The more you learn about the film business and the more you know about film investors and film financing, the more likely you are to find film funding. The most important thing to know about film investors is that you can only find them when you have a worthy investment. In other words, you must offer film investors something in which to invest. If your opening is "here is what I need," then you are not serious about film financing. You must demonstrate you take film investors seriously before investors will be serious about you.
Never open a conversation with what you want, but rather, start with what you are offering. What will a film investor receive by investing with you?
The best way to do this is with a solid understanding of your film FROM a film investor's perspective. Want to learn more about film financing and how investors think? Read all of our Film Investor articles.
10 Things You MUST Do To Attract Film Investors
We consider this THE MOST important article on this site. The 10 Things You MUST Do To Attract Film Investors have been cultivated over 23+ years in the film industry and being able to work with 1000's of filmmakers and film investors. Our experience allowed us to analyze and learn from those who have achieved success and made their indie film vs. those we never hear from again. We lay out all the crucial steps to set you up to be the former - the successful indie filmmaker. Never contact a film investor until you've read this article.
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FilmProposals Tools and Templates
To be investment-worthy, you need to prepare an investment. Our tools and templates are designed to take you from "I have a great idea..." or "I need $10M to make my movie" to "Conservative estimates project gross revenue of approximately $3.0M, with an investor ROI of 111%." Finding investors isn't hard. Ensuring you actually have a worthy investment is the challenge and FilmProposals is here to guide you through the process.
- Film Financing Bundles & Toolkits
- Film Financial Projections Template
- Film Business Plan Template
- Documentary Business Plan Template
- Film Financing and Investor Manual
- Film Budget Template
- Indie Film Pitch Deck
- Film Investor Agreement Outline
- Film Investor Tip Sheet
- Filmmaker Legal Pack
- Indie Film Database
- FREE Business Plan E-Course
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Film Production Legal Contracts, Templates & Services
- Filmmaker Legal Pack
- Film Investor Financing Templates
- Film Private Placement Memorandum (PPM)
- Film Investor Agreement
- Script Purchase Agreement
- Deferred Compensation Agreement
- Shooting Location Request & Release Agreement
- Protecting the Chain of Title
- Filmmaker Legal Checklist (Part I)
- Filmmaker Legal List (Part II)
- Open For Show Business (Dori Zavala, Our Recommended Entertainment Attorney)
Filmmaker Legal Pack
FilmProposals is helping you retain full control over your film's Chain of Title, so your film, your producers and your investors are all protected and you will have a finished product you can legally sell. Having the correct Film Production Contracts in place on your film is crucial when investors, distributors, festivals and production companies are evaluating working with or investing in your project. You must make sure you own EVERYTHING that makes your film your film. In other words, you must have a clean "Chain of Title."
Some examples include story & music rights, cast & crew images, graphics, the script, rights to on location shoots and much more. If any of these important legal contracts is missing, you cannot legally sell your film since you won't own all of it! Funders and distributors will expect you have these signed and if not, could hinder your ability to get distribution or signed investors. Most film festivals require all these agreements to ensure you can even enter your film with them.
- Script Purchase Agreement
- Script Option Agreement
- Music Release / Composer's Work For Hire Contract
- Cast and Crew Release Form
- Deferred Compensation Agreement
- Shooting Location Request & Release Agreement
- Life Rights Agreement
- Crowd Release Form
Our Filmmaker Legal Pack is included with our Platinum Bundle, Legal Multipacks or can be purchased separately. Learn more about our Filmmaker Legal Pack.
Prepare for Film Investors
Preparing for film investors is the single most important step in finding them. Too often, filmmakers think they are ready for film investors and the first thing they do is an online search for "movie investors" and email a potential investor blindly with something like, "I want to make a film and need $XX." Maybe that's even what got you to this page. If so, we're here to turn the ASK upside down into what you OFFER. Learn exactly how to tell your financing story by preparing for film investors.
More on Preparing For Film Investors
- Preparing for Film Investors
- Movie Finance 101
- 10 Keys to Film Finance
- Film Finance for Independent Filmmakers
- Importance Of A Business Plan For Film Projects
- Film Investor Financing Templates
- What is a Producer's Package
- Filmmaker Legal Pack
- FREE How to Write a Film Business Plan Course
- Avoid Film Finance Frauds & Scams
- Film Producer Definition
- Film Production Budget Tips
- First Film Budget
- Film Tax Incentives
- Film Production Terms Glossary
- Independent Film Sales Projections
- Six Things You Absolutely MUST Know before raising money
- Why You Can't Find Film Investors
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Attract Investors with Your Business Plan & Pitch Deck
These film business plan tips will help you to attract investors and present the offer that gets their attention. The research process inherent to preparing a business plan forces you to look at the financing of other films and refine your precise film investor offer. This process will lead you straight to finding and securing the right investors for your movie.
Independent film investors want to see your passion, know you have "skin in the game" (you've contributed your own money or put serious thought to the finances) and you understand the entire production and distribution process. If you want a business person to part with their money, you MUST be able to successfully demonstrate their investment and ROI. Save yourself the mistakes so many others have made and start with the industry's leading film business plan template, written by film investors.
Whether you use a business plan, private placement memorandum, or other fundraising vehicle, we want you to stand out from the crowd and pitch your project in a way that compels investors to write you a check now.
More on Film Business Plan Tips
- Film Business Plan Template
- Film Marketing Plan & Distribution Plan Expert Advice
- Film Distribution Plan
- Indie Film Return on Investment
- Professional Film Financial Projections
- Use a Film Investor Agreement
- Advanced Film Business Plan Tips
- About Independent Film Companies
- Start a Film Production Company
- Film Business Plan VOD Projections
- Film Industry Statistics
- FREE How to Write a Film Business Plan Course
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Tips on Film Marketing Plan & Distribution Plan
Your Film Marketing Plan & Distribution Plan are the hardest parts of your business plan to complete, however, following our process can directly lead to finding the right film investors for your project. FilmProposals has done all the heavy lifting for you for your financial projections, covering the industry, using top tier research and statistics and discussing all the latest release trends and acquisitions. However, Film Marketing and Distribution Plans are unique to every film and this is where a producer has to focus their efforts to be successful. When you have these mapped out, investors and distributors will know you have a solid deal on the table. Luckily, we've helped so many successful filmmakers over the years, and now offer our expert formula for reaching your audience, winning film festivals and getting film distribution.
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For Film Investors (How, Why and Tips to Invest in Movie Production)
If you are looking to invest in movies and not quite sure how to get started, our film investor primer is here to teach a lot of what you need to know, how to access filmmakers and productions and how to gauge a film's potential success. Our guide will cover how to invest in movies, how to become an accredited investor, an overview of how the film industry generates revenue and showcases some of our best filmmakers' projects looking for investments.
Learn More: How to Invest in Movies - Film Investor Primer
More for Film Investors:
- Why Invest in Movie Productions
- Movie Finance 101
- How to Invest in Indie Films - Steps and Tips
- What is an Accredited Investor?
- Oscar's Indie Film Financiers Take the Spotlight
- Will Investing in a Film Noir Put You in the Black?
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How to Find Film Investors
If you're convinced you can take the lazy approach to finding film investors by searching the internet and emailing people with something like, "I have a great project, email or call me," then skip these posts, because they will not help you.
When you are ready to make an offer, meaning you have done your research, prepared your plan and investment offer, and are really ready to speak to investors, then please check out our insider tips on How to Find Film Investors.
More on How to Find Film Investors
- How to Attract Film Investors
- Finding Film Investors
- Finding Film Investors (Guest Article)
- JOBS Act and Film Financing
- Where are Film Investors?
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Pitching Film Investors
Our tips and techniques on pitching to film investors will teach you practical tips, proven fundraising language, how to instill confidence in your investors, even if you've never made a film before, and exactly which industry sources to use to make an impact on film investors and have them want to write you a check on the spot. Don't waste your hard work by not being prepared for your meetings and calls.
Read more: Pitching to Film Investors
More on Pitching to Film Investors
- Indie Film Pitch Deck Template
- Film Investor Tip Sheet Best Practice
- How to Pitch to Film Investors
- Pitching a Location to Film Investors
- How to Invest in Movies - Film Investor Primer
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How to Work with Film Investors
Working with film investors is a crucial step in moving your film project forward and vital to finishing a quality indie film. Many filmmakers think the hurdle is finding investors, but learning with whom and how to work, to protect both the investor and producer(s) is equally important and might make all the difference between a film that gets completed vs. one that ends up on the shelf.
Learn more: Working With Film Investors
More on Working With Film Investors
- What is an Accredited Investor?
- How to Ask Film Investors For More Money
- Film Investor Agreement
- Film Private Placement Memorandum (PPM)
- How to Use an Independent Film Financing Plan to Secure Investments
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FilmHedge Lending Platform
FilmHedge can help to secure funding for your project. They offer Financing solutions for TV and Film productions with budgets between $5M and $35M looking to cash flow Tax Credits, Pre-Sales, or Distribution Agreements. They do not provide equity financing, but rather, Senior Debt, secured by pre-sales, tax credits, or distribution agreements. Learn More: FilmHedge Lending Platform
The Integrity Film Fund
Integrity Capital Management, a leading film investment team, recently announced the launch of the hotly anticipated $50 million INTEGRITY FILM FUND LLP. The fund has opened to investors exclusive access to their slate of high-potential Hollywood projects with top A-list talent for a limited time to a small number of investor partners. Integrity’s Film Finance Fund utilizes a proprietary strategy to invest into a carefully and well vetted slate of multiple films that have pre-sold distribution rights and are bonded. The current slate, open for film investment, includes Hollywood's elite talent, such as Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Jason Statham, Casey Affleck, Marisa Tomei, Alan Arkin, Kathy Bates and more! Learn More: Integrity Capital Management
Cannes Investors Circle
Cannes Film Festival is launching a Cannes Investors Circle to connect feature film feature projects to film investors. The event is by invite only and will be held at Plage des Palmes during the film festival. Deadline reports, "the market has revealed they are budgeted at up to $13 million (12 million euros) and involve producers and directors who have previously won the Cannes Palme d’Or or Berlin’s Golden Bear." Liesl Copland, Executive Vice President, Content and Platform Strategy at Participant will discuss the company's uniquely impactful work and how the company is navigating the changing worlds of film financing, production and distribution. Following the keynote, a panel discussion titled “Navigating Film Finance in a Changing World” will bring together top experts from across the independent film value chain to offer insights on global financing and market trends in 2023 and beyond. Learn More: Marché du Film Announces Launch of Cannes Investors Circle
Film Investor Database
Sorry, filmmakers! There is NO "list of film investors" or 'database of film investors' for sale or free on the internet. Stop wasting your time now.
For those willing to do the work, there are names out there. Here is a whole bunch of film investor names. If you're prepared, have experience and connections, then these names can be very helpful. Just ask one of your friends who knows one of these people for an introduction.
- 25 Film Finance Insiders Who Can Actually Get Movies Made (2019)
- The 25 Players Who Can Actually Get an Independent Movie Made (2018)
- From Russian grocers to Wall Street princes...a fresh crop of high-net-worth individuals with serious designs on the film industry
- How to Invest in Indie Films (names of those known to be investing their money in Hollywood)
But for those with little to no experience or connections, who want to take the lazy approach to finding investors, even if such a thing existed yesterday, by the time 5 film makers started contacting them, the investors would pull their names. Did you know there are roughly over 10,000 films looking for funding for every 1 potential investor? Can you imagine being a high net worth individual or company and having your contact information circulated?
Want proof? As always, anyone claiming to have a database of private Film Investors is a scam. Here are just some of the websites we've seen come and go over the years:
- www.filmfundingsources.com
- www.jcfcapitaladvisors.com (alleged database of global film investors for $.10 per record)
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Film Investor Guide
- Film Investor Ultimate Guide (For Filmmakers)
- Film Investor Primer (For Investors)
- 10 Things You MUST Do To Attract Film Investors
- Preparing for Film Investors
- Film Investor Business Plan Tips
- How to Find Film Investors
- Pitching to Film Investors
- Working With Film Investors
- Film Investor Tools & Templates
Film Investors and Tips
Star Street Capital Film Investors
With access to nearly $6 Billion dollars of investment capital StarStreet Capital is poised to make real changes in the world of entertainment and film ...
Film Investor Interested In Finding Projects in need of finishing funds
Hi, say I am capable of becoming fully accredited as an investor. Where would be my best shot at finding a pool of films that are in need of finishing ...
F.A.I.T.H Productions Seeks Investing Partner and ScreenPlays
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While our FilmProposals Bundles & Toolkits will save you hundreds of hours with prewritten text and templates and speed up your learning curve by showing you how to complete complicated financial projections, there is still a lot of information to process. We designed this FREE Film Business Plan Course to be sent once per week to break the process of writing your business plan into manageable pieces, and to keep you accountable and focused. In case you can't see the sign up form, try here.
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