Upside Down

If film financing was complicated before VOD, now it is upside down. For everybody. I mean e-ve-ry-bo-dy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Francis Ford Coppola just sold part of his internationally famous winery to pay for his new film.

 In other words, he just did the one thing producers are never supposed to do: finance their own projects. We are talking about $120 million dollars for his MEGALOPOLIS muti-A-list-cast upcoming feature. Apparently, he did this because he wanted full artistic control. Nevertheless, in other times he would have been able to secure financing and maintain creative power. 

If the funding task can overwhelm top directors and producers, simple mortals are in trouble. Even more if their voices have been unrepresented over the past, as The New York Times reports.

True to be told, trying to secure financing for a film is one of the most undignified tasks in the glamorous movie industry. And although many factors can help producers raise money (such as attaching A-list Stars to the project) the only guarantee is that they will struggle to put all the funding together.

That is why consultants like us are a growing asset for producers, directors, and distributors. We help them navigate the maze that will lead to raising financing for their projects.

Here are some of the outlets we explore:

• Pre-selling to a streamer / studio

• Private investors

• Product placement

• Grant Money

• Crowdfunding

• Gap Financing

• Tax Subsidies

• Negative Pickup Deals

• NFTs

• Pre-sales on territory-by-territory base

Tip: Next time you need to finance a project, keep in mind that it is crucial to come up with a solid strategy, with plans A, B and C fully flushed out. Never rely on just one source.

Feel free to reach out and schedule a call with us to talk about possibilities.

Happy hump day!

Laura