I'm making a documentary about the video game industry in China. Believe it or not, it won't be all about gold farming and World of Warcraft and Angry Birds. So if you can put down your JRPGs and stop circle-jerking about the PC master race, I'd appreciate your support as a fellow /v/irgin.
Equipment alone is extremely expensive: camera lenses, extra batteries, extra memory, lighting units and spare bulbs, external microphones, windscreens, assorted cables, etc. I may also have to pay for permits and licensing, and then there's the issue of paying to have the film printed on DVDs and the book printed and then distributed, and the shipping and handling fees of the contributor rewards. $10k sounds like a lot, but even for an amateur indie film, things add up. There's also transportation between cities-- many video game companies are in Shanghai or Hong Kong.