What would be the best way of building a relationship with donors / patrons?

[MageFilms]

I've written a short film centred around ballet which has already got industry feedback. The ballet professionals and film industry experts I've spoken to about the film, love the idea. Me and my producer will be approaching some renowned dancers for the lead part. 

 

In terms of raising money for it, I know what to do. But I'm slightly in the dark about the approach. I know that there a patrons / donors who fund the theatres, ballet companies and other dance causes that would most likely fund the project but we don't currently know any at the moment so it would be a completely cold approach. Cold email.

 

And most likely, we'd be directly asking them for a donation upfront which isn't ideal. Most contacts only have their email listed but I don't think I'd cultivate a relationship that way. But I don't see any other way of approaching them?

[Jan McNulty]

Try this website:

 

http://film.britishcouncil.org/resources/funding

 

You could also do a kickstarter or crowd funding campaign.

[Jan McNulty]

Or this one:  https://www.angelinvestmentnetwork.co.uk/find-investors/industry-entertainment-film-11

 

 

Google is a magical tool.

[sophie_rebecca]

6 hours ago, MageFilms said:

And most likely, we'd be directly asking them for a donation upfront which isn't ideal. Most contacts only have their email listed but I don't think I'd cultivate a relationship that way. But I don't see any other way of approaching them?

 

You could also approach the Channels, Channel 4 for example have Random Acts http://www.channel4.com/info/commissioning/4producers/randomactsbrief "The brief is deliberately broad: we're after "bold expressions of creativity" and those could come from art, music, dance, animation, spoken word, performance, or some uncategorisable combination of the above."

 

I've actually just finished 3 days filming in London for Random Acts on a dance piece, in brief a production company approached me with an idea, I loved it & developed it, we went to see Catherine to propose & discuss the idea, she liked it but advised some changes (she wanted a spoken word poet adding to describe the story) then agreed to fund it, the funding I'm told was tight but that was between Random Acts & the production company but it was sufficient to hire a theatre for a day, 2 stedicam ops, makeup artist, photographer, 3 camera ops, sound op, director & a floor manager.

 

Jan has given some good suggestions though, crowdfunding has been very successful for some projects if you have dancers / studios that love the idea get a crowdfunder up & get them to help you promote it.

 

wishing you the best of luck