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business plan for film production: Filmmakers and Financing Louise Levison, 1998 The Second Edition of Filmmakers and Financing: Business Plans for Independents contains completely revised and updated financial and industry data. The book will teach the reader how to create a business plan to present to a potential investor. With its easy-to-follow format and its step-by-step approach, this unique guide will bridge the gap between the filmmaker and business, whether you are looking to create a plan for one film or multiple films. Each chapter concentrates on a specific section of the business plan, such as the executive summary, industry, market, distribution financial planning, etc. There is also a sample business plan for reference as you write your own. Ms. Levision provides you with the information you need to approach potential investors, including: · defining your goals and objectives; · describing your proposed films; · researching your markets and distribution systems; · developing complete financial projections; · applying the plan to the management of your company. Even if you have no previous financial experience, the book will give you the tools necessary to write a direct, dynamic business plan that will attract investors to your projects. Louise Levison is president and founder of Business Strategies, a ten-year-old business consulting firm, which specializes in writing business plans for film, Internet, and other entertainment related companies, developing corporate strategies, and guiding entrepreneurs in looking for and working with equity financing. She has taught Creating a Business Plan for the Start-up Film Company and Creating a Multimedia Business Plan for the Entertainment Studies Department of the Extension Program at UCLA. |
business plan for film production: Jumpstart Your Awesome Film Production Company Sara Caldwell, 2012-02-07 Firsthand knowledge and advice on every aspect of forming a film production company can be found in this one source. Film production company owners, entertainment attorneys, accountants, and distributors answer the most commonly asked questions on forming and running a successful film production company. They provide proven tips for setting up shop, following a financial plan, working with investors, forming a marketing strategy, getting a film distributed, and more. Real-life anecdotes from a wide range of professionals from the production company trenches are both informing and entertaining. |
business plan for film production: Business Plans for Filmmakers John W. Cones, 2010-10-28 The practical and legal aspects of writing a business plan for a film venture can be daunting to navigate without a firm grasp of know-how. With this in mind, John W. Cones's Business Plans for Filmmakers arms independent movie-makers and students with everything they need to successfully tackle the confusing intersection of law, business, and art when creating a business plan for a movie. This pragmatic volume offers plenty of examples and strategies for success, sharing straightforward insight into some of the toughest challenges independent filmmakers face when encountering these documents. With simple yet thorough detail and clarity, Cones outlines the legal requirements affecting movie proposals, including ways to evaluate the necessity for a business plan or a securities disclosure document, as well as the legal definition of an active investor. Also addressed are the numerous subjects filmmakers and students must consider before a film offering, including the efficacy of a business plan to fund the development, production, and distribution phases of a film; common elements of fraud of which fledgling filmmakers should beware; the intricacies of revenue sharing; and how to render financial projections. Cones also imparts useful distinctions between such industry terms as company financing versus project financing, along with many others. This bookalso includes in-depth guidance through the murky paths of investor analysis and key strategies to find and attract parties interested in financing film. Drawing upon his many years as a securities and entertainment attorney, and his experiences advising independent film producers, Cones offers the tools necessary not only to understand investors' motivations but also to use that knowledge to the filmmaker's advantage. Also provided are perceptive studies of the investment vehicles commonly used in business plans seeking investors, with analysis of each method's pros and cons. Throughout the volume, Cones uses sample plans to offer a real-world grasp of the intricacies of the business. In the business of this art, knowledge is power. Business Plans for Filmmakers dispels the myths and misinformation circulating among filmmakers to provide accurate and useful advice.!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office /-- |
business plan for film production: The Producer's Business Handbook John J. Lee, Jr., Rob Holt, 2012-11-12 The Producer's Business Handbook provides a model for making a successful business of independent filmmaking. It will give you a comprehensive understanding of the business of entertainment and supply you with the information and tools you'll need to successfully engage all related aspects of global production and exploitation. The handbook also provides a global orientation to the relationships that the most successful producers have with the various participants in the motion picture industry. This includes how producers direct their relationships with domestic and foreign studios, agencies, attorneys, talent, completion guarantors, banks, and private investors. It provides a thorough orientation to operating production development and single purpose production companies, from solicitation of literary properties through direct rights sales, and the management of global distribution relationships. Also presented is an in-depth discussion of the team roles needed to operate these companies, as well as how to attach and direct them. For those outside of the US, this book also includes information about how to produce successful films without government funding. This edition has been updated to include comprehensive information on the internal greenlighting process, government financing, and determining actual cost-of-money. It includes new simplified project evaluation tools, expediting funding and distribution. Together with its companion CD-ROM, which contains valuable forms and spreadsheets; tutorials; and samples, this handbook presents both instruction and worksheet support to independent producers at all levels of experience. |
business plan for film production: The Film Finance Handbook Adam P. Davies, Nicol Wistreich, 2007 This is a complete guide to film finance around the world, from first web short film to mainstream international multi-million dollar co-production. |
business plan for film production: Film Production Management Bastian Cleve, 2012-10-02 Film Production Management will tell you in step-by-step detail how to produce a screenplay and get it onto the big screen. Whether you are an aspiring or seasoned film professional, this book will be an indispensable resource for you on a day-to-day basis. This updated edition remains true to the practical, hands-on approach that has made previous editions so successful, and has been updated with revised forms, permits, and budgets applicable to all productions; contains important information on standards and typical processes and practices; includes the latest information available on technological advances such as digital FX; and discusses the impact of the Internet on filmmaking. Film production professionals at all levels of experience will benefit from the information in this handbook to film production management. |
business plan for film production: The Guerrilla Rep Ben Yennie, 2016-08-31 The first and so far only book on Film Markets. A Film Market is the best place a filmmaker can go to get traditional, non-DIY Distribution. The first edition of this book was used as a text at more than ten film schools in the US, and the book has an endorsement from the host of the #1 Filmmaking podcast on iTunes, and advice from 8 distributors. |
business plan for film production: Production House Cinema Kurt Lancaster, 2016-05-05 In Production House Cinema: Starting and Running Your Own Cinematic Storytelling Business, renowned video storyteller Kurt Lancaster offers both students and professionals a practical guide to starting their own video production company and creating cinematic, client-based video content. Utilizing practical know-how along with in-depth analysis and interviews with successful independent production houses like Stillmotion and Zandrak, Lancaster follows the logistics and inspiration of creating production house cinema from the initial client pitch all the way through financing and distribution. The book includes: An examination of the cinematic and narrative style and how to create it; A discussion of the legal procedures and documents necessary for starting and operating a production house; Advice on crafting a portfolio, reel, and website that both demonstrates your unique style and vision and attracts clients; A guide to the financial business of running an independent production house, including invoicing, accounting, and taxes—and how much you should charge clients; Tips for how to better communicate with clients, and how to develop and shape a client’s story; A breakdown of how to select the right gear and equipment for a shoot, on budget; Cinematic case studies that offer detailed coverage of several short films made for clients. |
business plan for film production: The Business of Media Distribution Jeffrey C. Ulin, 2019-05-30 In this updated edition of the industry staple, veteran media executive Jeff Ulin relates business theory and practice across key global market segments—film, television, and online/digital—providing you with an insider’s perspective that can't be found anywhere else. Learn how an idea moves from concept to profit and how distribution dominates the bottom line: Hollywood stars may make the headlines, but marketing and distribution are the behind-the-scenes drivers converting content into cash. The third edition: Includes perspectives from key industry executives at studios, networks, agencies and online leaders, including Fox, Paramount, Lucasfilm, Endeavor, Tencent, MPAA, YouTube, Amazon, and many more; Explores the explosive growth of the Chinese market, including box office trends, participation in financing Hollywood feature films, and the surge in online usage; Illustrates how online streaming leaders like Netflix, Amazon, Apple, YouTube, Hulu and Facebook are changing the way TV content is distributed and consumed, and in cases how these services are moving into theatrical markets; Analyzes online influences and disruption throughout the distribution chain, and explains the risks and impact stemming from changing access points (e.g., stand-alone apps), delivery methods (over-the-top) and consumption patterns (e.g., binge watching); Breaks down historical film windows, the economic drivers behind them, and how online and digital delivery applications are changing the landscape. Ulin provides the virtual apprenticeship you need to demystify and manage the complicated media markets, understand how digital distribution has impacted the ecosystem, and glimpse into the future of how film and television content will be financed, distributed and watched. An online eResource contains further discussion on topics presented in the book. |
business plan for film production: The Actor's Business Plan Jane Drake Brody, 2015-10-22 The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind of business/career planning that is a necessary part of life for entrepreneurs and business people. This introduction to the acting industry provides essential knowledge not only for how the business actually works, but also describes what casting directors, agents, and managers do, demystifies the role of unions, discusses how much things cost, and offers advice on branding and marketing strategies. It differs from other such handbooks in that it addresses the everyday issues of life, money, and jobs that so frequently destroy an actor's career before it is even begun. While addressing NYC and LA, the guide also gives a regional breakdown for those actors who may wish to begin careers or to settle in other cities. It is loaded with personal stories, and interviews with actors, casting directors, and agents from throughout the US. The Actor's Business Plan is the answer to the common complaint by students that they were not taught how to negotiate the show business world while at school. It is the perfect antidote for this problem and can easily fit into a ten or a thirteen-week class syllabus. Offering support as a personal career coach, empowering the actor to take concrete steps towards their life and career dreams, The Actor's Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world . |
business plan for film production: The Independent Film Producers Survival Guide: A Business and Legal Sourcebook Gunnar Erickson, Harris Tulchin, Mark Halloran, 2011-08-01 In this comprehensive guidebook, three experienced entertainment lawyers tell you everything you need to know to produce and market an independent film from the development process to deal making, financing, setting up the production, hiring directors and actors, securing location rights, acquiring music, calculating profits, digital moving making, distribution, and marketing your movie. |
business plan for film production: The Documentary Filmmaking Master Class Betsy Chasse, 2019-11-05 A realist with a sense of humor, Chasse is both stringent and encouraging as she covers every aspect of creating a successful production. —Booklist starred review How to Make and Distribute a Documentary without Losing Your Mind or Going Broke Documentary filmmaking requires more than just a passion for the subject, whether it be one’s personal story or that of someone else, a historical event or a startling discovery, a political movement or a heinous crime. Making a documentary and getting it in front of an audience requires determination, careful planning, money, and a strong production team. With over thirty years of experience in filmmaking, author Betsy Chasse mentors readers every step of the way with a down-to-earth approach and invaluable advice. Chapters cover topics such as: Choosing a Subject Developing a Business Plan Securing Financial Backing Assembling a Production Team Nailing Interviews and Shooting B-Roll Getting through Post-Production Distributing and Marketing the Film Both novices and experienced filmmakers will benefit from this all-inclusive guide. With the right knowledge, persistence, and The Documentary Filmmaking Master Class in their camera bags, readers will not only turn their visions into reality, they’ll be able to share the results with others and navigate the process with confidence. |
business plan for film production: The Documentary Filmmaker's Roadmap Maxine Trump, 2018-07-11 The Documentary Filmmaker’s Roadmap is a concise and practical guide to making a feature-length documentary film—from funding to production to distribution, exhibition and marketing. Using her award-winning film Musicwood—a New York Times Critics’ Pick—as a case study, director Maxine Trump guides the reader through the complex lifecycle of the documentary Film. Her interviews with lawyers, funders, distributors, TV executives and festival programmers provide a behind-the-scenes look that will assist readers on their own filmmaking journey. Written from the perspective of a successful documentary filmmaker, the book covers mistakes made and lessons learned, a discussion on the documentary genre, crowdfunding, pre-production through post, test screenings, the festival circuit distribution, legal pitfalls, fair use and more. Perfect for documentary filmmaking students and aspiring filmmakers alike, this book emphasizes the skills needed to succeed in a competitive production market. An appendix includes useful web links for further study, a list of films for recommended viewing and sample release forms. This concise guide is ideal for the classroom or as a quick reference out in the field, at a budget meeting or in the editing room. |
business plan for film production: The Business of Television Ken Basin, 2018-07-11 In this book, esteemed television executive and Harvard lecturer Ken Basin offers a comprehensive overview of the business, financial, and legal structure of the U.S. television industry, as well as its dealmaking norms. Written for working or aspiring creative professionals who want to better understand the entertainment industry — as well as for executives, agents, managers, and lawyers looking for a reference guide — The Business of Television presents a readable, in-depth introduction to rights and talent negotiations, intellectual property, backend deals, licensing, streaming platforms, international production, and much more. The book also includes breakdowns after each chapter summarizing deal points and points of negotiation, a glossary, a list of referenced cases, and a wealth of real-world examples to help readers put the material into context. |
business plan for film production: How to Make Movies Kevin J. Lindenmuth, 2013-02-07 The success of low-budget independent films like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity have clearly demonstrated that successful movies can be made with very small budgets. Still, working on a tight budget requires both skill and ingenuity, and is an inevitable and continuous learning experience for the filmmaker. Join two dozen truly independent filmmakers--those used to working, and delivering, within extreme limitations--as they bluntly chronicle their experiences creating features from the trenches. They cover the major stages of the filmmaking process, from financing, technical decisions, and handling actors and crew to music, production, and distribution. With loads of practical advice, actual case studies, and many behind-the-scenes photographs, this collection of war stories from the micro-budget front lines will benefit aspiring and experienced independent filmmakers alike. |
business plan for film production: The Business of Filmmaking Maria Johnsen , 2023-03-13 The business of filmmaking is a multifaceted and intricate industry that encompasses various aspects such as production, distribution, and marketing. Success in this field requires a combination of talent, creativity, and business acumen. Filmmakers must possess a thorough understanding of the market, identifying trends and opportunities to capitalize on. Additionally, they must adeptly manage budgets, negotiate deals, and foster relationships with investors, distributors, and other industry stakeholders. Recent years have witnessed significant transformations in the film industry due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the surge of streaming services. While traditional movie theaters retain their importance, an increasing number of viewers now prefer online or mobile platforms for film consumption. Consequently, filmmakers must adapt to these evolving trends and find innovative ways to engage with audiences. My goal in writing this book is to raise awareness about film marketing processes and the art of building a business and network within the film industry. Unfortunately, colleges and universities often neglect these critical aspects, with the majority of lectures and programs focusing solely on the technicalities of filmmaking. Merely obtaining a master's degree in film production is insufficient for success in this field. To thrive in filmmaking, like any other business, one must cultivate relationships with various stakeholders, ranging from cast and crew to sales agents, distributors, exhibitors, lawyers, and publicists. This book is not another typical guide to filmmaking. Instead, I delve into the essential elements of building a successful business in the movie industry, emphasizing the impact of artificial intelligence on different aspects of the filmmaking process. Furthermore, I discuss strategies for increasing the value of one's film, such as hiring A-list actors for low-budget projects and more. |
business plan for film production: Produce Your Own Damn Movie! Lloyd Kaufman, 2012-09-10 Often low-budget filmmakers get thrown into the position of being not only the director, but their own producer. Using tips from the finest washed-up has-been producers in the business, this book will give the low-budget filmmaker practical tools for getting a movie shoot started, and keeping it going until it is supposed to end. From budgeting concerns to production-damaging acts of God, all will be discussed. |
business plan for film production: The Independent Filmmaker's Law and Business Guide Jon M. Garon, 2009-06 Preparing independent or guerrilla filmmakers for the legal, financial, and organizational questions that can doom a project if unanswered, this guide demystifies issues such as developing a concept, founding a film company, obtaining financing, securing locations, casting, shooting, granting screen credits, distributing, exhibiting, and marketing a film. Updated to include digital marketing and distribution strategies through YouTube or webisodes, it also anticipates the problems generated by a blockbuster hit: sound tracks, merchandizing, and licensing. Six appendices provide sample contracts, copyright forms and circulars, Writer's Guild of America definitions for writing credits, and studio contact information. |
business plan for film production: Understanding Design in Film Production Barbara Freedman Doyle, 2019-02-25 Great visual storytelling is possible on a minimal budget, but you have to spend a lot of energy thinking and planning. In Understanding Design in Film Production, author Barbara Freedman Doyle demonstrates how to use production design, cinematography, lighting, and locations to create an effective and compelling visual story, even on the tightest of budgets. Featuring in-depth interviews with production designers, set decorators, construction coordinators, cinematographers, costumers, and location managers talking about the techniques of their craft, it provides you with a feel for what everyone on the visual team does, how they think and plan, and how best to utilize the knowledge and skills they offer. This book guides you through how to find, secure, and manage the best locations, how to create and dress a set, and how to make old look new and new look old—all on a tight budget. With insights from experts at the top of their field, sharing how they plan for the real-world application of large-scale ideas, you’ll be able to see ways to apply their techniques to your own smaller-scale productions. Understanding Design in Film Production is a practical, hands-on guide for any aspiring filmmaker who wants to understand the basic principles of visual design in order to create exceptional looking films. |
business plan for film production: Raindance Producers' Lab Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking Elliot Grove, 2012-11-12 Discover vital insider tips on producing movies with a micro budget! Covering both tried and true filmmaking techniques as well as insight on marketing, selling, and distributing your film, Raindance Producers' Lab, Second Edition is the ultimate independent filmmaker's guide to producing movies. This edition has been updated to include: fresh features on low-budget, high quality video cameras, including new digital camera options such as DSLRAn extensive selection of new case studies and interviews with industry talents such as Ewan McGregor, Ate de Jong, James Youngs, Joe Pavlo, Martin Myers, Rolin Heap, and more; essential advice on how to make the web work for you and promote your films through Twitter, Facebook and other social media platformsAll new postproduction workflows. A companion website (www.lotonobudgetfilmmaking.com) providing all the contracts and material you need to run a production company and make successful low budget movies. The verdict is in: if you're looking for a clear-cut, no-nonsense approach to micro-budget filmmaking and producing, Elliot Grove's wealth of teaching and filmmaking experience combined with winning formulas for marketing and promotion make this book a must-have one-stop shop for filmmakers! -- |
business plan for film production: 130 Projects to Get You Into Film Making Elliot Grove, 2009 (back cover) Principles, practice, and techniques: the ultimate guide for the aspiring filmmaker This inspirational book offers a complete introductory course in filmmaking skills and techniques, from writing, producing, and directing to marketing and publicizing your finished work. Based on simple techniques and relying on readily available, low-budget equipment and software, you will be able to get started immediately. Includes a guide to working on films across all genres and budgets, with detailed advice on how to transform your passion for film into a career. Elliot Grove founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, and Raindance TV in 2007. He has produced over 150 short films and five feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, Table 5, was shot in 35mm. and completed for a total of $500. Elliot teaches writers and producers in the U.S., the U.K., Europe, and Japan. He has written two previous books on filmmaking. |
business plan for film production: Drawdown Paul Hawken, 2017-04-18 • New York Times bestseller • The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world “At this point in time, the Drawdown book is exactly what is needed; a credible, conservative solution-by-solution narrative that we can do it. Reading it is an effective inoculation against the widespread perception of doom that humanity cannot and will not solve the climate crisis. Reported by-effects include increased determination and a sense of grounded hope.” —Per Espen Stoknes, Author, What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming “There’s been no real way for ordinary people to get an understanding of what they can do and what impact it can have. There remains no single, comprehensive, reliable compendium of carbon-reduction solutions across sectors. At least until now. . . . The public is hungry for this kind of practical wisdom.” —David Roberts, Vox “This is the ideal environmental sciences textbook—only it is too interesting and inspiring to be called a textbook.” —Peter Kareiva, Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA In the face of widespread fear and apathy, an international coalition of researchers, professionals, and scientists have come together to offer a set of realistic and bold solutions to climate change. One hundred techniques and practices are described here—some are well known; some you may have never heard of. They range from clean energy to educating girls in lower-income countries to land use practices that pull carbon out of the air. The solutions exist, are economically viable, and communities throughout the world are currently enacting them with skill and determination. If deployed collectively on a global scale over the next thirty years, they represent a credible path forward, not just to slow the earth’s warming but to reach drawdown, that point in time when greenhouse gases in the atmosphere peak and begin to decline. These measures promise cascading benefits to human health, security, prosperity, and well-being—giving us every reason to see this planetary crisis as an opportunity to create a just and livable world. |
business plan for film production: The Complete Film Production Handbook Eve Light Honthaner, 2013-09-23 This book is for working film/TV professionals and students alike. If you're a line producer, production manager, production supervisor, assistant director or production coordinator--the book has everything you'll need (including all the forms, contracts, releases and checklists) to set up and run a production--from finding a production office to turning over delivery elements. Even if you know what you're doing, you will be thrilled to find everything you need in one place. If you're not already working in film production, but think you'd like to be, read the book -- and then decide. If you choose to pursue this career path, you'll know what to expect, you'll be prepared, and you'll be ten steps ahead of everyone else just starting out. New topics and information in the fourth edition include: * Low-budget independent films, including documentaries and shorts * Information specific to television production and commercials * The industry's commitment to go green and how to do it * Coverage of new travel and shipping regulations * Updated information on scheduling, budgeting, deal memos, music clearances, communications, digital production, and new forms throughout |
business plan for film production: The Fourth Industrial Revolution Klaus Schwab, 2017-01-03 World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolution, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wearable sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manufacturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individuals. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frameworks that advance progress. |
business plan for film production: The Film Studio Ben Goldsmith, Tom O'Regan, 2005 The Film Studio sheds new light on the evolution of global film production, highlighting the role of film studios worldwide. The authors explore the contemporary international production environment, identifying various types of film studios and investigating the consequences for Hollywood, international film production, and the studio locations. Visit our website for sample chapters! |
business plan for film production: Dark Visions Stephen King, Dan Simmons, George R. R. Martin, Douglas E. Winter, 1989 Collection of seven new horror stories by Stephen King, Dan Simmons and George R R Martin. |
business plan for film production: The Business of Film Paula Landry, Stephen Greenwald, 2018-06-14 The updated second edition of this text introduces readers to the business of film at every stage of the filmmaking lifecycle, from planning and production to distribution. Authors Paula Landry and Stephen R. Greenwald offer a practical, hands-on guide to the business aspects of this evolving industry, exploring development, financing, regional/global/online distribution, business models, exhibition, multi-platform delivery, marketing, film festivals, production incentives, VR/AR, accounting, and more. The book is illustrated throughout with sample financing scenarios and charts/graphics, and includes detailed case studies from projects of different budgets and markets. This new and expanded edition has further been updated to reflect the contemporary media landscape, including analysis on major new players and platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Google and Vimeo, shifting trends due to convergence and disruption from new technology, as well as the rise of independent distribution and emergent mobile and online formats. An eResource also includes downloadable forms and templates, PowerPoint slides, quizzes and test banks, and other additional resources. |
business plan for film production: The Independent Filmmaker's Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Investors, 2d ed. Gabriel Campisi, 2012-04-19 Filmmakers need more than heart, talent and desire to realize their dreams: they need production capital. Finding willing investors can be the most difficult step in an aspiring filmmaker's pursuit of higher-budget, entertaining motion pictures. This practical guide provides detailed instructions on preparing the most important tool for recruiting investors, a persuasive business plan. Included in this new edition are suggested ways to approach potential investors; lists of various financial sources available to Hollywood productions, and tips on spotting unscrupulous financiers. Interviews with key Hollywood producers offer real-world insight. |
business plan for film production: The Movie Business Book Jason E Squire, 2016-08-05 Tapping experts in an industry experiencing major disruptions, The Movie Business Book is the authoritative, comprehensive sourcebook, covering online micro-budget movies to theatrical tentpoles. This book pulls back the veil of secrecy on producing, marketing, and distributing films, including business models, dealmaking, release windows, revenue streams, studio accounting, DIY online self-distribution and more. First-hand insider accounts serve as primary references involving negotiations, management decisions, workflow, intuition and instinct. The Movie Business Book is an essential guide for those launching or advancing careers in the global media marketplace. |
business plan for film production: Best Pick John Dorney, Jessica Regan, Tom Salinsky, 2022-02-15 A fascinating history of motion pictures through the lens of the Academy Awards, the Best Picture winners, and the box-office contenders. In Best Pick: A Journey through Film History and the Academy Awards, John Dorney, Jessica Regan, and Tom Salinsky provide a captivating decade-by-decade exploration of the Oscars. For each decade, they examine the making of classic films, trends and innovations in cinema, behind-the-scenes scandals at the awards ceremony, and who won and why. Twenty films are reviewed in-depth, alongside ten detailed “making-of” accounts and capsule reviews of every single Best Picture winner in history. In addition, each Best Picture winner is carefully scrutinized to answer the ultimate question: “Did the Academy get it right?” Full of wonderful stories, cogent analysis, and fascinating insights, Best Pick is a witty and enthralling look at the people, politics, movies, and trends that have shaped our cinematic world. |
business plan for film production: The Strategic Producer Federico Arditti Muchnik, 2016-06-17 Today’s technologies and economic models won’t settle for a conventional approach to filmmaking. The Strategic Producer: On the Art and Craft of Making Your First Feature combines history, technology, aesthetics, data, decision-making strategies, and time-tested methods into a powerful new approach to producing. An ideal text for aspiring filmmakers, The Strategic Producer orients the reader’s mind-set towards self-empowerment by sharing essential and timeless techniques producers need to get the job done while also embracing the constantly evolving production landscape. - Written in clear, succinct, and non-technical prose. - Includes six sidebar in depth interviews with industry professionals providing additional perspectives. - Clearly presented line drawings help readers quickly understand complex ideas like production timelines, story structure, and business models. - Includes samples from key documents such as script pages, budgets, shooting schedules, and business plans for potential investors. |
business plan for film production: Indie Film Producing Suzanne Lyons, 2012-08-06 Indie Film Producing explains the simple, basic, clear cut role of the independent film producer. Raising funds to do your dream project, producing award-winning films with a low budget, putting name actors on your indie film-it's all doable, and this book guides you through the entire process of being a successful producer with bonus tips on how to effortlessly maneuver through the sphere of social media marketing and fundraising tactics. Indie film producer Suzanne Lyons pilots you through the actual making of low budget films to show you how easy and fun it can be. Laid out in a step-by-step, A to Z, matter-of-fact style that shows how the producer's role can be easy, how to treat the film as a business, and especially how to avoid the painful pitfalls faced by so many producers, this book gives you the essential tools you need to make your film a success from the ground up. . Begins with the earliest stages of concept development, continues through production & post, and ultimately concludes with distribution . Shows you how to create a buzz for your film through marketing and promotions . Interviews with global producers who produced films using social media, festivals, apps, and more, give you real-world insight that can be applied to your own films . Website points you to a fantastic collection of resources that you'll need to produce your own films (http://booksite.focalpress.com/indiefilmproducing) |
business plan for film production: Filmmakers and Financing Louise Levison, 2022-03-23 This updated ninth edition of Louise Levison’s ultimate filmmaker’s guide provides easy-to-follow steps for writing an investor-winning business plan for independent films. This new edition includes information on current distribution models and the evolving digital streaming service landscape. Updated examples and references solidify this edition as the go-to source for creating a successful film business plan. Complete with comprehensive explanations on how to write each of the eight sections of a business plan; a complete sample plan for reference; and a companion website with additional information and financial tables, this book gives readers the tools needed to secure financing for a film. Essential reading for students and professionals alike, this book is ideal for anyone looking to further their understanding of film financing and how to create a successful business plan. |
business plan for film production: The Cheerful Subversive's Guide to Independent Filmmaking Dan Mirvish, 2021-07-05 In this fully updated second edition, award-winning film director and Slamdance Film Festival co-founder Dan Mirvish gives you soup-to-nuts, cradle-to-grave advice on every aspect of the filmmaking lifestyle and craft. He drops advice on playing the Hollywood game, and shows you how to finance, cast, shoot and show your indie feature, documentary, episodic series, short film, student film, web video or big-budget blockbuster. Once labeled a cheerful subversive by The New York Times, Mirvish shares lessons he's learned personally from film luminaries Robert Altman, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Steven Soderbergh, Rian Johnson, Whit Stillman, Harold Ramis, Lynn Shelton, John Carpenter, Ava DuVernay, the Russo Brothers, Bong Joon-ho, Sean Baker and more. This revised edition includes brand new chapters on filming during a global pandemic finding investors and crowdfunding backers whether and where to go to film school how to get a big Hollywood agent self-distributing your film, even to airlines casting an Oscar®-winner as your lead actor and turning your garage into a 1980s New York subway Visit the extensive companion website at www.DanMirvish.com for in-depth supplemental videos, behind-the-scenes footage from Dan's films and bonus materials. |
business plan for film production: The Documentary Moviemaking Course Kevin J. Lindenmuth, 2010-01-01 A practical step-by-step course showing how you can begin making your first documentary movies, from researching and defining your theme, style, and the treatment that will drive your film, to organizing the production and, ultimately, getting it seen by a wider audience. |
business plan for film production: Introduction to Business Lawrence J. Gitman, Carl McDaniel, Amit Shah, Monique Reece, Linda Koffel, Bethann Talsma, James C. Hyatt, 2024-09-16 Introduction to Business covers the scope and sequence of most introductory business courses. The book provides detailed explanations in the context of core themes such as customer satisfaction, ethics, entrepreneurship, global business, and managing change. Introduction to Business includes hundreds of current business examples from a range of industries and geographic locations, which feature a variety of individuals. The outcome is a balanced approach to the theory and application of business concepts, with attention to the knowledge and skills necessary for student success in this course and beyond. This is an adaptation of Introduction to Business by OpenStax. You can access the textbook as pdf for free at openstax.org. Minor editorial changes were made to ensure a better ebook reading experience. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. |
business plan for film production: Delivering Dreams Geoffrey Macnab, 2015-11-23 Film Distributors are the unsung heroes of cinema. Without them, the film industry would grind to a halt. Drawing on the archives of the Film Distributors' Association (FDA), as well as on interviews with leading British distributors of today, Delivering Dreams tells the, largely unacknowledged, story of how films were, and are, brought to British cinema-goers. It profiles some of the most flamboyant and controversial figures involved in UK distribution over the last 100 years, ranging from the founders of huge companies to visionaries who have launched small art house labels. Geoffrey MacNab also explores how the sector has reacted to a rapidly changing market and technological environment, from the transition to sound in the late 1920s to the spectre of TV in the 1950s and the move to digital in the 2000s. Ranging from the films of Charlie Chaplin to The King's Speech, and published to coincide with the centenary of the FDA's creation in December 1915, this book highlights the crucial role that distributors have played in maintaining the solid foundations of the British film industry. |
business plan for film production: Film Lighting Kris Malkiewicz, 2012-02-07 Newly revised and updated, Film Lighting is an indispensible sourcebook for the aspiring and practicing cinematographer, based on extensive interviews with leading cinematographers and gaffers in the film industry. Film lighting is a living, dynamic art influenced by new technologies and the changing styles of leading cinematographers. A combination of state-of-the-art technology and in-depth interviews with industry experts, Film Lighting provides an inside look at how cinematographers and film directors establish the visual concept of the film and use the lighting to create a certain atmosphere. Kris Malkiewicz uses firsthand material from the experts he interviewed while researching this book. Among these are leading cinematographers Dion Beebe, Russell Carpenter, Caleb Deschanel, Robert Elswit, Mauro Fiore, Adam Holender, Janusz Kaminski, Matthew Libatique, Rodrigo Prieto, Harris Savides, Dante Spinotti, and Vilmos Zsigmond. This updated version of Film Lighting fills a growing need in the industry and will be a perennial, invaluable resource. |
business plan for film production: The Complete Guide to Film and Digital Production Lorene M. Wales, 2023-08-08 This fully revised fourth edition offers a comprehensive introduction to the roles, procedures, and logistics of the film and digital video production process. Author Lorene M. Wales takes the reader from development and pre-production all the way to post-production, marketing and distribution, offering a hands-on approach suitable for projects of any budget and scale, explaining every stage and key role in the life of a film. Focusing on how key roles shape the film production process, Wales guides filmmakers through the A-Z of making a film in today’s industry and draws from insights and experiences from working filmmakers throughout. The book is practically focused and includes a wealth of sample checklists, schedules, budgeting, and downloadable forms and templates for practical use. The fourth edition has been fully revised and updated to include a new chapter on how to break into the industry, expanded and updated sections on distribution (including theatrical and streaming platforms), set safety, color grading, and legal matters, as well as updated insights from a diverse range of industry professionals. This is the ideal text for undergraduate students studying entry-level film and video production, producing, and cinematography, along with aspiring and working professionals in film and digital production. The updated companion website includes video tutorials, a personnel hierarchy, a guide to mobile apps useful during production, PowerPoints for instructor use, and a complete set of sample production forms and templates for download, including schedules, budgeting, releases, and production checklists. |
business plan for film production: The Independent Filmmaker's Law and Business Guide Jon M. Garon, 2021-08-03 Today's independent and digital filmmaking demands a clear guide to the business and legal aspects of the art. What fundraising options are available to a filmmaker? When should a filmmaker establish a corporation or limited liability company? How do screenwriters protect their work? What are a director's legal obligations to the producer, cast, and crew--and what are their obligations in return? This indispensable resource addresses the legal, financial, and organizational questions that an independent or guerrilla filmmaker must face, and the problems that will doom a project if left unanswered. It demystifies issues such as founding a film company, obtaining financing, preparing a budget, securing locations, shooting, granting screen credits, and distributing, exhibiting, and marketing a film. Newly updated and expanded, this third edition explores concepts such as integrating social media; crowd funding and nonprofit status funding; diversity, inclusion, and compensation equity; and distribution via streaming services. Appendixes provide sample contracts and riders, copyright circulars, Documentary Filmmakers' Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, and more. |
BUSINESS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
BUSINESS definition: 1. the activity of buying and selling goods and services: 2. a particular company that buys and….
VENTURE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
VENTURE definition: 1. a new activity, usually in business, that involves risk or uncertainty: 2. to risk going….
ENTERPRISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
ENTERPRISE definition: 1. an organization, especially a business, or a difficult and important plan, especially one that….
INCUMBENT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
INCUMBENT definition: 1. officially having the named position: 2. to be necessary for someone: 3. the person who has or….
AD HOC | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
AD HOC definition: 1. made or happening only for a particular purpose or need, not planned before it happens: 2. made….
LEVERAGE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
LEVERAGE definition: 1. the action or advantage of using a lever: 2. power to influence people and get the results you….
ENTREPRENEUR | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
ENTREPRENEUR definition: 1. someone who starts their own business, especially when this involves seeing a new opportunity….
CULTIVATE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
CULTIVATE definition: 1. to prepare land and grow crops on it, or to grow a particular crop: 2. to try to develop and….
EQUITY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
EQUITY definition: 1. the value of a company, divided into many equal parts owned by the shareholders, or one of the….
LIAISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
LIAISE definition: 1. to speak to people in other organizations, etc. in order to work with them or exchange….
BUSINESS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
BUSINESS definition: 1. the activity of buying and selling goods and services: 2. a particular company that buys …
VENTURE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
VENTURE definition: 1. a new activity, usually in business, that involves risk or uncertainty: 2. to risk going….
ENTERPRISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
ENTERPRISE definition: 1. an organization, especially a business, or a difficult and important plan, …
INCUMBENT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
INCUMBENT definition: 1. officially having the named position: 2. to be necessary for someone: 3. the …
AD HOC | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
AD HOC definition: 1. made or happening only for a particular purpose or need, not planned …