Monetize Your First Movie: Get Paid Before the Script is Done

• Raise $20,000 quickly for your film with Amazon
• Sell production titles to fund your movie
• Your movie poster is more important than your movie

The Smart Way to Finance Your Debut Movie

You need funds to make your first movie. The easiest way to do it is to sell a valuable connection to your film. Most filmmakers try to make money from their movies after post-production. What some don’t understand is that doing so is the equivalent of buying several thousand lottery tickets and hoping for the best.

With a little creativity and some “quid pro quo,” you can make enough money for your movie to be profitable before you even start filming. In fact, it could make money before anyone even sees it.

To give you insight into what real money-raising looks like, I’ve listed the fastest and easiest ROI strategies for filmmakers to monetize their projects before a single frame is captured. From unconventional campaigns to securing lucrative distribution deals in advance, let’s get into how savvy low-budget filmmakers are reshaping the movie financing landscape.

Go From Idea To Poster First!

Before you work on a production budget or even raise funds, you have to sell the idea of your movie, and without a movie poster with a blockbuster feel to it, you can’t sell that idea to anyone, not even yourself. I don’t care if you hire someone from Fiverr or acquire a Hollywood professional, you need a poster first!

Your poster must stand out among others and wow fans and potential backers. Study movie posters from your genre with the highest-grossing box office income, and make sure your graphic designer follows the visual formula precisely.

Psychologically, people will see the poster as a genuine representation of what you are putting together. The actor’s faces might change later on depending on how much money you raise or their availability, but your movie poster will always have that emotional appeal that makes people want to attach themselves to your project.

Sell Ego-Boosting Credits

I understand that platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe have revolutionized the way filmmakers raise funds for their projects, but most filmmakers do a poor job of offering viable rewards, and you will need hundreds of followers to fund you on these platforms to move the needle.

By creating a direct and compelling campaign with your own movie website that offers producer credits, filmmakers can attract backers who are willing to contribute an excessive amount financially in exchange for the exclusive reward of seeing their name on movie posters, on-set chairs, and end credits of your film.

Here are some film credits you can offer:

• Field Producer
• Company Producer
• Associate Producer
• Consulting Producer
• Executive Producer

To be clear, you are not selling an actual position to someone who might get in the way of production, you are selling an association with your project. You can list at least 2 producers for each title in your film, and each one can contribute hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars to help produce your project. Make sure you schedule on-set days for your “producers” to meet and take pictures with the cast and crew but not during important shoots. A well-executed credit campaign not only provides quick financial support but also helps to build a dedicated fan base for the project.

Double Your Impact: Fund Your Film and Their Wallets

Create a lucrative partnership that benefits everyone involved.

Sharing funds up front with investors for passive results is one of the quickest way to get a green light for your film project. You incentivize investors, crew members and actors by sharing every donation generated through their affiliate link. The concept involves providing investors, producers, director, actors, etc with unique affiliate links that they can promote within their own social networks. Each time a donation is made through these links, the investor earns a predetermined commission, allowing them to profit immediately and continuously. This model creates a direct and ongoing incentive for investors to actively participate in the fundraising process, driving more donations and increasing the film’s budget.

Here is an example showing the potential earnings an investor can make based on the total donations brought in through their affiliate link. In this example, the investor receives a 25% commission for each donation. As the total donations increase, so do the investor’s earnings. For instance:

• If the investor brings in $100 in donations, they earn $25.
• If the investor brings in $500 in donations, they earn $125.
• If the investor brings in $1,000 in donations, they earn $250.

For this strategy to work, filmmakers need to set up an affiliate marketing system. This can be done through an affiliate marketing tool or a solution that was built just for them and linked to their donation page. Investors are given unique ad links that they can use on blogs, social media, email, and other sites. Tracking systems keep an eye on where each gift comes from, making sure that commissions are calculated correctly and given to the right investors. This not only encourages investors to spread the word about the film’s fundraising campaign, but it also helps the campaign reach more people by using their different networks. This leads to a lively and cooperative funding process that helps the movie project and its backers, creating a sense of shared success and getting people involved in the community.

Pre-Sell Distribution Rights With D-List Actors

This used to be a big thing in the 1980s and 1990s, but you rarely see these deals nowadays unless you sign a decent D-list or a very good F-list actor like Massi Furlan who is credited with being the only actor that kills Dwayne Johnson in a movie (Jumanji). …and if you’re brave enough to put Amanda Bynes in your movie, I promise you you will get people investing in that train wreck!

So let’s get into it. Before a single frame is shot, filmmakers can approach distributors, streaming platforms, or production companies and negotiate pre-sale agreements for the distribution rights to their films. This is a more advanced move. You may need at least one movie under your belt to take this approach.

These deals provide upfront cash or financing in exchange for exclusive rights to distribute the film in specific territories or markets. Get in touch with a reputable film sales agent to help you put a package together.

Securing pre-sales not only generates revenue but also validates the commercial potential of the project, making it more attractive to investors and other stakeholders.

Turn Amazon Shoppers into Film Funders: Earn 4% or More for Your Movie!

You can easily make $20,000 in just a few months by turning regular Amazon purchases into movie-making money. Fund your movie through the everyday shopping habits of your friends, family, and fans. By becoming an Amazon Associate. Create a unique link for people to use when making their regular Amazon purchases. Each time someone clicks on your link and buys something, you earn a commission of 4% or more.

Make it extremely easy for someone to participate when you send them a link that automatically becomes an icon on their phone. That phone icon will take them to Amazon’s main page with your embedded link, and anything they buy within 24 hours on Amazon will be credited to you at 4% or more.

It’s a simple yet powerful way to generate funds for your film without asking anyone to contribute extra money directly. This method turns routine shopping into a steady stream of financial support, helping you gather the necessary resources to bring your cinematic vision to life.

The average American spends $47 a month on Amazon. Within 3 months, a small campaign can raise $20,000 from a small community of people with a passing interest in your project. You can even run a contest for someone to be in the movie depending on their total purchase amount within a given time period.

Merchandise Revenue

The producers of the small-budget movie turned TV series, St. Gabriel, which is in post-production, raised over $3,200 by pre-selling their movie posters to fans on social media. These funds helped pay for hotel stays for the actors and crew on location.

Pre-Earnings from Streaming Services

Filmmakers can leverage online platforms to monetize their content through digital downloads, streaming services, and merchandise sales. By building an online presence through social media, websites, and e-commerce platforms, filmmakers can directly engage with their audience and offer exclusive content, merchandise, or experiences in exchange for financial support.

Additionally, platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Patreon provide opportunities for creators to monetize their content through advertising, subscriptions, or fan contributions.

Branded Content and Product Placement

Strategic partnerships with brands and companies can provide filmmakers with additional funding and resources for their projects. By integrating branded content or product placement into the narrative, filmmakers can generate revenue while maintaining creative control over their vision.

From featuring recognizable products in key scenes to incorporating sponsored content within the story, these partnerships offer a mutually beneficial opportunity for both the filmmaker and the brand to reach their target audiences.

A major resource for filmmakers is the Association of Entertainment Marketing Professionals website, which lists marketing companies representing top brands. Prefer direct contact? Try partnering with local companies eager to collaborate, especially if you’re filming on location.

Offer Up To 70% In Points

Offering points to investors with film credit in your movie means granting them a percentage of the film’s profits, creating even more of an incentive for their financial support. This practice is crucial, especially for first-time filmmakers, as it demonstrates a willingness to share the potential success of the project.

By offering a generous share of the profits, you not only attract investors who might be wary of the risks associated with a debut film but also show your commitment to a collaborative financial arrangement. This can help build trust and encourage more substantial investments, ensuring you have the necessary resources to bring your vision to life.

Licensing Intellectual Property

If the film is based on existing intellectual property such as a novel, comic book, or video game, filmmakers can negotiate licensing deals with the rights holders to adapt the material for the screen.

By securing the rights to beloved characters or storylines, filmmakers can tap into existing fan bases and generate buzz for the project before production begins. Additionally, licensing agreements may include upfront payments or royalties based on the success of the film, providing a source of revenue even before it hits theaters.

While securing funding for a film project may seem like a daunting task, filmmakers can adopt a proactive approach by exploring innovative strategies to monetize their films before production begins.

Filmmakers can get money for their projects, build momentum, connect with audiences, and set themselves up for a successful and profitable release by using digital revenue streams, pre-selling distribution rights, crowdfunding campaigns, and forming partnerships with investors. They can also add branded content and license intellectual property.

Turn your passion projects into profitable business chances by creating with strategies in mind and planning ahead.