Peter McDowell is the director-producer of Jimmy in Saigon, a new documentary about the mysterious death and radical life of his brother Jimmy McDowell, an American 24-year-old Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in 1972. His previous films, including the acclaimed I Dream of Dorothy, have been shown at festivals around the world. In the piece below, Peter McDowell talks about raising money to finally learn and tell his brother’s story.—M.M.
My eldest brother Jimmy died unexpectedly in Vietnam in June of 1972 at the age of 24. He was the oldest of our family of six, and I was the youngest, just five years old. At that age, I didn’t fully understand what had happened; however, nearly four decades later, the mystery surrounding Jimmy’s death led me to begin what would become my first feature documentary, Jimmy in Saigon.
In 2010, with several award-winning short films behind me but with no formal film school training, I decided to uncover the true story of my brother’s life and death and capture it on film. I was living in Brooklyn, newly in-between jobs, and creatively restless. But I was struck by the possibilities of HD video, still a relatively new technology at the time. With my last $2,000, I bought a used HD camera and sound gear and began interviewing everyone I could find who had known Jim.
I hit the road with my camera and a sense of mission. But I quickly realized that I needed money fast. I began recruiting friends as volunteer camera operators and eventually hired people to shoot key scenes. Without access to personal wealth and very aware of the challenges of winning grants (many grants have a less than 1% success rate), I created a website and secured a fiscal sponsor.
I also posted about Jimmy in Saigon on social media, utilizing my friends and family to build my support network and generate donations to fund the project. It’s a misconception that you have to start seeking funds from strangers off the bat — your core supporters, even if they are not wealthy or philanthropic, can become a key lynchpin in connecting to the right funders. Your top donors will eventually be individuals whom you never knew, but they are nonetheless connected loosely to you.
My background in fundraising helped keep the momentum going. I thanked donors often, shared updates, and made people feel like part of the journey. By 2016, I knew I’d need to fund my first trip to Vietnam to retrace Jimmy’s steps and assemble a mosaic of his identity. I launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with a short teaser and enlisted friends — some paid, some volunteer — to help run it.
We raised $20,000, just enough to get us to Vietnam. That footage changed everything. Now we had something tangible: exciting material that energized supporters and gave the project new life.
In 2018, after a few promising but unfruitful “salon” screenings of a 15-minute teaser, I hit on a turning point. What if I hosted five fundraising events in five cities where I had lived or had connections? I chose Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and my hometown of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. With the help of local host committees, I organized events in free or low-cost venues. Each included a teaser screening, food and drinks, a silent auction, a short musical performance, and a live interview between me and a locally known figure. These events raised $30,000 and brought in 300 new supporters, fueling a critical phase of post-production.
Throughout the process, we applied for grants, but rarely received them. Instead, I leaned fully into individual giving. I cultivated relationships, kept supporters in the loop, and invited them to grow with the project. I started a $1,000 Angel donor program, and mailed out a physical progress report — actual paper! — to donors and prospects. Many of our top donors gave multiple times over the years.
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I created levels of recognition — “Champions,” “Contributing Producers,” “Co-Executive Producers” — but more than that, I treated them as friends. We shared life updates, spoke about the film’s evolution, and celebrated every milestone together.
The Benefits of Making Jimmy in Saigon With Individual Donors
Now, after nearly 15 years, 40 festivals, and 16 awards with Jimmy in Saigon, I can say without hesitation that raising money from individual donors was worth it. It wasn’t just a financial strategy — it was a creative and communal one. The support I received didn’t just fund the film, it shaped its soul. It taught me how to build a network around a story, how to keep people invested over time, and how to make something deeply personal feel universal.
These days, I teach others about the path I took — one that relied on relationship-building, creativity, and persistence more than institutional backing or major grants. For any filmmaker struggling to get their project off the ground, I highly recommend this path. It’s not easy, but it’s deeply rewarding. You won’t just be raising money — you’ll be building a community that believes in your story.
Peter McDowell is Director and Founder of Peter McDowell Arts Consulting, and is currently Interim Development Director at L.A. Dance Project, having previously worked at American Friends of the Louvre, Eighth Blackbird, and other arts organizations. McDowell’s storytelling reflects his training as an performer, curator and producer, stemming from a childhood surrounded by opera and the arts. Previous films, including the acclaimed I Dream of Dorothy, have been shown at festivals around the world.
Following a theatrical run in Los Angeles, New York, and Santa Fe, Jimmy in Saigon is now available on VOD from Dark Star Pictures.