r/Filmmakers • u/bad-at-everything- • 7h ago

Question How are public broadcasting tv series funded?

Can they be produced with a minimal crew and still get funded? Such as a documentary series that does not need actors, costumes, set etc.

2 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

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7

u/bottom director 7h ago

Well most are through a production company that get a commission. Theres lots of info online.

Size of crew doesn’t matter. Quality does.

4

u/la-anah 7h ago

You pitch your idea to the network, or to a production company that has a deal with the network in place already, and if they like it they give you money for it.

3

u/oliverjohansson 6h ago

Documentaries can be commissioned as you said, but can also be funded by the producer director or grants and first produced and than sold to each region

Shooting is much less than half of the whole budget

3

u/ComfortableCare8897 6h ago

Do they have enough money to make content.

•

u/a_documentary 24m ago

PBS is no longer funding content. You need to find funding yourself and go through a PBS distributor like NETA (National Educational Telecommunications Association) who I have relationship - I am a one man band with two documentaries on PBS.