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7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Film Handbook | 1
Film Handbook
7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Film Handbook | 2
Table of Contents
3 1. THE FUTURE OF FILM
5 2. FINANCING YOUR FILM
6 3. CREATING YOUR CAMPAIGN
11 4. MAINTAINING MOMENTUM
13 5. WRAPPING UP
15 APPENDIX
I. Dos and Donts
II. John T. Trigonis 10 Commandments of Social Media for Film
III. Indiegogo Calendar
IV. Campaign Amplification Kit
V. Additional Resources
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The Future of Film
Fade in. Theres been a creative explosion, due in large part to new ways of
bringing films to life. Filmmakers once faced a multitude of gatekeepers andnos, whether it was not enough money to secure equipment, or having to work
with (and be accepted by) a studio for production and distribution. For most
folks, filmmaking was the stuff of dreams. Now, with the help of Indiegogo,
its possible to not just fund a film, but its also easier to reach a large, global
community and build an audience.
Its all part of why Slava Rubin, Danae Ringelmann
and Eric Schell formed Indiegogoto help people
find and fund ideas that matter. The trio had metto discuss creating a new way to raise money for
projects, and at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
solidified their plansto help anyone, anywhere
bring ideas to life. Thing is, films dont just come to
bewhen using Indiegogo, filmmakers have been
able to find great success, in part due to their ability
to stretch their creative freedom. Take Dear White
People, for example. Justin Simeon used Indiegogo
to raise $41,405 to make a trailer to raise money
for a film he had little faith the studio system wouldpick up. Not only he surpassed his financial goal,
he activated powerful word of mouth and built an
audience for his feature film. Dear White People went
on to win a swath of awards, including the Special
Jury Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, and
was picked up for distribution by Lionsgate and
Roadside Attractions.
Indiegogo founders Slava Rubin, Danae Ringelmann and Eric Schell
http://www.indiegogo.com/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dear-white-peoplehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dear-white-peoplehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dear-white-peoplehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dear-white-peoplehttp://www.indiegogo.com/7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Film Handbook | 4
Life Itself, the wonderful documentary on legendary
movie critic Roger Ebert, has also found great success.
Kartemquin Films raised over $150,000 on Indiegogo
before premiering the film at the 2014 Sundance
Film Festival, and it was shortlisted as a 2015 Oscar
contender for Best Documentary.
Weve helped countless other filmmakers premiereprojects at Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, Cannes, Tribeca, Hot
Docs, LA Film Fest and dozens more festivals around
the world. Weve seen filmmakers win an Oscar and
Best Documentary at Sundance, named a Director to
Watch by Variety, receive Audience Awards at SXSW
several times over, and thats just the tip of the iceberg.
Films funded on Indiegogo have been picked up for
distribution by Magnolia, IFC, HBO, CNN, Tribeca Film,
Lionsgate, and more.
That fateful forming at Sundance 2008 set the scene,
and now, seven years later, Indiegogo still remains
the worlds most open, global crowdfunding platform.
Filmmakers can raise funds in over 229 countries and
territories around the world. Were available in four
languages (English, French, German and Spanish)
and capable of funding in five currencies (US dollars,
Canadian dollars, Australian dollars, euros and poundsterling), making Indiegogo more accessible than any
other platform of its kind. We offer multiple funding
options, including flexible funding, so you can keep
what you raise, and our new InDemandwhich
allows you to continue raising funds even after your
campaign has ended.
Were Indiegogo. Lets Go Make Films Together.
Image from Life Itself Kevin Horan/Kartemquin
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/life-itself-a-feature-documentary-based-on-roger-ebert-s-memoirhttps://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/introducing-indemand.htmlhttps://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/introducing-indemand.htmlhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/life-itself-a-feature-documentary-based-on-roger-ebert-s-memoir7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Financing Your Film
Gone are the days of gatekeepers; funding your next project can be easy.
Heres how: Indiegogo helps you raise money online through contributions
made by many different people who share the same passion for your project.
The benefits of raising funds this way include:
100% creative control.
Early feedback from fans and followers.
Building an audience beforeand whilemaking your
movie, not just after.
And Indiegogo makes raising money even easier:
Multiple funding models allow you to keep
what you raise.
Receive contributions right away.
Continue raising moneyand engagementafter
your campaign ends, with InDemand.
Get more exposure: every month, Indiegogo
receives more than 7 billion press impressions in
North America and campaigners are featured in topnational and international publications daily, such
as The New York Times, Wall Street Journaland
USA Today.
Fully connect on social media with your existing
network and expand your reach by activating word
of mouth.
Gain access to insightful data through Indiegogos
exclusive platform.
Low fees (just 4% when you hit your goal).
Breadth of payment options (PayPal, Apple Pay,credit cards).
Build an international audience (229 countries and
territories; 5 currencies; 4 languages).
A vigilant Trust & Safety team.
More than 15 million monthly visits.
Access to comprehensive educational materials
Questions answered within 24 hours via our
exceptional Customer Happiness Team.
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Creating Your Campaign
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITYThe first step in creating your campaign is building
your brandand audience. Give yourself a few weeks toprepare, beginning with growing your online community.
Here are some social media tips to start strong:
Create your online presence and keep it consistent
across your website, social media profiles, and blog.
Find other filmmakers and connect with related
communities by following #supportindiefilm,
#indiefilm, #filmmaking, and our very own
#gogofilm, as well as other relevant hashtags.
Support other filmmakers by commenting on
their posts, and share your favorite resources, as
well. Build relationships online just like you would
offline, by giving and receiving, slowly building
mutual trust.
Start blogging, and be sure your posts are relevant
for your desired audience.
Be yourself: never underestimate the power of
authenticity. Let your passion shine, and youll
attract the right fans and contributors for your art.
BUILD YOUR TEAMHere at Indiegogo we believe that together we can
achieve more.Make this your own mantra, and forma team to help you raise money. Weve found teams
of two or more people typically generate 94% more
funding than projects run by a single campaigner.
Finding the right people is key, of course. Youll want to
assemble a campaign team much the way you would
a crew. Find people who can help you with specific
aspects of the campaignfor example, a friend who
specializes in social media, or graphic design.
Its also important to make sure your Indiegogoprofiles are up-to-date and complete with photos,
bios, Facebook info, email verification, and contact info.
The more transparent you are, the more the crowd
will trust you to use their money wisely.
For more pre-campaign advice, check out the
Indiegogo Playbook, as well as Crowdfunding
for Filmmakersauthor John T. Trigonis
10 Commandments of Social Media,
in the Appendix.
Already have a fan base?Tap into it to boost your funds. The Wong Fu
creators for example used their YouTube
audience to help them raise money and
beat their film campaign goal by 79%.Dario Argentos Sandmanstarring Iggy Pop
https://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/the-basicshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wong-fu-productions-first-feature-film/http://igg.me/at/thesandmanfilm/x/7494764http://igg.me/at/thesandmanfilm/x/7494764https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wong-fu-productions-first-feature-film/https://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/the-basics7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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DO NOT USE A FILM TRAILER OR SCENE
as your video. People give to other people, not
necessarily to projects. You need to share who
you are, and how your contributors money
will be used. Say a few words to your potential
funders, be as personable as possible, and
chances are, youll be rewarded.
CREATE YOUR INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN PAGE
Once youve established a community base and team,
its time to take the next step and create a campaign.
The process is simple. An Indiegogo campaign has three
main components:
1. The Video
2. The Story (Text)
3. The Perks
CREATING A PITCH VIDEO
Thepitch videois the single most important element
of your film campaign. Its essentially the elevator pitch
youd give to Harvey Weinstein while traveling from
the lobby to the penthouse. Youve got thatmuch time
to convey who you are, your film idea, and why people
should care about your project enough to help youfund it. Campaigns with a pitch video raise an average
of 114% more than campaigns that dont. Do itand
keep your video to 2 to 3 minutesin length.
Take a look at how the team behind Band Aidpitched
their project. Their video is funny and engaging, and it
clearly details how theyd use their funds.
Heres a basic outline of what a compelling pitch
video should include:
1. Introduction Tell us about yourself. Many
filmmakers make the mistake of not appearing in
their pitch videos. Be. In. Your. Pitch. Video.
2. Pitch Tell us about your film project, and include
the following:
Logline Whats your story in one sentence?
Be succinct.
Purpose Whats the point of the campaign?
Is it for production? Post-production?
Theatrical distribution?
Perks Whats something unique youre offering
in return for a contribution? Entice your funders.
3. Showcase Show us what you can do as a
filmmaker. Maybe share a few clips of your past
work, or some footage from the project at hand.
4. Call to Action Dont leave your crowd hanging.
You need to tell them what to do nextwhich is
to contribute.
Campaigns with a pitchvideo raise an average
of 114% more than
campaigns that dont.
Here are some extra examples of great pitch videos:
Rooster Teethraised $2,480,334Miles Ahead What Lola Wants
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-series/x/7494764https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lazer-team-by-rooster-teethhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/join-miles-ahead-a-don-cheadle-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hit-the-road-with-what-lola-wantshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hit-the-road-with-what-lola-wantshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/join-miles-ahead-a-don-cheadle-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lazer-team-by-rooster-teethhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lazer-team-by-rooster-teethhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hit-the-road-with-what-lola-wantshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/join-miles-ahead-a-don-cheadle-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-serieshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-series/x/74947647/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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YOUR STORY
This is the area of text that will go below your pitch
video, on your campaign page. Youll want to tell your
story, and offer additional details about the project,
such as a breakdown of the budget, a synopsis, and
cast/crew bios.
Keep the text concise and clear, and put yourself in yourreaders shoes. Answer a few simple questions:
Who are you?
What are you raising these funds for?
How else can people support your project?
Even if you covered much of this in the pitch video, its
good to have it clearly written, too. Think of the video
and written story this way: before, you were pitching
to Harvey Weinstein in an elevator. Now hes readingthe script. He needs to know more. Tell a compelling
story of why youre passionate about your project, and
present it all in a way that makes others want to be a
part of the story, too.
*Bonus: Add Graphics
Custom headers, infographics, and additional
embedded video content tell a more complete and
exciting campaign narrativeand they can help the
overall package feel more engaging.
Custom campaign perk graphics from Iron Sky: The Coming Race Custom campaign perk graphics from Project for Awesome 2014
Cost breakdown custom graphic forBand-Aid
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-sky-the-coming-race--2https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/project-for-awesome-2014https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-serieshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-serieshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/band-aid-a-musical-comedy-web-serieshttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-sky-the-coming-race--2https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/project-for-awesome-2014https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-sky-the-coming-race--27/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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YOUR PERKS
Indiegogo allows you to add up to 20 active perks
during your campaign. These can be mugs and T-shirts,
yet also be experiences, like screenings, set visits,
and Skype sessions. Perks can be cute, too: remember
Batkid? Perks for film contributions included a hand-
drawn print by Batkidhimself!
If you need some ideas, here are some ways to think
about creating perks:
1.The Mandatories
Social Media shout-out ($10)
Digital download of the film ($20)
DVD/Blu-ray of the film ($25 - $50)
2.The Unique Experience
Livestream a film festival premiere ($25)
Skype/Google Hangout with the director/cast ($100+)
Associate/Executive Producer credit
($1,000 - $5,000+)
3.The Personal Touch
A one-off ukulele song for the funder ($20)
Postcards written from Paris ($100)
Call action on set! ($500+)
Its important to remember that perk fulfillment takes
time and often money. Including digital perks (like
film downloads, PDFs of the script, etc.), or offering
only limited editions of handmade perks can help
make things easier. You can also use Indiegogos
partner, Amplifier, a full-service production and
fulfillment company that produces, packages, and
ships perks such as shirts, hats, mugs, stickers, andmore. Any Indiegogo campaign that uses Amplifier
receives a 10% discount on Amplifier fees, as well
as personalized support from Amplifiers customer
service team, which includes coaching, a best
practices toolkit, and shipment tracking tools.
Keep in mind, when crafting your perks, make sure
theyre as relevant as possible, as theyll represent
your brand. Your Indiegogo campaign should be an
extension of the film its funding.
Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypseoffered
the opportunity to be a zombie extra. For a biggercontribution, contributors could receive a role as a
zombie extra who gets killed! The Me and My Mates
creators actually ran a second campaign, too, to give
away more zombie spots!
Make sure your perks are as relevant aspossible, theyll represent your brand.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/batkid-beginshttp://www.amplifier.com/indiegogo/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypse-feature-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/be-a-zombie-extra-in-me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypsehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/be-a-zombie-extra-in-me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypsehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypse-feature-filmhttp://www.amplifier.com/indiegogo/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/batkid-begins7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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YOUR CAMPAIGN GOAL
Indiegogo lets you choose how you want to raise
funds, however you wont be able to switch once your
campaign goes live. Here are your options:
Flexible Funding: You keep your contributions
whether or not you hit your goal.
Fixed Funding: You keep your contributions onlyif you hit your goal.
Now, just because your film will cost $50,000 to shoot
doesnt mean that your goal should be $50,000. To help
determine your goal, ask yourself these three questions:
How big is your email and social media influence?
Do you know how youll collect the first 30% of your
funds? Ideally, this portion should come from your
friends, family, and close network.
If so, can you get that 30% within two to three
days of launch? Youll need momentum early on.
Strangers, on average, do not contribute to your
campaign until they see its reached the 30% mark.
Use your answers to these questions to set your goal
to a number youre confident you can hit. For instance,
if you know you can get $15,000 from your immediate
family, friends, and supporters, and youre relatively
certain you can convince them to contribute within thefirst couple of days, setting a $50,000 goal should be
doable. If theres any doubt, go for a lower amount.
Its important to remember that you can always
fund your campaign beyond its goal. In fact, 89% of
Indiegogo campaigns that reach their goal go on to
raise 30% more.Set a target at an achievable amount,
look to hit that number in half the time, and then aim
high, and surpass it by the time the campaign closes.
Before all of this, be sure to research the expenses
associated with making and/or finishing your film.Its also important to take into account any physical
perks youre offering, their costs (plus domestic and
international shipping), and any fees associated with
Indiegogo and payment processing. Add it all into the
amount youre setting as your goal.
For larger film projects, you might want to consider
funding in stages, and running multiple campaigns,
each with a modest goal. Or, you can fund separate
aspects of the project, the way the filmmakers didfor Wyrmwood. They ran two successful campaigns,
helping them to eventually premiere their film at
Fantastic Fest, and sell the North American rights to
IFC Films and Raven Banner Entertainment.
SETTING YOUR CAMPAIGN DURATION
Longer campaigns dont necessarily mean youll raise
more money. The longer the campaign, the harder it is
to sustain momentum. Campaigns that run between
30-40 days tend to raise the most money.
Be sure to leave about three weeks between the
end of your film campaign and the date youll need
your funds, to account for payment processing and
disbursement.
For more campaign creation advice, check out the
Indiegogo Playbook.
Set a target at an achievable amount, look to hitthat number in half the time, and then aim high,and surpass it by the time the campaign closes.
Image fromWyrmwood
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wyrmwood-an-aussie-zombie-filmhttps://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/setting-up-your-campaignhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wyrmwood-an-aussie-zombie-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wyrmwood-an-aussie-zombie-filmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wyrmwood-an-aussie-zombie-filmhttps://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/setting-up-your-campaignhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wyrmwood-an-aussie-zombie-film7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Maintaining Momentum
Launching a campaign is just the beginning.
The next step is maintaining momentum.
SOFT LAUNCH VS. HARD LAUNCHAsoft launchis when you launch your Indiegogo
film campaign by quietly reaching out to your inner
circle and securing their contributions within the first
48 hours. This way, when you announce a hard launch
(telling EVERYONE you know about your campaignvia
social media, blogs, etc.) people will see your campaigns
existing momentum and be quick to contribute.
THE HUSTLE
Gone are the opening night jitters. Here you execute
your planned strategy.
Activate your network. Reach out to your Twitter
followers and Facebook friends.
Find a balance between sharing your campaign and
other informative content.
Tweet and post photos and videos as some of your
promotional material.
Always include your Indiegogo link.
Dont go nuts with hashtags: Nothing spells #newb
like #hashtageverything.
Dig up that email list of contacts youve compiled
over the years. Instead of sending out a single email
blast to your contacts, compose more personal
and direct messages to smaller groups.
All of your outreach should describe the project
succinctly, and not necessarily solicit a contribution,
but rather inspire and elicit a reaction. You want your
network to feel a part of your team, and to want to
make this film with you.
ALWAYSinclude the link to your campaign at the end
of communications, but focus on the invitation, not the
ask. You will quickly see the impact.
Implement a Public Relations Strategy
Draft a press release and send it to bloggers and film
influencers who might be interested in your story and
film campaign. Reach out to newspapers, TV stations
and radio personalities. Press only gets you more
attention, and should not be relied on to convert
page views into contributions.
The press will want to see two things:
1. The project has already raised money
(momentum).
2. Theres a story to tell besides, Filmmaker launches
a campaign.
This is why its important to seek out press and PR at
the proper time in a campaigns lifespan, usually once
the 30% contribution mark is hit.
A soft launch is when you
launch your Indiegogofilm campaign by quietly
reaching out to your inner
circle and securing their
contributions within the
first 48 hours.
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Go Offline
Think of ways to spread the word in the real world.
You could attend meetups or other events armed
with a pocketful of campaign postcardsto hand out,
each complete with your campaigns short URL.
Always start a conversation first, then share your
campaigns information.
Keep Spreading the Word
Use the update featureon your campaignand use
it well. Update your followers every three to five days.
Otherwise, you risk people forgetting about your
project. Updates get posted to your campaign page, and
are emailed to everyone who has already contributed
or is currently following your campaign. Post about
campaign progress, new videosanything your
audience might find interesting. Be sure to call out any
major funding milestone, too: $25K, $50K . . . $100K!
Dont be afraid to get funky: Try a stuntin the closing
days or hours of your campaign, such as a dance-a-
thon, live stream, or party. Spending a little extra for
an event can often deliver many times over. The Young
Turksraised nearly $100K with their 24-hour stream-
a-thon. Maybe you can, too!
THE LAST STRETCH
A films third act is when we start to question whether
or not our hero will succeed. The same holds true for
an Indiegogo film campaign. People are watching. To
convert those who havent contributed, try creating a
sense of urgency. This should occur when you have
one week or less left in the campaign.
Its also a good idea to add new perks. Twenty percent
of repeat contributions are for perks that were added
afterthe campaign went live. You can also remove old
perks that havent sold to help keep the campaign
looking fresh.
Stretch for the Stars
If youve played your cards right, youll hit your goalquickly. Heres wherestretch goalsshine. These are
additional goals detailing what you can do with
more funding, which will entice your crowd to
continue contributing.
Its a good idea to be modest. Hitting $50,000 and then
stating you want to go for $200,000 to complete the
film doesnt work. Instead, after you hit $50,000, set
your first stretch goal at an easily reachable number like
$60,000. Then set the next one at $75,000, and with
your third one, go long and go for $100,000.
For even more advice on running a campaign,
check out the Indiegogo Playbook.
The team behind Canadian comedy How
to Plan an Orgy in a Small Townkept
momentum steadily rising through engaging
updates (see the Lightning Rounds with each
cast member), creative stretch goals and
challenges (the production team promised
to go streaking if they hit 100K!), and a two-
way conversation with fans. Fans created the
#TeamOrgy hashtag, so the team came out
with #TeamOrgy t-shirts and underwear!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tyt-let-s-build-it-together-the-young-turks#homehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tyt-let-s-build-it-together-the-young-turks#homehttps://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/running-your-campaignhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-to-plan-an-orgy-in-a-small-townhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-to-plan-an-orgy-in-a-small-townhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-to-plan-an-orgy-in-a-small-townhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/how-to-plan-an-orgy-in-a-small-townhttps://go.indiegogo.com/playbook/life-cycle-phase/running-your-campaignhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tyt-let-s-build-it-together-the-young-turks#homehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tyt-let-s-build-it-together-the-young-turks#home7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Wrapping Up
Roll the credits: Your campaign has ended.
Now its time to fulfill your perks. If you believe there will be any delays, let your contributors know right away.
Its now important to continue nurturing the relationships youve established with your contributors and followers
through email and social media: these folks are now your communityyour fan base. Now that your campaign has
wrapped, you can continue to raise awareness around your project. Your Indiegogo campaign page will remain live,
so you can still use it as a platform, to post updates to your community. You can also continue to offer new perks
and raise funds! Indiegogos InDemand allows you to keep raising money even after your campaign endsfor as
long as youd like. For more information, click here.
Our favorite part of the fundraising process was the point
to point interaction with contributors from all over the
world. It wasnt just the money, but the ability to build
a fan base for our film. Indiegogo recognizes this benefit
and provides tools to give you that edge.
- Monnie Wills, Producer, What Lola Wants
Thinking about distributing your films on
Vimeo On Demand? Here are just some of the
benefits youll be able to tap into:
Matching funds:Vimeos new Creator
Fund will commit up to a million dollars in
matching funds for select Indiegogo film
campaigns in 2015.
Free unlimited fulfillment:Participating
campaigns will have access to free
fulfillment on all digital download perks via
Vimeo VOD.
Featured collection on Vimeo: An
Indiegogo Funded Films collection will be
featured on Vimeo, which reaches over 170
million global users a month.
And thats just the start. Read all the details on
our blogand sign up for more information here.
https://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/introducing-indemand.htmlhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hit-the-road-with-what-lola-wantshttps://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/indiegogo-vimeo-partnership.htmlhttp://form.jotform.us/form/50196984541160https://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/indiegogo-vimeo-partnership.htmlhttp://form.jotform.us/form/50196984541160https://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/indiegogo-vimeo-partnership.htmlhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hit-the-road-with-what-lola-wantshttps://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/introducing-indemand.html7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Case Study: The Space Between(or How One Creative Campaign Got It Done)
Actor Amy Jo Johnson ran an Indiegogo campaign for her film, The SpaceBetween, and she did it right. From beginning to end, she gave 110%. Heres how:
Johnson and her producer created attractive
marketing materials and images for specific
perks, and proudly used the Indiegogo logo,
to add branded exposure within her network.
Johnson did this without any assets from her
film, as it had yet to be shot.
Johnson tapped into her massive social
following: 52.6K on Twitter alone, and engaged
them. She let her Power Ranger fans know about
The Space Between.
Johnson created several video updates, because
video speaks louder than words.
She had fun! (You could tell in her videos, that she
was enjoying engaging her audience, and she took
the time to do it.)
Johnson offered a bevy of personal perks, and
refreshed themfrom various photo books to
limited-time-only photos of herself busking as the
Pink Power Ranger.
Johnson was creative and asked her friends for
help. She had her fellow Power Rangers eachrecord a video essentially daring her to busk in
her pink costume, if the crowd helped her reach
her $75,000 goal.
Johnson set a realistic goal. For example, she knew
she could receive 30% of her goal, early on.
Amy Jo Johnson, writer and director of The Space Between
I truly think one of the reasons why the campaign worked were the video messages and
voice messages that everyone got on certain days. I would do a 24-hour sale. Anyone who
donated in the next 24 hours got a personal video message. Other days it was personal
voice message. Then we would deliver these a few days later while the campaign was
still running. It seemed to really bring in a ton of traffic every time we did this.
- Amy Jo Johnson
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--4https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-space-between--47/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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Appendix
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I.DOs and DONTs
offer a $25 perk. Its the most
claimed perk level.
overuse the words help and
money. Youre giving fans the
opportunity to participate in your project.
your research. Search the site. Find films
similar to yours, and look at their results.
Figure out what they did right, and what they did wrong.
spam via email, social media,
or through too many updates.
Remember the old saying: Do unto others You dont
like a clogged inbox, either.
host online events. Reddit AMAs, Tweetchats,
Google Hangouts on Air, or even a YouTube
live stream hosted by the Indiegogo video player.
forget to encourage your crowd
to share, tweet, post, and email.
Theyll help you grow.
seek out potential large, sponsor-driven
contributors. Think of a brand or business
that might go in for that $10K+ executive producer
perk, to have their name mentioned.
send passive messages. Each
tweet or Facebook post should
either inform or be a direct call to action.
regularly update your campaign page. It
will allow you to continue updating your
contributors all the way to the films release.
be a stranger. Stay in touch with
Indiegogo. Were here to support
you throughout your careerand we want to hear yoursuccess stories!
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II.John T. Trigonis 10 Commandmentsof Social Media for Film1. You shall engage an audience before youlaunch a campaign
Its not enough to build an audience anymore. You
must engage and interact with one, and before your
campaign even starts. Social media should be treated
like a dialogue between friendsa two-way street
rather than a one-way road with no turns.
2. You shall give value with every update
In crowdfunding, its not in a filmmakers best interest to
talk all or mostly about her or his projects. Youll want toshow your followers that youre worth the follow. Thats
how you build yourself into the online film community.
3. You shall be active on no more than five
social media sites
Leslie Poston, co-author of Twitter for Dummies, says that
you should be on no more than five social media sites
at a time. Any more and your own level of engagement
is bound to wane, and thus you wont be able to interact
with as many fans and fellow filmmakers.
4. You shall always include your campaign link
When tweeting about your campaign, always include a
link to its Indiegogo campaign page, so the first thing
a potential contributor sees after they click the link is
your campaign video.
5. You shall always use relevant #hashtagsOn Twitter, and even on Facebook, too, be sure to
hashtag words and phrases relevant to your film
campaign. It makes it easier for random people to find
your project. Unsure which hashtags would be best?
Check them out at hashtagify.me.
6. On Twitter, you shall not use all 140
characters
People need their space, and some prefer to append
their own messages instead of quickly clickingthe retweet button. Once your message is written,
hashtags appended, and link included, you want to
have around fifteen characters remaining.
7. You shall use images because they speak
louder than words
Statistically, there is a greater click-through rate on
Tweets, Facebook and Google Plus posts when an
image or video is included. Include an image the
thumbnail of your campaign or specially designedsocial media promotional materials or a video like
your campaign video, to give people more of a reason
to check out your campaign and possibly contribute.
8. You shall schedule your outreach in advanceIts okay to use a service like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite
to schedule Tweets and other updates ahead of time.
Since crowdfunding is a full-time job, you want to
make it as seamless as possible. The one thing you
cant really schedule are your replies, comments, and
retweets, and those are just as important as promoting
your campaign.
9. You shall not spam
While crowdfunding is a full-time job and you shouldmaintain a steady presence on your social media
sites while in campaign mode, you should still be
interacting with your followers in ways unrelated to
your Indiegogo campaign.
10. You shall keep up your activity even after
the campaign ends
Even while filming your movie, and while youre locked
away in the editing room, keep the interaction with
your audience going strong. The minute you drop off,they drop off.
John T. Trigonis is the author of Crowdfunding
for Filmmakers: The Way to a Successful Film
Campaignand Indiegogos Film Campaign
Specialist. Follow him on Twitter.
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III.Indiegogo Calendar
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5 6 7Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8 9 10 11 12 13 14Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
15 16 17 18 19 20 21Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
22 23 24 25 26 27 28Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
29 30 31 1 2 3 4Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
5 6 7 8 9 10 11Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Build a team Start campaign draft:decide on goal & campaign
length
Fill out Marketing Workbook
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Begin campaign pitch andvideo
Write a Press Release
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Finish filming video Draft Pres s outreach(stories on embargo until
public launch) / Pre-
campaign email / 'ThankYou' email
Set up & verifyPayPal account
Design perk structure (Makesure fulfillment is feasible)
Create visual resources(infographics, etc.)
Finish editing video
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Email outreach,lock in host committee
Let PayPal know you'rerunning a campaign
Design Stretch Goals
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
SOFT LAUNCH
Trigger Host
Committee outreach
PUBLIC LAUNCH
Email Blast Group 1Reply to comments on your
campaign page
Shareable Update
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Post new
gallery imagesReply to comments
Email Blast Group 2
Reply to comments
Shareable Update
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Shareable Update
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Post new gallery images
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments Launch new perk
Shareable Update
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments Reply to comments
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Film Handbook | 19
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
19 20 21 22 23 24 25Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
26 27 28 29 30 31 1Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
2 3 4 5 6 7 8Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
9 10 11 12 13 14 15Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
16 17 18 19 20 21 22Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
23 24 25 26 27 28 29Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
30 31 1 2 3 4 5Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Post new gallery images
Reply to comments
Reply to comments LAUNCH CONTEST
Reply to comment
Reply to comments UPDATE
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Post new gallery imagesReply to comments
LAUNCH FINAL
PUSH PROMOTION
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Send 48hr countdownupdate via campaign page
update or emailReply to comments
24hr countdown update Enter bank account
information on GetFunded if you havent
already
CAMAPIGN ENDS
Reply to comments
UPDATE
Reply to comments
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
BEGIN PERK
FULFILLMENT
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments UPDATE
Reply to comments
Reply to comments Reply to comments Reply to comments
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
UPDATE
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
UPDATE
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
UPDATE
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
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Film Handbook | 20
IV.Campaign Amplification Kit
Youve successfully launched your campaign and have engaged your network.
Now its time to maintain your campaigns momentum and promote your
campaign beyond your own network.
WEBINAR PRESENTATION Amplification Webinar
Amplification Webinar Slides
BUILDING CAMPAIGN MOMENTUM How to Run a Referral Contest
Building Stretch Goals
Campaign Updates
CAMPAIGN OUTREACH 4 Steps to Email Outreach Success
Tracking Paid Placement in 4 Steps
Campaign Marketing Workbook
Cross-Promotion Best Practices
SOCIAL MEDIA Promoting Your Campaign With Social Media
Reddit 101
Post, Pin, & Tweet: The Best Time to Outreach
(courtesy of SurePayroll)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Explore successful Indiegogo campaigns
Indiegogo Playbook
Indiegogo Blog
Have questions? Email the Customer Happiness
Team
(All listed resources are linked to Google Docs.)
https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOVlZhTl9xUk5Tems/edithttps://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOd29hb1U3ejQtTWs/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOMjVDRUtSOVM3WXM/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOYWR1d0VVTnM3STg/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOYUgtTjg5NHFELU0/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOZWwxblR2RWVJaDQ/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOUEZTck1vczNPVjg/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvONVh4Slc1T2tCSWc/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOUERQWHJaYWFIMDA/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOdGEwQUhSLW1jek0/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOem9OaFVvV1lQajA/edit?pli=1http://blog.surepayroll.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Post-Pin-Tweet-Best-Time-Outreach.jpghttps://www.indiegogo.com/explorehttp://go.indiegogo.com/playbookhttp://go.indiegogo.com/blogmailto:support%40indiegogo.com?subject=mailto:support%40indiegogo.com?subject=mailto:support%40indiegogo.com?subject=mailto:support%40indiegogo.com?subject=http://go.indiegogo.com/bloghttp://go.indiegogo.com/playbookhttps://www.indiegogo.com/explorehttp://blog.surepayroll.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Post-Pin-Tweet-Best-Time-Outreach.jpghttps://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOem9OaFVvV1lQajA/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOdGEwQUhSLW1jek0/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOUERQWHJaYWFIMDA/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvONVh4Slc1T2tCSWc/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOUEZTck1vczNPVjg/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOZWwxblR2RWVJaDQ/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOYUgtTjg5NHFELU0/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOYWR1d0VVTnM3STg/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOMjVDRUtSOVM3WXM/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOd29hb1U3ejQtTWs/edit?pli=1https://drive.google.com/a/indiegogo.com/file/d/0Bzi54vyJUsvOVlZhTl9xUk5Tems/edit7/25/2019 Film Handbook 030415 (1)
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V.Additional Resources
INDIEGOGO PARTNERSIndiegogo has many great film partners:
Vimeo
IFP(Independent Filmmaker Project)
IDA(International Documentary Association)
CFC(Canadian Film Center)
DOC(Documentary Organization of Canada)
YouTube
Austin Film Society
Columbia University
Fractured Atlas
VHX
Slated
IndieReign
Amplifier
Partnering with one of these groups before you launch
your campaign adds a source of promotion and support,
thanks to their branded pages on Indiegogo.com. You
can be a current member of these organizations, or an
alumnus. If the organization is a 501c3, you will receive
a 25% discount on your fees. If its a standard partner,
you will receive a 10% discount on fees.
CROWDFUNDINGNEWS RESOURCES
A growing variety of film and digital news sites havecreated their own crowdfunding columns. When
reaching out to these sites, keep in mind that youre not
the only one. Be direct and personable, and make the
sites editor realize your project is special.
Twitch Film
Indiewire(see their Project of the Day/Week/
Month/Year)
Tubefilter
Bloody Disgusting
io9
Nerdist
No Film School
INDIEGOGO RESOURCES Playbook
Blog
Start your campaign
Browse film campaigns
Indiegogo Film on Twitter
Indiegogo on Twitter
START TODAY!
https://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/indiegogo-vimeo-partnership.htmlhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/IFPhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/idanhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/cfccreateshttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/DOChttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/youtubehttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/austinfilmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/columbiafilmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/frachttps://www.vhx.tv/indiegogohttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/slatedhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/indiereignhttp://amplifier.com/indiegogo/http://twitchfilm.com/http://www.indiewire.com/http://www.tubefilter.com/http://bloody-disgusting.com/index.htmlhttp://io9.com/tag/crowdfund-thishttp://www.nerdist.com/http://nofilmschool.com/https://go.indiegogo.com/playbookhttps://go.indiegogo.com/bloghttps://www.indiegogo.com/campaigns/newhttps://www.indiegogo.com/explore/film?filter_quick=popular_allhttps://twitter.com/IndiegogoFilmhttps://twitter.com/Indiegogohttps://www.indiegogo.com/campaigns/new?utm_source=filmhandbook&utm_medium=contentmarketing&utm_content=startcampaign_linkhttps://www.indiegogo.com/campaigns/new?utm_source=filmhandbook&utm_medium=contentmarketing&utm_content=startcampaign_linkhttps://twitter.com/Indiegogohttps://twitter.com/IndiegogoFilmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/explore/film?filter_quick=popular_allhttps://www.indiegogo.com/campaigns/newhttps://go.indiegogo.com/bloghttps://go.indiegogo.com/playbookhttp://nofilmschool.com/http://www.nerdist.com/http://io9.com/tag/crowdfund-thishttp://bloody-disgusting.com/index.htmlhttp://www.tubefilter.com/http://www.indiewire.com/http://twitchfilm.com/http://amplifier.com/indiegogo/https://www.indiegogo.com/partners/indiereignhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/slatedhttps://www.vhx.tv/indiegogohttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/frachttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/columbiafilmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/austinfilmhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/youtubehttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/DOChttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/cfccreateshttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/idanhttps://www.indiegogo.com/partners/IFPhttps://go.indiegogo.com/blog/2015/01/indiegogo-vimeo-partnership.html