Resources

Film Funding Sources

Independent Film Distribution Channels

  • Film Buff:  Source for viewers to find acclaimed directors, compelling performances and innovative storytelling.
  • Gravitas Ventures: Aggregator-Video on Demand Programmer.
  • Icarus Films: Distributing innovative and provocative documentary films from independent producers around the world.
  • Milestone Films: Eclectic and influential independent distributor.
  • MobyGratis.com: Reasonable or free music rights, depending on your film project.
  • New Day Films: Distribution collective of documentary and educational filmmakers with over 100 titles.
  • Nirvana Digital: Media management platform for content creation, capture and distribution.
  • No Budge Films: Showcase of REALLY independent film.
  • Oscilloscope Films: Distributor, aggregator and producer of film and music.
  • Top Spin Media: Direct-to-Fan Platform.
  • Submarine Entertainment: Represents, produces, and develops feature films and documentaries.
  • Swank Motion Pictures: non-theatrical distribution. Education, public performance, etc.

Cool Resources That Inspire Us

Human Rights, Development and Video

Social Investing

  • BBB Wise Giving AllianceAn ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.
  • Crowdrise: Blend of online fundraising, crowdsourcing, social networking, contests, and other nice stuff.
  • EMPEA : Promotes greater understanding of and a more favorable climate for private equity and venture capital investing in the emerging markets of Africa, Asia, Central/Eastern Europe and Russia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
  • Kiva: Person-to-person micro-lending website.
  • Net Impact : An international nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, educate, and equip individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.
  • EMPEA : Promotes greater understanding of and a more favorable climate for private equity and venture capital investing in the emerging markets of Africa, Asia, Central/Eastern Europe and Russia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
  • FirstGiving: Empowers nonprofit supporters to raise money for the causes they care about.
  • Pactan NGO which works by strengthening the capacity of grassroots organizations, coalitions and networks and by forging linkages among government, business and the citizen sectors to achieve social, economic and environmental justice.
  • Partners of the Americas: an international grassroots network which connects volunteers, institutions and communities.
  • RazooOnline fundraising for worthwhile causes.

Fellowships

  • Acumen Fellows: Year-long fellowship with eight weeks of intensive and multidisciplinary leadership training in New York City.
  • AshokaSupports social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows.
  • Asia Society Asia 21 Fellows
  • Aspen Institute – Henry Crown Fellowship Program
  • Donors ChooseOnline charity that helps students in need.
  • Echoing GreenAwards 20 two-year fellowships to social entrepreneurs annually. Fellows receive up to $90,000 in seed funding and technical support to turn their innovative ideas into sustainable social change organizations.
  • Enterprising IdeasFunding ideas for your project from this PBS site.
  • Fulbright Program: Fellowships for U.S. and non-U.S. students aimed to increase mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills.
  • Open Society Institute — OSI & the Soros Foundation Network website with information on fellowships, scholarships and grants.

Jobs

  • Devex: Comprehensive listing of international development, global health, and humanitarian aid jobs.
  • Foundation Center: Listings of current full-time job openings at U.S. based foundations and nonprofit organizations.
  • Idealist.org:  interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities.
  • Mandy.com: International film and TV resource.
  • Microfinance Gateway: Jobs in microfinance.
  • Nonprofit Career Network: One-step resource center for non-profit job search.

Keep Current on Film/Media/Technology/Entrepreneurship/VC

  • AVCUnion Square Ventures Principal, Fred Wilson’s VC musings of his New York life.
  • CB Insights: Data-driven daily must read for entrepreneurs, VCs and emerging industries. (sign up for free email)
  • Chris Dixon’s BlogChris Dixon, co-founder of Flickr and Hunch, has a must-read blog among the startup and venture capital set.
  • Crunchbase: Database of innovative companies. Sign up for free daily newsletter.
  • Deadline Hollywood: Hollywood insider blog.
  • The Big PictureBarry Ritholtz’s leading financial blog, providing a macro prospective on the Capital Markets, Economy, Technology and Digital Media.
  • Indiewire: Online resource and community for independent filmmakers.
  • No Mercy No Malice: Pivot’s Scott Galloway essential tech blog.
  • Re/code: Tech Guru’s Kara Swisher’s inside take on Silicon Valley.
  • SmartBriefFree e-mail industry newsletters for need-to-know news.
  • TechCrunch: Technology start-ups, particularly the Web 2.0 sector.
  • Techmeme: Aggregator of current global tech stories.  First daily read for many west coast tech leaders.
  • TechStars: Provides seed funding from over 75 top venture capital firms and angel investors who are vested in successful startups.
  • Valleywag: Tabloid-style news and gossip about Silicon Valley.
  • Wired BlogTechnology sector news and updates.
  • Venture BeatVentureBeat’s mission is to provide news about innovation for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and executives blogs