The Model

From 4docs

Contents 1 Working with the Third Sector 1.1 Commission You to Make Work Specifically for Them 1.2 Give You Some Money Towards the Making of your Short 1.3 Contribute Other, Non-Financial Resources During the Making of the Film 1.4 Work With Your Film Once its Completed

Working with the Third Sector

The Third Sector covers charities, campaign groups, foundations, quasi governmental agencies and others that are neither private sector nor government. They are united by wanting to Having a Social Impact There are many different ways to work with Third Sector on short documentaries and new ones are being invented all the time. Please report back what you've done here for others to learn.

Here are some basic divisions

Commission You to Make Work Specifically for Them

Such organisations increasingly need films for their websites, to use on Youtube, show at events etc. At it's best its virals like Waiting for the Guards Marc Hawker and Ishbel Whitaker's film for Amnesty Internationals Unsubscribe campaign against torture. For more see Amnesty International Case Study

Give You Some Money Towards the Making of your Short

It's more realistic to apply for cash from foundations (which roughly speaking exist to produce outputs by giving out funds) than charities (who themselves need to fundraise and have to justify any money not spent in the field to their trustees). The Wellcome Trust is a good example of a foundation (they cover health communication) that do fund certain short documentaries if they fit their remit.

If you do get funded by a charity or campaign group you must be very clear from the start what is expected from their end and make sure all this is in writing. Don't offer editorial input but do have this discussion with them explicitly. Be honest about what you think the film will contain and what you want it to achieve, how long it's going to take and you won't go far wrong. Likewise ask them to be honest about what they need to get out of the process.

There is a great guide here from Active Voice an American organisation about working successfully with third sector partners. They call it their Prenup guide or 'what filmmaker and funders should talk about before tying the knot'.

Contribute Other, Non-Financial Resources During the Making of the Film

They might have archive, access to stories, offices in foreign countries that can facilitate filming, research data, expertise that they can bring as consultants and fact checkers etc etc

Work With Your Film Once its Completed

The best time to make a deal might be once the film is done and organisations can watch it and see how it fits with their work. They might screen your film to their members, to policy makers or other influencers, screen it on their website, endorse it to their members etc etc

Each film and each partnership is going to be different.