For Established A-Level Film Producers, Directors, Actors, Writers
What do you consider to be an A-level film producer, director, actor?
Someone who has had films theatrically released in the United States and is considered bankable in terms of being able to generate foreign pre-sales as a director or actor. Someone who is a music video director, recently graduated from film school, has had a small film picked up for DVD distribution, or directs a few episodes of a cable show is not bankable. Someone who had 3-4 films gross more than $100 million dollars in the box office is bankable. An actor on a soap opera, tv show, or a rapper is most likely not bankable. An actor with a studio deal who has a few pet projects to make outside the studio is most likely bankable. An international director who has a film or two released theatrically in their home country (but not in the United States) is bankable.
Well if I am an A-list director or actor, why do we need you if I have a powerful agent?
The reality is most agents simply do not service the dream projects of their top clients. Agents may send a few projects out to a couple studios and production companies and if those pass, that’s the extent of it. The flipside of this would be utilizing the "film finance" departments of agents which simply do not have the staff or manpower to serve hundreds or thousands of clients at the same time. It’s not about you or your projects, but rather time management and focus. Further, there is a deficit in education and knowledge available to A-listers on how films are financed outside the studios. If all of this knowledge was readily available, A-listers would have no use for their agents. And every top director and actor has at least a dozen or so pet projects that they simply cannot get off the ground.Thus, we only take on very select projects and engagements.
Okay, I am a producer and have 5 other producers and a great directors/cast.
We do not look at ANY film project that has more than 1-2 producers attached tops. We have encountered enough films that have 5-10 producers attached and are not in the business to help 10 producers pay their mortgages and child support payments. Further, please keep your potential producer salary requirements realistic since there will be a dilution of above the line costs allocated to producer fees that will be split between us and some of our equity partners who will require an executive producer credit.
What proof of attachments can I show you before contacting you?
If you submit a project to us and say that you spoke to “so and so's” agent who said they will do the film upon financing closing, we are not for you. If you have a great relationship with cast, director's statement, a letter of intent from cast, their manager or attorney, or a listing on imdbpro.com or other industry tracking board, that will suffice. You also need proof of chain of title in terms of a written option agreement with the writer that’s assignable (to use) pending any co-production or co-finance we enter into.
Can I show you my sales estimates and foreign sales agency agreement?
We have our own network of foreign sales agents with which we prefer to park a film project.
What are your preferred budget sizes and genres of films?
$10 million - $20 million. Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Historical Dramas, Hybrid genres, etc. Bonus points if you have a film that can be shot in either Canada, Michigan, Belgium, Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa.
If you love our project and the stars are aligned, what's next?
We would enter into a co-production and financing agreement with you that would outline our involvement, negotiated percentages of salary and back end compensation, as well as the co-assignment of film rights to us for a certain time period.
How long does it take for financing to close?
It depends on what part of the world we are making a film in, final commitments and availability of cast and crew, and close of pre-sales and or gap finance, etc. But a good rule of thumb can be anywhere from 9 months to 18 months.
What if I am a bankable director as you describe, have a script, but no cast? Can you make bonafide offers to cast?
Yes, we can make offers to certain cast to get them attached. Provided that if you are represented by a certain agency where we want to make those offers, you will enlist your agent's commitment to help in getting said actors attached. Someone who has had films theatrically released and is considered bankable in terms of being able to generate foreign pre-sales as a director or actor.
