Why don't you send it to a film festival so it can possibly get recognition?

Since you cannot demonstrate that a short film will earn money, you cannot offer this investment as a profit making deal. Your investors are going to have to be people who believe in you.

In one way this actually makes finding money a little easier. You don?t have to approach strangers with a detailed business plan and all the SEC requirements. Let?s be honest - you aren?t asking for ?investors? in the standard use of that word, you are asking people to give you money. A donation.

If a friend or relative came to me and wanted me to give him money to make a movie there are a few questions I would ask:

Have you finished any movies before?
Is this just being done for the fun of it?
Is this a serious attempt to get better? (thus the first question)
Have you done all the research on where a movie of this length and genre can be shown?
What is the exact budget? And I mean exact - line for line, each cost itemized from pre-production to the first screening.

Personally, I would be more inclined to donate/invest in a friend or relative who had made a bunch of short movies for no money and was finally getting serious.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

I've actually been making money for my short film by selling things on eBay. It's not extremely lucrative, but it does help pay for props and things.

Another thing I did with this film was to ask for "donations" from friends in exchange for credit as Executive Producer on the film. One of my friends took me up on that and has actually become a producer for me, helping me out with the business and planning side of the film. He contribute $60 and is going to be shelling out for audio equipment.

Get creative with your ways to make money. The internet offers a lot of options. You can pawn off things you don't want anymore. You can ask for donations. If worse comes to worst, you get yourself a part-time job at McDonald's, save up enough for your budget, then quit that job.

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Bruce Campbell - "So you want to get into show biz?"
Me - "Yeah, I'd really like to direct movies."
Bruce Campbell - "Cool. Just don't suck."

Thanks for the advice everyone, much appreciated!!