Documentary - Rosenthal, Chap 23: The Producer's Role
This was a great chapter to read because it offered many resources and tips on how to secure funding for a documentary film. I especially appreciated that it cited several publications, websites, or organizations with summaries of the information they provide. It’s intimidating to think about competing for grants against people who are either more experienced filmmakers with more works under their belt or against others who may be better grant writers. I also have to admit that I’ve had the same thought as when Rosenthal mentioned that the funding proposal process “may favor those that can write good grants over those who are poor grant writers but better filmmakers.” In my opinion, grant writing and filmmaking use different parts of the brain, so for me, it’s difficult to switch from one to the other.
Hey, Kim! Even good grant writers are denied grants. They are just competitive. However, if any filmmaker is worried about how to successfully write a grant, there is a great book (I forget the title now), but also it's likely the text you read had great resources. Also, you could get someone who has written grants to read over the one you write before submission. It doesn't guarantee award, but it guarantees you did all you could to secure it. You could also see if you could pay a grant writer friend. For example, some people will exchange their expertise for yours. Though the business part of art is a chore, I continue to be bothered by the separation of the creation process and the releasing of the creation out in the world. The reluctance or outright refusal to do that part keeps many artists unknown, in my opinion. They often opine that their work could be out there if they just had someone to give them a chance; yet, when the rubber meets the road of actually promoting their work, they don't want to do that part. My dad--a very talented songwriter--is a GREAT example of that. He has nearly 1000 songs written and many of those recorded. However, he insists that the creation part is so fun and fulfilling that he refuses to promote. My dad is 73, and the likelihood of him dying and most of those songs never being published or picked up is all but certain. He's at peace with that. As a creator, though, I think I would regret not doing the actual hard part because it wasn't as fun. If I die and my work never seen, I want it to be because it just sucks, not because I just didn't try. Sorry for the soapbox. --Carrah
ReplyDeleteHey Kim! I did not read this documentary chapter (I'm doing a narrative), but I was interested to hear your opinion. I have to admit I had the same concerns about grants in general. I hope with time both of us become more experienced in grant writing!
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