Film Business Plan Template

Film Business Plan Template

Our Feature Film Business Plan template has been evolving since 2002 and successfully used by hundreds of filmmakers around the world to raise their film financing. We have consistently worked with filmmakers and investors and updated our template after every film investor interaction to add all the best practices we come across. After every meeting, we adjust our Film Business Plan Template based directly on film investor feedback. Our Business Plan allows you to present your film business case using only the VERY BEST of the best information accumulated by film investors and filmmakers over 18 years in the film industry.

This easy-to-use Film Business Plan Template is included all of our Film Financing Packages, along with our Film Proposals and Financing Manual, Film Projections Templates, Indie Film Pitch Deck, Latest Industry Statistics and much more. All of our products are available for immediate download and come with a 60-day full 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!

NEW! Documentary Business Plan & Documentary Pitch Deck

FilmPropoals is thrilled to offer help to documentary producers looking for investors, by enhancing our Film Fundraising toolkits to address the specific needs of documentarians. The highlight is a unique Documentary Business Plan Template included in all of our Film Financing Toolkits and Bundles. Much of the Documentary Business Plan is just like that of our narrative Film Business Plan Template, however, we've also done some major custom work to specifically highlight why documentaries are a great investment and how to best showcase your documentary to investors:

Film Business Plan Template Screenshots

The template is consistently updated. Screenshots may be dated, but the template is not.

Feature Film Business Plan Template

The film business plan template is a step-by-step guide enabling you to understand your film as a business proposition to film investors. We walk you through the nuts and bolts of your project so you present the investment opportunity in the best light possible, without compromising your creativity.

Film Business Plan Sections

Examples from other successful business plans are included in every key section of the film business plan template.

1. Executive Summary

   You write this section last. It is the one page overview of everything that follows. Just wait until you see your plan all put together and you get to read through how good your investment opportunity sounds out loud, with proven industry statistics, real world examples and well-crafted language. This is always the highlight for every filmmaker - when they get to say, "Wow! I would totally invest in this film and here's why..."

2. Company Section

   This is where you discuss the type of company you've set up and why, highlight all the successes of your management team and producers, describe what you're all about and highlight the competitive advantages your team has over any others.

3. The Project

   This is where you get to tell your story, describe your project, use your log-line, compare briefly to other films, development highlights to date, talent attached and more.

4. The Industry

   This is where your business plan gets good! Filmproposals has fine-tuned this section with dozens of known film investors. We highlight all the latest industry trends and awards using references to elite sources, describe how the film industry works, use the latest box office and other film industry statistics and describe the overview of the movie industry simply and clearly. This section is updated multiple times per year so it always has the most current information available.

5. The Market

   Here is where you want to discuss your specific audience: who are they, how many, their demographics, how you will target them, what are their past habits, etc. We provide a few examples, but leave you plenty of room to get creative. Read More: Film Marketing Plan & Distribution Plan Expert Advice

6. The Investment Opportunity

   Ahhh...this is where we really shine! First, we put all the mandatory disclaimers (film investment is inherently risky....) and then we talk about all the ways you have mitigated these risks! You add on exactly how your investment opportunity is structured (Distribution Waterfall, Recoupment Schedule options are included in our Financing Manual) and how you plan to pay your investors back. You then use all the included full explanations and detailed notes and charts for every line item, to explain how you arrived at all your calculations.

7. Distribution Plan

   Here we emphasize how crucial the distribution strategy is to any type of film. We walk through film festivals, theatrical release, digital release (streaming and VOD), TV, other ancillary markets and why independent films have more opportunities and advantages than ever before. You just pick and choose which sections are right for your project and customize them based on your distribution strategy

8. Confidentiality Notice

   Basic legal info to protect you, your project and any potential investors.

You then add on any other relevant documentation, such as your budget (template included in our Film Financing Packages), official agreements, letters of intent and more. Not ready to buy the full template? Try our How to Write a Film Business Plan Free Course.

How a Script Turns Into Film Financing

A Business Plan is a tool that helps you turn your film ideas or scripts into an investment opportunity. Saying “I have a script about XYZ and need $100 to make my film” is exactly like saying “I made this pasta dish and need $100 to open my restaurant”

Being a great chef and being a great restaurant manager are two entirely different skillsets. Can one person be both? Of course. Can you have a successful restaurant without both? No. Would you give someone money to open a restaurant because they made you a great dinner? (We hope not!)

A great chef alone is not enough to get investors. You must have a plan for how you are going build, run and maintain the restaurant. Physical build, marketing, branding, ordering, making menus, publicity, systems, hiring staff and on and on. These are the things that will cost money, and hence they are the investment.

A script is not an investment vehicle. A script may attach top level talent, but film investors don't look for scripts - they look for investment opportunities that will provide them a potential profit on the money they invest (ROI - return on investment). A completed script does not require any money. If you want to sell your script and be done, option it to a studio. If you are looking for film financing, because you want to make your own film, then you want to focus on your business, which is film production.

If any of these sound like you, now is the time to put together your Film Business Plan:

• I have a great script and am looking for film investors
• Where do I find film investors?
• You are searching online for "film investor database" or "film investors seeking scripts" or "investors for filmmakers," or worse, posting on social media for the same

FREE Sample Business Plan Template

Our actual Business Plan Template in Microsoft Word is always up to date (this sample is older), fully editable and contains far more detail and text than this short excerpt. You can either share the template below or subscribe to our FREE Business Plan Course and have it delivered to your inbox.

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