It has been my goal the entire process while fundraising to be as transparent as possible because I really want everyone to be aware of exactly where their contributions are going. I also always wanted to stress that there will be an end result, regardless of the funding. Necessary cuts will be made, but the 11/13 shoot date is finalized. My only efforts now are to continue to fundraise to really get the best result out of our post-production process.
The initial seed money roughly covers the actors fees, crew rates, and initial equipment and the necessary required insurance, as well as the necessary COVID Health and Human Services officer. These will all be the production's first expenses and will be paid out before or on the shoot date (11/13).
Post-production and other expenses also need to be collected and paid out by 11/13. Reimbursements cover the meals and the travel to & from set. The post-production of sound and editing are both expenses that I was able to increase due to the first initial wave of fundraising! The quality and professionalism of the companies and individuals that I was able to hire is absolutely remarkable. I am so grateful that most contracts that I have signed have given me a generously reduced rate either due to relationships with our crew or an interest in the project, after reading the script. However, there is still $2000 left for me to continue to raise based on the individuals already signed onto the project. Once we guarantee that the necessary parties involved will all receive full compensation, I will begin to use any remaining funds towards festival fees and additional equipment.
With this being my first production ever, budgeting has been a challenge only because estimating certain crew members or post-production is difficult without any previous knowledge or comparison. I have been lucky to surround myself with extremely knowledgeable and supportive people that have helped in every step of the way.
With a good start and a decent amount of initial seed money, I was confident that fundraising and crowdsourcing would not be too difficult. I have such an amazingly generous and supportive community surrounding me and they all really came together in the first couple of days. The support and encouragement I felt from my family, friends, and colleagues was so touching and such a push towards really creating something that we can be proud of.
Now, besides for the continuation of utilizing social media platforms, I also want to continue this blog, in hopes that others interest in production can value from my process and also, perhaps contribute to BLANCHE. I also have reached out to blogs and accounts online that focus on production, women in film, mental health awareness, and more. I have begun to do research in grant proposals, but not with much success so far. I would really appreciate any direction or tips in continuing these fundraising efforts.