Film Funding Guidance Through Inner Practices That Support Sustainable Creativity and Long-Term Support
by Carole Dean
There is something different about the energy as we move toward 2026. It doesn’t feel like a clean slate or a dramatic reset. It feels more mature than that. More earned. As if the universe is saying, “Now, build on what you already know works.”
That was the tone Breianne Pryse brought into our recent Film Funding Guidance Class for fiscally sponsored filmmakers at From the Heart Productions. As an Independent Health, Wellness, and Fitness Professional, Breianne speaks fluent energy—but what she shared landed squarely in the lived reality of filmmakers navigating uncertainty, funding challenges, and deep creative calling.
What followed was not a checklist or a hustle strategy. It was something more essential: a reminder that your energy, identity, and inner alignment are not “extras”—they are the foundation on which your film gets made.
2026 Is Not a Restart—It’s an Expansion
“I’m not looking at 2026 as a new beginning,” Breianne said. “I’m looking at it as building on what I’ve already built—and expanding it.”
That distinction matters. Too often, filmmakers abandon what is working because they believe the next year requires reinvention. Breianne encouraged us instead to identify what supported us in 2025—and consciously expand it—while gently rebuilding what didn’t serve us.
This is a year for refinement, not self-erasure.
Masterminds, Collaboration, and Energetic Boundaries
As filmmakers, we are drawn to community—masterminds, cohorts, labs, and think tanks. Breianne fully supports this, with one crucial caveat: protect your energy.
“Most of us are energetically sensitive—there are a lot of empaths here,” she noted. In collaborative spaces, ideas move fast, and so does influence. The danger isn’t listening—it’s absorbing.
“People start taking everything experts say as truth for them—and that’s not true. We each have our own way of creating.”
The guidance was clear: listen, discern, adapt—but don’t outsource your inner authority. Clean your energy before and after group exchanges. Keep boundaries. Take what resonates and leave the rest.
Resistance Is an Energy Drain—Neutrality Is Power
Resistance, Breianne reminded us, quietly consumes enormous amounts of creative energy.
Resistance to pitching.
Resistance to AI.
Resistance to visibility.
The goal is not to force yourself into enthusiasm. “You don’t have to go from resistant to loving it,” she said. “Move to neutrality. Neutrality frees energy.”
This is especially relevant now. As filmmakers, you are constantly asked to adapt. Neutrality allows forward motion without inner warfare.
Cleaning the Inner World: Beliefs, Triggers, and Money
At From the Heart, we talk often about cleaning up the external—budgets, schedules, deliverables. Breianne challenged us to clean the internal with equal rigor.
“Triggers are incredibly revealing,” she shared. If you find yourself reacting strongly—especially around money—it’s worth paying attention.
“If you cannot receive money from everybody, it becomes much harder to receive enough money for your film.”
This is not about judgment. It’s about awareness. Funding flows more easily when your beliefs allow it to.
Reclaiming Energy Lost to Trauma—and Forgetting Your Goodness
Shocks and traumas, Breianne explained, fragment our energy. Over time, this leads to exhaustion, burnout, and creative paralysis. Healing is not indulgent—it is restorative.
Just as important is reclaiming your goodness.
“We don’t give ourselves enough credit for the smaller things,” she said. Calm presence. Good manners. A steady operating frequency. These are not minor traits—they are assets.
Owning them creates momentum. “When you own it, energy says, ‘Oh, she likes that—I’ll unlock more skill sets.’”
One simple practice she offered was creating a list of 33 things that are right and good about you. Ask others if needed. You may be surprised by what you discover.
Evaluating Goals Without Blame
As the year closes, Breianne echoed something I have long encouraged: review your goals with honesty and compassion.
“Celebrate what you got done—even surviving a hard year is an accomplishment.”
Then, instead of blame, ask questions from curiosity:
- Did I put in the time?
- Was I aligned?
- What was my self-talk?
Words like “I’m stuck” or “nothing works for me” are not harmless—they shape outcomes. Awareness is the first step to shifting them.
Receiving Is a Muscle
One of the most resonant insights Breianne shared was this: receiving takes practice.
“Receiving is a muscle,” she said. Gratitude for small wins strengthens our capacity for big ones. The universe responds not just to desire, but to readiness.
Consistency, she reminded us, is not rigid repetition—it’s vibrational alignment. Sometimes that means changing the order, the environment, or the approach until resistance softens and energy flows again.
Timing, Alignment, and Asking Big Enough
Why doesn’t it happen when we want it to?
Sometimes, Breianne said, it’s because we’re not ready. Sometimes it’s because what we asked for wasn’t big enough.
Her stories—whether about broodmares or the DMV—illustrated a deeper truth: alignment reveals itself in unexpected ways. Often, delays are invitations to discover a superpower we didn’t know we had.
“We all have superpowers—we just don’t always own them.”
Identity, Support, and Seeing Yourself Clearly
As filmmakers, your identity matters. Who are you being as this film comes into form?
When you visualize your future, notice what you see—and what you don’t. If you only see yourself doing everything alone, you may be blocking support.
Support doesn’t weaken your vision. It strengthens it.
Choosing Good Energy—for You and the World
Breianne closed with a call that feels especially urgent: set intentions not only for your film, but for the world you are creating within.
“There’s a lot of negativity being thrown out—we need good energy.”
Think about what matters to you. Put goodwill there. Use the momentum of this “big year” consciously.
As for Breianne, she shared that she is moving from wildness to outrageousness. When she asked if she should buckle her seatbelt, the answer came back: “Seatbelts aren’t going to help you, honey.”
That, to me, is the energy of 2026.
The final message she left us with may be the most important of all:
“The biggest gift is you choosing you this year.”
From the Heart, that is exactly what I wish for each of you—and for the films only you can bring into the world.
About Breianne Pryse
Breianne Pryse is a multifaceted coach, writer, inventor, healer, investor, and spiritual guide with over 23 years of experience in the physical and spiritual healing arts. She has recently expanded her focus to business coaching and leadership, bringing her deep understanding of energy and human potential into her work as a startup investor.
Breianne’s training spans a wide range of energetic modalities, including Theta Healing, Pranic Healing, energy psychology, animal healing, and holistic allergy removal. She is also a certified teacher in Divine Intervention, Light Language, and other transformative practices. Her unique approach integrates spiritual insight with practical strategies, helping creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders align their inner and outer worlds to achieve sustainable success.
You can contact Breianne at brepryse@gmail.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
