Hi Stage 32 Community!
I’m Eliah Miller, a writer and director, currently in pre-production for my short film “Extremely Close Yet Awfully Far”. We're on a journey to bring this project to life, and I want to share some hard-earned lessons from our crowdfunding campaign that might help you with yours.
First, here’s the link to our campaign: Support "Extremely Close Yet Awfully Far" (https://seedandspark.com/fund/extremely-close-yet-awfully-far-1#story)
The Realities of Crowdfunding
Campaigning is ROUGH. It’s not just about putting up a page and hoping for the best—it’s a full-time job that needs serious preparation. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way:
Start Early: Have your campaign strategy locked in at least 3 months in advance. (Ideally start 6 months from launch)
Build a Team: Crowdfunding requires at least two people managing emails, social media, and outreach.
Emails Are Key: I learned from a former Seed&Spark employee that emails make up 30% of your funding, while social media contributes less than 1%!!. To raise $9,700, we needed around 900 emails (but can only grab about 400 between all Major crew members) If you’re new to networking, this can be tough, but it’s not impossible. Be creative with your outreach—IMDB is a goldmine for finding small production companies and producers interested in funding.
Traction Takes Time: Even with a talented cast—including a star who’s worked alongside Matthew McConaughey—we’ve faced challenges in gaining traction. But don’t be discouraged; positive feedback will come, and sometimes, it’s just a matter of time.
Key Takeaways
Get Creative with Incentives: Whether you’re using Kickstarter or another platform, make your incentives stand out.
Tag-Team Your Campaign: Having a partner in crime will make a world of difference.
Plan Ahead: An extensive email list and a solid plan are essential.
Stay Resilient: Don’t lose heart—have a backup plan ready.
How You Can Help
We’re just getting started, and we need your support to reach our goal. If this post (with your
Help) reaches 5 thousand people and each contributes just $1, we’d hit our target!
Or, if 1,000 of you see this and can give $5, we’re there!
Every dollar counts, every second counts!
Check out our campaign and be one of the first to grab our exclusive incentives: Join the Journey
Also, follow us on Instagram and share our latest posts: Follow "Extremely Close" on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/extremelyclosefilm?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&u...)
Thank you for your support—we can't wait to share this film with you all!
3 people like this
Incredible crowdfunding page, Eliah Miller! Congratulations to you and your team on getting to 44% funded! Thanks for sharing the realities of crowdfunding and takeaways. Wow, I didn't know that emails make up 30% of funding for Seed&Spark campaigns and social media contributes less than 1%! I thought social media would be the biggest percentage.
4 people like this
Thank you so much Maurice! There is so much more I can say and maybe will for a later post. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted and there is a lot of neglect on just all crowdfunding entails especially for shorts since investors are out of question for the most part. If you have any questions let me know! Also if you can contribute any amount & share this post it be greatly appreciated.
3 people like this
You're welcome, Eliah Miller. "Extremely Close Yet Awfully Far" is a unique title. I'll try to donate soon, and I'll share about your campaign on Twitter/X.
3 people like this
I've heard a good way to kickstart a campaign is with a launch party. I've heard of people renting out a bar, inviting as many people as they can (people who are stoked for you and want you to succeed), and then it ends up encouraging a lot of funding from the get-go. Since people are there to support you, they're more likely to fund higher amounts while at the party, everybody can see the number going up in real time, etc. Have you tried doing anything like this?
2 people like this
Thank you for sharing these insights and takeaways with us, Eliah Miller! If you're interested in writing a more in-depth blog post about this topic for the Stage 32 blog page, please feel free to reach out to me at blog@stage32.com and we can discuss that further.
4 people like this
Great share for the community, Eliah Miller - thank you! (please take Ashley up on her offer :)
1 person likes this
Congratulations! Well done!