LLC & CROWD FUNDING IS STILL THE BEST:

I am a firm believer that when financing your very-first-feature-film you will inevitably do it only one of three ways.

However, lets look at some “sizzle” not “steak” with respect to the phrase “Sell The Sizzle Not The Steak”

MY BEST 3 WAYS for financing ARE:

The FIRST is via a Private Placement Offering.

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CHINA MOVIE INDUSTRY HAS EXPLODED

Call it “CHOLLYWOOD” or call it “CHINAWOOD”… I call it a “Whole Lot of Money”…

Why?

Because, it is projected that in 3-4 years China, as a film market and revenue stream, will be larger than Hollywood.

What are you doing to establish a foundation there?

HISTORY: 10 Years ago if a feature film made $100 Million at the USA/Canada Box Office in 4-6 weeks it would then,

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THE $3-5 MILLION PRODUCT PLACEMENT MOVIE:

Last week’s post (Part 1)  explained the massive new revenue source for Hollywood called “Product Placement”.

Although PP revs have been around since the 40s with films like “It’s A Wonderful Life” (National Geographics) and “African Queen” (Gordon’s Gin) and became mass popular with the Aston Martin/auto in the James Bond Films, it has only in the past 7 years become so massive that it PP is now literally 25%-40% of the budget of a Major Movie Studio’s feature film.

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I have discovered that most filmmakers, at least 98%, do not understand that when you finish your film and secure your final Print for theatrical release or DCP for festival release or digital release… you staill ain’t done.

And even though you think you are about to acquire a distributor (hip hip)… you still ain’t done.

Below is a superb article from FILMMAKER MAGAZINE, written by a pro, Dan Mirvish (he was once exactly where you are now) who has made a No-Budget &

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HISTORY of TGA

Phil Gersh, the founder, had massive ambition, and this led him from humble office boy to opening his own Beverly Hills agency in 1949.

Today TGA has 125 employees, 60 agents and offices in Beverly Hills and New York, Gersh maintains seven full-service departments: Talent, Feature Literary, TV Literary, Theater, Comedy, Below-the-Line,

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THE $12-15 MILLION MOVIE (Save $9-10 Million):

Once again, always remember “Hollywood Lies”.

Actually Hollywood (aka: 6 major studios) doesn’t lie…. it markets, it promotes, it creates value.

And a beast of marketing is to embellish, enhance and exaggerate to create a higher perceived value for its product to the consumer/viewer.

Therefore, every movie has 2 budgets. One is “real” the other is “BullSh*t”

The First one,

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THE 5 DIALOGUE MUSTS ARE:

(ONE)  SUPPORT THE ACTION… DON’T TRY TO CARRY IT (for details, read article)

(TWO) LOOK AT PAGE SHAPE… LOTS OF T’s (for details, read article)

(THREE) THREE LINES OR LESS (for details, read article)

(FOUR) HIDE EXPOSITION (for details, read article)

(FIVE) DELETE ALL TELEGRAPHING (for details, read article)

I love great articles,

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APA (“Agency for Performing Arts”) is the 5th largest Talent/Literary/Concert agency in the world with only 3 offices but over 2,700 staff/agents.

Agency for the Performing Arts (also known as APA) is the fifth largest diversified talent agency in Los Angeles[1] with headquarters in Beverly Hills, New York and Nashville.

APA represents artists and performers across all media platforms, including feature film, television, music, theatre,

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PRODUCE THE $2-3 MILLION MOW (aka: Movie-Of-The-Week)

The negative cost of A Movie-of-the-Week is usually between $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.

Negative Cost is the phrase for what it actually cost, IN-HARD-CASH, to get to our final print or DCP of your movie.

However, a movie made for $2-3 Million cash, even in the tv world, is usually marketed as either a $5,000,000-$7,000,000, or a $7,000,000-$10,000,000,

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GREAT DIALOGUE: LESS IS MORE
RULE #3: “10-3” is KISS (aka: Less Is More)

The 10-3 Rule clearly states and explains the “10-3” Rule which is do not use more than 10 words of dialogue for every 3 sentences a character speaks.

KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid.  When we talk to each other we have short sentences, no monologues and rarely allow each other to finish a sentence.

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