Today at 1pm PT, Stage 32 is bringing in international film finance executive David Zannoni to teach you how you can utilize escrow accounts to help finance your film projects.

One of the most powerful tools you have to quell investor anxiety is the use of escrow accounts for your investment funds. An escrow account is essentially a holding account for funds raised that only allows the funds to be dispersed once certain criteria are met. But how are these accounts used for film and television financing and how can they help you with your project?

In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, David will teach you how escrow accounts for film projects work and why they are an essential tool in closing financial transactions such as funding physical production, closing deals with talent or licensing the finished product to distributors.

And remember, if you cannot attend David's webinar live you can always register for it and email your questions for David in advance to edu@stage32.com and you'll have access to watch the webinar as many times as you like in the "My Education" tab in your profile. Here's a link so you can see how David has designed his webinar and register for it today: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/How-To-Utilize-Escrow-Accounts-To-Finan...

I've been working on my web/television series pilot for nearly a decade. It started out as a text-based serial online in 2003 and ended up with 81 installments uploaded. In 2006, I adapted the first three installments to create a pilot episode teleplay. In 2008, I assembled a cast and crew, most who'd had little to no filmmaking experience, and we shot that script for $800. It debuted online in November of 2009. Since then, I've been trying to take the next step by self-producing a re-shoot of that episode and continuing as a web series. I’ve completed a total of six episode teleplays and have the seventh in the works. After a disastrous experience with an independent production company, I've decided I want to get the treatment/script into the hands of professionals who can secure funding and produce it properly, either as a web series or a pilot for television. I've learned a lot about filmmaking over the past few years, and have definitely learned from my mistakes and those of others. I've also worked on other people's projects in the Western North Carolina region. I enjoy reading other people’s scripts and giving feedback. I also welcome input on my works. I love to network and am always happy to meet people with shared interests. The project is titled "Tomorrow Waits For No One," and the treatment may be found on my projects page.

JOIN ME TONIGHT OR TOMORROW AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU NETORK FOREVER...AND I CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NETWORK Sure you can stay at home, work late, send off a few more emails or go on that blind date with great hope for your future, or you can show up and meet a roomful of cool people. So what’s it gonna be? I hope you will come to meet these people and to help yourself and them to do better. Come see why over 14,000 people have attended and how we have helped 100’s of people find jobs, resources, funding and connections! Tonight we are at Hyperslow in Los Angeles Tomorrow we are at Pom & Olive in Costa Mesa Tickets are always available for each event on our website until 6:00pm day of the event, or are available for 10 dollars more at the door until 7:00pm. Please take a look at our Website, read the reviews, join our groups and social media pages on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter; and share this with others at TheArtofActiveNetworking.com The power of us working together is greater than anything we can accomplish alone! Be Well, Be Creative, Be Great! -Mark E. Sackett Creative Director / Executive Producer / Director / Public Speaker Mobile 415-602-9500 Check out my TEDxFultonStreet talk in New York City. It's all about my networking efforts here at 'The Art of Active Networking' and on why we sort, why I do it and why it's important for all of us!

I've finished my 155,140 word novel.I feel like a woman that's pregnant. The excitement of getting started was fun. Then once I realized what it involves,I asked myself " why did I get myself into this?" Then further on down the line I knew I had to except it ,so I nurtured the characters, and finally when my stomach started cramping, I realized that I was going into labor. I pushed out the final two words (the end) and I realized that a novel has been born and I was so excited that it was all over. I became the father of a brand new baby science fiction novel called :OUT THERE. Now here I go again. I have this urge to start a crowd funding project where the people can help me get started this time. Where will it lead me? Well, I have to have faith that it will lead me to my destiny.To start my own business of writing,producing ect... I just need the help of the people to get me started. I have my latest book on amazon as an ebook on kindle called TRANSHUMAN ,along with 15 other books. So you see,i've been doing this by myself but with your help I can go further. So please,make a pledge of anything.My goal is $25,000 by June 15th. Here are the links so you know that I am serious.Watch my video and you decide.Thank you all and God bless you all. Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/kevindoyburton Link: amazon.com/author/kevindoyburton

INCEPTION meets GHOST.

THE DREAMERS

A Sleep Technologist, in a coma after being overdosed on an experimental lucid dream drug, must team up with her husband and a mysterious young man in the dreamworld to bring her power mad colleague to justice.

Black List Evaluation:

"With its ability to build an imaginative world, THE DREAMERS skillfully plays around with elements of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND while still creating something wholly its own, giving this a chance to resonate with a wide variety of audiences. First and foremost, the dream world is clearly our script's strongest component, providing us with creative backdrops that will translate to the screen beautifully, and infusing the material with an "anything can happen" type spirit that constantly keeps the audience on its toes. We also get a nicely defined set of rules here as the group works with limited time to retrace their steps ... there's a massive amount of potential here for unique visuals and in-depth character exploration, providing a lot to like for a potential buyer."

No funding or attachments. A lower budget than my previous screenplay Dead Future, which got a 9 out of 10 on its first Black List evaluation. Happy to share the script and answer any questions.

This is a major IP and AI production drive, for Iconic Arts.

“Iconic Arts, a new Transmedia entertainment studio launched by Steven Haddadian, Alec Roth, Matthew Medney, Mo Yazdani, and Jack Sheehan, announced it raised $3.1 million in funding at a $20 million pre-seed valuation. The company also opened its doors in LA and Tokyo.”

Should we be worried at the gap between a pre-seed valuation and the amount raised? Does that mean it’s over-valued or under-funded for what the company is hoping to create? Or is this totally normal in terms of speculative Transmedia companies?

The founder had this to say:

Motoki Tani (who was previously the Head of Trading at JP Morgan and Managing Director at Hong Kong-based Millennium)

“We are applying a Silicon Valley approach to the hit-driven models of Hollywood and gaming studios, cutting costs and risks in developing original IP, with timeless storytelling at the heart of our business.”

We wait to see how this company develops a synergy between AI and its IP to attract an audience.

Join me in san Francisco on Monday night in San Francisco!

How are ya?

You are 5 months into what is supposed to be the best year of your life! So I want to know how you are, if you are getting what you want, if you are giving what you want and if you are happy?

If not, let's chat. I believe you will waste every second of your time at networking events, in meetings and at work if you are not in a state of giving, and if you don't do that and you are not happy, then you are just going through the motions and buying time til...

Think it over. I have spent part of my life doing just that same thing. Once I changed my attitude and my approach everything shifted for me. So I would like to invite you to make a few simple shifts for yourself.

I get it, you have the same excuses as everyone:

Going to San Francisco is to far to drive....aggggg the traffic!

I already have a prior committment.

But my guy, but my girl, but my kids, but my homework, but my class, but my script, but my funding, but my crew, but my dinner, but my email...

They are all excuses for why we struggle, habit is comfortable, it easier to NOT do something than to consider a change. I'm the king of procrastination, I like my comfortable little universe. And a secret? Some mornings I wake up and say, "With all I have to do, The Art of Active Networking is tonight?" How am I going to get through it? And then you all arrive, and it turns out every time to be awesome, and I am renewed.

I have my Buts, you have your Buts...Let's get off our big "Buts" and help each other!

The event is Monday night, tickets are on our Meetup Groups or on our site: http://www.TheArtofActiveNetworking.com

Call me with any questions: 415-602-9500

Mark E. Sackett

The reason I wanted to get some input on my feature film in development is because it is very unique and has a niche market. So, I am trying to figure out the right approach to getting it funded. A brief description first. The plot is about a journalist who makes a trip to india to write about each of the previous Dalai Lamas (the present is 14th) including how they were found as the reincarnation of the previous one. The journalist meets a mysterious woman on the plane and his search for her leads us through the spiritual journey. It also shows us contemporary life of tibetans in india who still practice the ancient traditions. So, in a way it is like citizen kane in story telling structure albeit here the flash backs are of 14 people (Dalai lamas). So, we will be reenacting mystical ancient stories which is major portion of the film besides the journalist's story. I am thinking to cast a decent TV actor to the play the journalist if not a star to attract financing. Do you think that is the right path? I am also exploring the support base of Tibetans including going to people like Richard Gere for support but they seem to be exhausted by all the fund raising going on in the community. So, investing in a movie seems to be furthest from their mind. Kundun got made because of Malisa (Harison Ford's wife) and Martin. I am writer/ director/producer all rolled in one right now with no name to attract studios or investors but I have full insight of the story and support from the Dalai Lama. My dilemma is not about utlilizing all the avenues possible to make this film since independent film making is about grabbing everything possible to make a project, my confusion is which is better and has more likely shot and thus should begin with first. (1) Go through traditional route with attachments, distribution, sales agent, etc. or (2) through crowd funding. Thank you for your input in advance. Pema

Hello, This is Jimena! I am Mexican-born, but I reside in Sydney and have also lived in France, for which I also 'respond' to Chimène =) Right this minute I am fine tunning the script to my latest film project, 'Rebeca', to be shot in the estate of Carricitos, in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. To be shot from the 18th to the 21st March 2016, 'Rebeca' has been written and produced, and will be directed by myself, and is based on an anecdote of my late father's: Matt is a vegan, anglo-saxon veterinarian who resides in northern Mexico.  On his way to a ranch in order to tend to a mare who is giving birth, his car breaks down on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Almost like a miracle, he crosses paths with a goat herder, who by means of sheer Mexican creativity, fixes Matt's car, and offers Matt to sell him one of his goats; feeling in debt with the goat herder, Matt agrees to buy the goat, under the sole condition that he will pick the goat up, on his way back to town -after all, his five year-old child would love a new pet.  The goat herder agrees with Matt, and promises to 'leave the goat ready' for Matt to collect, the day after.  However, both men's cultural differences lead to a terrible misunderstanding, thus Matt's naïveté leads him to believe he will pick up the goat as a pet... whereas the pragmatic goat herder, indeed leaves the goat ready... for a barbecue. Behind a narrative filled with black humour that characterises my people, the film is a meditation of the socio-economic differences represented by both characters, which may (and do) lead to rather, euh, inconvenient  misunderstandings. I am currently holding a crowd-funding campaign: if you like what you just read, visit this link to chip in: https://ozcrowd.com/campaigns/rebeca/#.VsvPNzYrKHo More info for you to decide? jimepuente@gmail.com