The Film Director-in-Residence
Program for Nonprofits
Retain current donors & unlock new donors -
without an expensive agency. Just Brent.
Partner with Brent Gudgel, a film director that has helped nonprofits raise over $1 billion dollars. A year of fundraising videos and coaching, starting as low as $1,495/month. 3 month starter package available to prove results.
A letter to my fellow nonprofit leaders:
Hi friends, I’m Brent Gudgel – my friends call me “Gudge”. I’ve been a video strategist and film director for 25 years – with films on Showtime, Hulu, and more – but I walked away from Hollywood’s treadmill because it left me feeling sick. God redirected me to help faithful leaders and nonprofits tell their stories (His stories!), and I found that when I do this He has consistently used the stories to spur on ministry impact. After all, stories shift societies.
Then, I became an Executive Director of my own small-but-special nonprofit and I quickly learned how to raise funds and shepherd volunteers I needed to communicate well. Yet time was limited – budget even more limited – and the idea of producing great media for our nonprofit seemed to be just out of reach. I confess in even being jealous of other nonprofits with bigger fundraising budgets so they could make media to raise even bigger budgets. Obviously the right media can raise money, but – apart from a miracle – how could I ever get past the small-nonprofit level and actually afford the videos we needed to fundraise bigger budgets?
Maybe you can relate – You’ve been forced to choose between sparse updates (which leads to donor drift) or mediocre updates (which makes a mission feel less significant than it actually is). Neither retains donors well. Neither attracts new donors. Nor do they honor the brilliance of your work… if only people could see it.
That’s why I do this Director-in-Residence partnership. I bring my experience directing high-impact stories (Free Burma Rangers, CrazyLove Studios) to serve as your outsourced creative partner.
It’s a year-long rhythm focused on results:
- Remote Video Interviews (higher quality than zoom): I direct remote interviews with you to pull your core essence, methods, and wins. You can rest, assured I will make it work.
- Proven Director Vision: I'll bring my film directing skills to the pieces we have to work with, figuring out how to repurpose existing photos/footage or suggest easy paths to getting new photos - no crew needed.
- Cinematic Delivery: 7 strategic videos/year (i.e. 3 impact stories, 1 quality elevator pitch, 3 specific CEO updates) + optional matching newsletters.
- Release Strategies and Coaching: Access to our guide and coaching sessions on effective release strategies for your videos to maximize fundraising potential.
- Strategic Video Fundraising Calendar: Follows proven video release schedules to align with historical donor giving data, including End of Year boosts.
Would this be a breath of fresh air? I pray so. And here’s why I’m confident in what we do: My videos and strategies have helped raise over $1 billion in donations to visionary nonprofits. Are they a magic bullet? No, they’re not. But, what this will do is give you a new tool that’s a “secret weapon” in the hands of a faithful leader. With these style videos – and some coaching on how to use them – I’ve consistently seen nonprofits like yours double their donor base.
OK, but how? What’s the formula?
It’s pretty straightforward:
1. Your visionary mind +
2. my director experience +
3. consistent meaningful touchpoints…
= media that moves your mission forward.
My videos are a tool for growth.
(Ask me for case studies – i.e. Eden Reforestation from $200k to $38M, for example.)
The whole system can be done in as little as 1 hour/month from you, and the focus is on momentum: donor attention, retention, and a clear path to doubling your base.
The Investment
The Director-in-Residence strategy requires a year commitment, priced at $1,495/mo (full direction, coaching, editing, growth roadmap).
(Yes, get a year’s worth of videos for what other agencies charge for only 1 video. Year-round consistency is the path to doubling your donor-base. Plus, year-round strategic support.)
So, are you interested in partnering and having a Film Director-in-Residence?
If this resonates, I’d love for you to talk with my producer Danielle – she handles the details, brings clarity to all, and can share more examples. Also, she’s my better half. 😉
Book a quick 15-minute creative audit here: [Calendly button with Danielle’s link]
I’d like to bless your work with this rhythm.
Onward + Upward,
Brent Gudgel
Director, Free Burma Rangers | Fellow Executive Director
brentgudgel.com
The Narrative Engine in Action
Here are sample videos we did for Redeem International through this Director-in-Residence program:
CEO "Expert" Vision
The Anchor Asset. Total ED Time: 45 minutes. These frame the CEO as the expert they are, giving visibility and voice to the things that are on your heart to communicate.
Impact Stories
No camera crew on site. This was built using a remote interview and then using video and b-roll RI already had. This video was sent to top-tier donors and resulted in a welcome engagement bump.
Impact Reports
Total ED Time: We recorded a 45 min vision update and vision casting meeting and then cut it down into 10 minutes and added graphics and images to help it pop. Simple for the ED, highly effective result.
The ROI of Storytelling: A Partnership That Opens Doors:
I was meeting with a program officer on Monday who runs a major foundation. He said - “Thanks for making these videos. Our funders are so generous but have no time to understand the hundreds of organizations we support. These 2-minute videos help bring your work to life!” That’s one of many compliments we received throughout the year. Thank you for bringing our work to life.
– Jeff A., Redeem International –
TRUSTED BY
25+ years experience and over 100 clients served
Why Brent? A few highlights:
A Billion Dollar Framework
Over the years Brent developed a framework which helped his clients generate over $1 billion. Brent’s framework helps position businesses for the right awareness, opportunity, and momentum.
Hollywood trained, then forged his own path
A background directing projects on Showtime, Hulu, during the Super Bowl, and even for the Olympics… until, Brent left the city and forged his own path.
Proven Track Record
Brent has personally directed over 350 client projects in 30+ countries. And as you have surely learned, proven experience leads to a smoother experience.
"Whoever tells the best story wins."
– John Quincy Adams
Stay in Touch
After a 5-year hiatus, I’m back on social media!
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