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 Application Form Art of Funding Carole Dean Events in Your City Newsletter |
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Important Links Attorney's Corner Showing Your Film Join Our Mailing List Original Music for films What's New Financing Information Press Releases Links Berns on Budgeting Dean Grant Facebook fastweb.com fordfound.org grantsmart.org lib.msu.edu Financing Links Writer Grant From the Heart Productions
Proposal Writing Help
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LA Video Grant Complete Your Application Online Fund raising Tee Shirts. Wholesale through FTH.
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What others are saying about the book:
"...I finally picked up your book officially andreading it and not skimming thorough it and finding that it is an amazing piece of work. It's very informative and helpful in every way possible. I don't know how many thanks you've gotten but I'm sure one more won't hurt."
"Carole Dean's book successfully bridges the gap between the vision of the project and the realities of the market for the serious filmmaker."
"I must admit that I am very impressed with the information, tone, approach and philosophy. You are in inspiration. You have inspired me to focus more directly on the work I am doing - believe that there is indeed money out there to support me"
"Carole Dean has years of experience both as a producer and a funder, and her new book is full of nuts-and-bolts information from both sides of the fence, told in a conversational and heart-felt manner. Of special interest to filmmakers will be the in-dept interviews with experts in the field, and an extensive appendix chock full of references. A great new addition to the filmmaker's lexicon."
"All the great stuff in this book clearly comes from Carole's years in the US film business. But it's hugely appropriate that she came to New Zealand to actually write it. It's a country with a long history of small independent film-makers creating magic on tiny budgets. And not taking "no" for an answer. That's the road kiwi Peter Jackson travelled to realise his dream with "Lord of the Rings". Carole's book will give independents world-wide the courage and inspiration to realise theirs."
"Carole Dean is well known in the motion picture industry for her innovations and creative genius. In her book, In The Art of Funding Your Film, she has created a superb bible that will serve the novice as well as the seasoned filmmaker. Carole has utilized her experience in the industry and her talent to create a masterpiece - a concise roadmap for financing a film which reads like a novel. This book is a major contribution and is bound to be the catalyst for valuable film production that the Public and scholars would otherwise miss." TABLE OF CONTENTS FORWARD by Louise Levison, author, Filmmakers and Financing: Business Plans for Independents Chapter 1 COMMIT OR BE COMMITTED Secrets to Success The Journey The Power of Sound & Words A Conversation with filmmaker Xackery Irving
Chapter 2 THE PERFECT PITCH Visually describe your film Know Who's Who Become the film The Wind-Up and Delivery Perfecting Your Pitch THE PROPOSAL A Conversation with Writer/Filmmaker JanEva Hornbaker Funding Outline
Chapter 4 LOADING THE BASES Scouting the Majors: Researching Funders Organizing your Search Chapter 5 FOUNDATIONS AND GRANTS Finding the Chapter 6 RAISING FUNDS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES Raising Funds from Individuals Popping the Big Question Funding Parties, Instant Cash Funding Extravaganza Outline Your Fundraising Toolbox Chapter 7 TENACITY PAYS OFF Interviews with Jilann Spitzmiller ITVS Winning Documentary Proposal Chapter 8 FINANCING INDEPENDENT FILMS: A conversation with Mark
Litwak Independent Film Financing Chapter 9 BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR FUNDRAISING TRAILERS: A conversation with Fernanda
Rossi Chapter 10 PRODUCE PLACEMENT & BRANDING A Conversation with Patricia Ganguzza, a Pioneer in the Product Placement Field Chapter 11 THE MONEY MAZE OF PUVLIC FUNDING: WORKING WITH ITVS &
PBS American Public Television (APT) ITVS Independent Lens WNET and Oren Jacoby Arthur Dong Chapter 12 MISSION, VISION AND VALUES: A Conversation with Morrie
Warshawski Chapter 13 SPONSORSHIP IS DEAD! PARTNERSHIPS ARE ALIVE AND WELL! By Daniel Sherrett Chapter 14 FEDERAL TAX LAWS AND STATE INCENTIVES FOR FILM FUNDING Interview with attorney Hal
(Corky) Kessler Chapter 15 LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! Studio & Lighting: Interview With Britt Penrod, Raleigh Studios Film Benefits: Interview with Robert Mastronardi, Camera Equipment Interview with Craig APPENDIX Production Resources for Public Television Internet Search Tools Databases, Free listing of Grantors Databases Fee lists of Grantors Online Articles Print Resources Writing Resources Business Promotion/Public Relations Organizations 100 Funders with names & addresses Production List: Top Corporations with a Heart For Independent Filmmakers 
THE PROPOSAL Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart....Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. -- Carl Jung Reading proposals is a passion
of mine, which is a good thing since I read over 500 proposals and view
over 1000 corresponding DVDs a year for my Roy W. Dean film grants.
Filmmakers frequently ask me how they can improve their applications. First, remember, grantors or
investors are usually under a deadline to read and make a decision on
something that should never be judged: your art. Your potential funder
is probably reviewing hundreds of proposals, one right after the other,
so find a way to make your proposal unique. I consider the introduction
or synopsis to be the most critical element in the proposal. It is the
first thing I read when I pick up a new film proposal because it tells
me how compelling the project is and reveals how passionate the filmmaker
is. Sponsors use the synopsis during the selection process as a way
of categorizing and separating one type of film from another. If your
synopsis is dynamic and is strategically placed on your application
it will remain active in the sponsor's mind. This is a visual industry,
yet only ten percent of the applications I receive include pictures,
which always amaze me. Since the person reading your proposal is probably
very visual, consider dropping a few pictures or graphics into your
proposal. How about submitting a picture
of yourself with your application? Include a photograph taken during
your last film shoot-something that shows you in action, behind the
camera or giving direction. Even if it's just your student ID, put
that shining smile on the page and let us see who you are! Passion,
perseverance, and personalization are what you need to win grants, so
don't be afraid to put your heart on your sleeve to win that grant! How many grants have you entered?
Tell us about them so we can see how determined you are to make this
film. Do you really want this grant? Are you willing to dedicate the
next three years of your life to produce this film? Find a way to communicate
your dedication in your proposal. Include a personal film statement.
Tell us what is driving you. Remember: Grantors want compelling
films. The first two paragraphs
must be dynamite, knock me off my seat! Be impeccable with the truth. Do not commit to things
you cannot do. Sponsors can tell when you are overstating. Sponsors know if your budget
is unreasonable. A guaranteed audience, such
as a commitment from PBS, puts you on top. Demonstrate solid marketing,
distribution plans and outreach distribution. Have you secured a distributor
or another grantor? Bringing a scholar or expert
onboard as a mentor will shift the scales to your advantage. Show
how your film relates to the goals of your potential sponsor or distributor. Is your project one of a
kind? If so explain and include information to back it
up. If there are projects
in the market place with a similar message or subject matter to yours,
make sure you demonstrate how yours is unique. Give specific information
about your audience and include the full demographics. Please,
don't put hand written information on the proposal or the cover pages. Attach letters from donors
to your application as a form of support. Music and picture rights must go in the budget, they are expensive and donors look for this.
Put your name and the name
of your film on submitted tapes and on the outside of the DVD case.
When donors are reviewing scores of tapes they often get interrupted
and it's easy to confuse DVDs. Please don't use insulated
bags that are lined with that horrid-gray-fluffy-stuff. We all hate
them. Some donors won't even open these types of packages because
the filaments can damage their players. Plastic boxes and bubble wrap
are a much better choice. More
Suggestions: Mention any creative fundraising
ideas you are using in your application. For example, filmmakers often
barter with other filmmakers to get their projects completed. Donors
like to see filmmakers who use creative funding techniques so tell us
about them. I usually call my finalists
and discuss their film application. When possible I give them guidance
and suggestions on how they can improve their proposal. The most important
thing I tell them is to submit again next year! The producers for the wonderful
film, The Flute Player, applied three times before they won my Roy W.
Dean NYC Grant, but once they won they were on their way, subsequently
winning a $50,000 Sundance grant and a PBS airing. Winning one grant leads to
success with future grants so mention prior grants that you have won
in your cover letter and any awards anyone on the crew has won. Use a PR person to promote your accomplishments and you can easily pave the way for even more funding and distribution.
Avoid using technical jargon
in your application unless your proposal is to a grantor who has specifically
asked for technical information. The people reading it will not know
what a 20 to 1 zoom is nor will they recognize the latest digital camera
you want to use. This can be confusing and divert them from the real
issue of you film. A funder who was speaking at
a conference I attended told the audience about an applicant who entered
her grant seven times! Each time the filmmaker asked the funder how
he could improve his application and he incorporated their ideas in
his proposal when he applied the next year. The filmmaker finally won
on his seventh try. Many times the information given to filmmakers by
grantors can improve the film so entering ITVS, for example, can benefit
you with advice. Once you start on your journey
you are committed. Never give up. You may have to apply several times
but don't despair. I tell filmmakers to stand by the Suffragette's
motto, "Never Give Up!" If you have made mistakes
there is always another chance for you . . . you may have a fresh start
any moment you choose, for this thing we call
"failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
-- Mary Pickford Writer/Filmmaker, Eva Hornbaker When I came across JanEva Hornbaker's proposal during our Roy W. Dean New York Film Grant competition, I was struck by how well she managed to capture the heart of her story. I found her proposal to be exemplary and asked her if she would share her secrets for dynamic proposal writing. Eva, what is the number-one
rule of proposal writing? The number-one rule of writing
anything is to understand who your readers are and what you are trying
to accomplish. This sounds like two rules but actually they are very
integrated. The film proposal is a tool
designed to sell two things: your idea for a film, and your ability
as a filmmaker to successfully produce, market, and distribute your
film. You need to know everything you can about the organization you
are applying to, and more specifically, the person who is going to read
your proposal, if you are going to convince them to invest in you, which
is what it always boils down to. The funder's deadline
is 3-weeks away. What are the first steps toward creating a perfect
proposal? The first step is to make sure
your project fits the sponsor's funding guidelines. Once you have
determined this you need to dig in and start researching the organization
and the people behind the organization. Read their mission statement
and jot down key words and phrases used to describe the goals and objectives
of the organization, then go to your proposal and use these same key
words to describe your project. It's absolutely essential that you
make a connection between the funder's goals and the goals of your
project. This shouldn't be a stretch if your project is a good match
with the funder. Funders support interests that
are closely tied to the source of their funds, so find out who is funding
your funder. You can get this information right off their web site or
from their tax return. How did you
organize your proposal? My education background is
in library and information technology so I studied grant writing in
college; however, when I went to write my first film proposal I found
very little information that was geared specifically toward putting
together an effective film proposal. I read everything I could find
and researched a lot of different funders on the Internet and made a
list of what each of these funders wanted then I made my outline based
on this list. Did you find a lot of variation
in what different funders wanted? Oh yes. Some organizations
will only want a one-page synopsis while others want something that
resembles a doctoral dissertation. I put together a general outline
based on my research. That way I had all the information in one computer
file. You are going to need all of this stuff anyway for distribution
and marketing so my advice is get it together early on and customize
it to each funder. Customizing it is the key,
isn't it? Definitely. It's essential
that you follow each funder's guidelines to the letter. If the funder
doesn't ask to see a budget, don't include it. If they want a two-page
synopsis, make sure you only send two pages. And make sure you address
each individual funder's goals and objectives. Funders want to be able to
scan a proposal and immediately come away with information-what the
film is about, the filmmaker's approach, style, goals, and objectives.
They can do this if the proposal is organized into clear defined headings. You did not sacrifice style.
Your proposal was not a dry analytical treatment. What can you share
on how to achieve style in the proposal? You have to give your reader
all the information they need to make an informed decision, but how
you say it is as important as what you say. You are describing your ideas
for a motion picture so it is essential that you show your reader instead
of tell your reader what you intend to do. Ezra Pound said, "The image
is more than an idea. It is a vortex or cluster of fused ideas and is
endowed with energy." If you are going to energize a reader with your
ideas then you have to do more than just describe your project; you
need to actually transport your reader into your film. Your opening paragraph does
just that. Can you take us through the process of how you wrote this? Sometimes when you're writing
about something that you're passionate about it just flows, but this
can be dangerous. It's critical not to miss any key ideas so I start
by writing down exactly what it is that I need to communicate then I
rewrite it adding descriptive words. Could you take your opening
paragraph here and breakdown the process? Sure. I write the information
I need to convey, which is: World War II ended over five
decades ago yet thousands of Americans are still missing. As you can see this sentence
provides information, but it does nothing to help the readers conjure
up a visual picture. Like most filmmakers I think in pictures so I go
back and rewrite the scene as I see it. One of my favorite writing teachers
used to say, "Walk your reader through the corridors and hallways
of your story." I think the best way to do this is to remove yourself
from your story and approach it completely fresh, as though you've
never been there. You're so familiar with your
story that it's easy to forget that the scenes are only in your head.
You can't just say, "This story is about explorers who look for
lost Americans," and expect your reader to see that fantastic scene
that is in your head. Close your eyes and picture
the scene, then put it down on paper. Sometimes it helps to take the
concept you want to describe and reduce it to one scene then work from
there. You have to add physical detail because physical detail is going
to pull your reader into the story. So using this opening paragraph
as an example, I worked in some descriptive words and ended up with: The battlefields of World War
II fell silent over five decades ago yet more than 78,000 young Americans
still lie in shallow makeshift graves, rusting wrecks, and abandoned
battlefields thousands of miles from home. Shallow makeshift graves and
rusting wrecks give the reader some very vivid pictures. Young Americans-who
could read that and not be moved? You have to describe your locations,
describe your subject, and describe your subject's actions so the
reader is transported into the scene. If I write: This film will be shot in Europe
and Asia as we follow searchers on different expeditions to find missing
Americans. Again, I've given the reader
the information, but that's not my only objective here. I want to
show the reader. So I add description to give it energy: We will follow unique explorers
across dramatic backdrops of Europe and into the deepest jungles of
Asia as they search for the scattered bones and the rusted dog tags
of young soldiers. The trick to effective writing
is to layer descriptive language with specific language so you don't
end up with something that is too vague. You want to create mood but
you don't want to over do it. How do you know when it's
too much? When you sacrifice clarity
for style you've gone too far. Funders don't want to read through
tons of adjectives to get to the point. Make sure your proposal clearly
demonstrates what your film is about and what you are trying to do.
Save descriptive words to illustrate your subject, your location, if
you have a dramatic location, your subject's motivation. Good writers
control their style to match their purpose. What is your biggest proposal
writing challenge? Usually if I'm writing my
own proposal the biggest challenge is to know when to stop. When you're
writing passionately about your subject it's tempting to keep going.
Pretty soon you end up with something that resembles the Los Angeles
phonebook. Once you've mastered the
art of creating these wonderful paragraphs that draw the reader into
the story, your next step is to chop it down to the minimum pages allowed.
It's the hardest thing but it's a necessary part of the writing
process. You just have to do this knowing that your best work is going
to be what is left after you have eliminated all of the fluff and repetition. William Strunk was really big
on omitting needless words. He said, "Vigorous writing is concise,"
and he said that, "a sentence should contain no unnecessary words,
a paragraph no unnecessary sentences." I think a lot of people think
that omitting needless words means they need to cut down their sentences
and paragraphs to the point where they sacrifice style, but this is
not what he meant. Strunk went on to explain that
you do not include unnecessary words and sentences, "for the same
reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine
no unnecessary parts." You're not going to leave out an integral
part of a drawing to make the drawing smaller. You're not going to
leave off an essential bolt to make the machine lighter. Strunk said,
"Make every word tell." That's a very powerful statement. I think
most filmmakers can relate to this because this is the essence of good
filmmaking. Make every scene count. Eva,
how do you stay on track? The best way to stay on track
is to work from a design. That way you're not going to veer off in
a direction and write about things that are not essential. Know exactly
what you are trying to accomplish then develop an outline so you achieve
all of your points. The following outline works
well for funders. Use this guide as your standard outline and add additional
elements according to each sponsor's requirements: Log Line: One
sentence that describes your film, the genre, and the length of your
film. Introduction/Synopsis:
(from Carole's point of view) Your introduction is the most
important part of the film proposal (after your log line). Potential
funders want to see two or three dynamite paragraphs that visually describe
the film you want to make. If you're project is a documentary, chances
are you don't know what the final product is until you've finished
your final edit. That's okay; just tell the story. People fund engaging
stories. Don't let them get lost in paragraph after paragraph about
the history. Tell the story. Creating this visual description
of the film is an excellent exercise to help you, as the filmmaker,
visualize what your story really is about and how you plan to tell the
story. It is an exercise that will take your film to a new dimension.
Focus on these three paragraphs because they are what make us stop,
sit up straight and visualize the film with you. Once you've got our
attention, we will read every single word. Follow Eva's outline below.
If your film is engaging, and you've put it into a concise outline,
we will want to fund it. Acquaint the reader with essential
information about the background of your story and your main characters.
Don't bombard the reader with information. Give them just enough detail
to capture their attention and motivate them to keep reading. Next, explain why you want
to do this film and why it will be of interest to others. What specific
concerns will be addressed and why? Who will benefit and how? What will
your film accomplish? This is where you will insert
the hook! You have already determined that your film fits the sponsor's
guidelines for funding. Now carefully study the sponsor's mission
statement and use it to create an original statement that demonstrates
how your film relates to the sponsor's specific goals and priorities.
This is a critical part of your proposal and it is something that most
of your competitors will overlook. Approach, Structure &
Style This is where you will describe how to approach your story as a filmmaker. Structure is the framework
that holds up each element of your story. Describe how your story will
unfold and how the subjects will move through each of these elements
from beginning to end. Is your story an intimate personal journey or
an expose? Are you going to use narration? Is there a connective thread
that will tie all of the elements of the story together? Sponsors want strong stories
that have strong characters. How will your subjects relate to each other
and how will they impact the story? Will your subjects experience personal
growth? Will they help others grow? How will they carry the story forward
through the conflict, the climax, and the final outcome? How will your
audience react to the dramatic tension and what will they learn by the
end of the story? Describe how your film will stir viewers to action
and inspire them to make a difference. Documentaries can be character
driven or concept driven. In America we love films that are character
driven, where Europeans like concept driven films more than we do.
If your film is concept driven, I suggest that you take some of the
characters and wrap your proposal around them for the American audiences. We want to know who these people
are. Are they fathers, religious, caring, giving people?
Tell us the essence of the person and give us some visual description
if you can't put a picture in the proposal, let us see and feel your
characters. If you are shooting life as
it unfolds you may not know the final outcome. Explain this, then describe
several possible outcomes and describe how you will approach each of
these scenarios. Remember, a story does not have to have a clear-cut
solution to have resolution. An open-ended film that leaves unresolved
issues can be even more compelling than a story that reveals how the
lives of the characters or events turn out. Style includes all of the techniques
that will give your film its own unique quality or tone. This might
include camera work, lighting techniques, or your interview style. Include
everything that will project your personal imprint onto the story. Avoid
getting lost in a lot of technical detail. Instead, explain (show) how
a certain technique or style will be used to carry the story forward
or illuminate a specific character. Avoid describing one specific
approach unless you have completed all of your research and are convinced
there is only one way you can tell the story. Research can reveal twists
and turns that can dramatically alter your approach and changing approaches
once a sponsor has already funded you can be sticky. If you are not
sure which way you will approach your story, describe several approaches
that you are exploring and explain how your subjects might respond to
each of these approaches. Coming up with an idea for
a film is easy; nailing down the best approach is the hard part. If
you have not decided on an approach, exploring and writing about different
methods and ideas will draw you closer to your project. Theme The theme is what your story
is about. If it is difficult to pinpoint an exact theme then your story
is probably underdeveloped. Don't worry, dig deeper and do more research.
Your theme will emerge as you continue to research and write. When I first started researching
the idea for Searcher for Souls I concentrated on how the ongoing consequence
of war affects a family for generations. It was an important theme but
I knew something was missing. It was only after I went to Europe and
spent two months researching my subject that another theme began to
unfold. Philippe Castellano is a French
explorer who has spent over 20 years searching for lost American flyers
who fell from the sky during the Second World War. As I followed and
observed my subject I began to notice remarkable similarities between
Philippe and the young American flyers he was looking for. As you research your story,
don't forget to stand back and observe. Look for hidden themes that
connect the elements of your story. Audience, Marketing, and
Distribution Your sponsors will want to
know about your intended audience. Is your film about a subject that
has worldwide appeal? Do you plan to target a specific community? Is
it educational or commercial? How will the market support your audience
and how do you intend to distribute your film to this audience? Give
statistics that support the size of your audience and explain how your
film will appeal to these audiences. Never say "everyone"
will love this film. You need to know the demographics based on
age, location, income, etc. How have you approached distribution?
Are you pursuing a specific network or cable television market? Does
your film have a rental market? Will it be featured in public libraries,
museums, or university collections? Will you enter your film in festivals?
Sponsors want to see that you have a distribution plan and that you
are exploring several options. Provide copies of letters of support
from key individuals, networks, and anyone that can help support the
fact that your film will be seen. Budget Your budget must be a reasonable projection of how much it will cost to produce, distribute, and market your film. Make sure your budget is consistent with the production ideas you have described. Explain where you plan to come up with the rest of the funds to meet your budget. This is also where you will describe how you will use the award if you should win. Make sure you include a brief
statement acknowledging the goals and objectives of the foundation and
make it clear that you will use the award accordingly. Let the sponsor
know how much you need this grant and that it will be used to create
a film that will help advance their cause. A film budget can have many
hidden elements that can come back to bite you. If your budget is too
big you might scare off a potential sponsor. On the other hand, if your
budget is not in line with your production ideas a potential sponsor
may feel you are too inexperienced or unrealistic. There are budget
templates and budget software programs out there to help you create
a budget but most beginning filmmakers need to consult with a professional
who knows the ins and outs of breaking down a script. Filmmaker's Statement
and Biography Include a short biographical
sketch of each of the principal filmmakers. Describe any film grants
that you have won and sponsors that you have secured. Be sure you attach
the appropriate documents in an appendix. Include past awards and notable
achievements as well. Attach letters of recommendation from industry
professionals, letters from key officials supporting your project, and
letters of support from industry mentors and advisors. If you need to brush up on
your writing skills Eva suggests William Strunk's The Elements of
Style, now available online at http://www.bartleby.com/, and Purdue University's online writing
lab located at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Both of these resources feature
search engines that allow you to easily find answers to your writing
and grammar questions. Just remember, if you hire a professional writer
to help you with your proposal you need to make sure your passion is
projected in the final proposal. The most important thing is
never give up! Keep applying for those grants and keep your project
in front of potential funders. For a help with your proposal, Carole Dean does personal consultations to move your work to a higher level. caroleedean@att.net |
