Six Weeks from Idea to Funded Project: Craftsman Films Clears First Milestone, Greenlights Brotherhood
November 12, 2025
In late August, Daren Smith, founder of Craftsman Films and manager of its Producer Fund I, met with filmmaker Ross Boothe to discuss a project idea Boothe had just posted online.
While a screenplay for the prospective work was literally nonexistent, "there was an inevitability to the project," Smith commented. "I felt deeply that this film was not only going to get made, it was going to be a powerful agent for change."
Five weeks later, Boothe premiered the full screenplay for Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical (including 15 new original songs) to a group of selected friends and potential collaborators, including Smith.
"The piece was so compelling, I was looking around the room at the end to see what other producers I was going to have to fight off to get the project," Smith said. "It was exactly the kind of film I’ve been looking for."
Within one week, Smith and Boothe not only reached an agreement to make Brotherhood the flagship film of Producer Fund I, but they also secured the funding to make the movie.
Six weeks from idea to funded independent film.
With that, Craftsman Films is excited to announce that Producer Fund I has cleared its first fundraising milestone and is officially greenlighting its debut feature: 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅, a cinematic musical from writer-director Ross Boothe.
𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 tells the story of two neighbors—one a Mexican immigrant, the other a lifelong U.S. citizen—who discover what it really means to love thy neighbor in a divided America.
“The past couple of months have been a whirlwind,” said Boothe, “but from its very first moments, this film has had momentum. Going from the spark of an idea to a funded screenplay with 17 new songs in a few weeks is atypical, but the response of audiences who have attended our presentations indicates that we’ve struck a nerve on a really relevant topic, and people are coming forward who want to help.”
During the past six weeks, the script and music have been previewed many times at presentations in Utah, Los Angeles, and New York City, offering investors and early supporters a first look at this bold new project and the remarkable vision driving Producer Fund I.
"This isn’t just another indie movie," said Smith. "It’s proof that a new model for independent film is already in motion. One that is values-based, family-friendly, and built for both cultural impact and long-term profitability. We're making movies with meaning."
“I couldn’t be more pleased to lead the creative development of Producer Fund I’s debut feature,” Boothe remarked. “The model Daren has built is the most responsible and exciting approach I’ve seen to ensuring that creatives, investors, and audiences all get what they want from independent films.”
Producer Fund I was created to invest in the films Hollywood won’t: handcrafted, conversation-sparking stories that change people for the better. "Clearing this milestone shows what we’ve said all along," Smith remarked. "When films are values driven and made by artists who have mastered their craft, momentum is inevitable."
This is just the beginning.
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Daren Smith