Indie Filmmaker Tips

Write for FilmProposals - Our Offer to YOU!

You have probably noticed how we talk constantly about how you need an offer to find film investors - and not just an ask? Well, we walk the talk at FilmProposals and will create a win-win situation for you and our film making industry site visitors. Here are some of the benefits of writing for Filmproposals.

• Massive Exposure - Filmproposals attracts hundreds of thousands global filmmakers, producers, directors, potential investors and distributors every year. We have some of the film industry's most qualified website traffic, 40K facebook fans, 3K weekly subscribers, a well subscribed RSS feed, multiple social media accounts and many more ways to promote your service or product. The catch? You MUST pay it forward...it is only through sharing your expertise you will receive exposure.
• Attract Customers - If you are involved in any film production companies or services that go into the production of a film: Musician, Producer, Director, Grip, Visual Effects Artist, Actor, Casting Director, Agent, Animation House, Distribution, Equipment Sales or Rental, share your knowledge, pay it forward, give us your best tips and receive tons of free publicity.
• Save on Advertising - when was the last time you clicked a banner ad on a website? Exactly. The key to any successful business is to attract your exact target audience with minimal cost. So, if you offer Video Editing Services, what better way to attract your customer than by writing something like "Top 10 Tips for Indie Film Video Editing"?
• Save on Online Expenses and SEO - anyone trying to build and maintain successful websites, blogs, social media accounts and constantly attract new visitors, likes, shares and customers - especially when the whole area of SEO is not core to your business model - knows how expensive, time consuming and nearly impossible it is. Writing on FilmProposals is a way to skip over all the hurdles to online exposure and do what you do best - offer your expertise in your field, to your target audience, which will naturally help you attract new customers. The best articles will receive a live link to their website, which if you know about SEO, is worth hundreds of dollars.
• Attract Film Financing - here's the thing - if a film investor is looking online to invest in a film (not common - but it does happen!) - guess who they are going to find? Filmproposals. Because we offer investors tips and investing strategies, they find us. The chances a potential investor is going to find your specific film online are fairly low, however, you significantly increase your chances by working with another, larger business that collectively pools and highlights talented indie films. If you build your online presence by providing valuable, unique and informative content to both investors and other filmmakers, you raise awareness of and interest in your business.
  

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Indie Filmmaker Tips - Article Ideas

The key to exposure within and outside the FilmProposals community is to write genuinely good, pay it forward, trustworthy type content. Some of the top read articles on FilmProposals, those that attract the most publicity worldwide, are those written by our guest authors. You all know the kinds of articles you read, share and promote - now you have a chance to write one and be promoted as the author with expertise in your field. Why does FilmProposals often get hired to write Film Business Plans? Because we offer over 1000 articles helping you to do it yourself. Here are some article inspirations to spark your creativity and we look forward to reading your ideas as well.

Example #1
You want to: Sell Film Budgeting Services
What to Write: Top 10 Film Budgeting Tips

Example #2
You want to: Promote Your New Movie
What to Write: Tell us how you raised your funds - Crowdfunding, investors, grants, product placement, tax incentives? or All the Equipment You Used (cameras, lens, audio, battery, editing software).

Example #3
You want to: Be Hired to Compose Music
What to Write: Ten Things to Consider When Composing or Choosing Music for your Film

Example #4
You want to: Find Film Distribution
What to Write: 10 Things I've Learned about Film Financing or Top Indie Filmmaker Equipment (what's in your film bag?) or 10 Ways to Get Product Placement or 10 Tips for Film Producers

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Example Articles and Site Promotion

Browse through some sample guest articles to get a feel for the quality and type of articles that will be accepted on FilmProposals.

More Indie Filmmaker Tips

High Strangeness Financing Tips (by Destiny West, Western Australia)

Australian Scifi/Horror feature film which we did on a budget of $3000, a lot of duct tape and imagination. We don't believe in waiting around hoping funding will come, we got stuck in and used our imagination and over a period of 2 years just filming on weekends and with only 2 crew members we were able to achieve two different versions of our film.

High Strangeness is a film about a woman who returns to her families old farming property and starts to experience 'high strangeness' and flash backs of being abducted by aliens and mkultra.

Wallet Movie Financing Tips

I shot this short film with the help of my DSLR NIKON D3300 and a bunch of other equipment I rented out which includes the Zhiyun Crane V Tech 2 and a rode mic for audio. I wrote a short script following a chase and run wallet stealing sequence and got 2 of my friends to act in it, whilst I shot the entire movie and directed it as well. I managed to sponsor myself by collecting some money working at internships and also a little financial help from my father. That's my story. Hope you enjoy the film! (by Aziz Vahanvat, Mumbai, India)

Amazing Independent NO BUDGET Film Tips

I created this movie from another idea I had and was working on but it just wasn't working out. Some of the actors, locations, weather..just nothing was going right. I had NO BUDGET creating this film just drive and ambition. Im looking for distribution. I really had my back against the wall and just had make it happen with what and who I had around me. Really didn't have much but my ideas, old broken stabilizer, a Panasonic GH4, 18-35mm Sigma Lens, and some amazing, ambitious, dedicated friends willing to try acting out.

I've directed and edited 100s of music videos, blogs, even a few vey old short films which in turn earned their trust at making a movie and not wasting their time. But none of those were my own projects. So with this film, having no budget I am the writer, director, dp, editor, colorist(I may have a pro do that), and producer. I even did audio, a lot of it is from an iPhone 7+ from me or one of the cast not in the scene would hold it up and out at the actors. Sometimes I hid the iPhone in their pockets too. I just did what I had to do to get it done with no excuses. I know my next article will be more about budgeting and equipment as I work my up the latter. I didn't let anyone give me excuses or let myself give myself excuses either!

"Friend Or Foe" a movie taking place in a run down neighborhood, Kensington, in Philadelphia, PA. Three friends going through hard times and financial problems try and take matters into their own hands and hit the rough streets of Philadelphia for answers. Stewie is an unemployed producer living in his moms basement waiting for the day an artist buys his beats. Bodiez is a rapper also, he recently lost a friend which has him striving harder to finally take music serious get paid from it. My-Nig is reserved, laid back caution guy who works in retail but hates it. Times in Philadelphia for a young African American male aren't easy or long-lived.

With no guidance the three are left to with each other to follow. Some how, some way they have to find a way to rise up out of their unwanted situations. They're plans are long-lived or thought out much but they attempt what they think is going to get them "a bag" or enough money to buy equipment, finance a rap career, and not work a 9-5 ever again. But it's not that long until they realize this isn't the way after a few failed attempts at trying to make money in the streets. One friend elevates things to another level when his anger and impulsive decisions take situations further than the other two were willing to take it. A long, tight, brotherly, friendship became an unnerving and untrustworthy one in no time due to rage. Its then when they're left with only one question about each other...Friend or Foe? (by Kahlik Burton, Philadelphia, PA)

More Indie Film Tips

• How We Financed Cultural Clash Movie
• Critical First Step to Being a Filmmaker (Hint: A GREAT Script)
• How to Make a No Budget Science Fiction Movie 
• The Warrior Level The Rise of Rene Level Martinez

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How to Submit Your Article

• Pick a topic that offers valuable information to other filmmakers.
• Write at least 500 words (500-700 is preferred). Content must be unique and not published anywhere else.
• One photo must be included, it can be you filming or something relevant to the article.
• Be specific. If you discuss equipment, for example, don't just say Camcorder, be specific about the make and model number. If you talk about fundraising, tell us exactly if you used a business plan, attorney, crowdfunding, PPM, social media, investors, grants, product placement, tax incentives, friends and family, etc.
• You may include your bio, movie or business at the end of each article (does not count toward the 500 words). Reciprocal links to your websites/films may be provided.
• This is all about helping other filmmakers, so you must contribute your tips, lessons learned and thoughtful feedback that will help your successors. Submissions solely seeking self-promotion without offering valuable insight to other independent filmmakers will be deleted.
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1000 Ways to Finance Your Movie

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