By Chris Palmer & Peter Kimball

Fundraising can be one of the most daunting and intimidating parts of the filmmaking process. Filmmakers tend to be passionate, creative people who want to express their stories or shed light on important issues, but they may have no experience in sales and no desire to become slick salesmen. The good news is that it is that same creativity and passion - not deceptive sales techniques - that will make you successful at fundraising. Raising money depends on building relationships based on integrity, sincerity, high standards, entrepreneurial zest, unflagging enthusiasm, and a passionate commitment to your film.

The first step in fundraising is finding and identifying potential donors. In some ways, this first step can seem the most difficult. However, if you start with friends, family, and business contacts, and then are always on the lookout for potential donors, you will find them. Be alert at all times; constantly seek out potential donors. Ask your existing donors to introduce you to their friends who might want to donate to your cause or project.

It is absolutely essential that you not only believe in your project but that you are able to express what makes it compelling. Donors do not respond to neediness – you are not begging for charity. Instead, you must present an exciting, challenging vision and invite them to join you. How will your film make a difference in the world? Why are you uniquely qualified to undertake this film? If you think about fundraising in these terms, you will not only feel more comfortable with the process of appealing for money but you will also be more successful at it.

Read more: http://realscreen.com/2011/01/01/best-practices-fundraising/#ixzz1W6UNdSNl

Professor Chris PalmerAuthor of Shooting in the Wild: An Insider's Account of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom  (Sierra Club Books, 2010)Distinguished Film Producer in ResidenceDirector, Center for Environmental FilmmakingSchool of Communication, American Universitycell 202-716-6160; office 202-885-3408Center website: www.environmentalfilm.org SOC profile: http://www.american.edu/soc/faculty/palmer.cfm Shooting in the Wild on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/gOTUlc Shooting in the Wild website: http://bit.ly/a4L3LU Chris’s Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/#!/chrispalmer47 Follow me on Twitter @chrispalmer_au Chris’s blog: http://soc-palmer.blogs.american.edu/  President, One World One Ocean FoundationPresident, MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundationcpalmer@mffeducation.orgwww.mffeducation.org Chief Executive Officer, VideoTakes, Inc.chris@videotakes.comwww.videotakes.com