Is it possible to make your own independent film?????????
Question by John: Is it possible to make your own independent film?????????
Hypothetical situation: a guy got 50 investors to invest a total of $ 15 million. Would you be able to make a movie this way?
Or if a rich guy with like $ 100 million, could he make a movie if he financed it?
Would the movie financed with either private investors/by the individual be able to be released in theatres????
Best answer:
Answer by guywithviews
Yes, he could most definitely make a movie that way. Distribution could be harder. A lot of the distributors will only play a movie they think they can make money off(and remember, THEY select YOU, not the other way around), and they only select films that have a MASSIVE marketing budget. If there’s no marketing budget then no-one will come and see the film, so they’re not going to make any money, therefore no play. That’s where most independent films fall down. they make the film but have no money to market it, so they take it around to festivals(where they get very little return, the festival company takes most of the money), hope someone picks them up, eventually dump the film with whatever Polish or Botswanan television station will pay them ten bucks for it, and never pay back their investors. Not paying back their investors means not getting investment next time, hence their career is over.
Also, with 50 investors you are going to have a problem giving them any of their money back, take a look at the film “The Producers” for this problem. Remember film-making is a business first, and art second. Why should someone stump up $ 15million dollars to you if they can just put that money in a bank and make back 10%interest or whatever, or invest in a shipping company, or an oil company etc. A film HAS TO make money. THEN you can make art. And for every investor you are going to have to pay them back AT LEAST their investment and hopefully a RETURN ON INVESTMENT, remember to you it’s a film, and a career, but to them it’s an INVESTMENT they could just as easily buy a rental property with that money and GUARANTEE a return. Can you guarantee a return? without a marketing budget and a distribution deal you will be hard pressed to do so.
Good luck.
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