TIPS FOR INDIE FILM MAKERS DURING RECESSION

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  I rewrote and edited this article from The Independent (http://www.independent-magazine.org)

How Indie Filmmakers CAN beat the RECESSION blues.Isn't it trying times now?Well, the recession is still looming far ahead, raging to cast a dampener on small time film producers all over the world.

For these indie filmmakers, funding must be secured, well before you even dare think about box office takings.No funding, no movie.Potential investors sometimes promise a lot, but when it's time to sign on the dotted line, they beat a fast retreat.Life's real and that's the name of the REEL game.Hollywood actor and director Antonio Banderas lamented recently that the financial crisis had dealt a heavy blow to independent film-makers."The crisis has taken us by surprise and it is stabbing us in the back," said the Spaniard, who starred in hit films including Desperado and Evita."It is very difficult to get a penny from a bank now, we are in a difficult situation," he added, speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he was presenting the first film he has directed, "El Camino de los Ingleses" ("Summer Rain").With the current global credit crunch and fewer investors willing to take a plunge on low-budget films, independent filmmakers must seek to exercise their creativity in original ways: doing side jobs, internet publicity and alternative fundraising solutions.

investigated a few innovative ideas for cash-strapped filmmakers to survive through difficult times.

Freelance

This may seem obvious, since independent filmmakers may be juggling multiple careers already. However, due to cutbacks and layoffs, several industries are replacing staffers with freelancers.

For example in the media industry, full-time commercial filming jobs have been cut and freelancers are in demand.

Local news stations with tightening budgets are increasingly likely to take a chance on a young independent filmmaker who may be willing to offer lower rates than established professionals.

Go Viral

You may not have Joss Whedon’s budget and celebrity friends, but you don’t need to make the next to get major Internet play and an open door for future opportunities when the economy recovers.

Vimeo, for example, offers a supportive and growing community of directors and a stated goal of “inspiring members to take that next step… to go from a pro-sumer to a professional.”The Vimeo staff regularly promotes their favorite videos and has the power to launch them across the web Atom.com, which both hires filmmakers full-time and features a royalty-paying "Go Pro" program for top user-rated videos, and Revver.com.

Get Free Distribution

Indieflixis a unique film distribution company that strives to empower un-established independent filmmakers to make money off of major online film distributors.

Though they are selective about which movies they accept (it should be an “official selection” at a film festival), it is free to apply and if your film is chosen, you retain all the rights.

Indieflixwill market your film to their own users as well as to sites like Hulu and Netflix in return for a 30 percent commission.

Recently, Indieflix has branched into social networking-powered marketing and educational distribution.

 Amazon's Createspace.com offers similar Internet distribution opportunities, giving filmmakers the opportunity to sell DVDs and video downloads through amazon.com.

Setup is free and you earn royalties on every order while retaining the rights to your film.

Go Public

A group of British filmmakers took an innovative approach to combating dried-up funding: they started a website and allowed visitors to buy shares in their film, , which is suitably enough about the “emotional effects of the rescission.”

Visitors to MichaelsResignation.com can invest as little as 5 British Pounds to have a stake in the film, and they stand to make money for both themselves and the film’s crew. Brian Pickard engineered a similar "production by committee" strategy for his film .

Depending on an investors contribution, they unlock special website access to behind-the-scenes facts, forums for expressing opinions on the movie's progress, and advance copies of the completed film.

For her latest film, , filmmaker Valerie Weiss received fiscal sponsorship from the 501(c)3 Filmmakers Alliance, which means that contributors can choose to make tax deductible contributions to the film's budget as an alternative to investing.

Investors and contributors receive updates and mention in the closing credits; those who donate over $1,000 are invited to the cast and crew screening in L.A. Public investment schemes have the potential to attract funding while bringing your film early buzz and a committed community.EVERYTHING IS WORTH A TRY DURING RECESSION.The above content may appear a tad technical to some.However, let's put it this way:Nothing ventured,  nothing gained.Right?

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