A Conversation with
Fundraising and Distribution Consultant, Steve Ladd
“I came into the film world as an activist in the 80’s because I saw the power of film to help wake people up and get them involved in what we need to do to make change.”
- Steve Ladd, Fundraising and Distribution Consultant
Steve Ladd has been part of the Bay Area film scene since the mid-1980’s, first as Marketing Director and later Executive Director of a documentary film distributor. As an independent media consultant for the last 25 years, he has supported and helped launch dozens of films. He is also on the Filmmakers Collaborative SF Board of Directors.
We talked to him about what’s changed for independent documentary filmmakers over the years, and his tips for what filmmakers can do today to navigate fundraising and distribution for their films.
How did you get your start in filmmaking?
In the 1980’s I was an organizer in the Nuclear Freeze campaign to stop the arms race and met Ian Thiermann, who founded The Video Project. Ian at the time had produced a film with his son Eric called The Last Epidemic. It was a simply done but powerful film that detailed the potential disastrous impact of a single nuclear bomb dropped on San Francisco. The film was shown thousands of times across the country, really all over the world, and had a huge impact. It made me realize the power of documentary film.
I was delighted when Ian invited me to start working with him at The Video Project, then known as the Educational Film and Video Project. I was there for about 10 years, acquiring and marketing several hundred films. After that, I became interim director of a local film festival and set up a consulting business to help filmmakers with their fundraising and distribution strategies.
What do you think about where documentary is now with its potential for activism?
Documentaries continue to be great tools to spark wider public awareness and action on a variety of critical issues. With the streaming options we have now, there are even more ways people can see and be impacted by a film. In some ways that has made it easier to reach a vastly broader audience. But maximizing eyeballs on a film does not necessarily mean greater impact, if that’s one of your goals. Organizing film screenings, whether in-person or online, work best when you are prepared to help connect viewers with the relevant actions and organizations that can make a difference on the issues the film is focused on.
How do you think fundraising has changed over the years?
Fundraising for films is still basically the same - and still not easy. For independent films, the primary potential funding sources remain foundations, individual donors and partner organizations. How you prepare to reach and pitch them hasn’t changed much. Sure, you can submit foundation proposals electronically now rather than by regular mail. But it’s still essential early on to hone and test your core pitch for the film.
We didn’t have social media in the 1980’s, but we had computers, email and of course phones - and in the mid-90’s the first websites. We also relied upon postal mail more to reach donors and supporters, still an important added method of contact. We weren’t able to crowdfund online but we did do in-person events to raise money, where you would show your film and pass the hat. In some ways events are easier to organize than a crowdfunding campaign, though you may not reach as many people in just one event.
With a recent film I worked on, The Boys Who Said NO, we did both fundraising events and a very successful crowdfunding campaign. We also did a well-attended online premiere with a panel that raised substantial funding. As those who have done crowdfunding know, it takes a heck of a lot of time and effort. You really shouldn’t start one until you have built a good network of initial supporters and partner organizations. A successful crowdfunding campaign, or fundraising events, will also pay off in other ways by building a broader base of supporters you can continue to pitch for funds for production or distribution.
Why do you think filmmakers run into difficulties with fundraising? What advice would you give to fundraise in an efficient and successful way?
It can be hard at first because many filmmakers are not experienced with fundraising. It may be especially hard to make a direct pitch for money from individuals. Many may also think their film is unique and will be of strong interest to potential funders, when there may already be other films or projects in the works on the subject.
To be efficient and successful, from the beginning you need to hone a unique pitch for your film and identify your core potential audience and supporters, as well as potential partner organization. Even if many of those you reach out to initially don’t give you money, your fundraising efforts will help build important connections and help you adjust your pitch for the fim. Writing a two page summary or foundation proposal draft is a good way to begin to outline how you will present your film project. Circulate it to experienced filmmakers and others you know to get their feedback. This is especially important for emerging filmmakers.
How can filmmakers set realistic expectations when it comes to funding sources that are very competitive?
Raising money for independent documentaries has never been easy. That’s the reality. Foundation funding is probably the most competitive because many of them give substantial grants to films, but only to a very limited number. Expect rejections. Most film funders, like Sundance or even Berkeley Film Foundation, get hundreds if not thousands of proposals and are able to fund only a relatively small number. You’ll save lots of time and frustration by doing research to narrow potential foundation funders you will target.
Filmmakers Collaborative SF has some good resources on its website to start foundation research. Be realistic about the foundations you approach. Look at what a foundation’s funding priorities are and especially what films they’ve funded. Hone your list down to 5-10 foundations as high priority targets. A number of foundations that fund film use the Sundance Doc Core Proposal format, which can make applications to them somewhat less time-consuming. Relying upon foundations as the primary source for film funding is generally not realistic. That’s why you need to diversify your fundraising plan. There will be disappointment no matter how great a fit you think your film is for a foundation. But hopefully some success too.
Since you work in both fundraising and distribution, how do you see these two areas being connected?
There is a strong connection. What you do early on to build awareness and funding for your film also creates a network of interest for distribution when a film is finally launched. When you start out on your film project, you want to set up at least an initial website, email list and social media, somewhere for people to go to learn more, to donate, and to stay connected through email signups. Of course, at some point you want a sample reel that can be shared broadly. It’s important to have these in place to build a broad base of followers interested in your film that can help both with fundraising and later with distribution, especially if you plan to encourage community screenings or offer the film in other ways.
For example, I worked on a film about Julia Vinograd, an iconic Berkeley street poet who had disabilities and was a champion for marginalized people. The filmmaker identified a range of organizations starting with Berkeley based groups, then poetry organizations, then going more broadly to literary organizations. We also looked at the Iowa Writers Workshop, where Julia Vinograd got her M.A., and disability organizations who could be partners. Building this core audience through allied organizations and people who have some connection to the subject is essential in successful fundraising and distribution.
What have you seen change with distribution?
Film distribution has seen a lot more changes than fundraising, especially with the variety of streaming options now available. One example is the changes in educational sales to colleges, schools, libraries and other institutions. It used to be a big revenue source for documentary filmmakers thanks to high priced DVD sales. But it’s not as much now because educational sales are primarily streaming rental licenses, often at much lower price points than DVD sales.
On the other hand, we’ve seen the expansion of community and organizational screenings, both in person and virtual, which can be major revenue sources when done right. New platforms have come into being that have helped grow community screenings especially during the pandemic. More and more people are doing hybrid screenings thanks to the platforms now available that make these a possibility.
Still, the earlier rules for distribution apply in many ways — planning a sequenced distribution strategy to maximize audience, revenue and impact, depending on your primary goals for your film. That might mean starting with a number of film festivals (but not too many), and scheduling appropriately community/organizational screenings, possibly theatrical/semi-theatrical, educational sales, broadcast or streaming platforms, and usually later, lower-priced consumer release.
PBS is a goal for many filmmakers. When should a filmmaker think about PBS in their distribution?
Public television can be a good option for many films to reach a broader audience, and in some cases to raise underwriting funding. When and how you schedule this will depend in part on your goals for the film and other distribution options you may have lined up. It’s important to make a distinction between a film being acquired for national PBS broadcast by ITVS, POV or the PBS network, who take on very limited numbers of films, versus a film being offered to public television stations through a relatively inexpensive satellite feed by NETA or APT, or presented by a local PBS station for what is often a substantial fee. WGBH’s The World Channel, which is carried on most PBS stations, may also be another option for some films.
With the satellite feeds, you can get a substantial number of stations to schedule your film, though often not at prime viewing times and on their secondary channels. You’ll still need to meet PBS standards for production and funding. And to maximize station carriage, ideally you should hire an experienced station relations person to contact local programmers. If you decide to try public television, let your supporters know how their donations will help you reach a wider audience.
What’s a misconception that people have about distribution?
There are several. When I ask filmmakers, “who do you see as the audience for your film?”, they often say they want everyone to see it. That’s not a good basis to start your distribution planning. You need to be more realistic. Start by identifying your core audiences based on the subject or the focus of the film. Distribution is also more challenging with the number of films now being made. You need to think about what is already out there and how you will frame your film in a unique way.
Many filmmakers also believe they can self-distribute their film to all markets, including the educational market. But that’s a huge and potentially costly challenge, especially these days. Better to engage a distributor to reach the vast educational market. Certainly, retain the rights to community screenings, theatrical, and consumer release. To pursue sales to broadcasters or streaming services like Netflix you’ll need to engage a distributor or sales agent.
What’s your advice for emerging filmmakers?
Primarily the obvious — there's a lot to learn to be successful. Attend the many different workshops offered online these days that can help you with everything from creative fundraising strategies to distribution options. Reach out to experienced filmmakers for advice or feedback on your film, your fundraising strategy, or your trailer. We’re lucky that the Bay Area is filled with many experienced filmmakers who are willing to connect and help. Create an advisory committee of people who have a connection with the focus of your film, from relevant organizations, and other filmmakers you may know.
Is there anything you wish was different about the Bay Area’s filmmaking community?
We're lucky to have this great and diverse community of experienced filmmakers, although it does mean more competition for funds! It would be great if there were more ways for filmmakers to share their experiences and support each other. I also wish there were more sources of film funding in the Bay Area. We have several good sources like Berkeley Film Foundation and SFFILM, but their funds are relatively limited.
With so many wealthy, progressive people in the Bay Area concerned about social issues, imagine if they would come together and create a substantial new fund to support local documentary films. Their support would make a huge impact, enabling more high quality films to be produced and, through those films, raise greater public awareness on many of the critical issues we face. I would love to see that developed. Know anyone who would take the lead?
Looking back at your career, what stands out?
What especially stands out are the many dedicated filmmakers I’ve been fortunate to connect with and the many great films they have produced. Film fundraising and distribution have always been challenging, particularly for social issue documentaries.
When a film is completed after a number of years and it’s out there at film festivals, winning awards, getting great reviews, screening in various ways, with interest from distributors, or a national broadcast, you feel like you’re finally having the impact that you were aiming for. That’s the goal, that’s the reward. But that’s not an everyday thing. There’s a lot of work to get to that point, those moments when you can begin to see a film’s impact.
Articles by Filmmakers Collaborative SF
