Free funding sources for filmmakers, musicians and other artists

Sure, you could pay people to consider the market value of your art, but why? There are so many great ways to get funding for your art projects these days. Indiegogo and Kickstarter are perhaps the best known, or at least the ones making a big splash these days.

There's also Grantspace, Desktop-documentaries and... the long tradition of asking friends and family to help out.

Sometimes I worry that people take advantage of the fact that a lot of artists in this area are not tech savvy. Ask yourself if the money you spend seeking funding would not better be spent towards actually making something.

To be sure, festivals and fairs and the like have their place! Jobs and Wozniak demonstrated the first Apple computer at a computer fair in the 70s, which eventually led to the creation of Apple Computer. While I don't think either were seeking validation of the idea (perhaps Jobs less so), the networking and event provided an important framework in which to show off their efforts. That is important.

Less important: getting advice from a shadowy group who charge you up front for a chance to do something you could just as easily do for no money at all.