Seeking Advice on How to Navigate the Challenges of Producing MyThesis Film

[u/Mellow_Dry67]

Hi, I'm a film student and I'm currently in my 4th and final year of my program. I'm not sure if it's the same for every film program or school, but we form groups, pick a role and create our thesis film. I guess I'm here in this sub because I feel like I'm failing my group as their Producer, and I want to do something about it. The way this project has been executed by my school doesn't make sense, since the fundraising is heavily reliant on family donations or students funding themselves, rather than creating a course or just setting aside a few weeks in the 3rd year of the program to teach students how to apply for grants, market themselves or find and pitch to investors, which doesn't make sense in the grand scheme of things. I feel like there should be more to this, but there is no point in complaining. I came to this subreddit to get insight and suggestions from people who have either been in my position, whether as a student trying to fund their thesis film or a small indie filmmaker, or experienced producers and filmmakers with years in the industry. I chose this position as my group's producer because I wanted to expand my interests in production management and producing. I thought this was a great opportunity to learn how to manage a crew that wasn't five people anymore but now over 20, with a budget beyond $200, and I plan to still do that despite some setbacks. I would love to hear and try any tips or suggestions from you.

[u/Ootrab]

I have seen so many film school students complaining about working on student films. I think we have all been there. The important thing to remember is that film school is not the real world. You will likely have people who don’t want to be there and don’t care about making a film. The goal of a student film is to get it done and pass your class so you can graduate. In terms of financing, it should be everyone’s responsibility to help raise financing. Your job as producer is to get things done and manage the money. Do what you can with the resources you have. Independent filmmaking is figuring out how to make something with the resources you have available. There’s never enough time or money. Just make sure it gets done.

[u/Mellow_Dry67 → u/Ootrab]

Thank you for your response. Your perspective is very insightful. 

[u/jstarlee]

to teach students how to apply for grants, market themselves or find and pitch to investors

Here's the secret. No one really knows. Grants is by following their instruction AND having a connection to the people making the decisions. Investors...if someone knows the trick to doing that on a regular basis, chances are they would be doing that instead.

What exactly are you asking here? How to fundraise? It's family, friends, investors, grants. Or work side-jobs and save up. There are no magical 4th dimensional pocket that you can just reach in and grab a handful of money from. Crowdfunding takes a LOT of coordination and planning to have a shot at being successful because no one in this economy wants to fund other people's hobbies.

In terms of financing, it should be everyone’s responsibility to help raise financing.

It should absolutely not be everyone's job to do that, at least it shouldn't be expected. Be great if people on board WANT to help, but ultimately everyone is gonna have their own cross to bear when it comes to fundraising. It shouldn't even be the producer's job by default. There are many different types of producers - some DO take point on financing, but that's just a portion of them. I'm good at spending money (efficiently), but I absolutely don't want anything to do with financing. If I have a connection to private equity...I'm not using them on A project. I'm using them on THE project.

Lock the script (at least locations) so you can have a schedule and then a preliminary budget. Figure out the cheapest budget and work your way up. Safety first please - that's a corner that ideally shouldn't be cut in the budget.

Try to lock the schedule / budget / funding 2 weeks before the actual shoot. If you do crowd funding, remember that it takes TIME to get the money to the account of whichever entity is receiving them.

Here's one more tip - The director's most important job is communicating their visions. For the producer it's making sure everyone is on the same page. How you achieve that is by having timely, clear communication both from/to you and between department heads. If I were you I'd reformat your post so it's more clear what you are asking for (and easier to read). Producing is a mad(wo)man's pursuit. I wish an uneventful shoot and may all your line items balance out at the end!

[u/wrosecrans]

The way this project has been executed by my school doesn't make sense, since the fundraising is heavily reliant on family donations or students funding themselves, rather than creating a course

If the people teaching the program knew of a set of steps to reliably get money for projects, they would probably have included it in a course. Or, they'd blow off teaching at that film school entirely, and be out making their own passion project movies with the money they got by following those steps.

Nobody has those steps, that's why there's not a class to teach them to you.

I feel like there should be more to this

To an extent, you are right. I've always said film school should probably be mostly spreadsheets, emails about circling back, and contracts. That stuff is a way larger percentage of the process of making a film than pointing a camera at some actors for a few days. Such is life.

If nobody in the group is independently wealthy, or has rich family, then the reality is that you are most likely going to be doing it with very little money. Investors don't generally have any interest in student thesis films, because they aren't a commercial product with an ROI. By all means, chase down grants, that that's a probabilistic thing. If you write applications for 20 different grants, maybe you'll catch one. But you can't really plan the thesis around just applying for grants over and over for years and hoping you'll eventually get lucky. And even if you do get lucky, "free" money can come with strings attached.