Today I'm going to start diving into doing more research on how to get one of the two feature-length documentaries I'm writing and wanting to direct, made. I have the concept and idea, I have the crew at my fingertips, all I need is the funding (duh duh duhhhhhh). Like all films, and definitely with small, independent documentaries, funding is often the final frontier to conquer before bringing your brilliant idea to actuality.

I'm thinking most of my funding will come from grants (grants for women, grants for documentary films, grants for female filmmakers, grants for art), and maybe funding from historical societies that might be interested in what my documentary will unveil as we make our way across the United States and search within the history of its dilapidated remains (I'm being purposefully vague, I can't give away the whole film so someone with more money than me can steal my idea and actually go get it made now can I?!!)

Today is all about getting on-line and starting what I know will be a lengthy research process in trying to find out where I can start finding this funding. Here are some of my ideas:

HBO Inc. is known for it's ballsy and cutting edge programming, often in it's mini-series television, but also in its feature-length films, narratives as well as documentaries. Some of them they acquired for distribution from film festivals, and some of them they commission from the filmmakers themselves to be made specifically for their own programming. Could this be a possibility for me? It would be a dream for my film to be chosen to be featured as a documentary on HBO, and their diverse taste and respect to a variety of subjects makes me think that I have a fighting chance. I'm already taking a huge leap of faith trying to write and direct my first feature documentary at the age of 26, why not shoot for HBO as it's financier, distributor and eventual home? It would be a dream. Here's some of their recent documentaries I've watched from HBO's documentary section that have been amazing and inspirational:

Miss You Can Do It a documentary film showcasing young mentally and physically disabled girls competing in a beauty pageant hosted by Miss Iowa 2008, the first winning beauty pageant star to have a disability.

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer a documentary film chronicling the lives of three members of the Russian punk rock feminist art collective Pussy Riot. After they perform 40 seconds of one of their songs in a Russian Orthodox church in Moscow they are arrested and spend months in jail fighting for their rights as women, as performers, and for justice in the evidently unjust legal system that is plaguing Russia today.

Okay...now back to researching....