My feature film got greenlit for $5 million by an investment firm. What do I do now?

G

GhostDaddy

A private investment firm greenlit my feature film script that I will be directing, producing and acting in. The project has a 5 million dollar budget. My lawyer is finishing up negotiations with the firm now. The funds aren't available yet but they will be in around 45 days. What do I do now? I want to move forward and start the ball rolling to get into production but this is my first time in this position. I don't want to just sit around and wait for the money. I want to be proactive. I figured out what to do to get to the money. Now that I have that covered I don't know what to do next. I have the script myself and the money. No attached cast, no attached crew. I have a clear vision for production. But I'm not even officially in pre-production. I have met with a well known EP and she is reading it, there is a good chance she will come on board. Unitl that happens and before I get access to funds I can readily use for pre-purduction what can I do and what do I need to do to prepare as well as move things forward? I need all the advice I can get.

Best Regards,


Ghost
 
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Your first hire - in conjunction/consultation with your attorney and your manager - will be a competent line producer. This is the person who takes a lot of the logistical and technical aspects of the project off of your shoulders, allowing you to be an artist (whatever that means). Your next hire would be your 1st AD; this is your alter ego/siamese twin to keep you organized who should slap you in the face with reality checks and kick you in the ass for motivation as needed (since you'll be spending time in front of the camera as well as behind it). These folks aren't necessarily friends, but you should be very comfortable with them and be able to have open, honest communication/dialog with them. Anyone you know and like amongst your TV contacts who also want the shot at a feature? Once you have this core team in place you can start looking for your department heads; let them put together their own crews.

Pre-produce the hell out of it. Any problems you can anticipate will save you time, money and frustration. Don't forget to budget adequately for post (looking for a sound designer?) and don't forget your marketing budget.

While you are waiting for the money see if your attorney can get a letter of intent; this doesn't 100% guarantee that you'll get the money, but it will help you find and retain the talent that you want in the interim.
 
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directorik said:
You're a TV star so you know how the business works.

No offense to anyone here, but there are few here who have
the experience and background you do. You can offer more
information about how the business works than most people
here.


You should enjoy the free time. Until you have the funds you
should do nothing. Relax, take a little vacation, take long walks.
The very worst thing you can do is start the ball rolling until the
money is available. You're a working actor - you are a star - you
know that sometimes even the most sure deal falls through. If
you were to make any promisees now or even start talking as if
you had the money in hand and something happened with the
deal it would hurt your overall credibility.

So relax. There will be a lot to do once the money is available to
you. The "ball" will roll so fast you are going to wish you had a
moment to slow it down and take a breath. Add two extra weeks in
your pre-production schedule to get yourself up to speed. With
money in hand you will be able to find the support you need in
less than a week.
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Thanks. I just feel like I should be doing something. Thats part of the issue. I can't make moves or really tell people I would like to come on board until it's in hand. Been burnt before. So not doing that again. But thanks I think I needed to hear that. I was a TV star. Just a guy right now. KInda had to walk away from my life in L.A. for the last couple of years to take car of my family in ATL. But wouldn't change that choice for anything.
 
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Coming from a family full of businessmen and financiers, nothing about this makes sense. I have a lot of uncles and cousins in the financial sector and take a great interest in international finance myself, in addition to working at family businesses since I graduated high school. This doesn't happen. The primary activity in the sector right now is consolidation at bargain prices, liquidation to stay alive and hedging as much risk, in investments, as possible. Someone gave a first time film maker, who can't tell them what he plans to do to get the film made, $5 million to use at his own disposal? This wouldn't happen in bubble-eras, much less in todays market.

Either someone is selling you or you're selling us.

EDIT: BTW I'm originally from Atlanta too.
 
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Kosh said:
Great news Ghost. Congrats and good luck. I have no experience with this and really like what directorik said, sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

Don't over look getting a good Producer - preferrably an experienced one, if this is indeed your first time going at this. Once you take that break that direcorik suggested you need to get some experienced, quality hands to help you. If you can afford them, get people with some experience - a DP with some projects under thier belt and familiar with the tools you will have at your disposal, a really good AD who will know how to manage your set and production, and a really good Producer to amoung other things. help you work on your budget. $5 mill sounds like a lot and is a lot but that stuff can evaporate pretty quickly when it comes to making a feature. The budget - the business end - tends to get over looked but it is key to make sure you don't zap through your funds with a lot of movie to go.

Also don't focus on pre-prod only start thinking about post - editing, color correction, sound, etc. All important and I would try and get affordable experience hands in those areas. This all will be laid out, up front, in the budget. If there is anything I must emphasize in all of this it is this - YOUR BUDGET. Did I fail to mention your budget? LOL.

Good luck, Ghost, and have fun. Your the director of a feature, man - a feature with some cash to spend. Don't try to wear too many hats, surround yourself with talented people and be tactful in getting your message and vision across. Don't let the experienced guys hijack your vision but also know that you need their experience - become the collaborator-in-chief. We're all rooting for you. I know you'll be mad busy, bt keep us up to speed from time to time.
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Kosh just made me so happy I signed up with this sight. Thanks for the kind words and positivity. I will 100% keep everyone posted. I didn't come on here to brag about it. I just had to spend so many obsesive hours re-writing the script then non-stop no sleep compulsion in preparing materials to attempt to get funding. It just feels wierd not having things to bring together. I don't want to miss anything no matter how much I think I know. I figured maybe one little piece of advice from kindread spirits would be the one thing I utilize to make a piece of work that completly effects people in a profound way and entertains them emensly.

Someone asked about asking God. I did, but it says, "faith with out works is dead" So I work cause I'm trying to live and breathe an abundance of life into my film.
 
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Could you give us your name? Maybe some credentials? I mean not to be rude but, if your a star from LA shouldn't you have other friends in the industry that you can ask for advice? Other directors/producers you've worked with that will chit chat about how to get started over the phone? Again there are many good people on here to help and a ton of information but learning how to start making a film by asking a few people on a website is like going to a medical forum and asking people how to perform surgery. I'm sure your going to get some great info but the end result is going to be a disaster. I sure wouldn't promise $5 million to someone who didn't know step one. Really sorry if I offended you in anyway. Not my intention. Just still trying to wrap my head around this scenario.
 
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I do say this to anyone chasing down shooting stars and trying to catch a dream. You can grab it. There is nothing you can't do if you stand up and fight. There is no one way to get to a dream. But there is a way. Somtimes you have to go down roads you never thought you would and even ones that were right in front of you the whole time but you couldn't see. All you gotta do is make sure to keep walking. So thanks peeps on the site you have put a pep in my step.
 
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GhostDaddy said:
I do say this to anyone chasing down shooting stars and trying to catch a dream. You can grab it. There is nothing you can't do if you stand up and fight. There is no one way to get to a dream. But there is a way. Somtimes you have to go down roads you never thought you would and even ones that were right in front of you the whole time but you couldn't see. All you gotta do is make sure to keep walking. So thanks peeps on the site you have put a pep in my step.
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We all believe this or we probably wouldn't be here and investing so much time in our dreams. :)

I, too, am a bit skeptical. You certainly don't have to *prove* who you are, but it'd be cool to pm us (as in ME, lol) your credentials? I'm not only nosey, but I'd also like to know what kind of cred one needs to get a 5 mil investment deal.

At any rate, if this deal is legitimate, then I hope you show the 'powers that be' a great project, for it could open doors for the rest of us. Good Luck!
 
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Fun thread..
with these things I just treat it as a "thought experiment"
This topic for example becomes a lottery fantasy ...."if someone came to me with 5mil to launder, I mean spend, what would I do... "

Far be it for me to ruin another mans delusion..

"No man ever understands quite his own artful dodges to escape from the grim shadow of self-knowledge."
- Joseph Conrad

Just sayin..
 
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While I would be contacting my friends in the industry and trying to get agreements made, you can still do some things by yourself. If the script is locked down, you should break it down so you will know all props and locations. Then break it further into all equipment needed. This should have been part of the budget process. You can check on catering service for crew in the area and rental houses.
 
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