On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Jordan Yale Levine, President, Yale Productions Named as one of Variety's 10 Producers to Watch in 2016, a member of the Producers Guild of America, and the President of Yale Productions, Jordan Yale Levine has made a strong name for himself in the entertainment industry. Jordan has garnered a substantial list of film credits, as well as currently having several projects in various stages of production and development. Jordan is responsible for the producing, financing and/or distribution of over twenty-five feature films. These films include the recently released IFC title, King Cobra, starring James Franco, Christian Slater, Garrett Clayton & Keegan Allen, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and Jack Goes Home, released through eOne, starring Rory Culkin, Britt Robertson & Lin Shaye, which premiered at SXSW in 2016. Additional films include Petunia, starring Brittany Snow, Thora Birch, and Eddie Kaye Thomas; Addiction: A 60's Love Story, starring Ian Harding, Evanna Lynch, and Carol Kane; Black Limousine, starring David Arquette, Bijou Phillips and Vivica A. Fox; Wreckage, starring Aaron Paul, Scoot McNairy and Cameron Richardson; He's Way More Famous Than You, starring Michael Urie, Jesse Eisenberg, and Ben Stiller; and more. Upcoming releases that Jordan produced include Welcome The Stranger, starring Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, and Caleb Landry Jones, which is Jordan's second collaboration with writer/director Justin Kelly, and Welcome to Willits, starring Bill Sage, Thomas Dekker, and Chris Zylka. Most recently, Jordan produced Pretenders, which was written by Josh Boone, directed by James Franco, and stars Jack Kilmer, Shameik Moore, Jane Levy, Juno Temple, Brian Cox, and more. Matthew Helderman, CEO, Bondit Media Capital Matthew Helderman founded Buffalo 8 Productions in 2012, as a feature film & commercial production company growing to deliver projects to clients such as Sony and Lionsgate. Under Helderman’s leadership, Buffalo 8 has built a full library of content – touting 4 premieres at the 2016 Sundance Festival – a roster of commercial directors, a talent management division and a full post-production facility. In 2013, Helderman co-founded BondIt Media Capital to solve the multitude of financing difficulties found in the entertainment & media business — by 2017 BondIt had participated in the financing over 200 feature film projects ranging from low budgets to studio level productions. Helderman graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in English from Lake Forest College. Helderman has been a featured speaker at the Cannes, London, and Bahamas Film Festivals as well as guest speaker at the Chinese US Business Summit. Full Bio »
This is the 2nd installment of the Stage 32 + Bondit Media Capital Masterclass featuring Matthew Helderman (CEO of Bondit Media Capital) and Jordan Yale Levine (President, Yale Productions).Please note this webinar is audio only.
Your Stage 32 + Bondit Film Finance Master Class host, Matthew Helderman, leads a discussion with Jordan Yale Levine, President of Yale Productions, about film financing today. In this exclusive Master Class they go over common traits of producers and financiers that allow them continued success. Matthew and Jordan go over the process of creating a brand to help you create project after project. They talk about a case study of working together with James Franco on the film King Cobra and how that model has helped them continue producing successful features. They discuss the common thread for attaching name talent and modern packaging. They also talk about the need to be on set as a producer and what it takes from the crew to make a successful film. Together they go through various case studies on low-budget to mid-budget films they have worked on together.
Q&A with Jordan
Jordan Yale Levine
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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.
BONUS! Brad will give you a handout with a list of companies that are funding $3MM movies. Over recent years, the independent producing model has shown that films budgeted between $1-$3 Million have become a "sweet spot" for investors. At this budget you can typically attract and secure some star power, one important step toward increasing the odds that your investors will see a return on their investment. But this is just one reason why this budget range is attractive to many investors. There are many more variables at play which will help you raise money for a film or project in this price range. But first, you must understand some tried and true principles that will help you find investors, present your project in the proper fashion and lock them down for an investment. Knowing how to raise money intelligently for films and projects with budgets between $1MM-$3MM can be your calling card toward making a life working in independent film. Simply put, those who understand the formula to the strategies and methods that can help your investors see a return get to keep those investors time and time again. And those investors can, and usually do, bring more investors if they're happy. While everyone says that raising financing is the hardest aspect of filmmaking, there are smart ways to find money that you may not have thought of, and there are also ways you can expand your dollars once you start raising funds for your project. In addition, there is a well-known group of professionals and creatives that have been working on films between $1-$3MM for years and it's important that you know who they are, how to approach them and what expectations are once you do. Brad Hibbs Wyman has produced over 40 feature films in all budget ranges, including Monster starring Charlize Theron in her Oscar-winning role, Freeway starring Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon and actor Steve Buscemi's directorial debut, Trees Lounge. Brad has learned all aspects of financing and the elements that are needed for a successful raise and he's going to bring his years of knowledge exclusively to the Stage 32 community. In Brad's real and humorous style, he will teach the basic principles of motion picture financing for under $3 million dollar features which include: Rule #1 - “GET THE MONEY" Rule #2 - Always remember to “GET THE MONEY” Rule #3 - Never forget to always remember to “GET THE MONEY" If that gives you the insight into Brad's fun personality, then you're in for a treat with this webinar. Brad will teach you the common obstacles that get in the way of raising financing. He'll go over all the various types of financing: equity, private equity, pre-sales, GAP, tax incentives, deferred and crowdfunding. In addition, he'll go in depth on guidelines for your financial package and what you'll need for tax incentives, pre-sales, debt and domestic MG. He'll even go over your plan of execution including your investment proposal and what it looks like, completion and guarantor bonds and pitching your project. You will not only know the basics of how to smartly raise up to $3MM, but you'll also walk away with knowing the names of the players and the companies that are in this landscape, giving you an instant advantage to becoming an insider. And if that doesn't make you feel great enough, Brad’s proceeds from this exclusive Stage 32 webinar will be donated to his favorite arts charity! PRAISE FOR BRAD'S TEACHINGS: "Brad was great. I loved his style and how frank he was. Really appreciate his demeanor." - Robert G. "It was one of the most amazing experiences. The most entertaining and true presenter I have ever come across." - Ranadeep B. "Awesome experience - great learning opportunity and very well organized. I look forward to more." - Brien Gorham "Brad brought the goods and the funny. And he removed my initimidation factor when it comes to approaching investors. Great webinar!" - Alyssa K.
You have goals, but how much of your life is getting in your way of achieving them? For writers, directors, producers, and other artists, motivation often must come from a very vulnerable place, and that doesn't happen easily. Let someone with over 100 scripts and productions under their belt show you how to get out of your way make your goals happen. Are procrastination and blocks halting your creative work? Do you believe that you have to suffer to produce great art? How many days do you go to be disappointed that you didn't write a single page? Is a fear of failure holding you back? Your art requires an act of courage, and it starts with one step. Justin Rossbacher is a writer-director-producer who's worked on over 100 on-screen projects and won over 140 awards across 20 years. He has worked with countless artists in the entertainment field to support their passions by providing structure, community, and accountability. Justin has continuously generated great, award-winning work by keeping distractions, procrastination, and fear out of his path of producing fantastic results. So many self-help or motivational books and podcasts are from entrepreneurs or sales experts. How is that going to help you prep for your film or finish your screenplay? You need advice from a creative, just like you. Justin believes the world is a genuinely better place when you commit to doing the work you often don't make time for. Whether writing a screenplay, directing that film, or just getting organized, you have a unique contribution to this world, and Justin will help you make it a reality. During this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will be able to ask Justin questions about your unique situation and dilemmas to create actionable steps you can implement immediately. You will also have the tools to: Reconnect with your goals Prioritize time for yourself and essential steps Justin's "time boxing" technique to get more done and save time Find a schedule that works for YOU Hold yourself accountable Know where to get support and create community After viewing, you'll have access to this information on-demand to revisit and inspire yourself if procrastination or other blocks get in your way again. So what's holding you back today? Why not let Justin know... PRAISE FOR JUSTIN'S TEACHINGS: "Motivated Mornings completely held me together in 2020 and shut out the noise to keep my projects moving in a time when so much of the world was at a standstill." - Brian W. "These were all fabulous tips on moving forward. The way Justin laid them out and how they built on each other was really nice. It left me feeling motivated and wanting to incorporate these into my daily routine." - Lisa L.
Stage 32 is extremely excited to exclusively present They Said "No" - Why Did They Pass on My Material taught by Dan Wiedenhaupt, former Creative Executive of Atlas Entertainment (WONDER WOMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE, SUICIDE SQUAD, AMERICAN HUSTLE, THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY) Many filmmakers and writers look forward to that exciting moment when they get their work in front of executives. Once in front of an executive, it's exhilarating waiting for the decision makers to view a reel, hear a pitch, or read a script. Then, when the call comes and the decision has been made, sometimes it's a "pass" or "no" and the only question left on a filmmaker or writer's mind is "Why?" Why did they pass on my material? Says Dan, "After reading thousands of scripts and hearing hundreds of pitches, I found that there are many common problems and red flags in scripts and presentations that nearly everyone makes - problems which will immediately make me, or another executive, pass on the script or idea. This is something that affects every single director or writer at any stage of the process - whether you're a first-time filmmaker or a Hollywood veteran. I have spent several years working in all aspects of film, television, and commercials - from both a physical production and development angle. I've seen the best of the best and I've seen some of the worst. After this time of cultivating my taste and my thick skin, I'm ready to pay the wisdom forward. I will be brutal, direct and to the point, and hopefully a little funny, pulling back the curtain of the development process." Dan will teach you why you are not receiving the response you are looking for from your film or screenplay pitch and how to fix those issues immediately. He will show you the do's and don'ts related to introductions and openings of a pitch or submission. He will teach you the red flags within your pitch including your story, presentation and personality. He will dive into what execs are looking for, how to assure you're tailoring your pitch to who you're pitching and navigating the "Culture of No" (and giving them a reason to say "Yes".) Dan will even show you examples of pitches he's passed on and pitches that had him begging for more. That's just some of what Dan will tackle, and rest assured, he'll leave you not only with a wealth of actionable information, but a ton of inspiration as well! Please note Dan elected to not to not be on camera, but you will see his full presentation. Dan will explain to you exactly what it looks (and sounds) like from an executive's side of the table. He'll give you the tips and tricks to assure that your film or screenplay pitch is on point and attractive to representation, buyers, producers, financiers and development execs. PRAISE FOR DAN'S TEACHINGS: "There's nothing like learning at the feet of an expert in their field. I was inspired from the beginning to the end!" -Marla O. "There's nothing worse than being rejected. Except now understanding WHY I've been rejected. Thank you, Dan, for making me see the error of my ways and helping me course correct." - Terry G. "Worth 10 times the price. Gold." - Thom P. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks to Dan, I can't wait to pitch. What was pure horror in my mind has now turned to an abundance of hope."- Tasha P.
Quick, name your 5 favorite movies of all time. Chances are they are all encompass different genres and various worlds and journeys. But likely, they all have one thing in common: A memorable and multi-dimensional protagonist. Writing lead characters can be tricky. They're usually the first character that comes to mind when we're crafting our story. As such, we tend to have definitive, even strict, ideas of how that character will dress, how he or she will behave, and even what happens to them along the way. As such, many writers end up crafting their leads as rigid and one-dimensional. As a result, their lead character becomes passive and the supporting characters end up being much more proactive and interesting. Writing a truly memorable lead character takes a full understanding of your character's wants, needs, obstacles, flaws and much more. It means digging into the psychology of your lead before you begin writing so that you can make wonderful, informed discoveries throughout the writing process. With a constant parade of franchise sequels, remakes, and reboots, it’s become harder than ever to create a unique and nuanced lead character that audiences feel they haven’t seen before. And in a marketplace crowded with more of the same, it’s never been more essential (and potentially lucrative) for screenwriters to set their work apart. In addition, with the explosion of content being created for the streaming platforms, it's more important than ever, no matter whether you're writing features or TV, that you are able to create lead characters that development execs, producers, showrunners, and financiers can't deny and want to follow. That uniqueness in voice and vision is getting writers signed, sold, staffed, and more and more work than ever before. So how can writers create characters that appeal to a wide audience without sacrificing the very qualities that make them singular? Tyler Ruggeri is a writer with over a decade of experience on both sides of the entertainment industry. His original screenplay The Making Of Rock Hudson sold to veteran producers Celine Rattray (The Kids Are Alright, Bernie) and Trudie Styler (Moon) of Maven Pictures. He is currently adapting a critically acclaimed non-fiction book and writing an original action drama. Prior to his writing career, Tyler was a talent manager at Exile Entertainment, where he represented screenwriters and directors while developing the company’s slate of projects. He signed emerging filmmakers including Lee Patterson (Nicholl Fellowship winner for Snatched) and multiple Academy Award Winner Damien Chazelle, who wrote and directed LA LA LAND, WHIPLASH, and, most recently, BABYLON, directed FIRST MAN, and wrote the sci-fi hit 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE. Tyler has read thousands of screenplays and knows first hand what makes a memorable and multi-dimensional protagonist. And now Tyler is teaching you how to write interesting and complicated characters that audiences can root for without sacrificing depth. Tyler will focus on studying (and deconstructing) the building blocks of movie protagonists in a straightforward, fun, and easy to digest format. He’ll discuss character in a macro-level approach while zeroing in on recent examples from popular films. He will teach you about making meaningful choices for your characters and how you can't be afraid to make the tough choice. He will delve into your characters wants, needs, and goals. He will discuss whether you lead character needs to be likable. He will teach you all the rules of writing characters and show you how you can break those rules to stand out from the crowd and make an exec turn pages. He will teach you all the tips and tricks of character building that he's learned over the last 10+ years of working with writers and reading scripts. He'll even discuss writer's block - if there is such a thing - and how to get beyond it all and keep writing. In short, he will teach you everything to have your lead characters jumping from the page and pulling the reader along for his or her journey. PRAISE FOR TYLER'S TEACHINGS: "Tyler is an extremely articulate presenter. It really helped to have such specific information about how a character can be multi-dimensional. I already see the issues with my protagonist and can't wait to get it all fixed!" - Becca B. "I took pages and pages of notes, thank you! Very well delivered, Tyler clearly had a vast knowledge of the subject. I really enjoyed it!" - Natalie E. "Thank you for bringing Tyler back. One of my favorite Stage 32 educators! This seemed like a week's worth of material delivered concisely and deliberately. I'm so grateful! - Bob K.
Learn how to produce your $5 million and under feature film from a producer who has projects with Paramount, Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate, and Showtime! PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts including financial planning tools, a sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement, a sample story rights agreement (option), and sample talent offers for your director and cast (pay-or-play). You may be surprised to hear this, but most producers find it much harder to put together a low-budget feature film than a medium or high-budget film. The reason is that low-budget films are riskier for investors and producers. With a high budget studio tentpole film, there's a certain level of guarantee that large audiences will flock to the film. However, on lower budget films, getting eyeballs on it is not always a given. That said, low budget films have a great upside - both financially and creatively - if done the right way. The trick is to know how to do it right. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you will learn the optimal way to finance a film under $5 million, and generate a profit. Teaching you everything you need to know about making a low-budget film under $5 million is producer, executive producer, and financier of motion pictures and television programming Jeanette Milio. Jeanette has worked on three continents across all budget ranges and has firsthand knowledge and experience to give you on under $5 million film projects. She has worked on over 500 hours of film and television content in the US, Europe, Dubai and South Africa, with a combined total production value of over $250 million. She produced the Netflix Original THE EXPERIMENT starring Adrian Brody and Forrest Whittaker and has worked with ABC/Disney, USA, Showtime, TLC, CW, Discovery, Lionsgate, Paramount, and more. You will learn the finance, production, and distribution options available for low-budget films today, how to secure and structure the various finance sources and how to optimize distribution agreements. You will learn what genre, and what types of stories, to focus on in this budget range, and what genres tend to be easier to sell (and which are harder to sell). Jeanette will teach you how to go about attaching talent and how talent can impact your project – positively and negatively. You will also learn how you can create a feasible budget with the script you have that you can take to investors. PLUS! Jeanette will provide you with exclusive handouts to help you in making your low-budget film. Downloads include: Financial Planning Tools Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement Sample story rights agreement (option) Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play) If you're looking to make a low-budget feature film under $5 million, then this webinar taught by an industry pro is a must! PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'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. "Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." - Letty L.