Film Financing Today: How to Finance a Film Between $5MM-$10MM
Summary
Learn how to make a profitable film under $10MM from a producer who's worked with NETFLIX and LIONSGATE
Get a finance plan template, CAMA agreement, story rights agreement and pay or play offer template
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 STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1, TAROT, 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 profitability and success?
Without a deep understanding of financing, you risk making costly missteps. A lack of preparation can lead to challenges such as securing inadequate funding, mismanaging budgets, or failing to protect the interests of your investors. These pitfalls can derail your project and cost you opportunities. This webinar aims to equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate these challenges effectively, ensuring your films are financially viable and successful in today’s competitive market.
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 that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million.
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will explore key topics such as the differences between studio and independent financing models, current market demands, and strategic distribution options. You will learn how to secure and structure financing for films in the $5 million to $10 million range, mitigate financial risks, and create high-quality, marketable films. You will walk away with practical tools, including finance plan templates and sample agreements, empowering you to confidently produce films that can succeed both critically and commercially.
PLUS! You'll get these downloadable 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.
What You'll Learn
Industry Overview: The Independent Film Finance Model vs the Studio Finance Model
- Comparing the studio finance model with the independent finance model
- Why do studios no longer produce films in the $5MM–$10MM range
- Why producers stepped in to produce $5MM–$10MM films that can find theatrical distribution
The Marketplace Today
- Learn why the marketplace today is looking for films in the $5mm-$10mm budget range
- Understand what films are being bought today, and by whom.
- Learn what projects to choose and why
- Learn how to protect your project (and your investor)
- Verify the demand for your film before producing it
Distribution Options for $5MM-$10MM Films
- Choose the right distribution option for your film in view of optimizing distribution revenues
- Distribution in theaters, with streamers, co-productions, and licensing
- Understand the importance of presales
- Pitfalls of Distribution
Financing a $5MM-$10MM Film
- Understand what finance sources are available today and how to secure them
- Learn how to structure your financial plan to achieve profits
- Understand the financial risks you and your investors face and learn how to mitigate them
Understand the Importance of Creating Value with Your Film
- Understand high-quality production with feasible budgeting
- Understand how to spend money in the right places, and where you must save money
- Understand who to develop a story that sells
- Elevate the value of your project by attaching the right talent
Q&A with Jeanette
Take Away Documents
- Excel Finance Plan Template
- Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement
- Sample story rights agreement (option)
- Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play)
Who Should Attend
All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn learn the finance, production, and distribution options for your mid-budget film.
All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn the finance, production, and distribution options for your mid-budget film.
Producers looking to learn the finance, production, and distribution options for your mid-budget film.
Actors looking to learn the finance, production, and distribution options for your mid-budget film.
Executive
Jeanette B. Milio is a veteran producer and entertainment finance expert with over 25 years of experience in film and television across the U.S., Europe, and beyond. She has overseen the development and production of more than 50 projects with a combined production volume exceeding $250 million. As CEO of Alliance Cinema, she structures equity investments, debt financing, and content library strategies, with investments supporting productions totaling over $60 million to date.
Her work includes collaborations with Academy Award®-winning talent, and her credits span major studios and platforms such as Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros., HBO, Showtime, ABC/Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, National Geographic, and others.
Select credits include: “Timeshare” starring Timothy Dalton and Nastassja Kinski (ABC/Disney, Freevee), “13” starring Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Michael Shannon, and 50 Cent (Paramount Vantage/Amazon), “The Experiment” starring Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker (Sony Pictures, Netflix), “Dark Tide” starring Halle Berry (Lionsgate, Amazon, Apple TV), “Global Beauty Masters” (TLC) and its spin-off “The Look: All Stars” (CW Network), “Operation Hidden Treasures” (Discovery Channel, American Heroes Channel), “Dog Whisperer” (National Geographic Channel, Disney+), “Dog Masters”, an original series created and produced by Jim and Jeanette Milio, currently in production and the non-profit documentary series “C-Story”, which is currently in production.
Ms. Milio is the author of “Entertainment Finance Today”, a widely adopted industry guide to financing and distributing media content. She advises producers, lenders, and investors and regularly consults for platforms including Netflix and Amazon Studios on development, finance structuring, and feasibility. She also designs and leads customized finance seminars for funds and media companies, including Netflix and Amazon.
A recipient of the Distinguished Instructor Award at UCLA Extension’s Entertainment Studies Program, she is a frequent speaker at industry events and institutions including Stage32, the Cannes Film Festival, the American Film Market, and others.
In 2025, she and her husband co-founded Perfection In Progress (PIP) Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to producing mission-driven content that fosters empathy, environmental awareness, and social impact.
Testimonials
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.
Credits
