How To Get Your Film Financed
Are you wondering how to get your film financed? That’s usually the next question a screenwriter asks after they finish their screenplay, and it’s a question that we answer a lot here at Film Budget Pro. My name is Jacob Mosler and I’ve been a line producer (responsible for every line item in a production budget) for over 20 years and over 50 productions including 16 feature films. I’ve also budgeted over 500 projects including movies, TV series/shows, documentaries, short films, commercials, music videos and other productions including live events and multi-day music festivals — all for people who are in exactly your situation, wondering exactly what you are wondering: How do I get my film financed, and how much money, time, people and other resources will I actually need?
People come to me all the time in your situation and I do my best to help them. Let’s see if we can help you right now.
You Wrote Your Script. Now What?
Whatever originally motivated you to write your script — whether it’s your dream of walking the red carpet and receiving awards, or that you’ve got a unique vision of the world you want to share, you want to benefit society with your message and change the world, or maybe it’s just the way you earn your living — no matter your motivation, you’re ready to get it made.
In order to get your film made, you need to get your movie financed, which means you need investors. Investors, whether they are experienced film investors or someone new to investing in films, are out there. But each and every one of them is primarily interested in receiving a significant return on their investment. (That’s why they are called “investors” and not “donors.”)
How To Get Your Movie Financed
Before investing in your film, your prospective investors are going to be asking you a lot of questions that you are going to need to answer, such as:
- How much will the film cost to make?
- How many people — and which people in particular — are required to make this film?
- How long will it take to make the film?
- Where will the film be shot?
- Is it a union or non-union project?
- What are the production risks for this film?
- Will you be taking advantage of a Tax Credit or Rebate incentives program?
The list is far longer than this, but you get the idea. If you want to get your movie financed, these are important questions, and each one is actually made up of dozens of other critical questions and answers. For example, when you considered where the movie should be made, did you take into account the weather there? Permit fees? Lodging costs? Craft Services? Studio Rentals? Parking? Local tax rates? And how about the production tax incentives available to you?
The details are endless.
Your Film’s Detailed Budget
That is why any film investor is going to need a deep understanding of the actual money, time and resources that will be required to make your film. This information all stems from a single document called a Detailed Budget, also called a Film Budget Breakdown.
When it’s made properly — as we do here at Film Budget Pro — your film’s Detailed Budget contains answers to all of these questions and hundreds more. Every issue is considered and addressed, and assigned the appropriate money, time and resources. The budget is built in such a way so that you can answer your investor’s question — “How much will it cost to make your movie?” — with confidence. Read more about our Detailed Budget service.
What Is A Film Budget Top Sheet?
From this Detailed Budget we create the other film production documents that you are going to need. Your investor may ask you for summary numbers to go along with (or maybe instead of) the detailed figures.
When the line-item detail is not required, we produce for you a Film Budget Top Sheet, a summary of the detailed film budget that is easier to read and understand but every bit as accurate as the full breakdown. Read more about our Film Budget Top Sheet service.
How To Get Your Film Financed For Less?
The costs for producing films — whether Movies, TV, Documentaries or Shorts — is continually rising. But there are opportunities buried in your film budget for saving money and getting your film made for less.
We also can produce for you a detailed shooting schedule that can actually save you money by combining and conserving certain shooting locations, resources, cast and transportation logistics. Our Shooting Schedule Service alone has saved our clients thousands of days and millions of dollars. Read more about our Shooting Schedule Service.
Another opportunity for saving on your film production (without sacrificing the quality of your film) lies in the locations where you shoot.
Countries, states, counties and cities all compete for your movie production because they know it brings revenue to their local economy. That is why many of them offer Tax Incentives to productions in their area. But discovering those incentives, and the intricacies of each one, can be difficult.
One of our most requested services is our TV and Film Tax Incentive Service. It provides you with an estimate of what your project could expect to receive as a Tax Credit or Rebate based upon your Detailed Budget. Some incentives are as high as 40%.
That means your investor might need to provide significantly less funding for you than you had originally expected. And that often makes it easier to get your film financed. Read more about our TV And Film Tax Incentive Service.
What Does a Line Producer Do?
One of the people you’ll be hiring to help produce your film is a Line Producer. The Line Producer is typically one of the first hires for any production because this producer manages the budget, shoot schedules, daily costs, and more so that the director and other creative stakeholders (like YOU!) can carry out your collective vision.
In other words, once your project gets the greenlight and funded, your time and energy is best spent on making a great film. Let someone else guide you through the difficult task of choosing the Project’s Critical Assumptions and compiling the tens of thousands of detailed lines of minutiae required to properly build the budgeting and scheduling. Read more about our Line Producer Service.
Can We Help You Get Your Film Made?
Can we help you get your TV, movie, documentary or short film made? Yes! And it all starts with a phone call or email. Whether your immediate need is a Detailed Budget, Film Budget Top Sheet, Shooting Schedule, Tax Incentive consulting, or a Line Producer, call us today at 323.591.4776 or fill out the Quick Start form on our website and we’ll call you back. Either way, we’ll talk with you about the vision for your film, and how far along you are in the process, and what it will take to make your dream a reality. Our goal is to help you get your film financed…and then made. Let’s get started now.