Financing

An interview with Jack Teetor, the Principal of Sojourn Media

JACK TEETOR: The digital revolution has been going on for a few years. DVRs and TiVos have changed the audience behavior to the extent that people can scan through commercials, record and watch when they want to watch. This has been a huge element in digital technology. Further, the distribution of TV shows through the internet, iPhones, web sites, etc.

The film industry is in a deep crisis according to the distribution gurus. “Picturehouse and Warner Independent have been shut down. New Line's staff was cut by 90 percent. Disney decreased the number of movies released per year from 47 to 12. Warner Brothers went from 35 to 20 films in less than 10 years,” – says Mark Gill, the CEO of The Film Department and former president of Miramax Films. [1]

Money should not be an issue to make a film.

In order to find financing for your first feature, you need to realize what your goals are. Are you doing it just because you like making films? Or you want this particular film to be done, because you think it will change the world? Or are you trying to become famous and rich? Is it just an ambition to make a movie? Or do you really want to get money out of it?

There are many ways to finance your film:
• Personal Network
• Donors
• Foundations, Grants
• Partners, Investors
• Presales
• Loans
• Equity Financing

Blockbusters like Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest brought the studios over one billion dollars worldwide. They were of course expensive movies to produce. However a big budget doesn’t guarantee a film’s success. A significant number of box office bombs have been released in last ten years.