Every movie or television show you’ve ever watched and enjoyed had one thing in common: Sponsorship.
Whether it came in the form of a blatant 30-second ad on a local or national network or a subtle three-seconds of product placement in a movie clip, it was all sponsorship in one form or another. Without these essential funds, none of these creative endeavors would have ever seen the light of day.
In the movie business, especially in Hollywood, it’s the producer’s job to secure these funds during the film’s development stage to ensure that the project has at least some seed money to begin production. Obviously, the bigger the names on the movie poster, the easier it is to secure funds for name-that-famous-Hollywood-director’s next big film. ( I have long thought that people flock to Hollywood films for the same primary reason they stand in line at their local McDonald’s or Burger King – they’re safe bets for enjoyment.)
At the indie level, however, raising money is a lot different. Invariably, there are no stars to help bring in ticket buyers; no multi-million dollar marketing strategies at work; and no major distribution deals to brag about. On the other hand, it is argued that there are also no multi-million dollar expenses to speak of unless the indie filmmaker self-funds the project by dipping into a trust fund.
Be that as it may, the indie filmmaking business is changing rapidly. What used to be something regarded as a market of little-known, albeit well-produced, passion projects (or poorly-produced passion projects relegated to fodder for Mystery Science Theater 3000) has grown into a legitimate business, thanks to the Internet.
Today, indie filmmakers and production companies like Oskar Films enjoy the benefits of online distribution and sales thanks to platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Vimeo On Demand, Hulu, and the hundreds of SmartTV apps that broadcast independent films. Each of the hundreds of films you see posted online for rent or sale had to pass the channel's quality control process. If your indie film doesn’t measure up, you don’t get a distribution contract. It’s that simple.
With this online market comes opportunities for companies to sponsor indie films to garner national and international exposure for their business. For example, Oskar Films’ first film “Blacksmith” has been viewed thousands of times by streamers in nearly 100 countries around the world. That means our sponsors, the Southeast Texas Arts Council and the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, received national and global exposure in the film’s credits for a lot less money than the cost of a standard display ad.
In the months ahead, however, I'll be bringing even more value for our major sponsors' investment. This summer, I will be adding a new, premium, content-driven section to Oskar Films to help raise money and drive sponsorship for our new short film, “Gardens of Life,” which is now
OskarFilms.com's North American hits since its online debut on March 2, 2021.
(Information courtesy of Wix.com.)
in production. Our previous major sponsors will receive a complementary membership for the lifetime of this website for their support over the years; as will new major sponsors. It will be my way of adding another layer of benefit for those who support Oskar Films.
Now it’s time for me to get back to the movie producer grindstone. If you would like to learn more about sponsoring "Gardens of Life," please fill out the form on Our Sponsors page and I will get back to you.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best wishes,
Frank DiCesare