FAQ
What exactly is “crowd-equity”?
Crowd equity is the modern, democratized pathway to film financing. Instead of asking people to donate like on Kickstarter, you’re inviting them to own a piece of your movie or company. It combines the best of both worlds – the momentum and community of crowdfunding, with the credibility and upside of private equity.
Is this the same thing as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or Seed & Spark?
No, Kickstarter = donations. Crowd-equity = investments. Your backers aren’t just fans anymore – they’re also shareholders who have skin in the game and share in the upside when your film succeeds. Think private equity but where anyone can find your campaign and become an investor in your movie for as little as $100.
How much money can I raise?
You can raise up to $5 million per year through crowd-equity. In practice, most filmmakers raise between $50K–$1M for their first feature or indie series. The exact number depends on your credibility, community size, and campaign execution – all of which this guide helps you build.
Do I need to have a finished short film or festival laurels first?
No, but you do need proof of credibility. If you don’t have a short or laurels, you can compensate with a great pitch video, a strong team, or early traction (press, social following, letters of intent, brand partners, etc.). Think of every campaign as a “credit score” made of many factors. If one area’s weak, you can strengthen another. You just need enough “sparkle” to cross that invisible trust threshold for investors.
Can I raise money internationally?
Yes, but with some caveats. Most crowd-equity campaigns target U.S.-based investors, but international investors can invest if the platform supports it (such as our platform of choice, WeFunder). If you’re based outside the U.S., you can still raise via a U.S. entity (like a Delaware LLC) – which we cover in the playbook, step-by-step.
How long does this process take?
From prep to launch, 3–6 months is typical. 1 month to incorporate and set up legal. 1-2 months to build the campaign page, video, and outreach. And 2–3 months to raise actively. The more hours you can spend on your raise, the faster it'll go.
What if I’m not ready yet?
The guide is designed to meet you wherever you are, whether you’re still writing your first feature or prepping your second. It’s not a “get rich quick” plan; it’s a sustainable framework for creative independence. The earlier you start understanding it, the better positioned you’ll be when the opportunity comes. You'll also get lifetime access to all future updates so you'll have this playbook anytime whenever you're ready.
What makes this different from other fundraising guides?
There are plenty of playbooks out there for Kickstarter-style donation-based crowdfunding, but almost none for crowd-equity – at least none that I’ve seen to date. Funding films through crowd-equity is still a relatively new (and rapidly growing) model, and this guide is built specifically for that world. Every example, framework, and template here comes from real experience – my own million-dollar raise for ISLE CHILD, plus dozens of other filmmakers I’ve helped do the same. This isn’t just theory or recycled business-school fluff!
Is there a refund policy?
Of course – if the guide doesn’t deliver meaningful clarity or traction, email us. We’ll refund you and ask for your feedback so I can improve it for the next filmmaker. This is about building a sustainable community, not selling a one-off product. You can also get a full refund if you successfully raise the minimum amount on WeFunder – $50K! Just email us at hi@thevandalist.com once you've hit that number.
Do you offer consulting or 1:1 help?
We occasionally take on filmmakers for private consulting or retainer-based strategy when it makes sense. But this playbook was designed to make you self-sufficient from script idea to pre-preproduction. If you’ve got a bigger budget and want a hands-on marketing or investor-relations push, then yes – we sometimes jump in and help build that from the ground up.
How can I get this playbook for FREE?
If 3 people purchase the guide using your unique referral code, they’ll each get 15% off, and you’ll get a 100% refund of your purchase. Just email hi@thevandalist.com to get your personal referral link to share with your friends who are trying to fund their feature film or independent TV show.
How can I earn a $2,000+ investment?
When you launch your campaign on WeFunder using the referral link inside this guide, two things happen:
1. You save $1,000 off your final platform fees (WeFunder’s normal fees range from 0–8%, large investments over $25K are usually waived).
2. We’ll personally reinvest our referral bonus – worth $1,000-$10,000 (depending on how much you raise) – directly into your campaign once it’s live.
Together, that’s at least $2,000+ or more in your pocket just for using the system we built to fund dozens of films.