THE SELF-DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY - POWER TO THE AUDIENCE:
YOUR BACKING CAN TAKE OUR FILM TO THE BIG SCREEN!
As UK film-funding slowly shrinks, low-budget filmmaking is becoming an increasingly common reality for first-time feature filmmakers.
At the same time, it's becoming harder and harder for small BRITISH independent films like ours to break through the crowded marketplace, with more films being made each year (nearly 200 made in the UK alone in 2012), and all competing with big-budget Blockbusters for limited screen slots.
We therefore want YOU to help us change that. If we want low-budget independent films to survive, then we’re going to need audiences to show their hunger for them and be part of the process that gets them to the big screen. That's why we're asking you directly “DO YOU WANT TO SEE THIS FILM?”
If the answer is "YES!", then with your support we will be able to go directly to the cinemas with a Distribution budget and a proven demand for the film, allowing us to release the film independently so that audiences can enjoy BORROWED TIME on the big screen where it belongs.
OUR PLAN OF ACTION
The problem many independent distribution companies face when it comes to releasing low budget UK films in the cinema, is that the cost associated with getting them onto that platform is too great for the risk that's involved, especially in such a competitive and over-populated marketplace.
We've therefore decided to take on that risk ourselves by becoming our own Distributors. By raising our distribution budget via Kickstarter, we will be able to put together a release strategy that takes the film to cinema, while at the same time allowing for a more innovative approach to how it plays once it gets there.
We are going to release BORROWED TIME independently in selected screens, starting within the London area, and then gradually expanding with a limited release throughout the rest of the UK.
This requires a targeted and innovative PR campaign, a team securing the bookings at the partner Cinemas, as well as the physical management of the delivery materials.
We've therefore budgeted our Kickstarter goal to cover these costs, and any additional funds will go toward further marketing and promotion of the film.
Your money will contribute towards:
- Our wonderful TRAILER that you can enjoy above.
- Our POSTER, which could be yours with a small contribution.
- The PR COMPANY to join our team and spread the good word of BORROWED TIME to the world.
- Hiring a CINEMA BOOKER, who (quite obviously) manages the booking with the cinemas.
- Physical DELIVERABLES (screening copies, promotional materials etc)
REACTIONS
"The unlikely bond between a teenage delinquent and a curmudgeonly old recluse is explored with a combination of wit, pathos and finely nuanced performances." Screen International
"Writer-director Jules Bishop reinvents the urban youth flick as a sweet-natured character-led charmer." TIME OUT
"This heartwarming and hilarious urban tale will have you laughing till the last frame." Spoonfed
"Sweet, funny and downright charming." Hope Lies
THE PRODUCTION STORY - THE JOURNEY UNTIL NOW
Made for just £120,000 through the Film London and BBC Films Microwave scheme, BORROWED TIME went into production in June 2011 with a highly talented and dedicated cast and crew, all on board for a whirlwind 18-day shoot on location in East London.
Our production value was the creativity and resourcefulness of our team, and where we couldn’t afford what we needed, we would build it ourselves, as was the case with some of the taxidermy props.
When finally the film was completed in June 2012, it was the culmination of a three-year filmmaking journey, fuelled not by budget and resource, but by belief and dedication, seeking to find the most in the least, and turning constraint into opportunity.
We hope now that the team’s united efforts and shared commitment to the ambition of this project, has resulted in a film that can be judged not by the size of its budget, but on the merit of its creative achievement, and with your backing can find its place on the big screen it was made for.
Risks and challenges
Once our target financing goal is achieved, we will be able to go directly to the cinemas, who have already shown an interest in the film, and prove to them that we have the budget to back the release of the film, as well as the audience demand to justify it.
What we can't guarantee however is, given the amount of films that are released each year, when we might be able to get a slot for our film. We aim for late spring, early summer 2013 (the usual lead time is roughly four months), however we will only know for sure once we're able to go to the Cinema programmers following a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Our main first focus therefore after securing funding will be to establish the actual date of the release. We will then be able to update all of our backers as to when they can expect to see the film in Cinemas.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support
Funding period
- (30 days)