So you have the perfect script and the talented people to make your film, now all you need is the money.  The age-old question: where do I find it?  Whether it’s a 5-minute short, web-series or feature film, you can’t make your project without some cash.  Well, you’re reading the right blog because we have some answers for you.

It’s the question every aspiring director and producer wants answered, right?  And the good news is there’s not just one answer, there’s a lot of them because the road to getting a movie financed is one with plenty of off-ramps, short-cuts and overgrown paths that might be a little harder to spot at first; but they’ll all get you to where you want to go.  And in this day and age of crowdsource funding and social networking, the answers might be just a few mouse clicks away.

Twice a month we open our doors for seminars on various film-related topics, and best of all—it’s no cost– as we want to support our local filmmaking community. Just call ahead and let us know you’re coming if you can, but all spur-of-the-moment drop-ins are welcome as well, so come on down, regardless. We offer this valuable Hollywood-insider advice on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, starting at 6:30 pm, so mark it on your calendar today!

On Thursday, October 25, our topic is Crowdsource Funding using sites like KICKSTARTER and INDIEGOGO.  Plenty of films of all types are being funded using these sites every day, but it’s not as easy as just putting up a project and waiting for the money to roll in.  There are strategies and smart planning that come into play to make your project stand out and give it a leg up on the competition to make sure you meet your financing goals.  Want to know how?  Then come on down to IAFT/LA to find out insider tips and advice you can’t get anywhere else.

Film producer SEAN AKERS is going to give you some amazing insights on how to get your film financed through social media and crowdsourcing sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.  A producer at the independent production company Before The Door, Sean was an associate producer on J.C. Chandor’s debut film Margin Call – named to dozens of Top Ten Film Lists in 2011 and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.  Starring Academy Award-winners Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons, and rising young stars like Zachary Quinto and Penn Badgley, the film was released domestically by Roadside Attractions/Lions Gate in the fall of 2011 and went on to become a worldwide hit.

Sean has since co-produced Victor Quinaz’s TWV Project and executive produced Blair Erickson’s horror feature, The Banshee Chapter.  He was also a co-producer on Chandor’s recently wrapped follow-up feature film, All is Lost.  Most recently, Sean has produced Dog Eat Dog, a short film by Sian Heder.  Starring Zachary Quinto and Philip Baker Hall, the film is a modern fable about pet adoption.  The film, funded through a Kickstarter campaign, raised over $30,000 and was shot on-location in Los Angeles.

A Pittsburgh native and Grove City College graduate, Sean has worked in a variety of fields.  In Philadelphia, he taught high school, acted as graphic designer in a multimedia company, served as a Director of Marketing for a skin care line, helped launch a theatre company, managed musicians and developed his own web and graphic design business. He lives in Hollywood.

Other current seminars include HOW TO DIRECT YOUR FIRST FEATURE!  That’s the heart-racing topic at our Oct. 11th IAFT SEMINAR, with writer/director Russell Marleau.  Russ’s directorial debut was on his own script, the multi-award-winning comedy, THE CURIOSITY OF CHANCE, starring Chris Mulkey and Tad Hilgenbrink.  The movie was shot in Europe, and Russell brings lots of tales and hints & tips for aspiring up-and-comers.

While you’re at IAFT/LA, you can also take a quick tour of our facility and confer with our Director of Admissions Larry Carr to learn more about the school.  We’re at 635 South San Fernando Road in Burbank.  See you there on Thursdays!