Preparing for Film Investors | Steps to Find and Attract Investors

Preparing for Film Investors

Steps to Find and Attract Investors
Preparing for Film Investors

Preparing for film investors is the single most important step in finding them. Too often, filmmakers think they have a great idea for a script and the first thing they do is an online search for "movie investors" and email a potential investor blindly with something like, "I have a great idea for a film and need money."

When you approach any investor it must be with your offer and not what you want. This is THE # MISTAKE indie filmmakers make when trying to find movie investors and we are here to help you stand out from your competition by changing the script from asking to offering! We want you to look professional and knowledgeable when you outreach for financing, not inexperienced and lazy, and we provide everything you need to make that shift in your approach.

Film Investor Financing Templates

You have a great idea for a film and now you "just" need to raise money to make it. With several hundred articles and experts around the internet, it is difficult to make heads or tails of which tools-templates-documents and professional services you need and those you may want. If terms like Business Plan, Private Placement Memorandum, Finance Agreement, Investor Agreement, Producer's Package, Active and Passive Investors have your head spinning, check out our definitive guide to Film Investor Financing Templates.

Film Investor Financing Templates

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10 Keys to Preparing for Film Investors

10 Keys to Film Finance

These 10 Keys to Film Finance make it clear that that savvy, experienced film funding companies and investors are taking the time to offer their indie film financing advice. This means they ARE interested in film production financing and are trying to help you put your best foot forward. Listen to your successful predecessors advice so you set yourself up for the best chance of film financing success.

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Film Investor Financing Templates

Film Investor Financing Templates

You have a great idea for a film and now you "just" need to raise money to make it. With several hundred articles and experts around the internet, it is difficult to make heads or tails of which tools-templates-documents and professional services you need and those you may want. If terms like Business Plan, Private Placement Memorandum, Finance Agreement, Investor Agreement, Producer's Package, Active and Passive Investors have your head spinning, check out our definitive guide to Film Investor Financing Templates.

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Avoid Film Finance Frauds & Scams

When trying to fund your film and put yourself out there, it is quite common for filmmakers to run into potential Film Finance Frauds & Scams. Film funding scams are a significant issue in the industry and can take various forms. We have heard from dozens of filmmakers over the years about the financial frauds they've suffered, usually with little to no consequences, and here we want to highlight some of the most common risks for you and how to Avoid Film Finance Frauds & Scams.

Film Finance Frauds & Scams

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Movie Finance 101

Movie Finance 101

From creating a budget to identifying revenue streams and film investors, our guide will provide an overview of the basics of film financing. Movie finance has become increasingly complex over the years due to the emergence of new financing models and technologies. In the past, movie financing was typically provided by studios or wealthy individuals. However, the rise of crowdfunding and digital platforms has opened up new opportunities for independent filmmakers to secure funding. Despite the challenges, movie finance remains an essential part of the film industry. Our Movie Finance 101 guide breaks down the basics of film financing, including budgets, investors and revenue streams.

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Film Production Budget Best Practices and Tips

Film Production Budget Template Best Practices

How to structure your feature or short film budget is a must-learn for any aspiring or experienced filmmaker. We know many of you are great at the creative side of filmmaking, but might have questions on how to best finance movies efficiently. You'll want to focus your budget on your talent, equipment, post production and be able to explain to investors and anyone else with a stake in your project your low, breakeven and high scenarios when it comes to ROI, which is dependent on your budget. Learn More: Film Production Budget Template Best Practices

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Film Finance for Independent Filmmakers

Film finance for independent filmmakers

Film Finance is one of the most difficult tasks an indie filmmaker will face. This is not because there is not money available or people interested in indie film investment. Rather, it is most often because indie filmmakers tend to approach the business-side of film making with trepidation at-best, or not at all, at-worst.

Learn more about: Vital Steps to Investment in an Indie Film Production

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What is a Producer's Package?

What is a Producer's Package

"What is a Producer's Package?" is a great question we get asked all the time, with a long and varied answer. A movie producer's package changes depending on your target audience for the pitch. For example, are you pitching a producer investor, actor, studio, composer, product placement or another entity? Each pitch meeting requires a different presentaion. Some will be more financial in nature and some will focus more on the creative aspects of your project. Read More: What is a Producer's Package?

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How to Write a Film Business Plan FREE Course

How to Write a Film Business Plan

Sign up today for our FREE How to Write a Film Business Plan Course (sign up FREE right here and start immediately). Writing a business plan can be overwhelming to some, and while our FilmProposals package will save you hundreds of hours with prewritten text and templates and speed up your learning curve by showing you how to complete complicated financial projections, there is still a lot of information to process. Each week you'll receive your homework assignments, and if you follow along and stick to the plan, it will be 10 short weeks until you have a complete film business plan and are totally ready to approach the film investors we teach you to find.

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Film Producer Definition | What is a Producer's Role in Movie Production?

Film Producer Definition

Finding a consistent film producer definition is a challenging task, as the role is wide and varied. The movie producer tends to be one of the most misunderstood jobs in the filmmaking industry. What exactly do they do? And why are their jobs so misunderstood in the first place? Finally, and possibly most importantly-what can a movie or film producer do for your own movie?

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Using a Business Plan with Investors

Importance Of A Business Plan For Film Projects

Understanding the Importance Of A Business Plan For Film Projects is a crucial step in becoming a filmmaker. You are required to take a realistic look at your film project from a business perspective, including distribution and subsequent revenue streams needed to recoup your investment. You cannot approach investors until you can demonstrate you have worked out all the challenges of your project.

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Use ALL Your Film Funding Options

Film Funding Options

Using all your film funding options does two key things. First, it lowers the cost of your movie, thereby giving you greater equity and creative control. Second, it makes YOU far more attractive to investors, because now you present yourself as a knowledgeable and invested filmmaker, one who has utilized all the film financing options available.

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Prepare your First Film Budget

First Film Budget

Your First Film Budget, part of our "How to Make a Movie" mini course, covers small and micro cap film budgets, costs of talent and crew, film bank accounts and how to handle your film money. When preparing for film investors, it is vital you show you know to manage money.

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Film Tax Incentives

Nothing says I'm ready to make my film and you should investment in my production more than showing you've done your homework before ever approaching investors. Film tax incentives are one of the absolute best ways to do this! You've slashed your budget by 20-30%+, shown you know what you're doing and have put skin in the game. As we say in our Business Plan Template, "Any film with more than 50% of their budget secured without risk is considered an excellent investment in the independent film industry." Here are some of the best ways to leverage tax incentives to fund your film production costs and turn your cinematic dreams into reality without breaking the bank! Using Film Tax Incentives.

Film Tax Incentives

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Realistic Film Sales Projections

Independent Film Sales Projections

Creating realistic Independent Film Sales Projections for your project is critical, so you can properly budget, as well as tell film investors what you are offering them. In order to raise movie financing and ensure your chances of paying your investors back, take the time to put together realistic independent film sales projections.

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Six Things You Must Know BEFORE Finding Investors

Gordon P. Firemark Entertainment Attorney

Gordon P. Firemark, Entertainment Attorney, states, "Too many filmmakers jump the fundraising gun and post notices on facebook, twitter, or their websites saying “we’re now looking for $1 Million” to produce this film/show.” Guess what… game over!

Before going out to film investors, it’s important to have your ducks in a row. Six Things You Absolutely MUST Know before you start raising money will dramatically streamline the process, and get you closer to funding, faster.

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Film Production Financing Terms Glossary

Film Production Terms

Our glossary of film production terms explains the most commonly used points when discussing a production company and film financing. Wondering what MG is? The Waterfall? Chain of Title? We have filmmakers covered with all the industry lingo. Raising money for a film and becoming familar with all the industry language can be daunting, but the more any filmmaker knows about film financing, film investors and the film business, the more likely they are to secure their movie financing. Check our guide to Film Production Financing Terms Glossary

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Why You Can't Find Film Investors

Film Investors on FilmProposals

If you're convinced you can take the lazy approach to finding film investors by searching the internet and emailing people with something like, "I have a great project, email or call me," then skip this article. If you've tried this and found it hasn't worked for you...then this article about really understanding Why You Can't Find Film Investors may just be for you.

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Preparing for Film Investors

Preparing for Film Investors

Film Investor Guide

Film Investor Guide

While our FilmProposals Bundles & Toolkits will save you hundreds of hours with prewritten text and templates and speed up your learning curve by showing you how to complete complicated financial projections, there is still a lot of information to process. We designed this FREE Film Business Plan Course to be sent once per week to break the process of writing your business plan into manageable pieces, and to keep you accountable and focused. In case you can't see the sign up form, try here.

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Coming Through the Rye

Just want to thank you for your materials and help over the past year. I could not have raised the $1.5 million or made this film without the materials you provided. The bargain of my career!
- James Sadwith, Producer, Writer, Director, Coming Through the Rye

Inside Sportfishing

Finished my deck on Friday. Got it into a few potential investor’s hands over the weekend, and by Monday had 3 out of the 10 available memberships spoken for at $160K each. The revenue projections and film comparable services by NASH, along with the business plan and pitch deck templates were instrumental in presenting the project in such a way that financially minded potential investors could understand the movie business, the market and how my project could possibly give them a substantial ROI.

Melissa was amazing throughout the entire process. Always there to answer any questions. Couldn’t have done it without you guys. Can’t thank you enough. Best money I’ve ever spent.
- Michael F, Executive Producer, Inside Sportfishing (Gold + Financials Bundle)