Your Step-by-Step Guide to Producing a $1 to $3 Million Movie
Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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Joshua Finn Jeanette's class was amazing! This really felt like a master class more than a Lab. Highly recommend. Also, Jeanette's love for film financing really shines through. What could be a dry topic, Jeanette makes very fun and enjoyable.
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Film Financing Today: How to Finance a Film Between $1MM-$3MM
With numerous financing options available and platforms for distribution, there's never been a better time for $3 million and under films from great new talent. With guidance from a producer and financier on over 45 films and television projects, you won't have to wait for a studio green light to bring your low-budget film to reality. Is your desire for your script to be a commercial film holding you back from producing it yourself? Are you overwhelmed by the thought of coming up with those big numbers and convinced only a big studio could bring your project to life? Whether you're making an intimate character study or a high-concept comedy, there's no need to wait to produce your film. Investors and producers avoid films in the $1 to $3 million range as these lower budgets are riskier, but the returns have the greatest rewards if you produce them correctly. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you'll learn the optimal way to finance your $1 to $3 million film and make a profit by choosing the best project for the market, attaching great talent to build a package, and assembling a great business plan that attracts investors. You'll understand the financing, production, and distribution options available to low-budget films, how to secure and structure the various finance sources, and how to optimize distribution agreements. Showing you the ropes is acclaimed producer Jeanette Milio, who has worked on over 45 film and television projects with major studios and producers, such as Netflix, Disney, Sony, Paramount, HBO, Showtime, and many more. Her films have starred major stars, including Academy Award-winning performers Halle Berry, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, and Mickey Rourke. As a member of the Producer's Guild of America, Women in Film, and the Cannes Film Festival Producer's Network, Jeanette has deep industry knowledge for domestic and international markets at every budget level. Jeannette brings extraordinary knowledge for your benefit and will be available for questions so that you can ask for information specific to your project. You'll also have access to the recording to revisit the lessons and be provided with exclusive handouts from Jeanette, including: Financial Planning Tools Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement Sample story rights agreement (option) Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play) Praise for Jeanette's Previous Stage 32 Teaching: "Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." -- Phillip F. "This webinar is truly amazing and informative. Jeanette is such an expert!" -- Margaret M. "She was very knowledgable, thorough and wise. The content was well organized and she explained things well. I learned a lot." --Heidi H. "I finally learned the language of the banks. I had operated in lower budget arenas where 100% equity was the name of the game. As I move up in budget range, having a working knowledge of where the money comes from , when it comes, and what it is called (as well as what it costs) made this worthwhile. What I didn't learn (because time ran out) was the HOW." -- JK "I've been trying to figure out how to make a low budget film and didn't realize how much I DIDN'T know until I took this course from Jeanette. Thank you for your wisdom and guidance." -- Zachary M.
Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How To Write a TV Series To Budget
Netflix and Stage 32 have partnered on an exclusive global education series in an effort to democratize the worldwide entertainment industry. Together, over the course of 5 webcasts Stage 32's world class educators will bring their knowledge of what it takes to write, develop and produce today's television for the Stage 32 and Netflix creator community. In our second webinar in series, we are going to talk about how you can effectively write a TV series to budget. More television than ever is being made and consumed. With streamers like Netflix looking for new, exciting, original stories from all over the world to produce, you have to put yourself in the best position to make sure your story stands out. But, the truth is that an intriguing story in today's marketplace is not enough. You have to look at the practicalities of making your story into a television series, and with that, you have to think about how what you write will affect the budget. Getting a clear understanding of how to think about budget when you are writing will help give you the competitive advantage you need to get you closer to your greenlight. To help you is Jeanette B. Milio, a producer who has worked on over 500 hours of film and television content in the US, Europe, Dubai and South Africa. She produced the Netflix Original THE EXPERIMENT starring Adrian Brody and Forrest Whittaker and has worked with ABC/Disney, USA, Showtime, TLC, CW, Discovery, Lionsgate, Paramount and more. She has also consulted for the international co-production department of Warner Bros. in the U.S. and Germany, which was focused on producing local feature content in Europe. In this exclusive Stage 32 + Netflix webinar, Jeanette will go in-depth on how to think about your characters, locations and scenes when you are writing to give your script the best chance of being produced. She will go over how decisions you make at the script stage have a trickledown effect that affect an entire production and how you, as a writer, can be a valuable member of the team by thinking about these things as you are writing your story. She will break down writing exercises you can use to apply to your characters and locations and give you handouts that you can use to apply to your own script. You will walk away with a clearer understanding of how you can give your story a competitive advantage by thinking through characters, locations and scenes as you are writing. Some examples will be used from notable TV shows on network, cable, and streaming platforms including: ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING SQUID GAME MADMEN THE BOYS EUPHORIA QUEEN'S GAMBIT SUPERSTORE PLUS! you will receive the following worksheets to help you analyze your own script: Character Trait Breakdown sheet Location Sheet Note: You will receive the Zoom link to login by the morning of the webinar. If you are not yet a member of the Stage 32 community, we encourage you to join the community today at www.stage32.com, it is FREE! You will instantly connect with over 800,000 creatives and professionals in the entertainment industry from all over the world who use Stage 32 to network, find work, learn and develop their projects. YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO.
Film Financing Today: How to Finance a Film Between $5MM-$10MM
Learn how to make a profitable film under $10MM from a producer who's worked with NETFLIX and LIONSGATE Some of the most profitable and most award winning films in recent years have been movies made for a budget between $5MM-$10MM. Feature films like The Big Sick, Moonlight, and the megahit Get Out were all made for less than $10MM but grossed 10 or even 20 times their initial investment. So how do you position your film and make the best use of your $5MM-$10MM budget for profitablity and success? In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, an industry expert will show you the finance, production, and distribution options for your mid-budget film. The market has been hot for this budget level of films, and it's on innovative filmmakers like yourself to fill in the void and bring your unique perspective to audiences. Providing her experience and insight in finance and producing is Jeanette Milio. She has worked on over 45 films and television programs for companies like Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, and many more. Her projects have also starred Academy Award-winning performers, including Halle Berry, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, and Mickey Rourke. She's also a member of the Producer's Guild of America, Women in Film, and the Cannes Film Festival Producer's Network and structured her own media fund in 2009 that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million. Jeanette's providing her vast experience for your benefit and will answer any questions from those who attend the live webinar. You'll also have access to the recording for future viewings to ensure that you don't miss any information that can benefit your production. You'll also walk away with these exclusive handouts from Jeanette: Excel Finance Plan Template Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement Sample story rights agreement (option) Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play) PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S TEACHINGS: "Jeanette is dynamite. Her knowledge level on financing is spectacular!" - Anne R. "Outstanding with real information." -Jamie J. "She is fantastic. I feel like it should be a two-part event." -Talaya G. "Jeanette was terrific, very informative, receptive to questions, and spoke from experience." -Gio S.
Stage 32 6 Part Producing Lab: Create A Business Plan For Your Feature Film Under $5 Million
ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT - GRAB YOUR SPOT NOW! Create the business plan for your feature film with a budget under $5 million under the mentorship of Jeanette Milio, a producer and financier of over 45 films with Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, and more! ***Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and you will have direct access to Jeanette on email to ask her any questions so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details Films under a $5 million budget can be very profitable and, thus, a very attractive opportunity for investors. Films in this budget range allow for sufficient costs to hire a recognizable lead actor and pay for sufficient below the line production to create a quality product, all while remaining at a low overall budget so the film can make significant profit through various distribution avenues. This winning combination elevates profitability significantly and reduces the risks for investors. However, investors aren’t just going to give you millions of dollars because you’re making a low budget feature film. Investors want to see a strong business plan for a project, which lays out their risks, offers mitigation strategies and projects a meaningful return on investment. If you are going to raise money for your film, it is imperative that you approach your investors with a comprehensive business plan. In this exclusive and interactive Stage 32 6-part lab, you will work directly with an industry leader to create your business plan for your feature film that you can use to pitch to your investors. Your business plan will include everything your investors need to properly understand to decide to invest in your film, including the creative aspects of your project to the ideal distribution strategy, detailed financials, as well as risk mitigation and profit optimization strategies. Your business plan will also include various options for your investor to choose from, and it will offer different phases to invest in including the development phase, the physical production and the finishing costs. Guiding you through the creation of your business plan is producer and financier Jeanette Milio. Jeanette has worked on over 45 films and television programs for companies like Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, and many more. Her projects have also starred Academy Award-winning performers, including Halle Berry, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, and Mickey Rourke. Jeanette is a member of the Producers Guild of America, Women in Film, and the Cannes Film Festival Producer's Network and structured her own media fund in 2009 that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million. Over 6 interactive sessions, including 2 one-on-one sessions with Jeanette and a practice pitch session, you will learn what should (and shouldn’t) be in your business plan and actually create your own business plan for your project. You will learn about the different investment options you can present to your investors, including investments as a loan, and an equity investment. You will walk away from this film finance lab with the business plan for your project in-hand that has been vetted by an industry professional and is ready to present to investors! PLUS! You’ll receive exclusive handouts to help you create your business plan. Downloads include: Financial Planning Tools Business Plan Example Adjustable Worldwide Distribution Revenue Projection Template If you are looking to raise money for your feature film project with a budget under $5 million, this lab is a must! PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION: "Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." --Phillip F. "Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." -- Letty L. "I learned so much from Jeanette and highly recommend you work with her!" -- Kaitlin L.
How To Finance And Produce Your Under $5 Million Feature Film In Today’s Marketplace
Learn how to produce your $5 million and under feature film from a producer who has projects with Paramount, Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate, and Showtime! PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts including financial planning tools, a sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement, a sample story rights agreement (option), and sample talent offers for your director and cast (pay-or-play). You may be surprised to hear this, but most producers find it much harder to put together a low-budget feature film than a medium or high-budget film. The reason is that low-budget films are riskier for investors and producers. With a high budget studio tentpole film, there's a certain level of guarantee that large audiences will flock to the film. However, on lower budget films, getting eyeballs on it is not always a given. That said, low budget films have a great upside - both financially and creatively - if done the right way. The trick is to know how to do it right. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you will learn the optimal way to finance a film under $5 million, and generate a profit. Teaching you everything you need to know about making a low-budget film under $5 million is producer, executive producer, and financier of motion pictures and television programming Jeanette Milio. Jeanette has worked on three continents across all budget ranges and has firsthand knowledge and experience to give you on under $5 million film projects. She has worked on over 500 hours of film and television content in the US, Europe, Dubai and South Africa, with a combined total production value of over $250 million. She produced the Netflix Original THE EXPERIMENT starring Adrian Brody and Forrest Whittaker and has worked with ABC/Disney, USA, Showtime, TLC, CW, Discovery, Lionsgate, Paramount, and more. You will learn the finance, production, and distribution options available for low-budget films today, how to secure and structure the various finance sources and how to optimize distribution agreements. You will learn what genre, and what types of stories, to focus on in this budget range, and what genres tend to be easier to sell (and which are harder to sell). Jeanette will teach you how to go about attaching talent and how talent can impact your project – positively and negatively. You will also learn how you can create a feasible budget with the script you have that you can take to investors. PLUS! Jeanette will provide you with exclusive handouts to help you in making your low-budget film. Downloads include: Financial Planning Tools Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement Sample story rights agreement (option) Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play) If you're looking to make a low-budget feature film under $5 million, then this webinar taught by an industry pro is a must! PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION: "Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." - Phillip F. "Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." - Letty L.
Film Financing Today: The Best Way to Make a Profit with your Film In Today’s Marketplace
Learn how you can make a profit from your film for yourself and your investors in this highly acclaimed on-demand webinar with Jeanette Milio, who has been involved in financing over 45 film and television projects! As an independent filmmaker or producer, you probably start working on a new project for creative reasons—the chance to tell an amazing story, build worlds, create something of cultural value. Yet your independent film is not just a creative endeavor; it’s also a business. You’re sourcing financing and bringing in investors, building a team, and creating a property that will (hopefully) ultimately make money. To operate successfully in the world of independent film and continue to make films that you’re proud of, you need to be able to understand the dynamics and the relation between financing, distribution and recoupment of film investments so you and your investors can both leave with a profit. The business side of films is often especially difficult for filmmakers and creative producers, but it's actually more possible than you think. No matter how big or small your film is, there are multiple ways you can find funding and multiple ways you can ultimately create profitability. And while it might not be second nature for creatives, once you get a handle on how to make this process work for you, you will also be able to create a business model that you can apply to your future projects, and eventually a portfolio of profitable assets (or films) that will serve as an effective and undeniable calling card as you continue to grow in the industry. Over twenty-five years and working across three continents, Jeanette Milio has been involved in the production of over 500 hours of content for film and television, with a total production value of over $250 million, and including Academy Award® winning talent in front of and behind the camera. Throughout her career, Jeanette was involved in financing over 45 film and television projects for HBO, Showtime, ABC, USA Network, Disney, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and others. Jeanette also managed a media fund for Far East National Bank, which funded 40 film and television projects, which lead to her structuring her own media fund that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million. Jeanette’s decades working and finding success in the film industry has given her a unique and unrivaled perspective of how to finance film content and make a profit. Exclusively for Stage 32, Jeanette will give a realistic, accessible, and straightforward presentation of the best way to actually finance your film and make a profit in today’s market. She’ll go over the differences between the studio finance model and independent finance model and then delve into how distribution can work best for you and how you can take advantage of more options than you think. Jeanette will also lay out how you can establish profitability for your film by explaining the essential ingredients necessary for a profit, going over how to create a budget and teaching you how you can best align your interests with the investor’s. Jeanette will break down the financial sources available today and give you tips on how you should be balancing multiple sources and mitigate risks for investors at the same time. She’ll even walk you through the complicated “waterfall” process of recoupment. Financing your film is more possible than you might think, even if you’re just getting started, and Jeanette will give you the tools and confidence to be able to take the necessary steps for your own project. PLUS: Jeanette will provide exclusive and helpful documents to take home with you after, including: Collection Account Management Agreement Example Pay or Play Offer Draft Finance Plan Template for Microsoft Excel Praise for Jeanette's Stage 32 Webinar: “This was an excellent overview of all that is involved, and a great encouragement to reach out to people who do this kind of thing for a living, instead of trying to do it by myself for the first time.” - Sarah D. “Jeanette was so detailed about the how to's and why you need to take and research every step. I love getting the details that really feel behind the curtain.” - Melissa B. “I liked it. Specifically, the content. Jeanette was very informative and clearly knows her stuff.” - Crystal B. “Explanation of pre-sales and budget breakdown was very informative.” - Roc R.
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