Kickstarter & Kodak Launch New Initiative to Support Independent Filmmakers Shooting on Film

Posted April 27, 2016

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Kodak and Kickstarter announced this week an initiative to support independant filmmakers who want to shoot their films on 35 or 16mm film.  Kodak will supply participants in the initiative with an amount of film stock for free corresponding to the amount of money raised on Kickstarter.  The initiative is available to filmmakers in The US and Canada, as well as most countries in Europe.  What are you waiting for.

From Kodak's press release:

Kickstarter and Eastman Kodak Company announced a new initiative today to support independent filmmakers who want to shoot, present and archive their projects on motion picture film. The program is open to artists launching a Kickstarter campaign in order to bring their vision to life utilizing 35mm or s16mm film.

Four directors have been announced as the premiere participants in the initiative and will launch Kickstarter campaigns this spring, including Derek Ahonen (The Transcendents), Antonio Ferrera (Nomad of Art), Daniel Levin (Bagatelle) and R. Paul Wilson (DarkFall).

Once program participants are selected, Kodak will provide either 35mm – or – s16mm film (negative, intermediate or print stock) of the filmmaker’s choice, free of charge, correlating to the amount of money raised by the Kickstarter campaign:

• 20% match of the first $100,000 raised by the filmmaker on Kickstarter in list price 35mm (Not to exceed $20,000).
• 15% match of the first $100,000 raised by the filmmaker on Kickstarter in list price s16mm (Not to exceed $15,000).

Additionally, Kodak will also provide discounted pricing to participating filmmakers on supplemental motion picture film purchases for the project. To further support the participants as part of the program, William Morris Endeavor’s Global Finance and Distribution Group will mentor the filmmakers on packaging, financing and sales strategy.

Many of Hollywood’s most notable filmmakers continue to shoot on Kodak film stock, including Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, among others.

Commented Kickstarter Film Outreach Lead, George Schmalz, “We are deeply committed to supporting independent filmmakers at Kickstarter. More than 20,000 projects have been successfully funded in film and video, with over $330 million in pledges and counting. This new partnership also builds on Kickstarter’s focus on restoration initiatives to archive, preserve and renew. We are thrilled to share Kodak’s mission to celebrate the art of filmmaking. We want to make it easier for filmmakers to focus on storytelling and making their art come to life in the most vibrant medium possible and this partnership lets Kickstarter creators do just that.”

Added Kodak Vice President of Motion Picture, Anne Hubbell, “Kodak understands that artists working at all budget levels strive to tell their stories with the unique quality and emotion that film provides. Working with Kickstarter is a natural extension of our continued support of the independent community. We are dedicated to ensuring that the medium remains available and viable for established and emerging filmmakers alike.”

Kodak film is available everywhere.  Kickstarter project creation is open to residents of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Filmmakers interested in participating in the Kickstarter-Kodak initiative and want more information should email:  kodakfilm@kickstarter.com

This partnership is the latest in a series of Kickstarter initiatives designed to support and engage with independent filmmakers, including:

• Kickstarter Film Festival:  Started in 2010 in Brooklyn, the annual Kickstarter Film Festival features film and video projects from Kickstarter creators, including features, stop-motion animation, documentaries, shorts and more. Last year’s festival was the biggest yet, expanding to 32 theaters nationwide.
• Partnership with Sundance Institute: Since 2011 Sundance Institute and Kickstarter have partnered to mentor and advise Alumni Projects through the Institute's #ArtistServices Initiative which provides support and strategy for Creative Funding, Marketing, and Distribution to independent films. Institute alumni have raised over $13 million for more than 200 films so far.
• Partnership with New York Times Video:  In 2015, Kickstarter teamed up with the New York Times to host engaging short-form documentaries by Kickstarter creators on its Times Video page. The group of hand-picked films from the Times are meant to inform, entertain and broaden the worlds of its readership.
• Partnership with Berlinale Talents:  In 2016, Kickstarter teamed up with Berlinale Talents to launch a campaign to support the initiative’s alumni network of more than 6,000 directors, writers, producers and film professionals who choose to launch Kickstarter campaigns. Alumni also engage and work directly with Kickstarter’s film team to receive mentorship and support for projects launched during the partnership.