes and see in his imagination this group of men seated with him around his counsel table.  In these meetings Hill said, “here I had not only an opportunity to sit among those who I consider to be great, but I actually dominated the group by serving as chairman.”

Napoleon Hill did say this was all his imagination and the ideas generated through this process were very real and “they led him into glorious paths of adventure and wealth.” This process helped Hill to become a very wealthy man.

And the last creative tactic for a successful life is:

6-Fill the Well

Nurture yourselves. Please take good care of yourself.  Think of how you can treat yourself better.  Are you eating the best food?  Are you taking walks and exercising daily? 

Please realize that fun and diversity are great stimulators for the Muse within.   Give yourself gifts, like flowers, facials, massages, lunch at a new restaurant.   Or even give yourself time to read a great book. Just getting away from filmmaking for a few hours a day can make you more creative.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Some call it instinct, others a gut feeling.  Filmmakers should rely on it to advance their careers

by Carole Dean

I find that driving to and from appointments can be very boring. Because I have lived in Oxnard for years and drive an hour into LA weekly for meetings, I learned that this can be valuable time. I use it to listen to people in our industry.

Currently, I have been listening to former Paramount Pictures executive Robert Evans as he dictates his audiobook entitled “The Kid Stays in the Picture.”

His stories of running Paramount in the late sixties and early seventies are incredible.  While he was head of the studio, the movies they produced include Rosemary’s Baby, The Godfather, Serpico, Chinatown, and many others.  He is a highly talented man, a brilliant writer, and his personal delivery of the information is spellbinding.

One of the things that made him successful as a studio executive is how he trusted his instincts.  One story stood out as an example of how important that is to achieving success.  It told how he changed the life of a movie extra to a star we know and love today.

Just One Smile

Bob put his attention on every phase of filmmaking for all the films made at Paramount. He was in on all the casting, wardrobe, set design, everything!  He was married to Paramount and worked day and night.

The story he tells is about when he was casting the final person for big feature.  Bob had seen scores of people and wasn’t satisfied with anyone he had seen.  The agents finally said, “we found the right person.  This actor is the next James Dean, we think you will love this actor.”

When they showed Bob the scene, it wasn’t the James Dean actor that he liked.  It was an extra in the scene who walked in the door, handed the James Dean actor an envelope, looked at the girl, smiled, then turned around and walked out.

Bob asked who’s the man with the smile?

No one knew who he was. They said, “don’t you like the James Dean character?”

“No” said Bob, “I want to meet the guy with the smile.”

The agents kept coming back to him saying we can’t find him we don’t know who he is.

Bob simply said two words “find him.”

Bring Him to Me

Finally, one of the agents came to Bob and said, OK we know who he is.  Currently he is working for Roger Corman.  He is a writer/actor, and we hear he even does the books for Corman they say he does everything Roger Corman needs.

Right now, he’s in Cannes selling a motorcycle film.

Bob said, “bring him to me when he gets back.” The agent finds the actor and they show up at Bob’s office with the guy with the smile.

Naturally this man’s agent was so thrilled to be in the same room with Bob Evans that the agent kept pitching his client. Bob says he talked for 15 minutes, and he did not understand anything he said.

So, Bob stops the agent and says, “let him talk.  I want to know who he is.”

“Can I Talk to You Alone?”

He said, “I want to know who you are, tell me about yourself.”  Bob listened intently, and he liked the guy and right on the spot he offered him a job in a picture for Paramount.

He offered him $10,000 for the part.  The actor just looked at him and smiled.  Then he said, “please can I talk to you alone?”  Bob walked the actor to the side of the room.  The actor said, “Can you please make that $15,000?  I have an x-wife, a new baby girl and I really need the money.”

Bob said, how is $12,500.00? And the actor said, “You really mean this?  I will never forget it.  I honestly need the cash now.”  Then he broke open with that beautiful smile that Bob loved.

Have You Guessed Who This Is?

Well, it was Jack Nicholson. Jack’s the guy with the smile.  Bob Evans got him a job in his first major motion picture.

Jack Nicholson did a great job on that film.  It was On a Clear Day with Barbara Streisand.  Jack went on to make more films with Bob Evans (one of which was Chinatown!).

Trust Your ESP

The point of the story is that Bob Evans followed his instincts.  Evans was determined to meet Jack as his natural instincts said this man is a good actor, a natural.  You might say it was Evan’s ESP or his psychic feeling or his gut feeling, whatever you call it.

From working with filmmakers every day for many years, I know that filmmakers have excellent instincts.  Bob Evans used his instincts to create his success as a studio executive and create classic films.

I am here to encourage you to use your instincts. Use your ESP.  

Use it for your career, for most decisions and trust it like Bob Evans did.  It will bring you lots of luck and good fortune.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

If you believe you can or if you believe you can’t, your right! – Henry Ford

by Carole Dean

If you think you can’t fund your film or that you will have a hard time funding your film, then your right.

If you think you can fund your film, then you can.

It is that simple and it all starts with our beliefs. It’s the beliefs that we carry in our mind. We have been creating beliefs since we were children, and we constantly defend these decisions.

Most of us don’t know we have these belief systems running inside us.  Most do not know why we created these beliefs but we’re still hanging on to them and our subconsciousness is daily defending these outworn concepts.

If you have carried some things that have caused you to lose self-confidence, then it’s important you recognize this because you can be your own worst enemy.

Review Your Beliefs About Money

If you’re having problems raising money for your film perhaps you should consider, “what are your beliefs about money?”

It is very important for you to believe that you can raise the funding for your project. If you don’t feel it’s possible then no one can help you.  It’s up to you to change how you think.

Bruce Lipton is one of my favorite biologists/authors. He says that we have acquired many restrictions on ourselves during our youth that are based on the structure of our lives at that time.

Using Bruce Lipton’s concepts if you put two people raised in different income homes, in the same room, they would see their potential in totally different ways.

For example, if you had a funding party and in the room is a young filmmaker who grew up wealthy in Beverly Hills along with a young filmmaker who grew up disadvantaged in East Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills filmmaker will see money everywhere while the other filmmaker will feel he/she doesn’t belong.

These are based on negative beliefs acquired while young so you may have some of these beliefs and not even know it.  The question is what do you do?  How do you change these negative or limiting beliefs?

Take an Inventory of Beliefs

You might make a list of your beliefs about money and success.  By doing this you, might pull up some stored beliefs that no longer suit you or that are totally inappropriate for you.

We know that the contents of the subconscious mind are very important to us. If the subconscious has acquired beliefs like “it’s hard to make money,” or “it’s hard to raise money,” or “it’s hard to find the budget for the film,” then you can expect those things to come true because that is your belief system.

Bruce Lipton claims that beliefs control human biology rather than DNA and inheritance.  That is a powerful statement.

Realizing You Need a New Mindset

While I was touring the world with my book The Art of Film Funding, I found people who had their mind set about funding. They seem to fall into two categories, totally opposite each other.

There were those people who said, “Oh I know I can fund this film.  Or those that were totally negative with statements like, “it’s very hard to raise money for films.”  This is why I wrote the book, The Art of Manifesting: Creating your future.  It’s your beliefs that create your future.

And I often hear: “They have cut the grants and now it’s really hard to win a grant.”  They have been cutting grants for 30 years that I know of! However, we still have thousands of grants in the United States available and believe me we have a tremendous amount of people winning grants so why shouldn’t that be you?

When you look at it from this point of view it seems that it should be easy to change your belief system. However, once your subconscious mind has accepted an idea, whether true or not, it will continually feed your thoughts to support that belief.

Changing the Way You Think

Often, we are not encountering resistance from outside sources but from ourselves. If we can accept new beliefs and support them to the extent that our subconscious mind accepts them, then we can create a new reality for ourselves.

The secret to overcoming our belief system, seems to be the ability to recognize that it exists and that we are the one that needs to change the way we think.

Let’s take one of the most our most important things in filmmaking, film funding.

What if you start saying, “people love my film?” Perhaps you talk to some people about your film and get feedback so that you can honestly say to yourself, “people love my film.” Funding my film is easy.  Say this in the present tense not future tense. 

Going to Bed with Thoughts of Success

The next thing is to believe that it will be easy to fund your film. 

To get to that confidence in your ability to raise funds for your film, I suggest the information given by Neville Goddard about the way to reach the subconscious mind and change beliefs.

What he taught us was the fact that the conscious mind is the only way to reach the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind believes everything the conscious mind says.

Knowing this, then consider going to bed at night with a vision of you pitching your film to someone. 

This can be an over the shoulder shot where you can see the person you are pitching, and they are listening and nodding and smiling. You feel very confident, in fact it is fun to pitch your film, you are full of passion about your film. 

You’re watching this person intently listening to you and then they hand you a check.  What’s the amount? You pick the amount.  Make it something that is an extraordinary donation for you.

Experience the joy of this moment.  Feel the confidence you have from pitching and being rewarded.

Filling Your Subconscious with Confidence

This will instill confidence in the subconscious that you can raise money and your thought at that time that is, “raising money for my film is easy.”

By doing this you’re allowing new information to go into the subconscious mind; you are reprogramming the subconscious mind with the concept that you can raise money and that, “it is easy to raise money.”

Please keep doing this up at night before you go to sleep.  Keep creating short films for the conscious mind to play for the unconscious mind to rebuild your belief system.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

After reading many books on the power of the mind, it is clear that we are much more powerful than we believe

By Carole Dean

We’ve never been taught how to use the power of our minds.  It is our most valuable tool in guiding us through life, but did you ever see a class on it in high school?  Or a college course on creating your future? Or learning how to use the power of thought?  No, they just don’t teach this in schools.

When you look at filmmakers like Spike Lee, Scorsese and Spielberg you wonder what is the common thread.  What did they do to become so famous?  We know they’re highly talented, but what did they do to propel themselves to their destiny?

They used the power of their mind.

Each knew they were talented and believed in themselves. They studied their craft daily.  They put their attention on creating the future they want.

Watch Your Thoughts

Believe that you are creating your future with your thoughts. Watch your thoughts so that they’re full of the future you want, not what you don’t want.  Believe that thoughts are energy bundles waiting to manifest.

Edit what you think.  Stay positive.  Watch your thoughts and believe they are manifestors.  That each thought is waiting to manifest.

Give more attention to your thoughts, in fact get in control and even “edit” your thoughts.  Use your creativity to carve out that future just like you would write a script.  Why not?

Take Spike Lee.  His grandmother told him from an early age that he would go to college.  As he was growing up, he saw her each month put aside money for his education.  She assured him that he could do anything he wanted.  Spike chose film.  Don’t you think he was daydreaming about making films?  Sure, he was.

Don’t Dismiss Your Daydreams

Daydreaming is a form of creating your future.  Remember how you daydreamed what you wanted for your birthday and you got it?  Well, that’s something you can continue to do.  You can see your future and daydream about it.  Pretend you have the future you want. See yourself living it.  Feel yourself on the set directing, producing, loving every minute. 

Do not succumb to “where will the money come from?  How can I do this?” 

You didn’t let the “Where” or the “How” get into your wish for the bicycle you wanted.  That was not important.  You just saw yourself riding the bike.  That’s the same thing you want to do now. 

Just cut to the chase.  See yourself on the set, see yourself at the premier and most important see yourself getting a coveted award for your film!  Yes, create the vision of the future you want then feel it, believe it, and know in your heart this is your future.

Now you have renewed vigor to get up each day and keep developing your project.  It can become part of you.  It is not a dream; it is a reality.

Let the Child in You Be Your Advisor

This very moment is the time to sit down and book 15 minutes a day for daydreaming time. Yes! Let Google remind you that it is time to turn off your cell, get into a nice quiet place, sit up straight, quiet your mind then start living the future you want by daydreaming.

You are a filmmaker so create stories of how you find the world’s greatest director of photography who can do incredible shots for you.  Stories of how you attached the best actors and what joy that brought to you and your crew.

Use your daydreaming time to bring your film to life.  Find that child within and let it loose.  Let the child in you become your advisor, your advocate. 

The best filmmakers on the planet let their little child create their future.  It has an unencumbered belief system that all things are possible and believe me, they are!

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

Dreams will tell you when you are stuck, what you’re missing, and where you need to go

By Carole Dean

Carl Jung said, “Dreams will show you where you are and where you are going. They reveal your destiny.”

In our bi-monthly Film Funding Guidance class for our fiscally sponsored filmmakers, we are now discussing John Kehoe’s best-selling book, Mind Power: In To The 21st Century.  John explains how empowering our dreams can be.

Did you know that the oldest written record of dream interpretation is found in the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh recorded on clay tablets in 3000 BC?

“What makes dreams so interesting,” John writes, “is that dreams are where the conscious and the subconscious meet, where the images of day-to-day living encounter the hidden wisdom of the subconscious.”

Dreams Can Help You Find Solutions.

Nobel Prize winner doctor James Watson discovered the properties of the DNA molecule from a dream. He saw two snakes intertwining by wrapping around one another. Upon awakening, he realized that this might be what is happening in the DNA.  Perhaps, he thought, it was a double Helix twisting around itself and he was right.

John Kehoe has been analyzing and studying his dreams for years. He believes that his dreams are like a personal wisdom which speaks to him.

Studies show that we dream an average of five to seven times a night. Whether you remember them or not, you are dreaming.

John suggests that we program our mind to say before we go to sleep, “tonight I will dream, and I will remember my dream.” If you repeat this to yourself 20 times before you go to sleep, he says there would be very good chance that you will remember your dream.

Next, he recommends you place a pad of paper and a pen by your night table so that you are demonstrating that you are waiting for your dreams, and you are prepared to acknowledge them and write them down.

You might also use an old handheld tape recorder that you could just turn on and punch a button and start talking without having to get up. This is the most important part, to remember what you dreamt.  Be right there in the dream so you can get every nuance, any colors, any faces, any symbols, as these matter.

Learn to Interpret What Your Subconscious is Saying in the Dream.

When you wake up from your dream, don’t jump out of bed, stay still and as your consciousness returns.  This is in between time and it is very valuable.  It’s the crack between the two worlds, your consciousness and dream state, so stay there and observe it carefully.

Try to bring as much back as possible piece by piece.  When you get a part of the dream, rerun the dream in your mind several times adding detail each time.  Then, write it down or record it.  Now you can start interpreting it.

When you’re start interpreting your dreams you want to think of yourself as an archaeologist digging up clues. You are researching and want to know what’s going on inside you. You want to find these relics and interpret what they mean to you because most of your dreams are not going to make a lot of sense. They may seem like nonsense or some foreign language.

When you persist in thinking about your dreams and try to relate them to your own life, you will have a breakthrough and find what the dream really means to you.  John says to remember that the dream used the vocabulary of symbols and allegory to convey the message. He says symbols are to intuition what words are to thoughts.

The language of dreams is more like art and poetry than linguistics. The reason for this that is that this part of your conscious mind predates language.

Once you realize that the dreams are messages from your subconscious and start thinking about how your subconscious wants to show you something about yourself, then this can become a lot of fun.

Dream Analysists Say Dreams are Always About You and Your Circumstances.

Dreams will tell you when you are stuck and what you are avoiding.  They can tell you what you’re missing, what you’re ignoring, and they can tell you where you need to go.

95% of the time all the characters, creatures, monsters, and stuff in your dreams represents aspects of yourself. For dream interpretation, please realize that all the people in your dream are you.

An actress friend of mine who studied with a dream therapist for years taught me that. The only exceptions would be if you recognize children or parents or coworkers in your dream.  Then, they could be real or they could be another part of you.

John says that a nightmare could be your subconscious trying to shock you into looking at some aspect of your life. Saying to you, “look at this, it’s urgent!”

Dreams that repeat are messages trying to break through. Once you interpret them, they will stop. You keep having them because your subconscious is trying to get its message through.

Here are Some Techniques to Interpret Your Dreams.

Give the dream a name. Or a title. Let your intuition come up with something to name the dream because then that title might give you some clues.

Go back to the dream.  Find a quiet spot to think and be sure there are no phones or interruptions.  Sit quietly, close your eyes, recreate the dream in your mind now put yourself in the dream and see how you would react.

Example, if you had a dream that you were driving a car recklessly on a curved road, you might put yourself back in that dream behind the wheel and begin to ask yourself questions like, why are you driving so fast?  Are you getting away from something? Are you rushing to get someone? Is this good? See what answers you can get from yourself.  And you can react any way you want in the dream now that you’re in it. You could slow the car down and feel into this situation. You could decide if you were running away from something or recklessly driving to save someone.

Break your dream down into acts.  What is act one?  What is the situation and who are you?  What is act 2? What is the trouble? What is act 3, the resolution?  Ask yourself how you feel in each act in the dream. Feelings are a major information source in dreams.  Example, do you feel relieved, confident, terrified, threatened?

What are the symbols in each act that can help you decipher the reason you are driving recklessly?

Perhaps you felt relieved when you took the wheel in the dream and slowed the car down to a reasonable speed. Perhaps you have lost control of some situation in your life. That could be the meaning of the dream. Or it could be that you were trying to get away from something that bothered you.  And now your job is to find out what is bothering you that you want to get away from.

Analyzing Your Dreams Can Greatly Benefit You.

You may be able to figure this out quickly if you are open to receiving shocking or sometimes unpleasant news from yourself about your life.  Dream interpretation takes focus and so don’t be surprised if you can only decipher 30% of your dreams. You are doing quite well if you can interpret this much of your dreams. Your success will increase as you work on dream interpretation, it is something you can learn.

Don’t be afraid to give time to the analysis of your dream because it is a wonderful way for you to give you important advice. It’s a wonderful way for you to face what you’re not facing in your day-to-day reality.

Going back to the dream of driving recklessly, perhaps you find that you are trying to get away from something. With questions you may find that perhaps you hired a cinematographer that is not the right person and rather than face replacing him/her you’re running away from it.

If you take control of the car in your dream and decide to turn around and go back to where you came from you may be able to find answers. Perhaps by going back you find that you were running away from a decision that you made that was wrong and you need to face it and resolve the situation.

Dreams can be this beneficial. This is a wonderful way to talk to your subconscious. The subconscious is trying to talk to you. 

When you stop and listen, magnificent things can happen

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits

It’s not enough to visualize yourself succeeding, you need to seed those visualizations with emotions

by Carole Dean

In our Film Funding Guidance Class for our fiscally sponsored filmmakers, we’re currently reviewing the book, Mind Power by John Kehoe.  The book teaches us about the power of visualizations in achieving success and how to apply them in your life.

John believes that one of the secrets to achieving success is to visualize everything that would or could happen to you and live as if it really is happening.  You should see yourself in situations that normally give you difficulty. 

In this visualization, you should see yourself at ease confident and performing well.  You might picture your friends and associates complimenting you, congratulating you on your newfound confidence.

“Seeding” Your Visualizations

“Seeding” is adding feelings. Feelings with visuals are like movies with soundtracks.  They are more passionate, more emotional and contain lots of good energy. 

You should visualize your success using emotions like completion, pride, confidence, enthusiasm, and most importantly, faith.  Faith that this will happen, faith that your future belongs to you, and faith that you will successfully manifest your vision.

Remember the film, Bruce Almighty, when Jim Carrey was God and prayers were yellow post its?  He would find his room full of those yellow post it’s each morning.  Then he would go to work answering prayers. I think that seeding them with emotions would turn the post its from yellow into hot pink so they would stand out. 

Emotions are powerful.  Please be sure to use emotions when you are visualizing.  Send your visions to the universe with tons of “feeling.”

Shakespeare said “My words fly up; my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”  Shakespeare knew that you had to have “feelings” with thoughts to bring you the future you want.

Visualize Your Pitch Presentation Before You Pitch.

A few days before you go to pitch your film, you should take the time to start visualizing your meeting. See yourself in an over the shoulder shot.  You are pitching your film.  Your potential donor is smiling and nodding their head like they’re enjoying and receiving the information you’re sending.

See yourself with pride, enthusiasm, and confidence. You should take this into your meditation and visualize the outcome you want with emotions.  Please remember how powerful emotions are and put a lot of emotion in this visualization.

You should be prepared for them to ask you questions. I want you to feel very proud of yourself because you have the answers.  To do this, you want to know what your budget is and be able to defend it. You want to know where this film will be distributed. You want to explain where this donor or investor will see your film.

See Your Future and Claim It.

Be fully prepared for all kinds of questions and be totally confident that you will get funded.  Live with that belief; that you have what you want.

You need to “feel” successful, to “feel confident.” Let these feelings be part of your vision.

Remember, all we have is the present.  Do not say, “I will have,” that puts it in the future. Please pretend it is real this very moment. You are living your dream. You are living with the life you want to live in your mind. Keep that thought as present not future.

In Mind Power, the author tells us how important affirmations are. He is reminding us that our statements and our constant belief in our achievements are important to us.

“Affirmations,” he says, “are simple statements repeated to yourself silently or aloud. You can do them anywhere, like, in your car, waiting in the doctor’s office, while you are walking, when you are lying in bed before you go to sleep.”

Affirmation’s Work!

With affirmations, you are influencing the thoughts in your mind and filling your mind with thoughts that support your goal.

John suggests when you’re doing your affirmations that you have to be consistent.  You want to keep your affirmations going until you have achieved what you are affirming.

I suggest that you use the powerful two words “I am” and start with things like:

• I am an award-winning filmmaker.
• I am fully funded.
• I am having a lot of fun making my film.
• I am getting weekly donations.
• I am receiving surprise donations.
• All the mental work that I am sending to the universe brings me money from sources I never expected.
• I am fully funded.

He suggests you keep your affirmation short, and I fully agree.  Use things like:

• I am healthy
• I am wealthy
• I am happy

I love these affirmations because they will get you through any day with lots of joy. 

“I Am the Greatest” Worked for Muhammad Ali.  It Will Work for You Too!

This is where we need to remember and not to make statements against ourselves like oh, I never do that right.

I’m so sorry I always get it wrong.

I’m a disaster.

These are things you should remove totally out of your vocabulary.

“I am” are the two most powerful words in the dictionary. Especially when used to create your future because they will bring you what you want.

Love Yourself.

We are very quick to see our failures and not our success. John says that when we get successes, we are happy for a few days and then we go back into forgetting our successes.

Let’s make a point of remembering our successes. Let’s reuse that success energy from past achievements again and again and expect very positive results.

For example, let’s suppose you wanted to get into a Film Festival and succeeded.  Even if it was three years ago, think about that energy that you felt when you received the notification you had been accepted. That’s the energy you want around you. You want to keep bringing that up that wonderful memory of acceptance and support.

When you get great compliments or when people give you wonderful feedback, please live on that for a weeks.  Take it inside you and feel it.  Enjoy it.

Let All the Positive Stuff You Hear Stay with You.

You need to be in the place where you feel that you deserve the donation. Be in the place where you know that you have a brilliant project.  Where you know that you will complete the project. 

By feeling these things and having them as part of your DNA you become the perfect person to give a donation.  That’s what people are looking for.  They want to support a winner, a creative, they want to support you. 

It’s your job to show them you are that creative, that brilliant artist and you deserve to be funded.

When You Are in My Aura; You are Reading My Mind!

People start picking up your thoughts when they get inside your aura and your aura stands 6 feet from your body.  When you sit next to someone to talk to them even if you had a table between you, it would probably still be within six feet.  You would be in a place where they can read you and they will know how confident you are.

That’s where they start making decisions.  They make decisions from their “inner feelings” about you. UCLA Professor Mehrabian, analyzing what makes a successful pitch, said in his research: that only 7% of what you say affects their decision making. 55% of the decision-making process is based on how you walk, how you talk, how you carry yourself, how much confidence you have. 

Did you look them in the eye?  Are you positive in your statements?  Do you sit up straight? Are you a happy person?  Are you excited and enthused about your project? Answer “no” to any of those questions and you probably failed on your pitch.

38% of the decision-making process is your voice, how enthusiastic your voice is, and this is most important because people are reading these signals.  If you show any depression and uncertainty or lack of knowledge, if your voice quavers, you are creating a feeling of uncertainty.  

Watch how you talk.  You do not want to say “you know” you do not want to use eeerrr  or ahhhhs.  These are the things that work against you. The voice and the things you say are 38% of the decision-making process.

You Can See that the Most Important Thing to Work on is You.

You are the film.  Shore up your belief in you. You need full self-confidence to close a donation, to get that discount or to hire that person you want.

Ok, you may be thinking, wow, Carole, this is a lot to do. Yes, I know it is but let’s look at the benefits.

Joseph Campbell says: “When you are on the right path, invisible hands will come to your aid.”  That’s the prize you get.  Don’t try to figure it out.  Don’t ask how, just know it will happen. 

This is the most important part of creating your future, faith.  Your faith must be relentless.

 

Carole Dean is president and founder of From the Heart Productions; a 501(c)3 non-profit that offers the Roy W. Dean Film Grants and fiscal sponsorship for independent filmmakers. She hosts the weekly podcast, The Art of Film Funding, interviewing those involved in all aspects of indie film production. She is also the author of  The Art of Film Funding, 2nd Edition: Alternative Financing Concepts.  See IMDB for producing credits