Fund, Make, and Release Your Film

You have a vision, script, or even the team – but no idea how to break through financing, production, or distribution. So what does it actually take to get your project financed?

In this intimate two-hour workshop led by Thomas Percy Kim (who raised $1.6M in crowd-equity for his film Isle Child and is a co-founder of the independent film studio The Vandalist), your project will be pressure-tested with live feedback to get your project ready for the world of independent financing. Co-facilitated by Maaya Shah, you’ll be in a small room of ambitious filmmakers, you’ll walk away with actionable steps to unblock bottlenecks and push your project to the next level.

Afterwards, there will be open time to mingle with peers.

As special guests, you’ll also be the first to hear about what Kim is building next before it’s announced: The Vandalist Foundry, a NYC filmmakers’ clubhouse by day and a cinema by night.

Any filmmaker trying to make a short, feature, or TV pilot is encouraged to attend. However, you must have a finished draft of a script as well as one supplementary material (i.e. a pitch deck, proof of concept short, a team member, a sizzle, etc.).

All participants should be available for the entire two hours and open to talk about their project within the classroom itself. The event may be recorded for archival purposes, but nothing confidential will be publicized without prior consent.

This event is free and open to the public, but RSVP is required. To help keep our programs free, there is a suggested donation of $10. Capacity is limited to 15 attendees, with a waitlist.

Accessibility: A4 is located on the 9th floor with elevators that are wheelchair accessible. Restrooms are for all genders and also wheelchair accessible. If you require any accommodations including ASL interpretation, language translation, or large print, please email lxu@aaartsalliance.org at least one week before the event. We will do our best to accommodate.

About Thomas Percy Kim (he/him)
Thomas Percy Kim is a Korean American writer-director who doesn’t like being told “no.” Before leaving USC’s film school, his short, “Si”, sold to HBO Max and he adapted it into his first feature, Isle Child, by raising $1.6M through sending 10k cold emails. It premiered at TIFF, SFFilm, Giffoni, IFFI Goa, and is scheduled for a limited release in early 2027.

His prior short, “Busan” (1999), was Oscar-qualified and is being adapted into his next feature, Staring at the Sun, filming Spring 2027. He is a Sundance Ignite Fellow, TIFF x CJ Fellow, and is building The Vandalist, a new studio system to uphold permissionless creativity.

About Maaya Shah (she/her)
Maaya Shah is an actor and community organizer for The Vandalist. Inspired by her grandmother and driven by the ethos of truthtelling, she has spearheaded nonprofit programming and partnerships with Rickshaw Film Foundation, Warner Bros, CAPE, and Gold House, building rooms where underrepresented creatives can share their stories and find each other.