Why ‘Test Pattern’ Director Shatara Michelle Ford Maxed Out Nine Credit Cards to Fund an Indie Awards Contender

variety.com:

Selome Hailu Unlike some of its A-list competitors at the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards, Shatara Michelle Ford’s debut film “Test Pattern” was funded on nine credit cards the director took out themself.Awards shows like the Spirits and the Gothams are known for highlighting the possibilities of indie cinema, but there isn’t always a clear through line among those filmmaker’s experiences.

All contenders are labeled “low budget” projects: the Gothams set a $35 million budget cap for eligibility, and the Spirits are even stricter, stopping nominations at $22.5 million.

But any discussion of “millions” still leaves a wide range — the term “micro-budget” exists for a reason — and there’s also the question of where the money comes from in the first place.

For example, “Zola” and “The Lost Daughter,” two of the most nominated films at the Spirits, were financed by A24 and Endeavor Content, respectively. “I had tried to get another movie made a year before [starting on ‘Test Pattern’], and I knew that the landscape was pretty bleak for independent film, especially if you weren’t integrated into some sort of festival pipeline or greater program,” Ford told Variety about their mindset going into production. “I wasn’t feeling very confident.