Stage 32 4-Part Class: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Producing a $1 to $3 Million Movie
Summary
This class has a 100% satisfaction rating!
Learn how from a successful producer of over 45 film and television projects with Netflix, Disney, Sony, Paramount, HBO, Showtime, and more.
Get a downloadable finance plan including the revenue waterfall, profit participation structure, an option agreement & pay or play offer
PLEASE NOTE: Although this exclusive Stage 32 class is no longer live and the teacher is not available on email, we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.
Is your desire for your script to one day be acquired by an established company holding you back from producing it yourself? You may want to really think about producing your movie independently. We are in a moment in time where independent films are making a big comeback and the industry is eager to support the indie filmmaker.
The truth is some of the greatest returns in filmmaking come from making a film for $1 to $3 million. Producing isn’t easy, but if you can create a quality story and project, then you can attract talent, build a great package, and win over investors.
In this exclusive Stage 32 4-part on-demand class, you’ll learn the step-by-step process of producing a film with a budget of $1 to $3 million that can sell and generate profit.
Over four on-demand sessions, you’ll cover how to make your project attractive to investors and talent, how to ensure your film gets the best sales distribution, how to finance it, and how to avoid pitfalls and eliminate risks during the filmmaking process. By the end of this class, you will walk away knowing how to make your film a reality and make money doing it.
You’ll also receive exclusive handouts, including an adjustable finance plan for low-budget films, an option agreement, and a sample “pay or play” offers to attach your cast and director.
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 top-tier talent, 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 will share with you her deep industry knowledge for domestic and international markets at every budget level.
Learn how to bring your film to life on your terms and make your biggest goal a reality!
PLUS! You will receive downloadable:
- Adjustable finance plans for low-budget films, including the revenue waterfall and profit participation structure
- Sample “Option Agreement” to secure rights
- Sample “Pay or Play” offer to attach cast and director
PRAISE FOR JEANNETTE'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.
"Truly an eye-opening course. In today's film market, it makes all the sense in the world to make your own film and Jeanette shoed me how." -- Mark M.
What You'll Learn
Session 1: Create a Project That Sells and Delivers on Screen
Not every genre and not every script works for distribution in the US and abroad. Knowing what kinds of stories sell is the essential first step. Securing and protecting the idea is as important as developing a strong script that can attract meaningful talent, distribution, and financing. It is critically important to know how to break down that script into a budget that delivers a high production quality as well as a commercial film.
- What sells where - Choose the right genre that sells in the US and abroad
- The Rights - Secure the rights to a project and apply the most optimal terms
- The Story - Develop a strong story and apply techniques that help sell it
- Packaging – Attract the right director and cast, and apply appropriate terms
- Budgeting – Important steps to consider when budgeting a low-budget script
Q&A with Jeannette
Session 2: Sales and Distribution
Low-budget films have the advantage in that they can make a huge profit from distribution. But they often also have the disadvantage of not getting any distribution at all. A large percentage of low-budget films never make it on the silver screen. In this week’s session, we’ll discuss the steps low-budget producers should know to make sure they get distribution and what options are available to optimize distribution revenues.
- Distribution – Understand your options for distribution, and avoid the most common pitfalls
- Distribution Value – Understand the value of your film in the marketplace today
- Sales Agents – Understand why you need one, where to find one, and optimize your terms in working with sales agents
- Streamers – Understand the reality of selling your film to a streamer in today's marketplace
- Financing from Distribution – Understand how you can make money before your film is shot
Q&A with Jeannette
Session 3: Financing Low-Budget Films
While low-budget films have a huge upside, it is not easy to secure funding for them. Knowing what steps to take to identify the finance sources that work best for low-budget films and choosing a project and a distribution path that works for investors and other financing partners is essential in securing funding for a low-budget film. In this week’s session, we’ll identify the various finance sources that are available today, how they fit best together to optimize profits, and what steps to take to secure them for your low-budget project.
- Finance sources today- Learn about the sources to finance a low-budget film in today's market
- Optimize profits – Understand the steps during the financing process that lead you to optimize profits.
- Attract investors – Learn what finance plans work with investors and how you establish them
- Protect revenues – Understand the steps you must take to protect revenues when your film is produced, and money comes in
Q&A with Jeannette
Session 4: Avoid Pitfalls & Mitigate Risks
When you go out with your film project and talk to investors, you often find yourself fighting against Hollywood’s generally negative reputation when it comes to film financing and making a profit. That conversation can change when investors realize you understand the risks and know how to mitigate them and make a profit with the project. This week you’ll learn about important terms and conditions that protect you from pitfalls, help establish profits, and enable you to answer tough questions from investors, so they feel good about investing in your film.
- Pitfalls – Learn how to identify and avoid pitfalls in production, distribution, and financing
- Risks – Identify the risks associated with every step -- from the inception of an idea to development, packaging, financing, production, distribution, and revenue protection -- and know how to mitigate them.
- Investor deals – Understand what deals investors prefer, what industry standards dictate, what’s best for you and
- your project, and how to balance it all to get the most optimal deal.
- Your project business plan – Understand what your project’s business plan needs to include to secure the funding for your project.
Q&A with Jeannette
Handouts:
- Adjustable finance plans for low-budget films, including the revenue waterfall and profit participation structure
- Sample “Option Agreement” to secure rights
- Sample “Pay or Play” offer to attach cast and director
PLEASE NOTE: Although this exclusive Stage 32 class is no longer live and the teacher is not available on email, we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.
Who Should Attend
Producers who want to better understand how to best produce a $1-$3MM independent film.
All levels of filmmakers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to produce a $1-$3MM independent film.
All levels of filmmakers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn the craft of producing $1-$3MM independent films.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to write films that can be made for a $1-$3MM budget.
Actors who want to take control of their careers by producing a $1-$3MM independent 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 JEANNETTE'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.
"Truly an eye-opening course. In today's film market, it makes all the sense in the world to make your own film and Jeanette shoed me how." -- Mark M.
Credits
