1st Edition

Making Movies Without Losing Money Practical Lessons in Film Finance

By Daniel Harlow Copyright 2020
    160 Pages
    by Routledge

    160 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book is about the practical realities of the film market today and how to make a film while minimizing financial risk. Film is a risky investment and securing that investment is a huge challenge. The best way to get investors is to do everything possible to make the film without losing money.





    Featuring interviews with film industry veterans - sales agents, producers, distributors, directors, film investors, film authors and accountants - Daniel Harlow explores some of the biggest obstacles to making a commercially successful film and offers best practice advice on making a good film, that will also be a commercial success. The book explores key topics such as smart financing, casting to add value, understanding the film supply chain, the importance of genre, picking the right producer, negotiating pre-sales and much more. By learning how to break even, this book provides invaluable insight into the film industry that will help filmmakers build a real, continuing career.





    A vital resource for filmmakers serious about sustaining a career in the 21st century film industry.

    Introduction





    PART 1 One small problem





    1 A surprising discovery



    2 The journey begins





    PART 2 The obstacles





    3 The culture of secrecy



    4 Fear and loathing: commercial is a dirty word?



    5 This stuff is complicated



    6 Falling revenues: falling demand for indies



    7 The downside of festival culture



    8 Trends in film journalism





    PART 3 How films make money





    9 Rubber, meet road



    10 The players



    11 Monetization



    12 How much to DIY



    13 Promotion and publicity – who’s selling this thing, anyway?





    PART 4 Making profitable films





    14 Sell the sizzle



    15 Development: crafting a commercial success



    16 Genre



    17 Rising above genre



    18 More film elements



    19 Drafting



    20 Casting



    21 Producers and producing



    22 Financials



    23 Raising money the traditional way – beg



    24 Before you start begging



    25 Reducing the risk when presales don’t work



    26 Press – the gift that keeps on giving





    Conclusion





    Top ten lessons





    Appendix: case studies, interviews and producer profiles



    Case study: micro- budget filmmaking – Marcus Mizelle



    Interview with legendary film school teacher Dov Simens



    Case studies: niche moviemaking – Tom Malloy



    Case studies: low-risk, low-budget sci fi – Jeffrey Giles



    Case study: making 70 films with Daniel Zirilli of PopArt Film Factory

    Biography

    Daniel Harlow, a Departmental Scholar from UCLA, founded a technology consulting firm in 1993 which grew to 300 employees in six offices around the country. After selling his company, Harlow attended the Independent Film Producer Program at UCLA. He is currently the founder and CEO of a new hi-tech startup, Bunker 15 Films, with the mission to help indie films find their audience through Smart Publicity and Promotional programs. Harlow believes, with good technology and good planning, filmmakers can sustain financially rewarding careers.