Indie Filmmakers: Film Festival Wants To Help You Fund Your Film

DETROIT (WWJ) - Bay City plays host later this month to a unique film festival that organizers say is designed to help convert indie film fans into indie film contributors. It's called the Hell's Half Mile Film and Music Festival. Alan LaFave, the festival's director, says people who contribute are actually helping to bring films to the big screen.

"Which is something quite unique," LaFave says. "It's not something that's happening anywhere in the United States as far as marrying online crowdfunding with a live pitch."

To participate in the live pitch, filmmakers must apply to take part in the Crowdfunding Rally. Applications will be reviewed, and those who are selected will be notified prior to the festival.

"It's really an opportunity for film festival goers to say, yeah, I liked the work by this filmmaker, and I want to continue to see them make work, and make films and I want to help support that, whether it's with $5.00 or $500.00," LaFave said.

In addition to the Crowdfunding Rally, there are several days of film screenings on the agenda, so there's something for just about everyone's taste.

"Our festival is, although not as big as something like the Traverse City Film Festival, our programming has gotten a lot of attention from filmmakers from all across the country, and indeed all across the world as well, as we have submissions from as far as Australia and this year," LaFave says, "we have a film from Norway."

Along with the events tied to film, Hell's Half Mile is also a music festival with several local and regional bands set to perform.

The festival is September 22-25, 2016 in Bay City, Michigan. For more information, visit their website here. Filmmakers who wish to submit an application to participate in the Crowdfunding Rally need to do so by Sunday, September 11, 2016.

See you at the movies!

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