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Open Filmmaking

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The cost of filmmaking is astronomical. If you could defer some of those costs by offering a piece of the pie to dedicated and talented creatives who could help make your film a reality, wouldn’t you?
i’m a writer
i’m cast/crew

Cast and crew up with creatives turned equity partners + lower the filmmaking barriers

how it works

Writers↗

Sign up for FREE. Pitch a production ready project stating the roles you are seeking and equity offerings / terms. Open filmmaking.com sends your pitch to our extensive list of cast and crew members seeking sweat equity opportunities in your project’s genre. Interested parties reach out to get involved. Request auditions, view reels and portfolios, and enter into partnerships with the best candidates *we’re here to help facilitate the process*. Go into production and post with a drastically lowered budget resulting in an increased probability of finishing your film. Distribute and market your film with the help of your equity partners with a vested interest in its success. Earn and pay out profits. Everybody wins. Rinse and repeat.

Cast / Crew↗

Sign up for FREE. Complete a questionnaire detailing the types of films you are interested in working on and in what capacity: cast or production / post production crew. Receive new and exciting vetted project pitches ready for production from writers and creatives offering equity in their projects direct to your inbox.
Find a project you believe in and are excited about and offer your talents and/or resources in exchange for points in the film. With costs drastically lowered, your project will be more likely to reach completion and obtain distribution. Expand your creative network and gain credit, experience, footage for your reel, and be paid from profits as part owner of the film. Everybody wins. Rinse and repeat.

COSTS OF INDIE FILMMAKING

  • Cast (25%): This includes paying actors and any associated expenses like travel, lodging, and per diems.
  • Crew (30%): This includes paying for a director of photography, camera operators, sound technicians, production designers, editors, and any other key crew members. It also covers any equipment rentals and associated expenses like insurance and transportation.
  • Production (10%): This includes location rental fees, set construction, props, costumes, and any other expenses associated with the actual production.
  • Food (15%): This includes craft services and catering for the cast and crew during production.
  • Post-production (10%): This includes editing, sound design, color correction, and any other post-production expenses.
  • Marketing and publicity (5%): This includes creating marketing materials like posters and trailers, as well as any expenses associated with promoting the film.
  • Distribution (5%): This includes expenses associated with getting the film into festivals or securing distribution deals.
i’m a writer
i’m cast/crew

01. Problem

Film are too expensive for most to make well and raising money is a huge obstacle for aspiring / indie filmmakers.

02. problem

Cast and crew want a bigger piece of the pie and projects they are involved with to see the light of day.

03. Solution

Slash up to 75% of the cost of your film while giving talented creatives equity and increased incentive to champion your film .

OUR TEAM
CAN SOLVE
EVERYTHING

Openfilmmaking.com seeks to be a disruptor in an industry that clings to out dated ideologies and fierce gatekeeping. We thoroughly vet every project to make sure it is production ready. If it’s not, we can help get it there to be eligible for pitching to our talented members looking for projects just like yours. That includes coverage, breakdowns, scheduling, budgeting, pitch decks, etc. Once your pitch is polished, has attracted talent willing to invest sweat equity, and you have chosen your partners, we can also help facilitate the necessary contracts and guides to protect all parties.

Get started
This month’s filmmaker spotlight gives shine to Thomas Lorant from Los Angeles, California.

filmmaker spotlight!

F.A.Q

Can I make my entire film for free?

Probably not. You still need to spend some money on your film for items like food, transportation, etc. For very labor-intensive jobs you might offer a lower rate and equity. However, there is only so much equity to give and you will likely want to retain some ownership of your project. Additionally, offering fraction of points to everyone who works on your film may prove difficult to attract talent. Openfilmmaking.com aims to help you reduce up to 75% of the cost of filmmaking by eliminating the bulk of upfront costs (cast and production and post production crew). For example, a $30,000 film becomes a $7,500 film.

How do I get paid?

– Filmmakers do not receive any monetary investments from cast and crew. They receive talent/services in exchange for giving away equity / points in their film.
-Cast/crew are typically paid by filmmakers monthly or quarterly once the film has been distributed. Filmmakers are required to provide closed financials and updates every month, quarter, semi-annually or annually depending on its distribution model and contract details.
-Filmmakers set individual terms / equity points for roles in their projects, which cast/crew should read thoroughly before applying. Once the filmmaker and cast/crew have agreed to work together they will enter into a contract. We recommend filmmakers set generous terms such as paying cast/crew from gross profits since the success of their film is due largely in part to the cast/crew’s hard work.
-We provide contract services to make sure all parties are protected and in agreement.

How do equity points work?

Points are shares of a movie. They translate into a percentage of ownership. When the film makes income or a profit, those with points make money based on how many points they have and whether they are paid on gross or net profits. A “point” is one percentage point. Five points = 5%.
Many independent films don’t make money because they have to spend so much upfront to get the movie made. However, the openfilmmaking.com model drastically reduces the cost of filmmaking so that it is easier for a film to turn a profit and for cast/crew with points to make more money than they probably would have if paid upfront rates (especially non-union rates) that most independent filmmakers can afford.

Why do I need to be vetted to pitch?

Our mission is to connect creatives to get films made! As such, Openfilmmaking.com requires production-ready projects only. We want to present serious and prepared projects to our cast/crew members so as not to waste anyone’s time with a project that has very little likelihood of getting made.
This means you need to have a finished script, synopsis, pitch, script breakdown, top sheet / budget breakdown, schedule, casting breakdown, marketing plan, and equity offering / terms in place.
Ideally, you would also have a pitch deck, one sheets, existing financing proof, and bio / breakdown on the creative team already involved. The more preliminary work you have done instills confidence in others to invest their time and talents in your project.
If you need help in preparing your pitch for prime time, we are here to help. Check out our services and resources page to help prepare the necessary documents or let us do it for you.

How does openfilmmaking.com make money?

We are filmmakers and therefore while many features on this site are free, we offer a range of premium services to help bring your project to the best place it can be, such as breakdown, budget, and scheduling services, pitch deck services, script coverage and consultations, payroll services, and contract templates).
Additionally, while projects that are submitted and approved are distributed via email to our list of cast/crew members for free, filmmakers’ projects can live on our website in our “vault” and be readily searchable and accessible by members until the filmmaker wants to remove it.
We also offer advertising options in our direct emails that go out to our members daily. If you would like to advertise, click here.