Hello lovely people! A few friends and i have started to create an animated series and soon after that, a few shorts. We suddenly saw ourselves looking for more people and more equipment to help take on the workload. There seemed to be a natural inclination towards expanding and possibly starting a small production company. Does anyone have any tips on what essentials may be needed? A business plan for reference, particularly on the financial side of things, would be a huge help. If you could teach me how to prepare the financial data, even better.
Stay safe out there!
Just to clarify, I’m curious about the financing itself, not so much about shorts making money
2 people like this
Matt, it seems you have so much work to do. To breakdown the business plan, you need to ask yourselves 3 questions. Where are we? Where do we want to go? and most importantly, 3- How to get there? The answer to each of the above questions will be the foundation of your business plan. Your initial mentality, however, should circle around "Break Even" (often abbreviated as B/E in finance, is the point of balance making neither a profit nor a loss. Any number below the break-even point constitutes a loss while any number above it shows a profit. The term originates in finance but the concept has been applied in other fields). List everything you have, everything you need - Every expense you've had + every expense "You Know" you'll have. Ad 15-20% to the figure you come up with and that's what you need to have to cover your hidden expense (and believe me you'll have many of them) in the beginning. To finance your project, you guys need help. Financial help. How to get it? This is where "Marketing" will come in. Study 5 Ps of marketing. Study them very well. Product/Place/Production/People/Promotion. Apply them to encourage sponsors and financiers. You need them as you are far away from earning yet. Building a business, Any Kind of Business is just like building a house. One Brick over another Brick. Slowly & carefully. Write down everything. Even when you drink a glass of water. You need to record everything. You are going to need it in the future. Sorry, my fingers are tired. I will continue later.
Ben Gilani This is amazing. I would love to talk more about this with you. I've seen and typed a few business plans for some start-ups but so far I have had no references for film based plans.
Sorry, dude, but you can't make a business plan out of something that's doomed as a business.
However, you may be able to get investors for your company... but that's a different thing entirely and you'll have to weigh up the pros and cons of that yourself.
My apologies, I read it wrong - I thought that you were after info on making a business plan to raise money to make short films... which are notoriously non-profitable.
haha I should have clarified. I think I got it somewhat figure out now :) Thanks for all your help and input!
1 person likes this
Here are some resources. (Stage 32, Sba.gov and Score.org)
Awesome Tasha! Thanks! :)
Your Welcome Matt.