How to Use Equity Crowdfunding to Fund Profitable Indie Films with Greg Bekkers

In this episode, ZB Siwek sits down with producer and sales agent Greg Bekkers to dive deep into the world of equity crowdfunding for films. Greg shares his hands-on experience running multiple successful campaigns—raising over $200K on platforms like Wefunder and breaks down exactly what it takes for independent filmmakers to stand out, attract investors, and actually close deals.We cover:Greg’s journey from managing actors to producing and film sales The genres and strategies distributors are backing right now (and which ones they’re avoiding)How equity crowdfunding really works - legal steps, platforms, timelines, and investor expectationsThe importance of lead investors and how to leverage them for trust and momentumOutreach strategies: LinkedIn, cold emails, Zoom calls, and the art of building relationshipsWhy filmmakers need to embrace marketing as part of the creative processGreg’s honest take on mistakes, lessons learned, and why perseverance + community are essentialWhether you’re planning your first raise or looking to improve your next campaign, this conversation gives you practical, battle-tested insights to make your film fundable and profitable.Greg Bekkers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbekkers/📌 Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Filmmaking and Funding Strategies05:32 – The Importance of Sales and in Filmmaking15:47 – Navigating the Landscape of Film Genres and Market Trends21:58 – Setting Up an Equity Crowdfunding Campaign35:55 – Lessons Learned from Crowdfunding Campaigns42:17 – Building Your Brand in Filmmaking48:28 – Effective Messaging for Investor Outreach57:20 – Understanding Investor Calls01:01:15 – The Role of Lead Investors01:06:02 – Marketing Strategies for Fundraising01:10:14 – The Importance of Pre-Campaign Outreach01:17:17 – Navigating the Crowdfunding Landscape🎧 Subscribe to Cut to the Deal for more conversations with top industry experts on funding, distributing, and marketing independent films.Connect with ZB Siwek:https://www.linkedin.com/in/zb-siwek-55938442/Learn More About Cine Circle:https://www.cinecircle.co.uk/Explore our live in person and virtual events:https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cine-circle-uk-17697994790Follow us on social!https://www.youtube.com/@CineCircleFilms/videoshttps://www.tiktok.com/@cinecirclehttps://instagram.com/cinecircleukhttps://x.com/cinecircle_uk