Finding Private Investors for Film Projects - The problems

A recent discovery of an embarrassing example of how NOT to do this triggered an obvious question - how do successful film projects find private investors?

There are plenty of horror stories.  While our legal system here in Australia seems to ignore even the most blatant illegal funding schemes there have been occasions when law enforcement has shown an interest - as Robert MacLeod of Starlight films found out when he was sentenced to seven years jail for raising finance for his film projects without a proper prospectus.  (The fact he spent that money on himself might not have helped things)

Even the guy who tried to raise money for the film 'Jack the Director' by cold-calling people and inviting them to an investment seminar might have even gotten away with it if he hadn't made the mistake of cold calling the former director of consumer protection at ASIC !

So I thought I'd do a bit of digging to find out more.

Feature Film Accounting

All art is defined by its limitations.  Origami is an artform where you are limited to using only folding paper.  A sonnet is limited to fourteen lines.

And a feature film's major limitation?

Budget.

So to understand this better, I figured I'd better talk to an expert.

Testing Myths: Is Hollywood obsessed with remakes?

I was recently listening to a writer complain that the US Film industry is only interested in is remaking earlier films.


It is a common complaint - but how true is it?

SPAA's proposed Producer/Distributor fund

The Producer/Distributor fund is a proposal by SPAA to get around 17 Australian films financed (with an average budget of $15 million each) financed over 3 years - without private investment.