What number of instances this month have you ever already been requested to donate to crowdfunding campaigns? One might simply go broke donating to each play, quick movie, or web-series that buddies are starring in! I’m pondering of beginning a crowdfunding marketing campaign merely to assist replenish my checking account for all the campaigns I’ve contributed to.
Right here’s the factor. Crowdfunding is widespread for a motive—it’s a useful gizmo for actors who need to create their very own tasks with out coping with the effort of buyers and sponsors (or begging their households). It’s palms down the simplest and most reasonably priced method to get a challenge off the bottom. As an alternative of ready round for auditions, we are able to self-produce, write dream roles for ourselves, and lift cash for tasks we’re really captivated with. As an alternative of asking our lengthy misplaced Aunt Cathy for $10,000, we are able to ask all of our buddies (actual and digital) to chip in small quantities, and provide signed posters and social media shoutouts in return. Sounds simple, proper?
However a variety of us are affected by “crowdfunding fatigue,” and admittedly can’t afford to help each challenge on the market. As a creator, you now it’s a must to go above and past to create a profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign, one that actually grabs the viewers and stands out from the gang.
A number of months in the past, I raised $17,000 on Indiegogo for a marketing campaign I did for my quick horror movie “Conceal/Search”, which I directed and is now on the competition circuit. Our authentic purpose was $10,000, and we had been in a position to increase 178% of our purpose, which is taken into account very profitable. At the moment I’m in the course of my second marketing campaign for a brand new webseries I’m directing referred to as “Fairly Individuals, Inc,” utilizing the identical platform. I’ve realized so much about this course of, have achieved a variety of analysis, and I’m right here to cross alongside some tricks to you.
1. Select the appropriate platform in your challenge.
Large platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter are used for all the things from movies to bodily product launches, whereas different, smaller websites like Seed and Spark are extra particularly focused to funding movies. All of them take a share of your complete quantity raised. Do your analysis. Some provide versatile funding (the place you retain the cash raised regardless of how a lot), and a few provide fastened funding (the place you solely preserve the cash in the event you attain your purpose).
2. Determine on a funds.
It’s important to be real looking right here. Should you ask for an excessive amount of, individuals will suppose you might be loopy. What’s real looking? It’s all the time good to get a line producer to present you an thought of what your challenge will value earlier than you resolve on a marketing campaign funds. Are you doing a check pilot for a web-series, or a full-scale function movie? In your marketing campaign, clarify to your viewers precisely the place that cash goes, be trustworthy, and break it down into line gadgets. With these campaigns, belief is all the things, and you want to let your viewers know you could have achieved your analysis. Don’t neglect so as to add in post-production prices, like sound mixing, enhancing, and competition submissions!
3. Know your viewers.
Who’re you advertising and marketing this to? Pals? Horror followers? Is your viewers area of interest or are you reaching out to a extra various group? While you begin to market your marketing campaign on social media, you need to be particular and provide perks that cater to that viewers. To encourage engagement, I stored a weblog the place I posted behind the scenes pictures and wrote articles on the casting course of, manufacturing, in addition to publish manufacturing.
READ: “Methods to Get Forged in a Horror Movie”
4. Supply particular perks.
While you ask your viewers for cash, you get to supply nice perks in return. These can vary from “particular thanks” on the finish of the movie, to a downloadable hyperlink to the completed challenge, to dinner with the artistic crew, and even an affiliate producer credit score for the highest donators (normally reserved for individuals who donate $1000 or extra). These perks get your viewers excited, and extra invested within the challenge.
After I created the marketing campaign for my quick horror movie “Conceal/Search,” I catered to horror followers, in addition to my performing college students at MN Performing Studio. In return for his or her funding, I used to be in a position to provide perks that will be engaging to this group comparable to personal performing teaching and enterprise consultations.
Realizing who your viewers is and providing perks that relate to them is essential. Hold it private, and join! And as soon as the movie is over, make certain to ship in your perks! Should you don’t, they are going to by no means donate to your tasks ever once more.
5. Make a fantastic video.
The marketing campaign video is all the things. The standard of the video is straight associated to the manufacturing worth of the challenge. Should you spend the time and vitality to make an thrilling, top quality video describing your challenge, why you might be captivated with it, and who’s concerned, your viewers will probably be extra prone to donate. I’ve seen too many individuals do that incorrect, and never spend sufficient time on this.
6. Hold the momentum.
Should you create a 30-day marketing campaign to lift funds, likelihood is the preliminary pleasure of donating will put on off after a number of days. That is the place you need to get savvy, and proceed to publish about it on social media in fascinating methods, so to maintain curiosity as you get nearer to your finish date. Hold your viewers excited, remind them how a lot you could have left to lift, what number of days, and provide them thrilling tidbits into the pre-production course of.
Good luck! I sit up for donating to your challenge.
