Financing / Crowdfunding

I just polished a 12-episode dark, character-driven crime/drama series, and I’m exploring how it might appeal to serious financiers or producers.

Question for the community:

If you were looking to acquire a full-season property with strong hooks, twists, and cinematic potential, what would you want to see from an opening scene to feel confident in investing?

Here’s a taste of mine (Episode 1 – opening scene snippet):

Episode 1

EXT. PRISON – DAY

A grim concrete fortress rises against a gray sky. Wind rustles dry leaves across cracked asphalt. A bus rattles toward the gates, wheels crunching over loose gravel, leaving a trail of dust. Barbed-wire fences sway slightly in the breeze.

INT. BUS – DAY

Jake sits alone, hunched, restless, eyes darting across empty seats. The bus jerks to a halt, metal screeching. He grips the seat in front of him, knuckles white.

JAKE (V.O.)

I once heard… love is the answer to life’s problems. Not mine, I guess.

Two guards step aboard, boots thudding heavily.

GUARD 1

Jake Turner?

Jake doesn’t respond, staring ahead.

GUARD 2

(grabs Jake’s arm)

C’mon. You fucked up. Deal with it.

Jake nods mechanically.

JAKE

Thanks.

GUARD 2

Hurry up, Houdini.

They approach the checkpoint.

GUARD 1

Special precautions?

GUARD 2

Why would this junkie need special treatment? Judge already chose him. Criminal by choice.

JAKE

No… I didn’t. Why would I choose this?

GUARD 2

Shut up, scum.

Guard squeezes Jake’s arm briefly. He flinches but keeps moving.

CHECKPOINT GUARD

Flight risk. Keep him away from dealers or violence.

GUARD 1

Wing?

CHECKPOINT GUARD

3B.

JAKE (V.O.)

I tried to love… guess love didn’t try back.

Guard 2 shoves him through heavy metal doors.

I’m genuinely curious what seasoned financiers and producers think, and any insights would help me refine the pitch and potentially open discussions about full season rights or collaboration.

Short film funding is always challenging. Grants are highly competitive and private investors often hesitate because the financial return on a short is limited at best. Though if your short is conceived as a "proof of concept" for a feature, there are creative ways to approach financing that can align investor interests more closely with your long-term vision.

One method is to frame your short as part of the development costs for the feature film. In practical terms, this means positioning the short as an early stage of feature development, with investor funds categorized under that line item. If and when the feature is green-lit, the short film investors can be repaid from the feature budget. Some agreements even allow them the option (not the guarantee) to roll into the feature investment itself. The key phrase to use is "best efforts" as you cannot promise them a place in the feature, but you can certainly express your intention to keep them close to the project.

There are, of course, pitfalls to avoid:

* Don’t overpromise or blur the line between short and feature financing. Make sure your legal documents reflect reality.

* Don’t attempt to shoot a “mini-feature” in the guise of a short. Proof-of-concept shorts should demonstrate tone, style, and storytelling potential — not try to cram in the entire arc of the feature.

* Protect yourself by clarifying investor expectations in writing. Ambiguity can create problems later when the feature moves forward.

Another powerful strategy is aligning your short with a cause. If your story intersects with a social issue, you might partner with a nonprofit whose mission aligns with your themes. This could mean a portion of funds raised goes toward the nonprofit, but the benefits go far beyond philanthropy:

It strengthens your story’s relevance and gives your project purpose beyond entertainment.

The nonprofit can help amplify your fundraising and visibility.

The partnership can evolve into an impact campaign later, once your feature is completed.

These strategies won’t magically remove all barriers to funding, but they can shift the conversation from “Why would anyone invest in a short?” to “How can this short become a meaningful stepping stone in a larger journey?”

I’d love to hear your thoughts: Would you be interested in a workshop where we dive deeper into the practicalities of structuring short film agreements and partnerships?

Raising private equity is extremely difficult, grants are scarce, and crowdfunding is a highly competitive landscape. But there is a unicorn off in the distance that may work for your next project. Hear me out...

Dramas are tough to pitch and produce. Social issue indie dramas... Even tougher. The evidence for a fiscal return on dramatic features without an A-list star attached is scarce. There are outliers of course, but any equity investor worth their weight that isn't your great aunt will want to see a clear path. Hell, for my project, I even had partial funding and a BAFTA-winning lead attached, but the thing just dissolved.

"Why not partner with a non-profit?" people would eagerly suggest. If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times. Sure, it makes sense in theory. Like minds, an aligned vision... what could go wrong? In my experience, most NP's that I met with couldn't see the value in a small indie drama as a way to promote their agenda. Trust me... I tried every conceivable angle, but in the end... non-profits are very protective of their donor base and of every dollar they bring in. There's virtually no room for a "roll of the dice."

But, just as I was hanging up my spurs on this project, I heard about a fiscal sponsorship opportunity through my local film society. Here's how it worked for me...

• My local Film Society is a registered 501 (c) (3) with a stated mission to promote and grow the local film ecosystem.

• They offer an avenue for filmmakers to partner with them and use their non-profit status to solicit donations to the film society on behalf of the sponsored project. Meaning, Someone interested in making a tax-deductable donation to a film project can do so through the film society.

• The donor gets the tax write off, the film society takes an admin fee of 6% from every donation, and the remainder is kept in escrow for eventual withdraw and use by the filmmaker to make their project. It's that simple.

Of course the film project must exist as a registered LLC with the state and any moneys withdrawn for the project in any given year will be taxed, but if you follow the rules and make fundraising a mission, you could just raise enough to put your script on the screen. Plus... and this is the best part... there are no investors with whom you need to split profits (providing you make a great film and distribute effectively).

In complete transparency, I raised just under $10K in donations through the fiscal sponsorship agreement without a ton of effort. I have a couple of other big projects that have now taken precedent but I plan to relaunch this campaign and will of course keep you all posted on the progress.

So, do any of you have experience with a fiscal sponsor? Let us know in the comments below. Success stories are the best stories!

New York City has long been one of the most recognizable backdrops in film and television history. But in recent years, productions have increasingly looked elsewhere, chasing stronger tax credits in states like Georgia or countries like Canada and the UK.

That may be about to change. Earlier this year, Governor Kathy Hochul approved a major expansion of New York State’s film and TV incentives, increasing the program to $800 million annually and adding specific boosts for independent productions.

Here are a few highlights from the updated program:

• Base 30% incentive with regional step-ups.

• New $100 million fund earmarked specifically for indie productions, with faster payout timelines.

• Additional 10% bonus for production companies that shoot at least two projects in New York through 2028 (up to 40% total incentive).

• Removal of the $500,000 cap on above-the-line costs (actors, directors, etc.).

• Lowered eligibility for VFX and animation subsidies.

This expansion is designed to lure both studios and independents back to NYC, with officials calling it a “momentous expansion” that cements New York’s place as a global production hub.

Read the full Deadline article here: https://deadline.com/2025/09/hot-spots-new-york-city-film-tax-incentives...

For producers and financiers, this raises some key questions:

• How will these new incentives affect your budgeting and location strategy?

• Do you see New York becoming competitive again with places like Georgia, Canada, or Eastern Europe?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/zurich-summit-brings-old-money-to-fuel-film-financing-1236379924/

For my next film, the EP and I are considering a small crowdfunding campaign to round out the edges. We already have cash in the bank and a solid line to much of the rest of the budget. However, we'd love to have just a teeny bit extra to offer some extra incentives. Maybe $15K or $20K.

My experience with crowdfunding is mixed. I've had some good results and some not-so-good results, finding that no one approach can be replicated with the same results.

I'd love to hear your stories about how you all use it (if at all) for your projects.

Has anyone here applied successfully for an OAC grant? I would love any tips people have.