The Film Cooperative
The FREE Film Community Networking Directory -  www.dfwfilmcoop.com

GENESIS:
Since 1985 The Film Cooperative has promoted the idea of providing financial incentives for producers who choose to shoot their films in Texas. While the Dallas Producers Association and other film groups eventually adopted a similar stance, and the Texas Motion Picture Alliance has been successful in obtaining favorable legislation to provide such incentives (for films with a budget over 1 million dollars), a large portion of the film production community has been left out.

For those productions that fall under the 1 million dollar mark there are no incentives available to help offset production expenses. In our opinion, this is very shortsighted on the part of the Texas legislature. We believe that a strong independent film community can only be established when low-budget producers are provided the resources to produce their films. The Film Cooperative is one such resource enabling producers, and other interested parties, to share information that will allow them to move their projects forward through mutually beneficial exchanges, of services, equipment, talent, and skills.

While The Film Cooperative can help, funding is the missing component that would enable more low-budget independent films to be produced. Traditionally, this funding has come from a filmmaker's personal contacts, grants, and in the case of micro-budget films, out of the filmmaker's pocket. The purpose of The Film Cooperative Production Fund is to provide assistance to those filmmakers who are willing to undergo minimal application requirements and enter into partnership with the fund. Through the shared success of filmmakers and The Film Cooperative Production Fund we can all help ensure the continuing success of low budget independent film.

PROPOSED GUIDELINES:
The Film Cooperative Production Fund will be seeded by private donations.

The Film Cooperative Production Fund will provide up to 20% of the total production budget for any project that qualifies.

All funds awarded by The Film Cooperative Production Fund shall be used exclusively to pay for cast and crew expenses.

In order to qualify for The Film Cooperative Production Funding producers must submit a written application, budget, script, script breakdown, resumes of principals, and a shooting schedule.

In order to qualify producers must enter into an equity agreement with The Film Cooperative Production Fund as an investor.

The Film Cooperative Production Fund Board of Directors shall be composed of primary donors to the fund (donation in excess of $10,000) and shall offer advice on the conduct of business and finances of The Film Cooperative and The Film Cooperative Production Fund, but shall have no authority to award funding to any particular project. Individuals donating up to $10,000 shall not be members of the board, but shall be allowed to express their ideas and opinions to the board at the annual board meeting.

A 3 member panel comprised of one person from the financial community, one person from the film community, and one person from the literary or academic community shall select films for funding on the basis of number of previously completed projects, strength of story or script, and cost.

Anyone having an interest in The Film Cooperative Production Fund should contact Jonathan Van Voorhees at: jvanv@zlistfilms.com or call 469-361-4049 or visit The Film Cooperative group on Yahoo.

this site designed and maintained by access interactive