Archive for Film Distribution
Identifying Key Cast
One of the most annoying things you will hear as you work to build your film package is that it will takes name talent to get it funded. You will come to hate those words for a variety of reasons. First "name talent" is a fairly meaningless phrase. People use it to mean almost anything and so it means nothing. Some people use the phrase to...
Lining Up Distribution and Sales Agents
This is actually somewhat impossible for most independent feature films just at the moment. In 2008 when the stock market crashed, motion picture studios and distributors hit a serious cash flow crisis. Their operations were funded by banks, by hedge funds, by asset backed securities transactions, by government rebates and overseas investors....
Creating Financial Projections
The truth is, no one knows exactly how much a film will make. But it is easy to calculate how much similar films will make. It just takes research. Here are specific techniques you can use for creating your financial forecasts. For films that will have theatrical release, start by going to www.boxofficemojo.com. In a spreadsheet record the...
Insurance and Completion Bonds
Letters of intent from a Production Insurance company and a Completion Bond company is required to receive most film funding. Both Production Insurance Companies and Completion Bond Companies review the script, the budget, the key crew, the shooting schedule and talk to the line producer before giving a letter of intent. So if they say a film is...
Make Sure You Own an LLC or Corporation to Give the Funding To
In order to take money for a film, the money has to go into some bank account that is associated with some company. You need to form an LLC or a Corporation to separate your assets from the film's assets. Talk to your lawyer if you don't understand how or why to set up these business entities. Your Corporation or LLC needs to have a bank...
Incorporating Artwork Into Your Business Plan
You can hire a storyboard artist or work with your production designer to create story boards for a few of the most important scenes in your film. You can use that work as cover art for your business plan and use it within the business plan to add visual interest. Most people can't visualize the script the way filmmakers and film professionals...
What Goes In a Film Package?
Here is a sample business plan table of contents for a feature film. Note that if you are funding a short film you probably won't have to provide all these documents to your potential funder. Executive Summary: One page reviewing the project financial requirements, projected revenue from various sources, key team members, etc. Synopsis:...
Developing a Weekly Cash Flow
Having created a production schedule, a distribution plan, and revenue projections, you should now be in a position to create a worksheet that outlines, on a week by week basis, when funding will be used and when revenues will be received. Start by taking the items from your budget top sheet and entering them line for line in the...
How to Find Film Funders
If you go online and search for terms like "film finance", "entertainment capital", "entertainment holdings" you'll find hundreds of listings for those who invest in film. You can approach them by phone, fax or email. Phone works best if you are good at pitching your project on the phone. Note that these folks are easy to approach. They do this...
Building a film package
Almost every first time filmmaker is startled by just how hard it is to get people to help him make his project. Whether it’s the 1-day short film short they can’t get chairs for or the eight million dollar feature they can’t raise a dime for . . . they are dismayed that people are so unhelpful. While people may give them advice or share...
