How Does Film Festival Sponsorship Work?

Just about any major event producer knows that sponsorship is the key to generating greater publicity, credibility and funding for the event. Film festival sponsorship is all about building strong relationships with funders expressing interest in opportunities within the industry. To generate sponsorship for a film festival, the event manager must prove that the festival is valuable and worthy of the funder’s time and money, but how? How does film festival sponsorship work? And what does it mean for independent filmmakers that attend the festival?

What is Film Festival Sponsorship?

Film festival sponsorship represents an opportunity for investors, funders, and corporations to “sponsor” the event by providing financial support for the event in exchange for exposure to the group of attendees that are expected at the event.

Film festival sponsorship is an excellent opportunity for a variety of businesses and brands. And actually benefits both the business and the festival in many ways.

Businesses and brands that sponsor a film festival gain the publicity and exposure of a potentially large and targeted market. Likewise, the event benefits from the cash infusion that comes from the film festival sponsorship.

Sponsorship funds often disperse into the event in a variety of ways. With contributions being used to pay for location and equipment rentals necessary for the event and to cover various other costs.

How Film Festivals Find Corporate Sponsors

There are actually many businesses that are happy to accept film festival sponsorship opportunities when they are presented to them. Film festival coordinators can find corporate sponsors through various initiatives.

Including cold outreach, advertising, fundraising, and various other ways. The idea is to present the option of sponsorship to the target client that would benefit from sharing his or her business during the festival.

Fortunately, film festivals tend to attract a crowd that is generally of a higher overall income bracket and the demographic is conducive to higher sales revenue.

Generally speaking, film festivals cater to an audience that is more likely to have a relatively high disposable income which is attractive for most corporate sponsors.

Potential

When an event coordinator can build a sense of value and prove a niche audience that has core demographics. Which are appealing to the corporation or business owner that they’re targeting for sponsorship. The potential for that business owner to sponsor the event is high.

Think about the audience that you’re targeting for your film festival. And consider the businesses and brands that your audience is most likely to relate with.

Seeking film festival sponsorship from the businesses and brands that have a target market with similar demographics to your film festival’s audience is the winning scenario!

Economic Impact

With funding budgets being stretched and various situations. Such as COVID and seasonal issues occurring. Securing festival sponsors is becoming more and more challenging.

In order to convince business owners to invest in your festival, you’re going to have to prove that you’ll make an economic impact on their brand and that their investment will be valuable.

This means you’re going to have to demonstrate ways that their investment into the festival is going to fuel sales, increased representation for their brand, or other benefits.

Additional Ways to Raise Funds for a Film Festival

In addition to film festival sponsorship there are a variety of other opportunities for a filmmaker or individual that is considering their first actual festival event to raise funding for the event.

Sponsorship opportunities are just one of many pieces of the financial puzzle that the event coordinator should be considering. Additional funding can be raised for the film festival through fundraising events, crowdfunding.

And through things like ticket sales and merchandising opportunities. Consider also raising funds through film submission entry fees, specialty passes such as VIP tickets, and through various other campaigns.

What Festival Coordinators Should Consider 

If you’re a film producer, or independent filmmaker that’s considering a film festival, or coordinating a festival. It’s important for you to plan carefully and to coordinate sponsorship deals that are going to be valuable both for your audience, and for those who sponsor the event. 

Ideally, you’ll have one person that works on sponsorship and the coordination of event business needs. 

Realistically Speaking

Consider just how much funding you’ll need to establish the event – be realistic! Once you’ve done this, you can begin working on campaigns and establishing some projections based on the various opportunities that you intend to exercise.

Including fundraising events, crowdfunding and your sponsorship outreach. Also consider setting a realistic sponsorship goal that you can work towards. Keep in mind that even small sponsors are great to have because the funding adds up!

Furthermore, everyone that you are working with, including all of those who are involved in the coordination of your film festival, should be educated on sponsorship and should be on the look-out for potential sponsorship partners that could be good for the event.

Volunteers, crew members, and your own team are all great starting points, and they have contacts that you could work with, too!

Keeping Film Sponsors Happy

Ultimately, film festival sponsorship is all about securing the necessary corporate support and funding that will allow you to provide a fun, engaging, and exciting event.

But your work is hardly complete just because the event is over! Keeping your film festival sponsors happy is absolutely vital!

In fact, not only will a happy sponsor be a potential supporter in the future, they could be your best opportunity to get additional sponsors for your next event, too! Consider holding a post-festival thank you party for sponsors somewhere away from the event location.

In Summary

This serves multiple purposes. Acting is an excellent networking event for business owners. Providing added exposure and the opportunity for potential B2B exposure. And it’s a nice way to tell those that helped you achieve success with your festival that you appreciate them!

Film festival sponsorship is a vital element to the coordination of a successful film festival. And provides a unique opportunity for businesses and brands to generate exposure in an audience,

One that could have similar core demographics to those of their own target market. Making it a potentially profitable event for all involved. Large or small, film festival sponsorship is an excellent opportunity for business owners in a variety of industries.