Fund Your Film

Practical and ethical fundraising guidance, shaped by years of relevant experience.

Are you ready to make a feature film but lacking that critical element…money?

In this premium, value-packed course, you’ll learn how to secure equity financing, structure deals, connect with investors, and avoid critical pitfalls from Stu Pollard, an industry expert who’s raised millions of dollars for independent films.

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Taught Annually To Hundreds Of Filmmakers

In this course, Stu covers topics that are rarely taught in a classroom, giving you the tools you need to jump-start your project and gain confidence in approaching investors.

Business Fundamentals

Dig into the foundational elements for how to start a company and structure a sound deal.

Templates & Tools

Access to downloadable resources and materials that you’ll need to get a head start on your next venture.

Investor Relationships
Get guidance on how to seek out your ideal investors and create meaningful connections with them.
Ethical Guidance

Learn to play the long game, operate with integrity, and have honest, upfront interactions.

Our Mission

We provide filmmakers with accessible, ethically sound skills, insights, and resources to fund their projects the right way

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Course Testimonials

“I feel like he took me through every part of deals that no one talks about. Now I know how it works, I can see behind the curtain. For me that was the most important thing.”

– Kara Durrett, 2021 Independent Spirit Award Nominee, Producer: Save Yourselves! and Ayar

“I would give anything to go back and take this course before producing my first feature. I had to learn all of this stuff the hard way, by screwing up a thousand times! To have all of this information just handed to you is nothing short of a miracle.”

– Ben Matheny, 2021 Sundance NEXT Award, Producer: Ma Belle, My Beauty

“Here’s the truth I’ve found: every independent filmmaker also needs to learn how to be a good businessman.Taking Stu’s class was absolutely an essential part of me getting my first film going. This class helped prepare me to speak about financing and budgeting in a way that is becoming increasingly necessary for budding filmmakers.”

– Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Director: The Stanford Prison Experiment and Homecoming Season 2

“I feel very confident when I speak to financiers – that’s the greatest benefit of this class.”

– Kenneth Renaldo Reynolds, Producer, Lost Bayou

“Astoundingly comprehensive and invaluable. I can’t imagine a better soup-to-nuts crash course in understanding the independent film space and how to get a film off the ground and into the world.”

– Jolene Pinder, Independent Producer and Arts Administrator (Former Executive Director Kartemquin Films)

“Informative, entertaining and filled with an enormous amount of important industry tips.”

– Torrie Rosenzweig, Director of Media Talent Development, USC School of Cinematic Arts

“Honest, upfront and beneficial to all who attended.”

– Maria Bozzi, Senior Director of Education & International Initiatives, Film Independent, Los Angeles

“You covered what attendees wanted to know: raising money and creating business plans, but you also covered something lacking in many these days: etiquette and relationships.”

– Amanda Melby, Former Executive Director of IFP/PHX, Producer: Raising Buchanan

“If there is a single word that sums up your presentation, it is ‘integrity.’ Too many panels and seminars on indie filmmaking overlook this notion, while you can’t stress it enough.”

– Brandon Jones, Board of Directors, Dallas Producers Association

Why LunacyU?

Practical, relevant guidance for the 2020s
Direct access to filmmaking experts
Insights you can apply immediately
Valuable advice for experts and beginners

Quality content refined over 10+ years

Your Instructor

Stu Pollard

Stu Pollard has 20+ years of experience in the indie film space and has raised millions of dollars in private equity to fund projects over the course of his career.

His company, Lunacy Productions, has enabled him to empower new storytellers and explore new ventures outside the film space, including education via the new platform LunacyU. 

Lunacy’s thriller, Rust Creek (directed by Jen McGowan) was acquired by IFC Films and Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes. It topped the viewership charts on Netflix in the weeks after its release in December of 2020.

Other recent producing credits include the rom-com Plus One (written and directed by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer, produced in partnership with Studio 71 and Red Hour Films) and Alexandra Shiva’s Syrian refugee documentary This Is Home (2018 Sundance World Doc Audience Award Winner).

Course Details

All the tools you need to get your film funded

On-Demand Videos
  • 4 Sections from getting started to selling the film
  • 33 videos with illustrations and animations
  • 4+ hours of valuable content
Curated Resources
  • Workbooks and optional exercises
  • Downloadable documents and templates
  • Articles and links to dive deeper

Zoom & Slack Access

  • All versions of the course include access to our Slack community
  • Group course includes four 1-hour Zoom group coaching sessions

Downloads Include

  • Investor Tracking Template, Estimated Startup Costs
  • Sample Sales Waterfall, Sample Delivery Schedule
  • Key Questions for your Film Business Plan
  • And much more!
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Overview of the Course

This is just a sampling of the topics covered.
View the full list here

Get Started

  • Setting realistic goals
  • Estimating startup costs
  • How crowdfunding can help
  • Deal elements: Business plan and legalese
Build Your Plan
  • Understanding your audience & distribution
  • Planning for festivals & delivery
  • Investment details & projections
  • Setting your timeline

Structure Your Deal

  • Review a sample deal
  • Tax incentives overview
  • Setting deal points and sweeteners
  • Protecting your investors and yourself
Search & Sell
  • Finding investors and understanding their motives
  • Investor relations and communication examples
  • Tracking your funding progress
  • A list of the golden rules

Purchase The Course

Want to buy the course for the filmmaker in your life? Get a gift card!


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FLEX

The complete set of videos and content with total flexibility to watch and work at your own pace.
$199
  • • Work at your own pace
  • • On-Demand Videos
  • • Downloadable Documents and Templates
  • • Workbooks and Exercises
  • • LunacyU Slack Channel Access
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GROUP

A one-month intensive centered around weekly Zoom group coaching sessions led by indie producer Stu Pollard.
$399

May GROUP Class Schedule

Note: All GROUP class sessions are recorded and made available afterwards for those unable to attend

May 15

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT)

Online Via Zoom

 

May 22

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT)

Online Via Zoom

 

May 29

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT)

Online Via Zoom

 

June 5

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PT)

Online Via Zoom

May GROUP Class Schedule

Note: All GROUP class sessions are recorded and made available afterwards for those unable to attend

Date

Time

Format

May 15

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific

Online via Zoom

May 22

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific

Online via Zoom

May 29

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific

Online via Zoom

June 5

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific

Online via Zoom

Interested In Group Rates?
Contact us to learn about discounts for groups
Frequently Asked Questions
Read the full list of questions
What is this course about?

This essential course for independent filmmakers is designed to help you think like an entrepreneur, find the right financial partners, and finish what you start. Through video lessons and supplemental documents, this course will guide you on a transformative journey that will infuse you with confidence, empower you with resources, and put you in the best possible position to raise money for your project.

Who is this course for?

This course is for filmmakers, producers, entrepreneurs, and really anyone seeking to learn more about fundraising, investor relations, business plans, deal ethics, and more! Individuals considering film investments have enjoyed the course as well.

How does the course work?

The class is organized into 4 sections. For the Flex version, you can go through the sections at your own pace. For the Group and Private versions, you will meet on Zoom once a week for 4 weeks to review each section. That means you have one week to get through each section (roughly an hour of video lessons, plus optional workbook exercises).

For the Private version, you’ll also have one-on-one sessions with Stu Pollard.

What do I get?

All versions of the course include 4 hours of on-demand video lessons, loads of downloadable documents and templates, and access to our Slack channel to ask questions and connect with other filmmakers in the LunacyU community.

The Group and Private version include four weekly 1-hour group coaching sessions via Zoom with Stu Pollard.

The Private version also include two 45-minute one-on-one consultation sessions directly with Stu.

Who is the instructor?

Stu Pollard has 20+ years of experience in the indie film space and has raised millions of dollars in private equity to fund projects over the course of his career.

Is this a live class?

No, this is not a live class. It consists of 33 video modules that you can watch at your own pace. The Group version of the course includes live group coaching sessions and the Private version includes live one-on-one sessions.