Doc U: Shaking the Money Tree: The Art of Getting Grants and Donations for your Film/Video Project
The International Documentary Association Presents
Shaking the Money Tree: The Art of Getting Grants and Donations for your Film/Video Project
Saturday, April 17, 2010 in Los Angeles
The Standard, Downtown LA
9:30 - 10AM: Registration/Networking
10AM - 5PM: Workshop
Part of the 2010 Doc U Seminar series.
Looking for funding while maintaining a career as a
media maker can be a competitive, elusive and overwhelming proposition. Nationally recognized consultant MORRIE
WARSHAWSKI presents his popular full-day workshop full of patented
street-savvy, in-the-trenches advice on how to get grants and donations for noncommercial
independent film and video projects. Warshawski provides practical advice based on real experience
to get filmmakers focused and effective at getting money for their projects.
The workshop completely demystifies the world of donations
and grants by providing an introduction to all the basic principles of
successful fundraising including:
- Ways
to approach individuals for donations (houseparties, direct mail, etc.);
- How
to get money from foundations and corporations;
- The
role of the Internet and social networking tools;
- Designing
your project to make it attractive to funders;
- Getting
yourself together and dopting the proper mindset;
- Laying
the groundwork for and conducting research;
- Creating
the perfect written grant proposal.
- The
art of asking and pitching.
Warshawski's class includes exercises, lecture,
video clip examples, and an extensive handout packet full of information and
references on fundraising. A must
for the beginning, emerging or experienced filmmaker who has any qualms about
fundraising.
MORRIE
WARSHAWSKI, noted writer and media consultant, is the former
Executive Director of Bay Area Video Coalition and The Media Project, Inc. His clients over the last 30 years
include the American Film Institute, National Endowment for the Arts,
California Arts Council, MacArthur Foundation, WGBH-TV, President's Commission
on the Arts and Humanities, and many others. Warshawski has served on numerous grant panels, has written
over 500 proposals, and is the author of THE
FUNDRAISING HOUSEPARTY, and SHAKING
THE MONEY TREE: THE ART OF GETTING GRANTS AND DONATIONS FOR FILM AND VIDEO
(now in its 3rd edition).
You can find Warshawski and an audio clip on fundraising houseparties at
his website - www.warshawski.com - or follow him on Twitter (MorrieW).
QUOTES:
"I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your
AFI workshop. It really clarified
and supported my thinking on grant writing and fundraising in general. It was nice to sit down for a day and
just have all the steps outlined and discussed logically!"
- Rusty E. Frank, Los Angeles
"Your seminar is really amazing and so
incredibly full of such useful information. We funders ought to have a preliminary requirement that
applicants attend your workshop before submitting their proposals."
- Mary Smith, National Endowment for the Arts
"Packed with good info; good speaker;
receptive to questions; obviously very experienced."
-
Boston Participant
"Your presentation was just terrific. I am truly impressed with the wealth of
information, articulately and logically presented in just a few hours
time."
- Bill Goetz, Portland, OR
"I took your SHAKING THE MONEY TREE class at
AIVF in New York about 3 years ago,
and I'm happy to report that my documentary is not only finished, but
aired as part of a Father's Day Special on Cinemax this year. I know of at least one other student in
that class whose film is now complete and was picked up by HBO. Your class was very instrumental in
getting the first grants and donations.
So thank you !!"
- Cynthia Syrett, NYC
"A
note of thanks to Morrie for his Shaking the Money Tree workshops. After attending one last year, I
finally got the guts to approach my first private funder -- someone wealthy who
had funded a doc I'd worked on previously (one in which I was hired as
co-producer in post, well after she'd funded it)."
"Using
the chutzpah and the tools I gained in the workshop and from the book, I wrote
her a heartfelt letter. She
immediately called, and wrote a check soon thereafter. With a serious donation now in hand, I
felt "legit" and then wrote a different heartfelt letter to 100
friends asking for tax-free donations.
I got a 20% return, with amounts ranging from $25 to $1000+. A real lifesaver to the project."
- Danielle Beverly
"Thank
you for your excellent workshops in NYC this weekend. It's always good, especially for an old hand like me, to be
reminded of what it takes and to be inspired anew. I especially need that now as I'm working
independently, on a film, and not for a performing arts organization and need
to be prepared to get money from individuals. The Zen tools you worked through
with us are tremendous. Thank you,
sincerely.
- Sharon Levy, Dovetail Productions, Inc, New York
Watch video clips from the Doc U seminars with Cara Mertes and R.J. Cutler.
IDA members: $85
Non-members: $110
Join IDA now! For discounted admission prices and more!
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
Complimentary Continental Breakfast will be served inside the
workshop. Lunch is on your own. Lunch is available in The
Restaurant at The Standard, Downtown LA, a California brasserie that
serves New American cuisine. You can sit inside the vibrant yellow
diner style restaurant, as well as on the outdoor patio adjacent to a
flaming water fountain. Alternately dine poolside on The Rooftop at
The Standard, Downtown LA, which offers an unmatched panoramic views of
Downtown Los Angeles.
Links to the menus:
http://www.standardhotels.com/los-angeles/restaurants-bars/24-7-restaurant/lunch/
http://www.standardhotels.com/los-angeles/restaurants-bars/rooftop-bar/mini-menu/
PARKING
- Parking in the lot adjacent
to The Standard, Downtown LA is $15/day.
- Parking at Pershing Square
is only $6.60/day, and a brief 4 block walk to The Standard, Downtown LA.
- Pershing Square Address:
532 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Click here to create your
own unique driving directions to Pershing Square.
METRO RAIL (The greenest
option)
The closest Metro rail stop to The
Standard, Downtown LA is the 7th/Metro stop on the Red Line, 2 blocks from
the hotel.
This map shows the proximity of The
Standard, Downtown LA to the 7th/Metro station.
To find the closest Metro station to you, click here.
Doc U is the International Documentary Association's branded, yearly
seminar series produced to enlighten and enliven our documentary
community.
Special thanks to:
The Producers Guild of America is proud to announce its producing
workshop, "The Power Of Diversity." This workshop will draw upon a wide
range of seminars and perspectives designed to foster the development
of diverse voices in Television Comedy, One Hour Drama, Reality
Television Motion Pictures, Documentaries and Web series.
