Making money from a short film

Andy Anies November 16, at pm. Democratisation brings a wholly new playing field that encourages cheaper content and can sometimes make it harder for thoughtful work to stand out. But at this sticky moment in history, we still haven’t found a way to connect buyers to creators in a streamlined fashion. Build relationships with people who have access to your market. There are plenty of people out there that have no intention of making a penny from their film, they just want to make one. You could shoot viral things and use that money and platform to show your art?

1. Be a ‘predator’

We use cookies to improve the services we offer you. By continuing to browse this site, you consent to keep them in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Edited by Nataly Bogorad. Are you a new filmmaker looking for a profitable career? If you are, then you must have considered making your first short film to kick-start that dream. And while it might seem like an impossible job in the beginning, it is not actually hard maaking achieve and with a website like YouTube, you have a chance to reach an audience at any part of the world.

How I Made Over $90,000 Selling my Short Film + Video Tutorials

He’s not wrong ; industry-wide, we are struggling to finance our movies, let alone make ends meet in a market that is constantly in flux. So, what is a filmmaker to do? Zacuto ‘s five-part series has some answers. Watch all five videos and see below for the most important takeaways. The key to being marketable as a filmmaker, says Weiss, is to become a jack of all trades. And you can start your own production company, then move to the bigger stuff. It’s American Idol.

1. Be a ‘predator’

He’s not wrong ; industry-wide, we are struggling to finance our movies, let alone make ends meet in a market that is constantly in flux. So, what is a filmmaker to do? Zacuto ‘s five-part series has some answers. Watch all five videos and see below for the most important takeaways. The key to being marketable as a filmmaker, says Weiss, is to become a jack of all trades. And you can start your own production company, then move to the bigger stuff.

It’s American Idol. I always ask students coming out of film school, ‘Would you rather do weddings and corporate jobs and make one short film a year, or work at Starbucks and make one short film a year? They say Starbucks. That’s the wrong answer, according to Weiss. Film students can’t expect to come right out of the gate and be offered their directorial debut. Instead, young filmmakers are better served to get their feet wet in corporate videos. Wnuk agrees. Some ways to build your audience: shoot educational content, behind-the-scenes footage, shootouts, or inspirational material that is easily shareable.

Weiss also recommends you take to YouTube with some heavy-hitting imagery. And remember: «When you gather a lot of people in an audience, you need to sell them shit,» says Weiss. I mean, look at Amazon! Please don’t post these anti-film, anti-art videos. I’d pick a dozen theaters over 3m views any day. On the side note, these guys aren’t making any money compared to those «crazy» film students that end up making feature films. Old ferengi proverb «Integrity and a sack is worth the sack.

It’s comments like this that inform us that you are not a working professional in this field. You’ve got a lot to learn, kid.

Can’t you do both? You could shoot viral things and use that money and platform to show your art? How relevant is this advice to filmmakers starting out today though? These are old guys who got their start a long time ago in a different age and with an admitted huge stroke of luck. Sure, the Internet is a huge opportunity with potential for literally millions of viewers, but there are also thousands of other people making videos and you have to find a way for yourself to stand out, and not just be seen once, but for people to keep coming back for.

And you have to do all of this without money—by the way, what are you supposed to live on for those five years after film school while you hone your craft and build a business? And furthermore, how can you get a team member to take care of the business side of things and find you jobs if you can’t afford to pay them? I’m not proud.

I’m more than happy to work on corporate videos to bring in the money while I continue making narrative films. Nevertheless it’s a constant struggle to keep finding work. It seems like corporations are becoming even less willing to pay decent prices for good films, because they can «do it themselves» or someone else is willing to give them an inferior product which they may or may not know for less money.

That’s often hundreds of hours of many people’s work plus equipment plus the inevitable money you end up spending during production. I agree that there is a huge potential market out there: sure, lots more people are making films, but lots more people are wanting them. But at this sticky moment in history, we still haven’t found a way to connect buyers to creators in a streamlined fashion. Media curating companies are popping up all over the place, but it can be hard to know who to trust, often the deals are so bad, and I don’t know how many times I’ve created profiles on their websites and never got a whisper about any work from.

I really don’t think we can depend on models from the past to figure out how to make it today, except for things that will always be true, like work hard, don’t give up, do excellent work. It would be really nice to hear from filmmakers who’ve made it in today’s world and are in the same boat we are. Some of the advice in this article is relevant. Some is not. Both my features have sold to every major territory.

My latest feature had wide release theatrical runs in both Australia and New Zealand and is also going to theatres in many other territories including China and the US early next year. My advice is learn to do everything from script to screen to keep your budgets real low, know your market and build your pipeline to it.

Build relationships with people who have access to your market. A tricky subject to be sure, but all of these videos assume that the sole aim of being a filmmaker is to make money. It’s the exact opposite of the Jodorowsky article about making films to lose money. Ask any musician if making music is a sensible way to make a living. It isn’t, it’s probably the worst way on the planet to make money. So why do they bother? Sometimes life is about the stuff you do for yourself not about the things you do to for a wage.

There are plenty of people out there that have no intention of making a penny from their film, they just want to make one. Just like the people that want to write a novel, rather than some copy for a Doritos ad, and people who’d rather make experimental jazz than a jingle for the latest price comparison site. The decisions you make during this small time on a dying planet don’t all need to be career based.

Sometimes you need to just do whatever the fuck you want. Even if you lose money doing it. That’s true, Liam. Sometimes people who create don’t have a reason for it that they can explain, and it’s just because they have something to express and the ability to express it.

That’s art, and it’s beautiful, and it’s worthwhile in. However, most of us don’t have the luxury to indulge in such an expensive and all-consuming art form as filmmaking without getting some kind of financial compensation for it. Moreover, people who create meaningful art deserve to be paid for it, because it’s a gift that not everyone has and it’s also something that requires a lot of time to develop the skill.

And if you really want to spend your life making films, you need the financial freedom to dedicate yourself to it, instead of trying to squeeze it into evenings and weekends around your «real» job. Making money from a short film no shame in taking money for creating art, as long as you’re not selling your soul by creating work you hate. Good points all. I would never suggest that people shouldn’t get paid for making art. I would however suggest that a lot of corporate or wedding videos are not ‘art’.

Branded content isn’t really art. That said, it certainly doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to enjoy that work. I do lots of corporate or commercial shoots, some great, some terrible, but it is a good way to fund other projects and for the most part, I enjoy it. I suppose my main issue with these videos is that they seem to solely focus on the quickest way to get money in the bank, rather than any craft at all.

One quote: «If you can gather a group of people, you need to sell ’em shit» is just so ‘s macdonalds style capitalism and we all know it plays an enormous part in destroying the world. I know that we all meed money and we want to make videos or films, but to bow completely to large corporate companies and only make content that they are funding feels dangerous.

We need genuine artistic funding for artistic content to survive, and that is something that is still available in lots of countries across the world, but harder to find in the US from what I can gather. Maybe it’s a matter of criteria. You can make corporate things, being aware it’s corporate, and use that for anything else you want to. Yes you can make a film to satisfy your dream but you also have to think will I ever be able to make the next one. These guys are right on. Most creative people don’t know how to sell or promote their work.

Strongly recommend a course or book in the art of selling. Wow, really great share Emily. It helps a lot to have a clear cut idea on how film makers are making money these days — WalmartOne. It helps a lot to have a clear cut idea on how film makers are making money these days — minecraft pe aptoide.

In a winner takes all market, you have to find a way to pay the bills. Achieving financial independance without losing perspective independance is hard, probably the mother of all problems for the predator. Best Reply but Needs to be Proven — walmartone. This is incredible! I wish these could be shown to every new class coming into every film school, and then again right before graduating. So much of everything that’s said here is spot on. I think the best point made in all of them and ultimately the sticking point between art and commerce is: «Would you rather be making wedding and corporate videos to pay your bills and then make creative films on the side, or work at Starbucks to pay your bills and then make creative films on the side?

And if you’d rather be training your hands and eyes and feet to make the perfect latte over learning to expertly pull focus, or balance a gimbal, or set up dolly track, then good luck. There is something to be said for burnout, and if you’re the making money from a short film of person that can’t work on a set all day and then come home and still have the energy to do creative film work, that’s one thing.

But I’d honestly question whether this is something you want to do as a career or as a hobby. As the advice to aspiring filmmakers goes: «If you can do anything other than work in the film business, DON’T work in the film business. I loved this post — WalmartOne Login. Firstly, it’s difficult to take these guys seriously when there is no range in diversity, age, gender. They are simply talking over each other about their middle-aged white man’s experience in the film industry.

It’s been 6 years since I’ve been out of film school, so I guess I missed my chance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some dreamer millennial kid.

How We Make Money As Filmmakers — Short Film Breakdown — CRFTSHO

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Anyone can learn how to be a Producer fipm the need for school, unless of course if they have a very small IQ. So to wrap it up guys. While we decided to write something about this topic, one thing that we firstly decided was — Never write down here something not possible in this era and the writings should be understandable to. You get to know the real-time feedback on your film. Share your query to editor filmmakersfans. The money you make like a short filmmaker is your fee. In the US, crowdfunding campaigns and maxed-out credit cards fund most films, supplemented by occasional grants. We sold a handful of them but I wanted to give this to you guys not mondy as an example of making money from a short film can be done with a project but also just for fun for people who just want to see all those cool amazing artwork all the artists did. It’s the exact opposite of the Jodorowsky article about making films to lose money. Veljko The real answer defines here…. Many times you can get them to advertise their product and if you promise them good coverage and wider distribution, they will be more than interested to oblige. So, Mzking had to give a special place to Youtube. I still love that little camera. It momey ridiculous but after a certain time I was like you know. Pros: More possibilities equal more money and maling.