The Crowdfunding Blueprint Every Filmmaker Needs

How to Crowdfund Your Film Like a Pro — Lessons from Emily Best of Seed&Spark

by Carole Dean

In today’s independent film landscape, traditional funding routes can feel like locked doors. Crowdfunding has become the key—not just to raise money, but to build community, spark momentum, and bring films to life.

One of the most trusted guides in this space is Emily Best, founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, the platform that has helped creators raise millions of dollars to bring bold, diverse, and inclusive stories to life. With an extraordinary 80–93% success rate (compared to Kickstarter’s ~34%), Seed&Spark has redefined what’s possible for filmmakers who want to connect directly with their audience and fund their visions.

Recently, on my The Art of Film Funding Podcast, Emily shared her best strategies with me for preparing, launching, and sustaining a successful crowdfunding campaign.

If you’re an indie filmmaker, here’s your blueprint.

Why Seed&Spark Exists

Emily’s journey began with her own film—a story about women’s friendships that the industry told her no one would want to see. She knew better. Drawing inspiration from DonorsChoose, a crowdfunding platform for teachers, she built a “wedding registry” for her film—listing every item they needed, from camera rentals to sunscreen.

The result?

• Goal: $20,000
• Raised: $23,000 in cash, plus hundreds of thousands in goods, services, and loans
• Outcome: A loyal audience of 458 “super fans” who showed up at festivals, promoted the film, and supported the filmmakers for years afterward.

That early success revealed the truth: crowdfunding is not just about money—it’s about building lasting relationships with your audience.

3 Keys to Crowdfunding Success

1. Win or Lose in the Prep Stage

Like filmmaking itself, a crowdfunding campaign lives or dies in the preparation.

• Build momentum before launch. Campaigns that reach 30% of their goal in the first week have a 90% success rate.
• Start talking about your project months in advance. Share your passion. Let people see your journey.
• Develop partnerships, grow your email list, and engage with local and online communities who care about your topic.

“You don’t launch a campaign and then build momentum,” Emily advised. “You build momentum, and then you launch.”

2. Communicate Relentlessly

Once your campaign is live, your outreach needs to be relentless and creative.

• Send personal emails every day.
• Post regularly on social media with fresh, engaging content—behind-the-scenes footage, cast introductions, thematic posts related to your film.
• Interact directly with backers—comment, thank them, and involve them in your journey.

One of Emily’s favorite mottos:

“I’d much rather be annoying than boring.”

Creative persistence beats polite silence every time.

3. Keep Your Fans Close

The biggest mistake filmmakers make after a campaign? Disappearing.

Your backers aren’t just donors—they’re the start of your future audience.

• Send regular updates long after the campaign ends.
• Share wins, challenges, and progress—even if it’s small.
• Deliver on your incentives promptly and personally.
• Invite them to screenings, panels, and behind-the-scenes opportunities.

When you keep your audience engaged, your next campaign starts with a warm, eager fan base instead of cold outreach.

No Big Following? No Problem

Too many filmmakers think they need thousands of followers to launch a campaign. Emily insists otherwise.

Start small.

• Identify five people who are genuinely excited about your project.
• Learn where they hang out online, what media they consume, and how they discover new films.
• Find more people like them.
• Attend local film festivals, artist meetups, and community events.

It’s about depth of connection, not breadth of exposure.

Emily recommends reading “1,000 True Fans” by Kevin Kelly—a short, timeless article explaining how a small, loyal audience can sustain your creative career.

The Distribution Playbook — Free for All Filmmakers

Crowdfunding is only part of the equation. Distribution remains a “black box” for many filmmakers—something Emily and her colleague Christie Marchese set out to change.

The result? The Distribution Playbook (distributionplaybook.com)—a free, open-source, constantly updated resource covering theatrical, festival, television, digital, and educational distribution strategies.

They even invite users to submit questions and case studies, making it a living, evolving guide to help filmmakers build smarter, more profitable distribution plans.

Why Filmmakers Choose Seed&Spark

Beyond their impressive success rate, filmmakers choose Seed&Spark for:

• Education-first approach: 100–150 workshops per year, in 30–50 cities.
• Personalized campaign feedback from crowdfunding experts.
• No platform fees—Seed&Spark earns tips from backers, not a cut from creators.
• 80% funding threshold: Keep your funds if you raise at least 80% of your goal.

This combination of education, personal support, and fair policies sets Seed&Spark apart from other platforms.

Common Crowdfunding Mistakes to Avoid

According to Emily, the top pitfalls are:

1. Launching too early without a built audience or a momentum wave.
2. Underestimating the workload—successful campaigns require daily attention and creativity.
3. Vanishing after funding—this breaks trust and loses your most valuable resource: your audience.

Crowdfunding Done Right

Crowdfunding done right is about community, communication, and commitment. The money you raise funds your film today, but the relationships you build can sustain your career for decades.

At From the Heart Productions, we’ve seen first-hand how Seed&Spark helps filmmakers succeed. We are a recognized fiscal sponsor for their platform and many of our filmmakers choose to crowdfund with them for their projects. Filmmakers can them combine the power of our fiscal sponsorship program, which includes offering tax deductions to donors for their donations, with Seed&Spark’s many benefits. Seed&Spark’s education, support, and philosophy align perfectly with our mission to help storytellers bring meaningful films to life.

If you’re considering crowdfunding, take Emily’s advice to heart. Start building your audience now, and by the time you launch, you’ll already be halfway to your goal.

If you take away one thing from Emily Best’s wisdom, it’s this:

Your audience is your most important investor—treat them like a partner, not a transaction.