On Demand Webinar - For immediate download. Unlimited access for 1 year.
On Demand Webinar - For immediate download. Unlimited access for 1 year.
Sara Elizabeth Timmins established Live Life Out Loud Films to create quality, inspiring impact films that champion women. Her films have been seen theatrically, internationally, and on HBO, Hallmark Channel, Starz, and Showtime. She has worked with talented actors like Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper, Josh Lucas, and Mackenzie Foy and writers like NY Times best-selling author David Baldacci. Most recently, she produced MCMILLIONS, an HBO docu-series for Mark Wahlberg’s company which premiered at Sundance 2020 and is in development on several feature films and series. She also works as a consultant for both films and filmmakers and has produced national campaigns for companies like Meyer Natural Foods & Laura's Lean. She is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, SAG, and both DGA & PGA eligible and was a Qualified Independent Producer for NBCUniversal/IFTA. Full Bio »
Learn directly from Sara Elizabeth Timmins, who was on the producing team of HBO's McMillions with Mark Wahlberg
Do you ever feel worried that you don’t have the experience or credits to close on financing with an investor for your projects? Do you stop yourself from reaching out to dream partners because you don’t think they would want to work with you?
The truth is Hollywood is filled with people who started without contacts or credits but managed to sell themselves and their projects as worthwhile, and you can too. The key to hooking an investor and making them comfortable working with you is establishing trust and credibility in a meeting or pitch. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, producer Sara Elizabeth Timmins will show you how she uses her ability to exude confidence and establish strong relationships to attract millions of dollars from investors to make her projects go.
You will learn how to build credibility in meetings, you will learn the seven things you can do to stand out and impress investors, and be given proven tips and tricks to gain trust, even if this is your first film. Sara Elizabeth will also give you her favorite hack to establish clout and confidence and show you the value of being honest without losing investors.
Sara Elizabeth is a top producer and founder of Live Life Out Loud Films, where she creates quality, inspiring films that champion women. Her films have been seen theatrically, internationally, and on HBO, Hallmark Channel, Starz, and Showtime. She has worked with talented actors, including Academy Award winners Ellen Burstyn and Chris Cooper, Jane Seymour, Josh Lucas, and Mackenzie Foy, among others. She recently produced MCMILLIONS, an HBO docu-series, for Mark Wahlberg’s company which premiered at Sundance in 2020 and is currently in development on several feature films and series.
By the end of this webinar, you’ll have the know-how to establish an environment that makes your investor feel like your project is the one they can’t pass up. From mindset to preparation to knowing what to say and how to behave, you will have proven techniques to gain investors trust and attention to set your films up for success.
The Key to Leading with Confidence
Being Prepared
Articulating Why You
How to Build Credibility in Meetings
Leading with Honesty and Integrity
Sara Elizabeth Timmins
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Learn how to secure money for your film even after an investor says "no" from a producer whose raised over $15MM for her own projects and whose films have been in theaters, on HBO, Hallmark, Starz, Showtime, and more. Plus! You will receive an Investor Pitch Flow Chart, Sample Sponsorship Tiers, Sample Wish List, and a Sample In-Kind Letter of Intent to use on your own projects! Many filmmakers run into the same problem over and over again during their careers: they write a great script or find an exciting piece of IP, finish development, set up a meeting with an interested investor to fund the project then…the investors passes for any number of reasons. At this point, many filmmakers stop trying with that investor, curl into a ball and question why they chose this crazy industry, indulge in a pint of ice cream or bottle of wine, and threaten to quit the business. However, this does NOT need to be the case! There are steps that you can take with the investor who said "no" that can lead you to money for your film and we archer to show you how it's done. So, what exactly do you do when you get the dreaded "no" from a potential investor? This exclusive Stage 32 webinar will help you to make a little mindset shift and see every “no” as a wonderful opportunity to still finance your film…which oftentimes becomes the case! Here's how it's done... More often than not, the investor is excited about the project (they did take your meeting after all) but the financial ask is a bit too steep for their capabilities at the moment. So, it makes sense to approach them again with a new strategy. The strategic shift you need is simple and involves thinking as creatively on the business end as you have on the artistic end. When you are in this critical phase of raising money for your film, you are relationship building; you need to think about how you can reposition the deal, create partnerships, or potentially find "soft costs" to cut your budget to save money thus sweetening the deal. Working these types of angles with the potential investors who say "no" starts up fresh conversations and can lead to the success you're looking for. You’ll find that with the right tools and mindset at your disposal, the investor who initially told you "no" will become the perfect resource to help finance your film, expand your network, and get your film closer to a green light into production. Teaching you how to turn a “no” into actual financing for your film is producer and executive Sara Elizabeth Timmins, founder of Life Out Loud Films. Sara Elizabeth has raised over $15MM for her own projects using the tactics she is sharing in her webinar. Her films have been seen in theaters, on HBO, The Hallmark Channel, Starz, Showtime and internationally. She has worked with talented actors like Josh Lucas, Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper and Mackenzie Foy and writers like NY Times Best Selling Author David Baldacci. Sara Elizabeth has found success on numerous films by leveraging people who initially said "no" to an investment but whose connections, resources, and passion helped her save hundreds of thousands of dollars in in-kind, sponsorship, donations and connections. PLUS! Sara Elizabeth will provide you exclusive handouts you can use throughout your financing process. Downloads include: Investor Pitch Flow Chart - This Is A Step-By-Step Guide On How To Navigate An Investor's “No” Into Multiple Options That Can Lead To Money For Your Project Sample Sponsorship Tiers Sample Wish List Sample In-Kind Letter of Intent What you learn from Sara Elizabeth today can help get your movie financed and made tomorrow! Praise For Sara Elizabeth's Previous Stage 32 Webinars "Sara Elizabeth is just phenomenal. She teaches through her experience and successes, which really helped me learn how to navigate my filmmaking process." -- Mary S. "I've taken a handful of filmmaking and producing courses and none have compared to working with Sara Elizabeth. She is not only knowledgeable, but also cares about her students and offers help in any way she can!" -- Amanda B. "Sara Elizabeth really impressed me across the board. Her expertise, personality, and approach to the business and art of making movies is really top notch." -- Nick L.
Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details Only 1 Spot Remains - Grab It Now! Learn how to access financing from a producer who's raised over $15 million for projects, and receive exclusive materials, including a workbook for Finding Your First 100 Investor Leads PLUS! You'll see sample decks of feature film and documentary projects to help you build your own like a professional. Are you feeling stuck trying to create your film investor decks? How long should it be? What should be included? How do I lay it out? What are some design tricks? Where do I find images and comps? It's crucial to help you raise money for a project but can be very confusing. It can be SO hard to find good examples because they contain proprietary info! But, in a private one-on-one class, your Stage 32 Educator Sara Elizabeth Timmins will take you "behind the scenes" for a SNEAK PEEK at decks that have attracted over $15M in film funding! You will gain insight so you can craft your own with knowledge, understanding, and confidence. Sara Elizabeth previously helped produce the Emmy-nominated HBO hit MCMILLIONS for Mark Wahlberg’s company and has worked with actors like Jane Seymour, Ellen Burstyn, Chris Cooper, Josh Lucas, and Mackenzie Foy. Her films have been seen in theaters, HBO, The Hallmark Channel, Starz, Showtime, and internationally. Your film investor deck is your number one marketing material/door opener for your film. Nailing it is key to getting the meeting or getting your script read. In this eight-part lab over four weeks, you will build your own investor pitch deck under the guidance of Sara Elizabeth to help you nail the copy, content, and design to create a deck that wows. You will also review several different decks that have been used with great success and explore what to include and the secrets to decks that convert. Students are responsible for executing their own deck design, so while Sara Elizabeth will be coaching and guiding, the filmmaker is responsible for creating the actual deck. You will get to see examples, which will make all the difference in understanding where to start and what you need – giving you the confidence you are on the right track. Join us for an inside peek so you can craft your own film investor pitch deck with knowledge, understanding, and confidence! Praise for Sara Elizabeth's Previous Stage 32 Courses "Finding leads for support for a project is one of the most intimidating and overwhelming parts of filmmaking. I was skeptical about Sara Elizabeth's affirmation that everyone could find 100 leads based on their existing network. About 20 minutes into her webinar I found myself "eating my words". I'm thrilled to say that I was absolutely able to not just find my 100, but also have a plan for how to approach and talk to people about my film project." -- Day A.
You have a great feature film idea and story to tell but you don't think you have the money to produce your movie. However, that really shouldn't stop you from making your film. The industry is filled with filmmakers who broke in with movies made on a shoe strong budget that resonated with decision makers, reps and audiences alike. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you’ll learn how you can produce a high-quality film on an ultra-low budget, and the tools you need to make it happen. You’ll find out how to pick the perfect project and identify what you need to successfully produce it, all on a micro-budget. You’ll also find out what to do once you finish making your film, with tools to find distribution so that audiences can see your movie. Showing you how it’s all done is producer and unit production manager Aymie Majerski, the founder and CEO of LotusShark. She’s produced low-budget indies such as SANTA’S PROMISE, HEALING RIVER, NOTZILLA, 4192: THE CROWNING OF THE HIT KING, and 7 BELOW. In addition to film projects, Aymie and her team at LotusShark produce digital content for Showtime, Spotify, HBO, YouTube Originals, the OTR International Film Festival, and more. Aymie will provide you with essential information she’s learned over her many years of experience producing low-budget features, including: Choosing the right story Perfecting your script for a low-budget shoot Building your budget from pre-production through post Sourcing your funding Managing your team Locking locations Casting your film Production insurance needs How to shoot fast and safely Finding distribution And examples of pre-production checklists You can't let fear, budget or industry access hold you back from making the film that can change the trajectory of your career. But with this fantastic Stage 32 webinar, you can gain the tools that you need to make your idea into a finished film without a lot of money at your disposal. It's all about being creative! “Aymie not only knows her stuff because she has been in the trenches and uses real world examples but she does so in a fun and approachable way and truly cares and wants to help other filmmakers” Sara T.
It can be the bane of a filmmaker’s existence, but there’s no denying that financing is a critical step in getting that movie made. After all, not even the greatest script can get produced without the money and resources to back it up. But this is never a straightforward endeavor. Securing the funding for your film is almost without question a fraught, complicated ordeal. It can be enough to drive the most optimistic filmmaker away, but if done smartly and successfully, financing can give you the resources you need to not only see your vision through, but perhaps even to elevate it, to gather opportunities and talent to raise your project’s profile and find further success. Finding and dealing with financing for a film can feel like a Sisyphean task, a hunt for treasure without any map to help. After all, we’re not just talking about finding people with deep pockets who believe in your vision (though that definitely helps); you also need to be well versed in tax structure and incentives, legal codes, equity models, sales projections, crafting a pitch to investors—all things you likely didn’t learn along the way or through the process of writing that script. Yet as overwhelming and insurmountable as it seems, there’s always a way through, and there are strategies and skills you can pick up as a producer or filmmaker to find the money and navigate the politics and nuances of this difficult landscape. Aimee Schoof is the co-founder of Intrinsic Value Films and has produced more than 35 feature films. Of those, nine have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, four at the Tribeca Film Festival, three at SXSW, and one each at LA Film Festival, Toronto, Venice, New York FF, New Directors/New Films, and Berlinale, to name a few. Aimee’s company develops, produces and sells independent films that have been distributed worldwide, have won many awards and been honored with numerous nominations. Accolades include winning a Sloan Sundance Award and a Sundance Special Grand Jury Prize. Aimee’s work has led her to be nominated five times by Film Independent as a producer. She is currently both a Sundance and Film Independent Fellow and has worked in international sales attending all major markets, and regularly lecturing on film finance and production. Aimee’s extensive experience has made her an expert in the art of film financing, and she has developed a slew of skills and lessons learned to more successfully find and manage funding for independent projects, skill and lessons that she’s excited to share with you. Aimee will give you a comprehensive look at how to finance your independent film and the tips and strategies to have in your arsenal to make sure you’re taking advantage of every opportunity available. Aimee will start by discussing how equity models are structured and the benefits that come with starting your own LLC. She will then delve into the legal components of a standard investment deal, including being clear with who owns the rights to the film and how those rights are distributed and paid for. Then, Aimee will go into navigating foreign sales and domestic sales within this quickly changing landscape and how you may be able to find the right sales partner that can give you an advance to make the movie. Aimee will teach you everything you need to know about tax incentives and how best to take advantage of them and earn back what is essentially free money. Next, Aimee will discuss the benefits of crowdfunding and the strategies and tips she has employed in the past to create a successful campaign. She will talk about the rise of the digital streamers and how to target these platforms for possible funding. Aimee will then delve into the art of finding and approaching potential investors, including the research you need to do and how best to pitch them your project. Aimee will even share one of her own pitch decks to illustrate how to craft the perfect pitch deck. She will teach you ways to think outside-the-box and find non-traditional investors or partners that you might not have otherwise encountered. Finally Aimee will teach you strategies to better network, including finding way to get to people you don’t personally know and how to use film festivals and film markets to your advantage. Be prepared to leave this webinar with an expansive and comprehensive view of film funding and the tools you need to get your next project financed. Like what you heard from Aimee during this webinar? Send her your script and speak with her for an hour by clicking here. Praise for Aimee’s Webinar: Clear and efficient! -Dirk B. I've watched several webinars on film financing and this has been by far my favorite. Thank you for the practical, straightforward advice, and for presenting the info in a way that is not too overwhelming to take in. -Rose M. Grounded and Practical -Jennifer S. This webinar was jam packed with so many useful and accessible strategies I can start using today. Thank you! -Brian D.
Ask any executive where most screenplays go wrong, and they'll tell you it's in the second act. That's because many screenwriters type FADE IN knowing their opening (Act I) and closing (Act III) inside out, but haven't thought through how to bridge the gap (Act II). Struggling to nail the second act is more common than you might think. After all, how many times have you watched a film and thought that it dragged in the middle? Most writers will agree that the second act is the hardest to nail and usually starts out feeling way too short or way too long. But it’s for this reason that the second act is where you should be spending a lot of your time to ensuring you’re getting it right. Introducing a great concept and fantastic, deeply drawn characters is, of course, a staple of Act I, but the second act is where the heart of the narrative happens and where momentum must be found. Your second act must propel you through to the climactic third act. But this is easier said than done. Writing an effective second act requires many drafts, a solid plan or outline, and some tips and tricks to help get you there. Yet this process is crucial. If your second act stalls, anyone reading your material will likely quit right there and then. But if you can make your second act strong, by this fact alone, your script will be head and shoulders above most scripts that are coming down the pipeline and better your chances of your script getting discovered or even produced. We're going to help you make your second act sing. ABOUT YOUR STAGE 32 EDUCATOR Jason Mirch is a feature film, television, branded entertainment, and digital content producer and executive with over 15 years in the industry. Most recently, he produced a 3D animated feature film starring Jacob Tremblay, Christopher Lloyd, Mel Brooks, Kenan Thompson, and Carol Kane. Mirch was the Head of feature and television development at Image Nation, a finance and production company based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. There, he supervised the Image Nation contributions in the development of FLIGHT, THE HELP, THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, CONTAGION and more. Prior to his work at Image Nation, Mirch was Co-Head of Development at Zadan/Meron Productions (CHICAGO, FOOTLOOSE, THE BUCKET LIST) where he was actively involved in developing a slate of feature film projects for New Line, Paramount, Summit Ent., and CBS/Paramount. He also developed and sold television projects and mini-series to CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, and Lifetime. Jason will will give you an in depth look into how to successfully navigate the structure of your second act. He will be citing specific examples from films in several different genres as well as providing you tools to apply to your own writing. "Plan on listening to it again and again!" - Peggy R.
Learn directly from Jessica Sitomer, International Entertainment Industry Speaker, Career Coach, and Author, as well as Producer of three TV shows, actress, produced writer and development associate! Episodic season is around the corner, and if you don’t already have an agent or manager, now is the time to strike! Easier said than done, right? What if we told you there was a proven strategy for finding and obtaining legitimate representation no matter your creative discipline? In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, host Jessica Sitomer will reveal that, through interviewing agents and having her own representation through the years, there is a strategy for getting agents! Stage 32 is thrilled to bring back Jessica Sitomer to teach! Jessica consistently receives 100% satisfaction ratings on her webinars and classes (see reviews below!) and has a knack for providing excellent, immediately useful information in a genuine and easy to implement way. You will leave the webinar knowing: What type of client are you? The three ways Agents categorize their clients (you may not like the one you fall under). Three questions an Agent wants to know before taking you on. 4-step strategy for getting an Agent. How to rock episodic season with an in-depth plan. How to meet more people. Your host Jessica Sitomer is a world traveled speaker and panel moderator who has coached thousands of people worldwide, and is proud to see her clients’ names on almost every TV show and film she sees. Simultaneously, Jessica works as a professional in the entertainment industry, on shows for ABC, Nickelodeon, Showtime, MTV, and had her writing produced by an Emmy Award winning producer. She is here at Stage 32 to pass on her knowledge and experience of working with thousands of people, just like you, to make your journey a comfortable ride.