How To Crowdfund Your Film
Book published by Creative Essentials
Crowdfunding is a major source of funding for independent films and over $250 million has been raised for films just on Kickstarter alone.
This book will guide you through every stage of planning, creating and running your film crowdfunding campaign.
The book is based on extensive data research and interviews which include:
Data research on over 50,000 film crowdfunding campaigns
Interviews with over 50 filmmakers who have run crowdfunding campaigns
Interviews with some of the top people at major crowdfunding platforms and services
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Feedback for the book
As filmmaking books go, this is one of the rare ones: useful, uncluttered, very easy-to-read, packed with great ideas and pleasingly free of academic B.S. Sometimes we read ‘how to’ books about film production and it’s obvious they’ve been written by someone who doesn’t really care if you succeed or not. When we read How to Crowdfund Your Film we got the distinct impression that Stephen Follows really wants to help his readers make their films happen. We can’t give a stronger recommendation than that. If you’re a filmmaker you should definitely have this book on your shelf.
This book will guide you through every stage of planning, creating and running your film’s crowdfunding campaign.
How to Crowdfund your Film is a handy little book, which goes into extreme detail. Here independent filmmakers can learn tips and tricks for preparing, launching and maintaining a successful crowdfunder. And if every filmmaker followed these guidelines…. Well crowdfunding films might get a high success rate. This book, gives you everything from official statistics to insider knowledge about certain crowdfunding platforms as well as social media advice. It can’t fund your film for you, but it can certainly help you achieve your budget goal. Effective & Easy-to-read
A long overdue and masterly distillation of crowdfunding for film, including direct comparison between several of the major and minor players. Loaded with richly informed insights into the most prized benefits of film crowdfunding, as well as its ‘to be avoided at all costs’ pitfalls. Absolutely essential reading, whether you are looking towards your first-ever crowdfunded film campaign, or your tenth – and whatever the budget level you are hoping to raise might be.
Stephen Hay, Programme Leader BA Film, Photography and Media, University of Leeds
A very thorough and detailed account of how to crowd fund your film and useful for anyone who decides to take that route.
Dr Sue Sudbury, Principal Academic, Faculty of Media and Communication, Bournemouth University
Written from an industry insider’s perspective How to Crowd Fund Your Film provides a thorough analysis of contemporary film funding and marketing trends. The volume benefits from a systematic approach to differing funding platforms and campaign tactics, as well as providing interviews with a range of crowdfunders and filmmakers who have utilized these trends.
Xavier Mendik, Professor of Cult Cinema Studies, Birmingham City University and Director of the Cine-Excess International Film Festival
Stephen Follows’ agile but comprehensive volume is an essential read for anyone trying to launch an effective crowdfunding campaign. Follows’ illustrates every stage of the process with plenty of data, useful tips and, crucially, an engaging and clear language.
Dr Daniele Rugo, Brunel University
How To Crowdfund Your Film does exactly what it says on the cover. It has clear and simple language throughout and is structured in a logical fashion. These are the kind of instructions you want when you are lost, which is sometimes what crowdfunding can feel like. How does Stephen Follow’s achieve such clarity? He’s done the research and knows what he is talking about. It is written with the confidence of someone who knows the way, and knows how to articulate it. It is an impressive and valuable contribution to film textbooks.
Dr. James Fair, Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Film, Bournemouth University
If you’ve ever wondered about how to raise money for a film, How to Crowdfund Your Film is an invaluable resource. From the differences between traditional funding sources to the various crowdfunding sites, how to set up your site, what to ask for and how, this book lays out all the information you will ever need to know. Written in an informative and humorous style, Stephen Follows has done all the research necessary for you to start on the right road. A must for film studies students, professionals and wannabes, ‘How to Crowdfund Your Film’ is your first step to raising money and funding your first (and subsequent) forays into the world of crowdfunding.
Kim Akass, Senior Lecturer in Film and TV, University of Hertfordshire