10 ChatGPT Prompts Every Documentary Filmmaker Needs When Fundraising

99% of filmmakers I meet need to raise money to bring their film to life.

But hardly any feel confident in raising money.

It’s the question I’m asked more than any other— from those just starting, to Academy Award nominees. “How do I raise money for my film?” and lately, “how can AI help?” 

The good news? With the right tools and approach, fundraising can become a more manageable— dare I say, enjoyable!—part of your creative journey. And AI can help.

These prompts are designed to help you:

• Craft compelling pitches that attract donors

• Develop effective fundraising strategies

• Identify potential donors with a genuine interest in your work

• Convince funders of your film's value and impact

• Determine appropriate funding requests

Before we dive into the prompts, let's talk about how to maximize the benefits of AI in your fundraising process.

Here’s what I typically start with:

💡 Prompt: Act as a fundraising specialist/coach who helps documentary filmmakers raise seven figures through traditional and nontraditional ways. I’m fundraising for my documentary [title] about [synopsis]. I will ask you questions related to fundraising for my film, but before I do that, please ask me any questions that are important for you to know about me and my film so that you can provide me with the most useful advice.

Remember: set the stage, be specific, and seek input. Adapt the prompts and modify them to fit your needs. Then use AI’s responses as a starting point before refining and expanding.

10 Prompts to Make Your Documentary Fundraising Less Painful

1. Assist me in determining realistic fundraising goals for my documentary, breaking down the total amount needed by source (grants, donations, crowdfunding) and by phases of production.

2. Generate a list of 50 out-of-the-box fundraising ideas that have proven successful in other industries to help me brainstorm alternative avenues for raising money.

3. Help me prioritize fundraising activities based on their potential impact and urgency. Include recommendations for early-stage tasks that will build momentum.

4. Provide a list of grant opportunities for documentary filmmakers, with a focus on [specific genre or topic]. Include application deadlines and any special requirements.

5. Craft a compelling cold outreach email for potential funders who may not be familiar with my work, emphasizing the unique aspects of my documentary and why it aligns with their funding priorities.

6. Suggest ways to adapt my fundraising strategies if I’m not meeting my goals, including alternative approaches, potential new funders, and changes in messaging.

7. Create a plan for leveraging my personal and professional networks to kickstart my crowdfunding campaign, including email templates and social media announcements.

8. Guide me in creating a powerful pitch deck for my documentary film, including essential slides such as the film’s mission, target audience, budget breakdown, and distribution plan.

9. Create an email marketing strategy to keep my audience informed and engaged, with a focus on storytelling, project updates, and calls to action.

10. Help me design a crowdfunding campaign strategy for my documentary, including target platforms, reward tiers, marketing tactics, and a campaign timeline.

Want more? These 10 are part of a running list I use myself and with clients. You can view the full list of 50 here. Add your own. And send me any you use and love that aren’t yet on the list! :)

Cheers to raising your full budget, and then some!

Aubrey

AI Honeybee 🐝 

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