How To Pitch Your Documentary Idea and Write an Effective Documentary Proposal To Get Funding

So you have a wonderful documentary idea and you just need some cash to get it going. Where do you go? How do you find funds?

One of the first things you'll need to do is write a Documentary Proposal. A proposal not only helps explain the project to potential funders and supporters, it's a great exercise to get YOU the filmmaker thinking through all the details. Basically, a Documentary Proposal is your film's business plan.

Here are the key elements you'll need to include in a documentary proposal: synopsis, project overview, treatment, style/tone of project, production schedule, interview subjects, crew bios, advisors/experts, partnerships, target audience, budget, fundraising plan and distribution strategy.

There is often a lot of overlap when describing the synopsis, project description and treatment. There is no right or wrong answer. One way to think about it is to say that the synopsis is a short 1-2 paragraph summary of your project. The overview is a longer synopsis that goes into more detail about the project, perhaps 1-2 pages in length. And the treatment is more like a script, describing specific scenes and quotes. A treatment is often difficult to write at the beginning of a project since the nature of a documentary is that it can't be "written" until after it's been shot, so I would say including a treatment in your proposal is optional unless specifically requested.

An effective documentary proposal will answer the following questions:
Why this documentary, why now?Why is this documentary different from any other film ever made?Why are YOU the one to make this documentary?What gives you and your team the credibility to be trusted with donated money (experience, partnerships, advisory board, fiscal sponsor, letters of support, etc)What unique access or connections do you have for making the film?

The big picture goal for a documentary pitch or documentary proposal is to build CREDIBILITY. You do that by putting together a well-written proposal, having an experienced team (if not you, that can be crew, advisors or partners), having a compelling film concept, a well-thought out plan and a realistic budget.

Once you have your proposal together, now it's time to start making your pitch. If you are a new filmmaker, my best advice is to avoid the big foundations and grants and go after the "low hanging fruit." Find people who are already passionate about the subject matter of your film and see what connections they have. Basically, you want to go through the "back door" to find your funding. Maybe a friend's uncle is the CEO of a local million dollar company. Or perhaps your favorite college professor is friends with the executor of a small family foundation. Leave no rock left unturned.

The last thing you want to do is say, hey, who's the richest guy in town and let's go after him. Does the guy already have a proven interest in the subject of your film or in art/film projects? Do you know someone with a personal connection to the guy who can pitch the project on your behalf? If no, then don't waste your time or theirs.

Find natural connections to people who are already pre-sold on the theme of your documentary project and send them your proposal. They already know the subject matter of the film is important, now all you have to do is convince them that YOU know how to get the job done.

Faith Fuller is an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of Desktop-Documentaries.com, an online resource guide for documentary filmmakers. To learn more about putting together Documentary Treatments, Proposals and Budgets, visit  http://www.desktop-documentaries.com/documentary-treatment.html.

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Tips and Tricks to Effective Promo Writing and Producing

As a long form producer, producing 30, 15 and 10-second promos used to seem like a chore. But I've learned some tricks to help make effective promos while having a little fun.

• Choose your best sound bites. These sound bites do not have to be a complete thought but should carry a lot of feeling or action in a matter of seconds. They can even be exclamations like "wow!" The shorter the better.

• Choose your best shots, the "money shots" so to speak. Like the sound bites, these shots should quickly convey a sense of emotion or action. Think about your footage and then ask yourself "what is most fun?" "What is most gripping?"

• Choose some driving music that matches the theme of your program, video or promo. For sports themed promos, consider youthful music like rock or hip hop. They offer a lot of hard beats to cut the visuals to. If it is a comedy, try something fun or kitschy. If your piece is serious or emotional, you may want something a little slower. I must admit, choosing music is not my favorite thing to do. Most music libraries ask you to input key words like "solemn" or "funky" which may mean something different to me than it does to the person who developed the program. Because I want music with a good sting at the end, I sometimes listen to the end first. If the sting is weak, I quickly move on to the next selection.

• String-out the bites, visuals and music to try to create a through-line. Edgar Allen Poe said a that short story should be about one feeling and one feeling only. He often went for fear. Similarly, the promo should be about one theme or emotion. Do you want to highlight the drama, the fun, the poignancy? Don't worry about the length of the string-out at this point. Just see what's working. Ask yourself, "what is missing?" "What does a narrator need to say to connect the dots?"

• Start writing the narration. The narration should be brief and leave room to insert the bites. This is a time to really have fun and use over the top language. For action packed promos, it is hard to go over the top with symbolism and clichés. Pack them in! I even look up clichés on the internet to get some scripting ideas. For quieter pieces, you may want to dial it back a bit but you still want to get the audience's attention. Also, write two or three different scripts to see what works best.

• Scratch out (record draft narration) the narration and then see what works with the bites, "money shots" and music. Sometimes the theory seems like a good one in your head or on paper but when put altogether it doesn't work so well. Don't worry, use what works and build from there.

• Watch promos on television and online. We often tune out when promos come on. But, pay attention to what you think works or doesn't work. Listen to the music and the pacing. What would you change? Are there promos that you would like to emulate?

Sometimes you cannot string out bites and "money shots" before writing the promo because of the workflow or lack of time. Don't worry. There are many paths to a good promo. Find what works best for you and the project. And, by all means, try to have fun!

Visit http://www.docsandtv.com/ for more production tips and to learn more about the author, Sydnye White. Sydnye White is a National Emmy Nominated Producer who's credits include the series Home Made Simple for TLC and Moneywise with Kelvin Boston for PBS. Her documentaries include Great Books: The Autobiography of Malcolm X for The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel's Detroit SWAT.

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