IFH 505: How To Shake The Film Investor Money Tree with Morrie Warshawski

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Today, we are going to be talking all about one of my favorite topics; how to raise money to get our films made. I think every filmmaker wants to know how to make or get money for their films. But it becomes very challenging. My guest is an expert fundraiser, film financing consultant, facilitator, and author, Morrie Warshawski. He’s facilitated a lot of fundraising throughout his 35 years career and has authored Shaking the Money Tree: The Art of Getting Grants and Donations for Film & Video, and The Fundraising Houseparty: How to Party with a Purpose and Raise Money for Your Cause. Shaking The Money Tree demystifies the art of fundraising for independent film and video projects for students, emerging, and seasoned media makers. Morrie has assisted artists, filmmakers, and non-profit organizations with strategic planning, organizational development, and marketing across the entertainment and other sectors. Some of his clients are Habitat for Humanity, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Western States Arts Federation. I really wanted to talk about the mistake filmmakers make when trying to fundraise. Morrie seemed like the right guy for the job and he delivered. It was interesting learning that Morrie initially studied at USC in hopes of going into filmmaking but ended up majoring in English. And followed on with an MA in English and the graduate Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa. He started working with independent videographers and filmmakers through the Bay Area video coalition in San Francisco and that's when he transitioned to fundraising. Morrie was generous with knowledge bombs and tips we all need when it comes to fundraising. He highlights in this interview how vital it is for filmmakers on the look for donors to have good comportment --- the basis of presenting oneself to the world. Another component is, understanding why they're doing the work and having a strong feeling that the work you're making must be made. And lastly, understanding where your strengths lie, and how you can surround yourself with workarounds for your deficits. Our conversation was pretty much enlightening and fun. Check the show notes for links to learn more about the work Morrie does and his books. Get a notebook and pen to jolt down gems and enjoy my conversation with Morrie Warshawski.