The basic principle of money is very simple: money is a means to make something. Money always has to come from somewhere in order to use it. Money is not free, that is an illusion. You can save money, make it, sometimes borrow it, or sometimes you can get it through others with a certain condition. However, making a film is not just about having money. You can make a film alone, or shooting a film often involves putting together a good team (crew), borrowing material (or being allowed to use it), and displaying the necessary concentration and discipline to develop your vision. Money is everywhere, not always visible, and sometimes you already have more than you think. So think carefully. Let these answers inspire you. Your actors (cast) on screen are ultimately the actions of your movie, so don't forget to give them the attention they need. Enter into dialogue well in advance with people you feel comfortable with, and who also support your vision as an art filmmaker. Assembling everything into a whole is also a few days to weeks of work, where coffee will often not be missing. Kunstfilm.be works with filmfonds vzw: in the first instance we give you advice, we figure out what will be needed for your project, we try to sell your film in exchange for clear distribution agreements, we try to collect money from all kinds of sources, and eventually produce the film together with you, where we - or not - will bear the cost of it. Filmfonds vzw has put in a lot of effort, sweat and tears, to get its funds together. You spend money on your project when it is not possible without money. You also partly assume your responsibilities in this story. We therefore take a very practical approach to making film projects, and only really spend money when certain costs, cast and crew, insurance on set and of course external costs cannot be avoided. The best sources to find money are still: - first work to earn money - sell or rent something - other sources of income, support or donations - ask for support from mom & dad, friends and / or family - form a team that will make the project together The whole idea of ​​having millions of euros is often an illusion that came over from Hollywood and can rarely find ground in the banking sector anymore. So think realistically about budgets, and what you can get with that in your network. "Filmfonds vzw is not a magical unicorn that brings tons of money to your door." With your film production, always think of helping hands who come to help voluntarily. Always take out insurance and follow the central health rules for film makers in Belgium.

You will always find support In addition to your friends, family and the support of kunstfilm.be, you can count on filmfonds vzw. We are open to thinking differently and want to be there for you to make your film project possible. We don't just give our film funds to you, but with the right attitude anything is possible. Filmfonds vzw will assist you in finding money for your specific project, which is a big difference with just giving a bag of money to you. No one has the right to give money away to someone else's project. That is a myth, or a coincidence of great luck, or often there is another reason behind that kind of deal. At kunstfilm.be and filmfonds vzw, we believe that everyone has the right to be helped to get their film around. That is why we invest in following up on success stories in our beautiful homeland, and we approach partners to forge strong ties. In short: together with our network we will look for tailor-made solutions, and yes, we sometimes succeed. A network that is buzzing, now that is a real uniqueness and essence in a movie network. We will not (always) just approach the first available Facebook connection, but consciously introduce people in our extensive professional network, bring them together and let them pollinate themselves. The most important thing is that you realize that you are going to bring together people with different (types of) talents. You form a whole in such a way that the various branches of film form an end result that stands strong in its shoes. "Awareness is the key to creation." The logic Start here: someone with a good idea for a movie, and someone who can write it well. Get to work on your script, and read it over and over, over and over. Be patient with yourself, and let the scenes come at their own pace. Talk about it, and imagine the dialogues. A golden tip is to write together with someone and to verbalize the dialogues out loud to each other. Here are some of the types of crew you'll want to see on your set: someone who organizes well, someone who is good at supervising actors, someone who records sound, someone who helps load/unload equipment, someone who transports everything and everyone, someone who prints the script in call sheets, someone who provides food and drinks on set, someone who is very technical and his/her friends who come along to help. It is also nice if you can think in advance about your locations, clothing, use of attributes and have someone choose, make or adjust them in advance. And later when you have filmed all the images: someone who can edit very well, someone who can make extra coffee and who is mainly there to bring the process to a unique result. Patience, focus and discipline are the basic ingredients to finish your film.

Often, one of the best methods of making sure you have enough money is to make sure you don't throw the money out the window for things you don't need. Filling a jar takes a lot of time and effort, so it is essential not to spend the money on things that you don't actually need. Golden tip: Make a limited list of what you need and find out what the cost is. Underline in the overview what the priorities are to do justice to your art film. Make those things your first job. Ask different partners the same thing, and each time what it would cost, so you can decide who it will be with competitive quotes. Make more money It is often a good idea to think about what you can pay for, and what you are paying for. Some films allow actors to co-finance to increase the budget. Other productions will throw a party with tickets to support the pot. Other artists will then first sell photos, paintings or other objects in order to fill their account with sufficient budget. Also think about who you will sell the intermediate or end result to. If you can sell your film in advance, before it is ready, you already have a budget or possible loan from the bank. Before you make something, you can inaugurate certain adjustments or expectations for yourself and those others (the company or sponsor brand) that will make you money. A sponsor then expects something in return, often these are certain adjustments to mentality or atmosphere that fit their marketing. In addition to tips for getting a film financed yourself, it is also in your interest to think carefully about what you are going to spend money on. We repeat this because all too often we see choices that drain the money without seeing results. You can also think like "free is free", but then also learn to draw boundaries for the cast or crew who also volunteer their precious time for you, and provide them with the minimum. "Learn to see your art as a product too: think Show Me The Money." Think before you start As a final tip for an ideal team, we advise at kunstfilm.be to add a kind of salesperson to your production. Often this is a completely different persona than the artist himself. This type is easy to apply in your product to buyers, investors and/or the man with the cap. He/She is often very communicative and will negotiate the agreements with the potential partners for you. Others may not immediately want to buy a copy of your film, but may be interested in taking a look at the set, a piece of art on their wall or sending them a monthly support payment out of sympathy (or guilt). In the film world, the deals with distribution, development and even production companies are made in advance. The clearer you can become in the process of negotiating each link, the better your (art) product will be. We repeat, we repeat: think about your financial management, please. You can sometimes ask your dad or family, in any case someone who is good with money management. So also add to your team: someone who can keep track of all invoices, the (signed) contracts, and (company) accounting. If you haven't been able to fix it yourself yet, you can contact kunstfilm.be for this financial assistance.

Often projects have come about through a wild fantasy, and the search for money to make the project is a completely different assignment. Artists are often strong in making, but then again not at all concerned with the financial picture. "Okay, we understand: you have a wild imagination, but what to do now?" Choose your darlings You can't achieve the very best of everything from day one. You need knowledge, network and often an extra pocket money for this. Taking a look at your script and thinking about the visual cost of your story will soon give you more information about feasibility with your budget. Golden tip: You can often achieve a lot by exchanging value between your network, friends, colleagues or family. What is worth nothing to one person may be worth a lot to another. Think about what you can give in exchange for something someone else has, and be ready to talk. The deal should not always be closed immediately, because the best suggestions only come when you have knowledge of what both parties need. Instead of thinking about what you need only, shift your attention to what others need. It is an added value for yourself to work in the sector, which gives you a clear picture of how everything is going. Ask questions if you don't fully understand something, and again be sincere about your own ambitions with others. From that knowledge you learn to think from the perspective of what you can make possible (instead of what you don't have). For example, do you have access to a cool location, do you know someone who can act well, do you have nice clothes, or can you make sure you have lights or cameras available to film your production? Then think about bartering. One pleasure can sometimes be worth another, and voila: there you have access to what you needed. Now make lists of what you have, without immediately adding a rental price. This ranges from locations, to clothing, material, and even expertise. The best thing to do is to put this in an Excel and use it with your team. This way they can also ask you something when necessary. Make sure you stay friends with each other, and talk out misunderstandings or problems with each other. After all, it is not pleasant for anyone to be on set with a fight, and in the end we are all different: just accept that. Leave the parts for which you have not yet filled in and ask your network where you can possibly find such things, who has it, and/or whether you can use it. The golden tip is "friendship", but without abusing it. Make a trade with your helping hand and volunteer for other projects as well. In this way you learn and get inspired for your own productions. Often solutions are easier to find than you think: common sense, stay respectfully friendly and don't let that stop you from getting a "yes". You can always ask something. Making a proposal, that's smart.

We think it's essential to be honest and clear with yourself and everyone involved in your film. So finalizing your production in terms of script, determining the locations, listing the actors and supplies is essential. Your movie is like a cake Make it a habit to distribute the cake you make in your oven to all employees before it is ready. In the end you start with an idea about what kind of cake you want, you're going to make batter for it, whipped cream, fruit and sugar magic, right? The same goes for your production. "Everyone wants a piece of the pie when it's baked, buttered, and finished." Some tips to get your production started: - make agreements on paper about the use of material, and yes that includes the lamps, transport to locations, cameras and all kinds of technical material needed to build the set. - make a clear agreement on paper with each actor: he/she wants to know from you how important you are going to play them in your production. Leading to supporting roles are distributed with the promises of a nice payment or a strong promotion. - the buyer also wants a piece: the distributor of your film wants to be sure that it is a production that you are finishing. He/she will also have you sign a 'completion bond'. In the event that you do not complete the project, they will continue to see their money come to fruition. - don't forget to give yourself a piece of the pie. Sometimes the sale of the film brings in enough money to pay for the next production. Make sure you don't throw your income from the film into the production budgets, because then you have nothing left for yourself. Alarm, alarm: The days where someone works for the 'exposure' of it are long gone. So think about what you can give back to that person without time or space. You should therefore not always give something back right now: this can also be a promise in the future. By the way, tasty: the cake that you fantasize in your head already looks delicious. Good luck baking!