Connect with us

Filmmakers Fans

10 ways to Find a Sponsor for Your Short Film or for a TV Show

Short Film Money

Resources

10 ways to Find a Sponsor for Your Short Film or for a TV Show

Finding the right person to sponsor your film can be as tricky as finding a good life partner. Same as any relationship, this one also needs a perfect balance of trust and comfort. However, once you find that right sponsor, things become a lot easier. And in this post we are going to tell you 10 best ways to get that right kind of sponsor for your short film.

Check 10 ways to Find a Sponsor for Your Short Film or for a TV Show

Film Grants

This is the most popular way to find a sponsor all over the world. Preferred by the majority of budding filmmakers, this method is getting more and more patrons with each passing year. The grant amounts are going up, but so is the number of applicants. Therefore, it has become a cutthroat competition in the ocean of aspiring filmmakers who keep applying for such grants every year. Some of the most popular film grants for budding filmmakers in India are — NFDC, Global Film Initiative, World Cinema Fund and CineMart.

Read: 17 Grants for Indian Filmmakers

Crowd Funding

This is the new ‘in’ method of funding a film these days. Several short filmmakers all around the world are moving to this platform to avoid the competition of film grants. Interestingly, crowd funding can be done both before and after making a movie. Some filmmakers prefer to raise money by either making a trailer or concept video of their future film. On the other hand few filmmakers ask for crowdfunding ‘after’ making their film and releasing its concept and snippets to attract sponsors. The sponsors who get interested in the project are shown the film and if they agree to invest the film, they earn the credit of ‘Producer’ on the film roll. Most popular crowd funding platforms in India for films are Kickstarter, Wishberry, Bitgiving and Ketto.

 Watch: Leeches- A CrowdFunding Short Film

 

Demo Reel

This is the bravest and most honest way of attracting sponsors. In this method, you start making some shorts on your own budget (not very expensive), and then you put those shorts for display on a public platform such as Youtube. This way, you not only demonstrate your skills and talent, but also project confidence to a prospect sponsor. Once you are done with a kickass demo reel, you can send it to several sponsors and financiers with your prospect film’s concept. Some famous content creators who took this path and succeeded are – Ankur KapoorScott DW,  and Manjot Kang.

 


Related Read: How to Make Money From Short Films?


Corporate Backing

This one is a little difficult to pull off but promises great rewards. Several big companies (mostly financial) offer small grants for artists and creatives, in return of projecting the company’s image in a positive light. As a filmmaker you don’t have to constantly shine a light on their logo, but just show it a few times in a good spirit, attached with a positive message, and thats it. Though in such deals the companies pay in instalments and keep a tight watch over your project. The bright side; is that the money is really good. A few companies that offer such grants are — Tata, Reliance, Bajaj and Hindustan Unilever Limited.

 

Brand Integration

Its a lot like product placement, but done with subtlety. Several brands these days are foraying into the field of social media without looking like hardcore businessmen or marketeers. The trick here is to take a product and integrate it into a concept, to make it an organic part of the storytelling. The latest example in this method is The Viral Fever’s web series Tripling, sponsored by Tata Tiago. The series was a road trip story that had the same car of the said brand in centre all the time. The web series threw subtle hints about the car’s good qualities and gave it a screen time of around 60%. Brand integration is the new product placement.

 

Quid Pro Quo

Perhaps the best way for a budding filmmaker to learn the ropes of filmmaking while getting familiar with the new gadgets and techniques of the trade. In this method, a filmmaker can get in touch with a company or service provider, promising to make a short film, or commercial in return of using their equipment or services. This gives the sponsors a chance to market themselves for free while they rent out their equipment (or render services for free). The comic group AIB got free furniture from a furniture company by making this video:

 

Deferrals

Its the most basic method of filmmaking, but very true and honest to the art’s spirit. In this method a filmmaker contacts the actors, crew, and technicians, and promises them a cut in the film’s profit (if it makes any in the future). Everyone who agrees joins the team and helps in making the film. Its an arduous and time consuming method, but it can make bonds that may last for a lifetime. Or maybe somebody who you get onboard might help you find the right sponsor. The possibilities are endless here!


Related Read: This Much of Money You can Earn From YouTube Videos 


Donations

This is like scraping the barrel, where you decide to crowd fund your own project, but personally. In this method, you may find your sponsors within your friends and relatives. This works majorly with filmmakers who come from a well to do background.

 

Get the Government’s Help

Several state governments offer rewards and subsidies for the films shot in their cities. It not only helps the sponsors to recover their production costs but get discount in taxes. By making a schedule to shoot in a state that offers great rewards, a filmmaker can attract many sponsors who would like to get and early, safe and big return on their investment.

Read: Best States in India for Filmmaking

 

Good Old Networking

Nothing beats this old school technique of meeting people and pitching them your story. It not only makes them understand your project better, but also engraves you in their memories. Its almost impossible for a sponsor to forget a filmmaker’s name after hearing a passionate pitch from them. So you can find out the contacts of some producers or companies who sponsor films and can approach them directly. Remember, its like a combination of a job interview and a sales pitch.

Also read: Contacts of Film Financiers in India

 

Content Related To: How to Find a Sponsor for Your Short Film, short film grants, Find Movie Sponsor, Find a Sponsor for TV Show

Follow us on Facebook!

Ask a Question. FilmmakersFans will respond to it within next few minutes. Try Now.

 
Continue Reading
You may also like...

"Hi, I am Swapnil, a screenwriter from New Delhi, who is into history, traveling, reading and photography. "

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Pingback: How to Find a Sponsor for a TV Show? - Filmmakers Fans

  2. Shilpa

    January 31, 2017 at 5:39 pm

    We are looking for a sponsor who can sponsor our film we already have the script kindly get back soon

     
    • FMF Resources

      February 2, 2017 at 3:19 am

      Sure. You will Get.

       
    • Lokesh Gupta

      February 14, 2017 at 10:12 am

      post your details with complete informations about your projcet and terms + conditions,.
      onto my whatsapp number= 9910194311.

      I m into Marketing & Project Development through arranging Sponsorship., on freelance basis.
      Media & Entertainment Sector.

      Thanks & Regards: Lokesh Gupta.

       
    • Lokesh Gupta

      February 14, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Do Kindly Message + Update, onto my Whatsapp Number = 9910194311.
      with All Complete & Informative Details of your Project + along with Ur Terms & Conditions too.

      I m into Freelance Marketing and Business Development in Media & Entertainment Sector through Arranging the Sponsorships all over.

      Thanks & Regards.

      Lokesh Gupta from New Delhi. India.

      WhatsApp Number= 9910194311

       
  3. vijaybharadwaj23

    September 1, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    FMF – its really a good advice for film makers, I am vijay bharadwaj from Bangalore, Karnataka I have already done a 32 minutes length Kannada short film and also got a very good ratings and response from top film makers of Kannada industry as it is already once screened now need sponsor’s support to screen again in auditoriums . Plz let me know if any body is interested you check my short film trailer and celebrity talk in this below links. thank you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBFxoUbhTNY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdYaWE-Y2s

     
  4. Scottshak

    November 2, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    Hi,

    We are looking for sponsors as well. We are making profound and fun short films under “The Hidden Pea” banner on Youtube. You can check out some of our works here:

    Staircase:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e3Ek8T2te8&t=1s

    Stiletto:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61tjnTLs188

    The Laundry Bag:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8r-VxYAGfY

    I have tons of scripts just sitting there with me. I would really appreciate if you could help me find sponsors and investors so that we could together make some really stunning creations. I would really appreciate a financial backing for our future projects to reach a wider audience.

    You can contact me on prashant261988@gmail.com.

    Cheers,
    Scottshak

     
    • Anurag

      February 3, 2018 at 3:17 am

      We are looking for a sponsor who can sponsor our film we already have the script kindly get back soon.
      My contact no 9460493867

       

Leave a Reply

More in Resources

For Advertise On This Website

Filmmakers Fans

Advertise your Business / Product on India's largest film buff's website. Share your query to editor@filmmakersfans.com . We will reply back in next few Minutes.

Click Here to know more.

Trending

Get Updates Via Email

Follow us on Twitter

Recent Posts: Filmmakers Fans

You May Like

To Top