How can I get my documentary funded?

How can I get my documentary funded?

10 Documentary Funding Ideas

1. Self-Funding. Savings, credit cards, personal loans and 401K’s.
2. Friends and Family. This documentary funding idea is a very real option for many first-time filmmakers.
3. Email or Text Campaign.
4. Wealthy Individuals.
5. Get THAT Person Talking.
6. Filmmaking Grants.
7. Crowdfunding.
8. Special Events.

How do I get my documentary on Netflix?

How does an independent filmmaker get their movie on Netflix?

1. Answer from Peter Hamilton / Documentary & TV Business Consultant.
2. Option 1: Pitch to Netflix directly.
3. Option 2: Find an agent.
4. Option 3: Work with a distributor.
5. Option 4: Marry up with an A-list producer.
6. Option 5: Hire a top attorney.
7. Option 6: Go Global!

How much is the Sundance Documentary Grant?

$450,000. The Documentary Film Program at Sundance Institute provides direct funding to documentary film projects and year-round professional development opportunities for independent filmmakers.

Where can I submit documentaries?

10 Documentary Film Festivals Accepting Submissions Right Now

• Boulder International Film Festival.
• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.
• SF Documentary Fest.
• Seattle International Film Festival.
• Cinema at the Edge Festival.
• Taiwan International Documentary Festival.
• Hot Docs.
• Docaviv.

How do you sell a documentary?

5 Tips for Selling Your Indie Documentary

1. From day one, Know your audience and build awareness.
2. Apply for a doc grant or program, and/or attach a notable executive producer.
3. Get a sales agent.
4. Find the Festival where you can stand out.
5. Go with the distributor you can trust.

What does PBS pay for documentaries?

Documentaries are eligible for production or post-production funding and must be intended for public television broadcast. Awards typically range between $15,000 and $50,000.

Are people paid to be in documentaries?

On average you are paid $100-$200 per day. The amount of money you can make is dependent on the number of days or hours of filming that you’ll be involved in as well as how many other people are on set with you.

What does Netflix pay for scripts?

When comparing the two streamers, Netflix pays notably more than Amazon for these screenplay deals, with median total guaranteed compensation of $375,000 versus $300,000 at Amazon.
…
Screen Compensation Guide for Streaming Services.

What is a typical documentary film budget?

By industry standards, a documentary costs between $750 -1250 per minute of the duration. However, you can easily make a low-budget documentary under $15000. A big-budget documentary can run beyond $2 million in production.

How do you release a documentary?

We’ve compiled a list of seven ways you can distribute your documentary film that range from DIY to broadcast TV.

1. Online Self-Distribution. The first step in distributing online is targeting your audience.
2. Online Documentary Channels.
3. Film Festivals.
4. Awards.
5. Broadcast Television.
6. Theatrical Release.
7. DVD.

How do you pitch a documentary proposal?

Your proposal is a summary of the documentary. It’s the first content that investors will read, so make it engaging to hold their interest.
Include details such as:

1. Your target genre.
2. Your documentary log line.
3. Your budget needs.
4. Your style inspiration.
5. Your target audience.
6. Time and resources needed.

How do I find a documentary maker?

Contact some local hospitals and find out if there are any film crews already working on videos relating to health care. Hire a documentary mentor here on Desktop Documentaries. Join a filmmakers chat room such as the D-Word, Creative Cow, DVXuser or a documentary filmmaker’s LinkedIn group and pitch your project.

How much can you get paid for a documentary?

How much does a Documentary Filmmaker make? As of Sep 12, 2022, the average annual pay for a Documentary Filmmaker in the United States is $58,698 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.22 an hour.

Can you make money from a documentary?

Of course documentaries can make money, but maybe not much
As a general rule, documentaries are not big money makers unless you’re Michael Moore. Of course there are always exceptions, but depending on your subject, there usually is simply not the mass audience for documentaries like there is with fiction films.

How do I sell my documentary on PBS?

How to Get Your Documentary on Public Television

1. Familiarize Yourself with PBS Programming.
2. Pick up the Phone or Send an Email.
3. Get to Know Your Local PBS Affiliate.
4. Be Prepared to Offer Your Film in Alternate Lengths.
5. Make Sure You Meet Editorial Standards.
6. Check Your Funding Sources.

Do people on documentaries get paid?

If you are a documentary filmmaker, you NEVER pay anyone for participating. NEVER. If you are making a commercial release fiction film or entertainment this is a different issue. But a documentary takes us into the world of journalism, and journalism has certain rules and standards.

How do I sell my documentary?

Sites like Vimeo and Youtube are a great place to actually release the documentary. , which matches your film to video streaming sites; and IndieReign, which equips filmmakers with tools to self-distribute and sell directly to their fans. You can find more avenues for DIY distribution at PBS.

Does Netflix pay people on documentaries?

How do I sell my screenplay to Netflix?

Netflix only accepts submissions through a licensed literary agent, or from a producer, attorney, manager, or entertainment executive with whom they have a pre-existing relationship. Any idea that is submitted by other means is considered an “unsolicited submission” and thus, sadly, they won’t accept it.

How do I sell my script to Hollywood?

7 Ways to Sell Your Story (Script, Book, Stage Play or Podcast) to “Hollywood”

1. Sell/Option to a Producer or Production Company.
2. Get Management Representation.
3. Attend a Film Market.
4. Get into a Development Program.
5. Connect with an Up-and-Coming Director or Producer to Get the Film Made.
6. Create Your Own IP.
7. Use a Pitch Platform.

How much is a 30 minute documentary?

It can be anything between $1000 and $10000, so you can estimate the budget of making a 30-minute documentary will cost between $30000 to $300000. After all, the length of a documentary is directly proportional to the cost of production.

How much do networks pay for documentaries?

Original programs are developed by the network specifically for its audience, and the network owns those programs. For example, OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network) is reported to pay between $80,000 and $150,000 for US rights for features that are acquired for the Oprah Winfrey Documentary Club.

How do I market my documentary?

The most established and proven way to market a documentary is to show it at a major festival. Obviously, there are key festivals that buyers attend, and the rest of them are worthless. Showcasing your work at the key festivals like SXSW, Sundance and Toronto puts your doc in front of potential buyers and sales agents.

What are the different types of documentaries?

The six main categories of the documentary films are:

• Poetic Documentary.
• Expository Documentary.
• Observational Documentary.
• Participatory Documentary.
• Reflexive Documentary.
• Performative Documentary.
• Narrative Modes and Documentary Structures.
• De-Bromhead’s Documentary Modes.

How much does it cost to make a 30 minute documentary?