Funding for the Film
The Coney Island
Coney Island in New York City holds a great place in the hearts of many people. However, its fading glory triggered JL Aronson to capture a pivotal moment in its 125 years of existence. Private developers have competed with each for the right to give this island a makeover. On the other hand, local people and businesses felt trapped in the middle of it all.
A Film about Coney Island
Aronson recorded 150 hours of footage of the glory and attempted resurgence of the island, and he was able to edit a rough cut of the footage to 96 minutes. When he was nearing the end, this was where the major cost lies as it usually is with independent film making. As a result, he needed more funds to help get the project completed.
As it is with most distributors and broadcasters, they only love to showcase films that have been completed and premiered at a major festival. To get his film showcased, more work was needed to be done on sound mix, licensing, graphics and color processing. This increased the expenditures. Apart from this, there was still cost associated with marketing and getting the film shown at festivals.
How People Helped Out
In order to get the film completed, Aronson needed to raise about $20,000 in a few months. He was able to raise some of the money by himself, but he still needed to get $12,000 more. A lot less than a average Arnold Schwarzenegger movie budget. Therefore, he accepted donations and was quietly confident that the money would be raised so people would be able to see the film.
What People Get for their Donation
As a means to show appreciation, he gave copies of the DVD to everyone who made a $25 donation. Those who donated $250 and above were given a DVD, two tickets and a beach umbrella. Those who would have decided to donate $5,000 to the cause could have become an executive producer.