Now, more than ever, the internet has become a great expanse of resources and knowledge. There has never been more available to the independent filmmaker. Social media, tools, and fundraising are all within the reach of your fingertips. Sharing your ideas and collaborating with your peers has resulted in a wealth of shared knowledge for filmmakers worldwide. Here, in no special order, is a list of the top 9 sites that are a great resource for the independent filmmaker.
Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI)
What is your organization’s mission?
Our members mission is to assist film and TV production around the world from locations, permits, financial incentives, and economic impact.
What is the best part of what you do?
The scope of people that I get to work with. We have 45 countries in our membership. The diversity of people that I get to work with is interesting.
How do you reach your audience?
I prefer to see people face to face. Any time I can sit down with someone face to face over some coffee is ideal. However in the digital age we do a lot of digital outreach, through email and also through phone. Social Media has brought a whole new personal aspect to digital communication, so we use that as well.
Anything else you’d like to tell the world?
Before anyone undergoes production anywhere I hope they will talk to one of our film commissions first so they can have the best experience possible.
Check it out www.afci.org
ProductionHUB
What is your organization’s mission?
ProductionHUB is the global network of local crew & vendors, for all your production needs—from corporate media and live events to film, television and digital media, and everything in between. Our mission is to modernize and transform the hiring process of content creators worldwide. We strive to be your partner, whether it be for staffing, vendor procurement or marketing your production services.
What is the best part of what you do?
Every day we get to talk to clients, from American Express and Mercedes-Benz to the top ad agencies and latest television or feature projects. The stories they tell are amazing, and we take pride in the fact that we helped them connect with and hire the perfect professional for their production project.
How do you reach your audience?
Our main growth factor truly is word-of-mouth from happy clients and customer referrals. Also focusing on customer feedback – taking the time to listen and implement their ideas is one of the reasons we grew so rapidly to be in the top 15% of the Inc. 5000 list (and why we consistently keep an 85%+ retention rate with our customers).We also attend many relevant conferences, festivals and supply contests (like the fabulous Audience Awards) to ensure the winners receive prizes from us to support the careers of budding filmmakers.We also still believe in having a physical presence at some of the major industry anchor events, from the NAB Show to Cine Gear; the interaction with both new and existing clients is priceless.
Anything else you’d like to tell the world?
Although we’ve been in business nearly 20 years, we are still privileged to bring personalized solutions to grow the business faster than ever before—we pride ourselves on our vigilance to new tech & trends, married with our ‘old school’ customer service approach. The majority of our staff has been with ProductionHUB 10 years or more, and it’s important to point out that while most of our services are online, our success is powered by this dedicated and driven staff.
Check it out ProductionHUB.com
The Audience Awards
What is your organization’s mission?
The easy answer? We’re the best video contest platform on planet Earth. But we’re so much more. We’re a community of 100,000 strong that defines the word synergy. We understand what it means to be an independent filmmaker. It means converting a spare bedroom into an editing room. It means declining the reservation for a night-on-the-town so you can save for that new lens. And before The Audience Awards, it meant scratching and clawing to get your video in front of the right audience. We can help.
What do you offer to your filmmakers?
Art Of The Guillotine
A community driven source for post-production information.
Aotg.com‘s goal is to share post production ideas and content.
What is the best part of what you do?
All content is free and we’ve aggregated over 60,000 submissions.
How do you reach your audience?
Directly at Aotg.com and socially at twitter.com/aotgnetwork, and facebook.com/aotgnetwork
Check it out Aotg.com
Videomaker
What is your organization’s mission?
Videomaker’s mission is to help others achieve their pursuits by using video as a common communications medium. We picture a world where people use video cameras as regularly as they use ink pens, keyboards, cameras, email, texts, printers and blogs to communicate thoughts, ideas and concepts.
What is the best part of what you do?
The best and most satisfying thing we do is help our readers achieve their personal and professional goals by using video.
How do you reach your audience?
Print, website, social media, and email
Check it out videomaker.com
Shooting People
What is your organization’s mission?
Helping to get independent filmmakers together, and independent films made and seen! Shooting People is the UK’s largest (and best!) network for independent filmmakers, with 38,000+ members across the world, and around 200 productions cast and crewed each in the community each week. With us, you can find indie film collaborators of any kind (actors, crew, agents, producers etc), get alerted to film funding opportunities, discover the latest distribution opportunities and join film parties across the UK.
What is the best part of what you do?
Seeing new filmmaking talent emerge and development within the community. Members are making great films together all the time, some of which circulate around the festivals, find distribution and launch careers, Some names you might recognize that started out on Shooting People are: Asif Kapadia (‘Senna’, ‘Amy’), Joshua Oppenheimer (‘The Look of Silence’,’The Act of Killing’), or recently Ben and Chris Blaine, whose debut feature ‘Nina Forever’ premiered last year at SXSW and is now being distributed worldwide by StudioCanal.
How do you reach your audience?
Our community lives at shootingpeople.org. For members, we have our Ask and Discuss forums, Events listings, Cast and Crew areas, Blog, Film of the Month competition, and the depositories of training, funding opportunities and competitions. We also have a newsletter, daily bulletins and are active on Facebook and Twitter.
Anything else you’d like to tell the world?
Our Film of the Month competition, open to short film submissions from members, is judged by key industry talent each month. (Recently, Louis Theroux, David Oyelowo, Asif Kapadia etc.) Recent winners have found their films finding BAFTA nominations, interest from Richard Ayoade’s production company and all kind of perks. This month’s finalists get to pitch to Channel 4’s Random Acts platform. Join us and submit your short.
Check it out shootingpeople.org and twitter.com/shootingpeople
IndieTalk
A filmmaking community
Check it out http://www.indietalk.com
Cinephilia & Beyond
A show case of film culture.
Check it out http://www.cinephiliabeyond.org
StudentFilmmakers
Our goal is to inspire, educate and promote those learning motion picture production and artistry. Film and Video makers of all levels can network, learn and grow in our Community. We review technology, new techniques, new workflows and creativity in the five distinct stages of production: Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production and Distribution.
Check it out http://www.studentfilmmakers.com