Developing & Financing Family and Faith Based Projects
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Webinar hosted by: Anne Marie Gillen and Nikki Hevesy
Producers with over 20 years of experience
With a background in both Judaism and Christianity, Nikki views things in the faith community from a broad vantage point, doing development and consulting with artists and projects seeking to integrate faith-based elements into mainstream media and content. She has also worked in film marketing as campaign, strategy and project manager on feature film and TV movie releases with Motive Marketing, a Los Angeles based marketing company that has spear-headed the success as such blockbusters as Son of God, The Passion of the Christ, Chronicles of Narnia, United 93, and Rocky Balboa, among others. In addition to shorts, docs, multi-camera projects, promos, music videos and theatre, Nikki has also produced & directed media projects with number of religious organizations and ministries, including Wycliffe Bible Translators, Open Door Church of San Francisco, Foursquare International, Chosen People Ministries and others. For 6 years, Nikki partnered with BEACON (Bel Air Entertainment and Arts Community), serving on their leadership team. During her tenure, she tracked the emergence of the faith-based market boom as they hosted dozens of above the line talent, who examined integrating faith into their work in Hollywood film and TV. Over the years, Nikki has also directed and / or produced over 50 stage plays, musicals & numerous original works, including writing and directing a one person musical for the National Theatre of Uganda. As Founding Artistic Director of City Light Performing Arts Company in San Francisco, her company produced large scale musicals engaging over 150+ Bay Area Churches in both production and outreach. Nikki has spoken or presented in over 250 churches and community groups across the country. Nikki holds a degree in Theology and Biblical Literature from Simpson College and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the University of Southern California. She has lectured and taught both privately and at several colleges and universities, including Pepperdine, LA Valley College, Azusa Pacific, and others. She has been a contributing member to the think tank at the global Visual Story Network, a member of the Biola Studio Task Force (15 years), sat on the Hollywood Entertainment Ministries leadership council (11 years) and currently serves on the executive alum board of Harvey Fellows (a philanthropic scholarly and arts academic fellowship tapping into culture shapers and influencers across the world). She is currently developing and consulting on TV, & Film projects under her company Through the Glass Productions and has been in production on A Violence Disrupted, a TV doc special for PBS SoCal, on Gang Intervention. Her dramatic series on this same topic was recently selected for development through the PGA diversity program. Anne Marie Gillen: Anne Marie is a consultant and executive coach to independent producers and equity investors advising on script evaluation, business plans, financing, worldwide distribution and single film and/or film company cash flow projections – her motto is "Fusing Business & Creativity." Clients in the faith and family genre have been Mission Pictures International and Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment. As a producer, she has produced films ranging from studio fare (Fried Green Tomatoes), to passion projects (Under Suspicion starring Morgan Freeman & Gene Hackman) and low-budget indies (Into Temptation starring Jeremy Sisto & Kristin Chenoweth). Her films have premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, New York Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, and been nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Independent SpiritAwardsand DGAAwards. Anne Marie is a lecturer and panelist and gives workshop seminars for such organizations as: AFM; Bloomberg BNA, Puerto Rico Film Commission, California Lawyers for the Arts, NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers), Pratt University, UCLA Film School, USC Film School and Chapman University. Prior to launching her own company, Anne Marie was the Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Freeman’s company, Revelations Entertainment. She led the company in the strategic financing and distribution of Revelations’ projects. Anne Marie is the co-author of the 3rd edition of The Producer’s Business Handbook – published by Focal Press and co-branded by Variety. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn directly from Nikki Hevesy and Anne Marie Gillen, Producers with over 20 years of experience each in developing and financing media projects. Nikki is a director, producer and media strategist with an expertise in integrating faith-based content into mainstream media, and Anne Marie is an expert on film finance, having successfully raised over $100M for projects worldwide.
With the recent successes of films like Heaven Is For Real, Son Of God, God Is Not Dead, and all of the faith oriented films coming down the pike like Mark Burnett’s Ben Hur, Mary Mother Of Christ and The Shack, Faith and Family based projects have grown from a niche market to a box office phenomenon.TV has also jumped on the bandwagon with the recent Red Tent, Preachers of LA and Mark Burnett’s The Bible and A.D.
However, alongside these successes are huge controversies in the faith community, such as those surrounding Paramount's Noah and Ridley Scott’s Exodus. Faith and Family based material is like a soufflé – if you get even the smallest ingredient wrong, the entire soufflé collapses.
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, hosts Nikki Hevesy and Anne Marie Gillen will walk you through the development and financing phases of creating a successful faith and/or family based project. Drawing from their 20 years of experience, Nikki and Anne Marie will teach you how faith and family based projects get funded and who the financiers, studios and distributors are that specialize in this genre so you know who to target. They will also teach you how to easily find and reach your desired audience and what type of marketing is successful for this genre. Whether you’re a producer, filmmaker or writer, knowing what goes into a faith and family project in the development stage, team building stage and financing and distribution stage is key to your project’s success in the marketplace!
PRAISE FOR ANNE AND NIKKI'S TEACHINGS:
“Amazing! …I’ve taken many webinars on the subject, but none really compares to this. …I have the right tools to move forward into producing my project. Thank you so much!” – Diane M.
“Invaluable... packed with information … The explosion that's happening with these types of films is just the tip of the iceberg... this workshop was one of the smartest things I've ever done!“ – Suzanne L.
“Unparalleled insights, information, and resources … a comprehensive program to jump start your project.” – Denene C.
“Although I have extensive experience as a Line Producer on studio films, Anne Marie Gillen gave me the map of how to successfully negotiate the strange land of independent film production. She showed me which doors to knock on and how to get them to open. In three months, I went from being a clueless indie neophyte to negotiating with foreign sales agents bolstered by the confidence that comes with knowledge.” - Robert B.
“Your insight cleared up my eyesight... What a great seminar! The information you provide on the business principles and practices of the entertainment industry is an invaluable tool for producers.” – Karen B.
What You'll Learn
- What makes a faith and family based film successful in the marketplace.
- How the integration of the faith elements impact the final product's success.
- Creatively and commercially.
- How to create authentic content for this market.
- Small inaccuracies make a huge impact.
- How to stick to the facts while staying commercial and appealing.
- Red flags to avoid in putting together the creative team.
- How to set yourself up for success from day 1 of the development process.
- How to find out where your audience is and how to reach them.
- Why you should get churches and communities involved.
- What sub-genres provide the most opportunity.
- How these projects are getting funded.
- Who are the financiers and studios targeting this market and what are they looking for?
- Who are the distributors and marketers targeting this audience?
- Q&A with Nikki and Anne Marie
About Your Instructor
Anne Marie Gillen and Nikki Hevesy
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Testimonials
“Amazing! …I’ve taken many webinars on the subject, but none really compares to this. …I have the right tools to move forward into producing my project. Thank you so much!” – Diane M.
“Invaluable... packed with information … The explosion that's happening with these types of films is just the tip of the iceberg... this workshop was one of the smartest things I've ever done!“ – Suzanne L.
“Unparalleled insights, information, and resources … a comprehensive program to jump start your project.” – Denene C.
“Although I have extensive experience as a Line Producer on studio films, Anne Marie Gillen gave me the map of how to successfully negotiate the strange land of independent film production. She showed me which doors to knock on and how to get them to open. In three months, I went from being a clueless indie neophyte to negotiating with foreign sales agents bolstered by the confidence that comes with knowledge.” - Robert B.
“Your insight cleared up my eyesight... What a great seminar! The information you provide on the business principles and practices of the entertainment industry is an invaluable tool for producers.” – Karen B.
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Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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S Zackery Good information from the two presenters. So much - that I'm rewriting my series to meet a suggestion that was given by the presenters. Thank you. -
Prema Rose There is a lot of good information.The material was comprehensive and useful. -
Paul S Tompkins Informative. Clear. Thorough.
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How to Operate a Drone as a Filmmaker and Use It to Get Noticed
In very little time, drone photography has become widely—perhaps too widely—used in countless films, television shows, commercials, and other media projects. And along with this wide adoption of drones has come a demand for those who can successfully and artfully operate them. This presents a potentially lucrative and rewarding opportunity for cinematographers looking to expand their reach and build their skill set. Yet with the clear overuse of drone photography in media today, each to varying effects, it’s evident that not all drone shots are created equal, and standing out requires a deeper level of skills. Adding drone cinematography to your film, TV or new media project can breathe new life into shots that may, in the past, have cost your budget heavily. But finding success with drones requires more than knowing simply how to pilot one; a cinematographer needs to understand how to properly use the tool and work with clients and artists to get those perfect shots. The truth is, for as often as drone camerawork is used in film, television and new media today, you can still stand out as a cinematographer in a big way by using drones smartly, artfully, and effectively. But what turns drone photography from mediocre to great? And how can you use this tool to stand out and not only enhance your current project but also help you get more work in the future? Chris Tangey is one of the most sought after drone cinematographers in the world. His impressive career as a cinematographer has him working for Netflix, Warner Bros. Columbia Tristar, BBC, National Geographic, Discovery, Lonely Plant and more. He recently won "Best Aerial Cinematography" in the European Cinematography Awards, and both "Best Drone" and "Best Scenography" In the New York International Film Awards. He was also awarded a Jury Commendation in the World Drone Awards in Siena Italy and has 2 Gold and 4 silver awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society. Chris has quickly become a leader in the field of aerial imagery and is ready to share what he knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community. Chris will continue his drone cinematography education by expanding into the more intermediate and advanced elements of creating a great drone shot and using your work to help you get work. He will begin by going over the nuts and bolts of operating a drone, including preparation and safety checks, proper thumb and finger placement, and what the 180 degree shutter rule is. He’ll also explain how to maintain the shutter rule with ND and PL filters and teach you how to properly take off and land. He will also give you tips of how to eliminate variables and trip points when planning your flight and will show you how to continue to improve. Next Chris will break down the anatomy of a good drone shot. He will explain when drones are useful and when they should actually replace a jib or dolly shot. He’ll talk about the importance of getting the shot you’re after and how to tell if you’re overshooting. Next Chris will discuss different types of cinematic drone shots, including landscape shots, dolly shots, and lift shots. Then he’ll go more in depth of when you SHOULD use a drone and when you SHOULDN’T, including questions you should ask yourself before using the drone, how best to plan your shot, and what situations are most effective for drones. Finally, Chris will go over how drones work in the industry and how this particular skill set fits in. He’ll teach you the best ways to show off your talent and get noticed and give you tips on pathways to find work, including networks and communities, forums and drones for hire databases, and how that intersects with representation. Chris will leave you with a lot more context, skills, strategies, and knowledge to start using drones for your project and stand out from the pack while doing it. This is Part 2 of Chris Tangey's Drone Cinematography Webinar Series. To check out Part 1, now available on demand, click here. "My career as a cinematographer has been “elevated" greatly by incorporating drones and knowing how to use them properly to get the best possible shot. I'm so excited to share my experiences with the Stage 32 community and give everyone the knowledge to use this powerful tool to their creative and financial advantage" -Chris Tangey
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