I sincerely hope that this book will encourage an increase in movie-making ambition outside of current mainstream predictability), the reality is that most animated film- makers will make some kind of short-form project first. These proposals require less presentation material, subject to the nature of the short-form project being considered —including half-hour TV specials and other productions, all forms of Web entertain- ment animation, games production, and commercials. Clearly these will all have dif- ferent presentation requirements depending on their individual nature. Indeed, some don’t even have requirements for funding as they will most likely be commissioned by outside producers.
Even on small, independent or low-budget productions, I attempt to storyboard a color sequence of my ideas to help an investor or a prospective client understand my thinking. Seafarer’s Association
There is no way to describe the joy a filmmaker has when hearing that a pitched idea has been accepted by a potential investor
or client!
Personal films also do not require outside funding as such, so there will be little need to create any form of finance presentation package, unless the filmmaker is seeking active sponsorship from industry manufacturers to help with secondary costs. (A work- in-progress showing of the film during production may secure sponsorship interest, depending on the content and quality of production.) Distribution of personal, short films is not an issue either. Usually it is almost impossible not to secure distribution of some kind with this kind of film, whether it is good or bad, as the Web especially will offer opportunities of exposure to the independent filmmaker, as do the independent short film festivals that occur throughout the world. (Check out www.withoutabox. com for information on these.) Sadly, however, standards of independent personal films seem to be incredibly low so only the really well-conceived and well-made films (such as Victor Navone’s classic, “Alien Song”) really make an impact and have a last- ing value to the filmmaker. (Navone was offered a job at Pixar on the strength of “Alien Song”!)
Such instances aside, there will always be the need to seriously pitch any short-form project that is targeted for any significant commercial outlet via established profes- sional distribution routes. Short-form TV specials, high-end Web series, and all games- targeted productions are the most relevant among these. In these specific areas, it is more usual that the investor will be the first port of call, whether that investor is an in- dividual, a corporation, or even a TV company’s commissioning editor. The distribution of commercial short-form filmmaking is not as crucial to the initiation of the project as it is in the movie business, being that the production costs of short-form projects are often far less risky for the investor than in Hollywood. Decisions can often be of the gut feeling kind, or just an instinct that a proposed project is just right for the market at that possible moment. Sometimes TV programs can be commissioned simply because there is a slot to fill and the project is the best of a bad bunch that are available. There are many reasons why short-form projects are commissioned or funded and a major el- ement in all of this for the filmmaker is simply being in the right place at the right time!
Presentation Packages
The following list of ingredients should provide the filmmaker with a broad outline of the kind of material that a short-form proposal should contain, although it should be emphasized again that every proposal will need to be modified to meet the particular industry requirements. It is always wisest to research the marketplace and its system for commissioning projects, and then adapt your presentation material to conform to this. There is also no harm in actually asking the person you are going to present to just what they require when you do so. The bottom line is that there is nothing worse than securing a very important (and often difficult to obtain and “one chance only”) meet- ing with a high-level investor or commissioning editor, only to find out too late that the material you are showing is inappropriate or unrealistic. It is far better to show less of the required type of material than to show too much of the wrong kind. In reality, a simple idea, scribbled on the back of an envelope, in addition to a hastily produced character sketch and a guesstimated budget may be all that’s necessary to find interest with a prospective investor, distributor, or a commissioning editor in a relaxed, infor- mal atmosphere. However, in the more usual formal settings, the better prepared and equipped the filmmaker is, the surer the process will be for the project to ultimately find a green light. In view of this, the following is a sound foundation upon which any formal, short-form proposal might minimally need to be built around.