If one million users donate $1 each, a film is financed.

The film industry of 2026 wants you to watch focus tested, risk averse tentpoles that you’ve seen before too many times.

You want real, human cinema.

Optiq is a platform that aims to democratize film financing using a simple concept:

“Support the cinema you want to see in an affordable, approachable way.”

How Optiq Works

• Scroll down to the Now Playing section
• Browse a selection of curated projects currently seeking donations
• Use the included web form to donate a capped limit of $1 USD via Stripe

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much can a project obtain on Optiq?
  • The less expensive a film is to make, the more likely it is to be successfully funded. Every project is required to stay under $1m.
• How do I know the money won’t be pocketed, or that the film won’t be finished?
  • Every project requires a finished press kit and proposal to be considered, and won’t be accepted anonymously; a face-to-face meeting with a project lead, whether online or offline, is required to verify the submission will move forward. We limit the amount a user can donate to $1 USD for several reasons:
    • A user will feel more at ease making a small contribution as opposed to a larger, more substantial amount.
    • Unlike alternative platforms for film funding, the incentive is the film itself, and no one donation is better or worse than the other.
    • Users can report projects at any time, and we reserve the right to pull the plug as necessary for projects that appear to be in disarray.
• What makes this different from Kickstarter, Indiegogo, etc?
  • Optiq is a verified nonprofit organization with members across the United States acting purely for the interests of a sustainable, innovative solution to help audiences find and fund films that would not get made in the traditional system.
  • We do not emphasize the same time limits as other platforms, and our system is designed to offer equal opportunities for visibility. While we curate the projects that are presented on Optiq, all films seeking financing are front and center in the Now Playing section.
  • Our selections have a zero tolerance AI policy, meaning we do not accept projects that utilize AI in any shape or form. If a project is caught obfuscating its use of AI, we will eject the project from the platform and accept no further proposals from anyone involved with the project.
• Does Optiq itself accept contributions?
  • Yes; any and all contributions will compensate our team and help keep the lights on, and you are welcome to donate as much as you like. Large donations will be added to our Special Thanks page under a name or logo of your choosing.
• Do I have ownership of the film as a contributor?
  • No. While we do require the filmmakers to credit users accordingly in the finished film, the rights are retained by the filmmaker exclusively. Please do not donate to a project if you are expecting to receive larger privileges or permissions as compensation. The only reward is the film itself.
• How do I watch the finished film when it’s completed?
  • You will receive a notification via email whenever there is an update regarding the status of the project, and once it has been completed, you will receive a private link to view the film at your discretion as many times as you want. The same link will offer a download option should you desire to watch the film offline.
• Is there a streaming app I can use to watch the film(s)?
  • With enough interest and support for what we are doing, we would put effort into making one; however, for the time being we can’t guarantee if and/or when this will happen.
• Are there other plans to expand the platform?
  • The intended future for Optiq is not just a platform, but an ecosystem to drive cinema forward. As such, a streaming platform would be the first step, but we would like to partner with local arthouse cinemas everywhere we can so that:
    • Films have greater visibility for funding in the spaces that will offer them the highest chances of success.
    • Theaters can benefit on a local level through public screenings of Optiq projects, generating organic revenue for the business.
    • Cast and crew would be able to offer Q&As at screenings, potentially creating unique viewing experiences that honor everyone involved from inception to completion of each given project.
  • Another important milestone for us would be the ability to offer physical copies of Optiq‘s films. To clarify:
    • Our design philosophy is highly utilitarian, so you should not expect anything nearly as comprehensive as a Criterion Collection or Radiance release.
    • Offering this option will, unsurprisingly, incur additional costs to secure the equipment and materials necessary to produce physical copies, and that would factor into the overall cost of each film and the donations required to fund the project successfully.
    • If there are additional costs to users, it could interfere with the overall sustainability of our platform moving forward.
• I have a film I would like to finance with Optiq!
  • You are more than welcome to submit a project using the guide on our Outline page. There are, however, some things you should know:
    • We can’t guarantee the budget you receive by the deadline. Ideally, every film would receive the same amount every single time they use Optiq, but that just isn’t possible when the funding is coming from users that may or may not see the value of what you are doing. As time goes on, it is possible that this concern will prove unfounded, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
    • If you decide to work with Optiq to fund your film, you will have to outline any additional funding sources you have received or will receive in advance with your proposal and press kit. With that in mind, we reserve the right to decline projects that require a larger budget because they are likely not a fit for our platform.
    • Exclusivity guarantees the most interest. The moment your film becomes “content”, the natural urgency created by word of mouth and positive feedback will disappear, and with it, the ability to generate future opportunities working on films. Do not come to Optiq with an intent to smash the box office and engage in profitmaXXing; join us to take back cinema for real people.

Now Playing

Adrian Tizoc Marshall’s debut narrative feature film for Optiq is a vibrant, surreal adaptation of a timeless Mexican classic, meticulously constructing its somber magical realism using practical effects and a Super 8mm transfer to bring the unforgettable imagery of its source text to life for the first time.