PTK - Studio shoot - What a producer does - Funding

Pre sales are one way to get funding as a film maker but they are not that easy to obtain, you have to be fairly well know or have an a list actor signed up to your shoot other wise people will not think it is a good investment to put a large chunk of their money into.

if you cant get pre sales the next way to do it would be through equity investors, this is when people give you money to make the film but in return want a % of the profit. This can be a risky way of getting funding so it best to consult a lawyer before signing up to anything. 

Another way to stretch out funding is to deafer payments. This is when you pay the crew less then what you normally would eg 60% of normal sallery but say to them if the film makes a proffit they will get an extra 60% of the sallery meaning they have been paid 120 % in total. This again is a risky way to fund the film and should be stated very clearly in contracts. 

Other ways to fund your film is to take donations, join a union or have some kind of sponsorship. These are safer way to get money but most of the time they do not over a big pay out. 

the best way to get funding for your film is to find an executive producer, if you can find a well known producer will to help you fund your film things like pre sales become a lot easier.  

you should never fund a film on a credit card though as there is a chance you might not make the money back and this way you will put yourself into lots of debt.