Example milestone plan
An example plan for a documentary dream with a goal of CN¥120,000. Backers pay you directly, funding the goal all at once or milestone by milestone as you post proof for each step.
Milestone 1
CN¥24,000 · 20%
Confirm story access
Share a research outline, interview schedule and access confirmations, hiding participant contact information.
Milestone 2
CN¥42,000 · 35%
Capture field interviews
Post a dated field log, equipment receipts and approved interview excerpts that demonstrate completed recording.
Milestone 3
CN¥36,000 · 30%
Build the documentary cut
Share a rough-cut excerpt, transcript sample and edit log showing how interviews and archive material form the story.
Milestone 4
CN¥18,000 · 15%
Complete final delivery
Post a captioned preview, source-credit list and delivery checklist documenting the finished documentary master.
- 01
Make every step provable
A milestone only works if a Backer can look at your proof and agree it is done. 'Buy equipment' is weak; 'equipment bought, receipt and photo posted' is strong.
- 02
Order by risk
Put the cheapest, fastest step first. Each proven milestone proves you deliver and encourages Backers to fund the next. Leave the biggest amount for the step where most of the work is already done.
- 03
Keep the amounts honest
Milestones must add up exactly to your goal. Price each step from real quotes, include tools and services, and split any step that is too big to prove in one go.
Risks to plan for
- R1
Access falls through
An interview subject or location may become unavailable. Include alternative sources in the research milestone and allow room for additional field days without changing the core question.
- R2
The story shifts
New evidence can change the direction of the documentary. Use an editorial checkpoint after fieldwork and reserve editing time to reassess the outline before committing to a final cut.
- R3
Archive exceeds scope
Essential photographs or footage may be difficult to obtain. List priority archive needs early, price alternatives and keep a fallback approach using newly recorded material in the edit budget.
Budget example
A typical cost split for a documentary dream in Hangzhou, shown in CNY. Backers pay you directly using your accepted payment methods.
Example goal
CN¥120,000
- Research and accessCN¥30,000 · 25%
- Field crew and travelCN¥48,000 · 40%
- Editing and archiveCN¥30,000 · 25%
- Captions and deliveryCN¥12,000 · 10%
What you receive
- Backers give
- CN¥120,000
- 0% platform commission
- −CN¥18,000
- You receive
- CN¥102,000
How Backers are protected
14-day review per milestone
When proof is posted, each Backer has 14 days to review the proof, ask for more info, and decide whether to keep supporting your next milestone.
0% commission — direct gifts, nothing taken
Backers pay exactly what they choose directly through your payment methods. cohero takes 0% commission on backings, so you keep what is sent. Any refunds or disputes are handled directly between you, the Backer and your payment provider.
Gifts, not shares
Backings are gifts. No shares, equity, interest or repayment, and Dreamers keep full ownership. Nothing on cohero is an investment or a loan.
Questions and answers
How can I prove progress while protecting documentary participants?
Share redacted field logs, equipment records and excerpts approved for sharing instead of raw sensitive interviews. Tell Backers what each item verifies and build privacy-aware evidence into the fieldwork milestone from the start.
What if the finished story differs from my original outline?
Describe the central question rather than promising a specific conclusion. Use the editorial milestone to explain discoveries, show how the cut has changed and identify any revised filming or archive needs before final delivery.
How many milestones should a documentary dream have?
Three to six works for most dreams. Fewer gives Backers little to review; more than seven makes each step feel small. The example plan on this page uses four.
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