October Sun Films

When I started thinking about putting together my first documentary movie, the largest issue I had was where to get the money for it! This is a common problem among unknown documentarians. Breaking into the industry is difficult enough, but finding someone to fund an unknown director / writer / producer can be a real headache.

The best advice I can give is to keep it simple. For your first documentary, don’t try to out-do National Geographic. Start small. Find something local which is interesting and not over-saturated with available information. By starting local you’ll help keep initial costs of production (like travel expenses) at a minimum. You’ll also be able to find local talent, which again, will slim down your budget.

After you have decided upon a “do-able” subject matter, start looking for organizations or individuals who are interested, would benefit from, or could use a documentary on your chosen subject matter. If you approach your hopeful backers with a reasonable expense quote, quick turn around estimate (remember, this will be a simple first documentary) and convince them that the documentary is not only needed, but beneficial to them personally, you’re much more likely to land an enthusiastic backer for your first documentary. Good luck!