ALTERNATIVE FUNDING INDUSTRY.
On a bankroll
Many production companies never get their idea commissioned – or funded – but that doesn’t mean it can’t get made
WORDS. Robert Shepherd IMAGES. Various
C ommissioning and funding are the bane of the independent sector’s existence. Producers send over a great idea and wait ages for a reply. Sometimes, there isn’t one. Other times, they find out their idea has been executed by another production company. In other words, companies and individuals can spend ages developing things that don’t get made, purely because they’re reliant on external factors. For that reason, film and programme makers have been taking things into their own hands by ditching the traditional
route and funding projects themselves. If you’re one of those frustrated individuals or companies, you’re not alone. GETTING STARTED Paul McNeilly, founder of Mac Films, explains how the first investment he made was buying his own kit. “It sounds obvious, but if you do that, it’s the first step to going out and doing something,” he says. “I got a basic Canon to start with and I’ve since moved up to a Blackmagic camera with some good lenses. That was basic self-funding there. I recently
33. JANUARY 2023
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