The Financial State

	January 2009	TODAY	% chg	Source
Avg.. Retail price/gallon gas in U.S.	$1.83	$3.44	84%	1
Crude oil, European Brent (barrel)	$43..48	$99..02	127.7%	2
Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel)	$38..74	$91..38	135.9%	2
Gold: London (per troy oz.)	$853.25	$1,369.50	60.5%	2
Corn, No.2 yellow, Central IL	$3.56	$6.33	78.1%	2
Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL	$9.66	$13..75	42.3%	2
Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. Fob	$13..37	$35..39	164.7%	2
Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall	7.6%	9.4%	23.7%	3
Unemployment rate, blacks	12.6%	15.8%	25.4%	3
Number of unemployed	11,616,000	14,485,000	24.7%	3
Number of fed. Employees	2,779,000	2,840,000	2.2%	3
Real median household income	$50,112	$49,777	-0.7%	4
Number of food stamp recipients	31,983,716	43,200,878	35.1%	5
Number ofunemployment benefit recipients	7,526,598	9,193,838	22.2%	6
Number of long-term unemployed	2,600,000	6,400,000	146.2%	3
Poverty rate, individuals	13.2%	14.3%	8.3%	4
People in poverty in U.S.	39,800,000	43,600,000	9.5%	4
U.S.. Rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings	5	9	n/a	10
Present Situation Index	29.9	23.5	-21.4%	11
Failed banks	140	164	17.1%	12
U.S.. Dollar versusJapanese yen exchange rate	89.76	82.03	-8.6%	2
U.S.. Money supply, M1, in billions	1,575.1	1,865.7	18.4%	13
U.S.. Money supply, M2, in billions	8,310.9	8,852.3	6.5%	13
National debt, in trillions	$10..627	$14..052	32.2%	14

Just take this last item: In the last two years we have accumulated national debt at a rate more than 27 times as fast as during the rest of our entire nation's history.

Over 27 times as fast. Metaphorically speaking, if you are driving in the right lane doing 65 MPH and a car rockets past you in the left lane.

27 times faster, it would be doing 7,555 MPH!

Sources:

(1) U.S. Energy Information Administration; (2) Wall Street Journal; (3)Bureau of Labor Statistics; (4) Census Bureau; (5) USDA; (6) U.S. Dept. Of Labor;
(7) FHFA; (8) Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller; (9) RealtyTrac; (10)Heritage Foundation and WSJ; (11) The Conference Board; (12) FDIC;
(13) Federal Reserve; (14) U.S. Treasury

Film Funding

TOC

1. "Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg"
2. "Britfilms.com/British Council"
3. "How to Finance Your Independent Film"
   
4. "Fund-Raising For Your Micro-Budget Film"
   
5. "Money Issues: Funding an Independent Film"
   
6. "Fund by yourself"
   
7. "Filmförderung in Deutschland(deutsch/german)"
   
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• #1 "Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg"
  (via http://www.medienboard.de)
  

  "The Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg supports films and film-related projects in the categories of script development, project development, package promotion, production, distribution and sales, and other activities. A sole authority, the managing director, makes all final decisions. The managing director works with a team of advisers. They handle individual projects and also advise the applicants. A meeting with an advisor is a mandatory part of the application process. Application forms can only be obtained directly from the advisors.
  Since 1994 more than 2,500 film projects have obtained € 293 million in grants. The economic benefit of film promotion for the region is huge - and it can be expressed in figures. Each production that is shot in Berlin and/or Brandenburg entails investments, creates jobs and sustains employment. For every euro spent on aid to moviemakers, an average of four euros is injected into the local economy.
  "

  You can find info about grant guidelines, support categories, funding deadlines, standard evaluation guides, German-Polish Co-Development Fonds, Artist-in-Residence, Capital Regions for Cinema and much more.
  read more
  (source: http://www.medienboard.de/WebObjects/Medienboard.woa/wa/CMSshow/1436394?wosid=)
  up
  
  
• #2 "Britfilms.com/British Council"
  (via http://www.britfilms.com)
  

  "This page contains links to various organisations who can either help with funding or point you in the direction of someone who can. "

  You can find info about Korda, The Money Map, Public Funding(Media 2007, UK Film Council, Scottish Screen, Northern Ireland Screen, Wales Screen Commission, EM-Media, Film London, First Light, Isle of Man Media Development Fund, North West Vision, Screen East, Screen South, Screen West Midlands, Screen Yorkshire, South West Screen), Broadcasters(BBC Films, FilmFour), UK Tax Credit and many more...
  read more
  (source: http://www.britfilms.com/resources/fundinginformation/)
  up
  
  
• #3 "How to Finance Your Independent Film"
  (via http://newenglandfilm.com)
  

  "Over the years, film financing has become one the most complex and risky investments. Yet, here are viable avenues for independent filmmakers to secure financing."

  You can read about “The Game Plan, Advantages and Disadvantages if Industry Financing, Studio Development Production Deals, Independent Distributor Financing, Talent Agency Financing, End-User Financing, Completion Funds”.
  read more
  (source: http://newenglandfilm.com/news/archives/98july/funding.htm)
  up
  
  
• #4 "Fund-Raising For Your Micro-Budget Film"
  (via http://microfilmmaker.com)
  

  "When we made Resident Alien and Beyond Bob (for $28,000 and $26,000, respectively), we thought we’d gone about as low as you could go, budgetwise.
  So, can you imagine our elation when we realized that we could complete Grown Men for in the neighborhood of $10,000? Well, obviously we decided to move right into that neighborhood.
  ..."

  Read more about “Investors, Credit Cards, Scrimping, Grants, Favors, Found Money”
  read more
  (source: http://microfilmmaker.com/tipstrick/Issue17/FundRai1.html)
  up
  
  
• #5 "Money Issues: Funding an Independent Film"
  (via http://www.independent-magazine.org)
  

  "Long before filmmakers begin production, they face the daunting task of scraping together enough money to get their film off the ground. Choosing the right method of funding relies on many factors, including the type and subject of the film, and the experience behind the cast and crew involved in the project.
  Funding can come in many forms, from national grants to family and friends. The Independent takes a look at three filmmakers and how they got the funding they needed to get their projects off the page and onto the screen.
  ..."

  read more
  (source: http://www.independent-magazine.org/08/10/money-issues-funding-independent-film)
  up
  
  
• #6 "Fund by yourself"
  
  There are many possibilities to fund projects by yourself, by building a community(that's why Twitter, Facebook etc. are becoming more and more important...), and get people involved in your project. Just check out the following websites:
  - http://www.kickstarter.com/
  - http://www.indiegogo.com/
  - http://invested.in/
  
  up
  
  
• #7 "Filmförderung in Deutschland(deustch/german)"
  
  Hier ein paar Websites, die beachtliche Zusammenstellungen bezüglich Einrichtungen zur Filmförderung in Deutschland und Europa auf ihren Seiten veröffentlicht haben:
  (teilweise sind es die gleichen Links, aber sie ergänzen sich alle)
  - comeunited Filmförderung-Bund, Bundesländer, Österreich, Schweiz, Europa, International
  - Media Deutschland Filmförderung-Bundesländer, Stiftungen, Bund...
  - crewunited Filmförderung-Bund, Länder, Österreich, Schweiz, Europa
  - Filmfonds Wien-Filmförderung in Deutschland und Europa
  
  up