Asylum Films.

Aspiring Mogul said:
Rik, any thoughts on making movies for a quarter million?
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Making a movie for a quarter million has many chanllenges. In today’s market
that’s a difficult number because with no “names” getting peole to pay to watch
a movie is harder than ever. But it can be done and has been done often.

Bump that number up to pay for a “name” or two and that helps. Of course a
company like The Asylum can do it because they have a built in distribution
method and audience. But I think a quarter million is a fine budget - people
get paid and it's low enough to return a profit if it's the right film.

I have an excellent action script and a line-item budget of just over that
that The Asylum has seen and is interested in. But they won't put up
the money because they have changed their business model from several
movies month to just a few per year and they have the next five years
of cash tied up.
 
In hindsight, you've been right all along, Rik. So you think half a mil is the minimum?

How does the DTV model work? I mean, how do they get to sell to Blockbuster (now bankrupt) and VOD?
 
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Aspiring Mogul said:
In hindsight, you've been right all along, Rik. So you think half a mil is the minimum?
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I can't imagine there being a "minimum". Successful movies have been
made for far less than half a mil. Wouldn't it be great if you could find
the perfect number? I know you've spent a lot of time and research
looking for that number. I wish there was a budget number that would
guarantee a return. If $250,000 is what you can spend, then you find
the right script and the right people and you spend $250,000. And you
take the chance.

Aspiring Mogul said:
How does the DTV model work? I mean, how do they get to sell to Blockbuster (now bankrupt) and VOD?
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Well, they don't sell to Blockbuster. Direct to video is changing fast. You
read that article. Do you think their new business model reflects the
changing market?
 
Many of the "made for TV movies" on SyFy have budgets from $1M to $2M.

I imagine those made for Lifetime and Hallmark have only slightly smaller budgets.

I haven't the slightest idea of what happens to films that no broadcaster wants to carry, so there's no telling what their budget is.
 
I think we can do something for $250,000, but you did say that $500,000 would give us some breathing room. I'm trying to find a comfortable number.

I would love to produce a movie for $250,000 and sell it to Syfy for that amount. For my first film, I don't need to make any money.
 
And $750,000 would give even more breathing room.

Finding that comfortable number is the challenge. I know a good movie can
be made for $250,000. It's a hell of a challenge with no breathing room, but
it can be done.
 
Did you see the Transmorphers? I'm wondering if it can be done for $250,000.00 today. If so, then that would be a very viable business model for me to start. In fact, I'm willing to bet I can do something like that for $250,000.00 and provide a real story.
 
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