The Producer's Business Handbook

Book excerpt: The Producer's Business Handbook provides a model for making a successful business of independent filmmaking. It will give you a comprehensive understanding of the business of entertainment and supply you with the information and tools you'll need to successfully engage all related aspects of global production and exploitation. The handbook also provides a global orientation to the relationships that the most successful producers have with the various participants in the motion picture industry. This includes how producers direct their relationships with domestic and foreign studios, agencies, attorneys, talent, completion guarantors, banks, and private investors. It provides a thorough orientation to operating production development and single purpose production companies, from solicitation of literary properties through direct rights sales, and the management of global distribution relationships. Also presented is an in-depth discussion of the team roles needed to operate these companies, as well as how to attach and direct them. For those outside of the US, this book also includes information about how to produce successful films without government funding. This edition has been updated to include comprehensive information on the internal greenlighting process, government financing, and determining actual cost-of-money. It includes new simplified project evaluation tools, expediting funding and distribution. Together with its companion CD-ROM, which contains valuable forms and spreadsheets; tutorials; and samples, this handbook presents both instruction and worksheet support to independent producers at all levels of experience.