There is a great article on financing a documentary feature film over at The Independent:

I recently talked to fundraising expert Morrie Warshawski, whose book The Fundraising Houseparty: How to Party With a Purpose and Raise Money for Your Cause, is now out in its second edition and includes new sample invitations, new tips on making use of the Internet for the party, and a brainstorming worksheet to help filmmakers identify potential new partners and hosts.  Warshawski is also the author of Shaking The Money Tree: How To Get Grants And Donations For Film And Video — 2^nd Edition and speaks regularly about fundraising and career issues for independent filmmakers.

I also spoke with filmmakers Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar who successfully raised funds through parties for their 2007 film, Made in L.A. about the labor struggles of immigrant garment workers in Los Angeles.  The film screened on the PBS series P.O.V., is continuing to play festival and community screenings around the world, and has been nominated for an Emmy.  Also providing insights fresh from the experience of his first fundraising houseparty is first-time producer/director Christopher Wong. He is in the process of raising funds for his film Whatever It Takes about a year in the life of an urban high school whose staff is determined to protect their kids from falling through the cracks.

This is very practical film financing advice and I encourage you to take a peek

Want to create media for the small screen?

A national Call for Entries for the Institute will be announced at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Through the Institute, eight production teams of up to 3 people each will be selected to come to BAVC’s San Francisco facility for ten days. Producers will participate in high-level industry roundtables, intense one-on-one project development with technical mentors, new media storytelling workshops, and hands-on prototyping of their ideas. The participants will be adapting and developing award-winning film and video content for delivery using interactive formats, including video game applications, interactive, web-based experiences, mobile streaming, multi-user communities, and new educational software. They may choose a range of delivery strategies, including cell phones, other hand-held devices, set-tops, Internet, portable software and more.

“The Producer’s Institute intends to provide a first-of-its kind incubator for independent filmmakers in new media technologies, and a unique opportunity for industry to greenlight innovative content for these new distribution models,” says Wendy Levy, BAVC’s Director of Media Arts and Education, who will oversee the Institute. The Institute will take place June 1 – 10, 2007 at BAVC in San Francisco. Applications will be available online beginning January 15th, with a February 15th deadline to apply. Institute participants will be notified by March 1st.

More info available at BAVC:
http://www.bavc.org/meet/news/e_news/010107/events/index.htm

Image from BAVC eNews January 2007, bavc.org