Helpful Tips to Know

Budget Smart

We assist our clients in establishing an appropriate budget that considers all factors. It is important to be realistic and detailed with the budget. Financial institutions, distributors, investors and buyers all want to be sure your film will realistically be produced for the amount you have outlined in the budget. But, it is also a good idea to budget smart and not assume you have extra money to spend by overestimating. If you produce your film on time and under budget you have not only increased your chances for funds on your next film, but you also have increased chances for profit.

First Make a Film, Then Get More Money

As our client, our goal is to help you achieve making an excellent film that gets distributed and makes money. If you want your next film budget to be $200,000, then make a $20,000 feature that gets distributed and makes money. If you want $2,000,000 for your next feature, then make a $200,000 feature that gets distributed and makes money. The numbers just keep going up exponentially from there. A key point to understand is your film is a product. Each film you produce must be sold in the marketplace successfully in order to move on to your next film project. Take filmmaking in strides working toward achieving a distribution deal on each project. Focus on finishing your current film, get distributed and then concentrate on your next project.

Select a Good Cinematographer

Aka DP or Director of Photography is one of the most important people to hire. You must have this person established before financing funds can be approached. Try to hire one with an excellent demo reel. The demo reel will be an important part of marketing to financiers. Pick the DP whose style suits your film ideology and one you get along with.

Protect Your Work

Register with the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) in five stages. The preliminary 3-5 page treatment, the expanded 7-20 page treatment, the first draft, second draft and final. ($30 each time)
Copyright at each stage of the development. ($35 each time)
Paper trail who read or received your script. As a part of our service to our clients, we keep logs of who read and received your script.
As a service to our clients, we keep extensive records organized of all the above paperwork. We help manage your business.

Write a Good Short Synopsis

If nothing else, write..."This is the story of..." Then follow with:

• Title
• Protagonist
• Goal of Protagonist
• Situation
• Dilemma Facing Protagonist
• Antagonist
• Goal of Antagonist
• Complications arise when.....