Indie Film Hustle
Q: How do you make a Feature Film?
A: Anyway you can!
As an indie filmmaker, with numerous award-winning short films under her belt, Elaine Del Valle knew she'd have to think outside of the box to finally realize her directorial debut in a feature film. She wanted to do so with her most intimate story, her own Urban Latina coming-of age experience she titles Brownsville Bred.
Thanks, in part, to grants from WarnerMedia 150 and the Sundance Institute, Elaine filmed the first act of her Brownsville Bred to serve as a proof of concept for her feature. She knew that a finished first act would also add value to investors.
In Elaine's words, "If you build it, they will come...and if not, then I'll do what Linklater did with Boyhood."
Elaine remains determined to see Brownsville Bred as a finished feature film.
With no ties to film financiers or investors, Elaine's plan was to generate interest in Brownsville Bred by bringing its completed first act to the film festival market. Aiming for it to be understood as open-ended, and not a short film, Elaine would submit the work in the category of episodic pilot. Having previously sold an original drama pilot (The System) to CBS, Elaine knew that, if needed, she could pivot into the development of her story as a series without sacrificing her feature film plan.
Brownsville Bred (first act/proof-of-concept) was validated when it was selected by the renowned SXSW film festival, where it premiered (March 2022) and went on to win the coveted Audience Award.
Elaine continues her quest to find meaningful partners that will believe in the value of the story, and help her to finish what she started...Brownsville Bred--the feature film.
Equity investors should contact brownsvillebred@gmail.com
Brownsville Bred can also accept tax-deductible donations through its fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas. To make a donation visit https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/brownsville-bred-transcending-history
Read a March 2022 BK Reader Article about Brownsville Bred at SXSW