As all indie moviemakers know, one of the toughest parts of getting a film made happens well before the first day of shooting: Fundraising. But there’s some good news for every moviemaker who wants to get the money and just start making their movie already (so, all of them): The Montana Film Office’s recently-launched “Pitch the 406” contest is giving moviemakers the opportunity to win $20,000 worth of production equipment and labor, including access to rent-free equipment and an experienced local crew. “This is an exciting opportunity for filmmakers who have the inspiration they need to shoot a movie in Montana [but] need the extra funding to make it happen,” says Montana Film Commissioner Sten Iversen.
To enter, submit a three-minute video pitch to scout406.com by November 30th explaining why Montana is the ideal location for your film. The pitch can be a trailer, a sample scene or even three minutes of you explaining how your film and Montana’s one-of-a-kind landscapes are a perfect match. Submissions will be posted to the Montana Film Office’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/montanafilm), and a winner will be chosen by a panel of Hollywood professionals that includes producer Marty Katz (Lost in America, Reindeer Games), assistant camera operator Erik L. Brown (The Tree of Life, The Proposal) and location manager Mike Fantasia (Memoirs of a Geisha, Catch Me If You Can).
The winner of the “Pitch the 406” contest will be announced the week of January 1st, 2012. To view the contest rules and submit your pitch, visit scout406.com.