The Gillen Group Presents "Balanced Producer: Finance & Sell Your Film in the Digital Age"

Saturday October 15, 2011 • 9:00am - 5:00pm

Los Angeles Film Studies Center • Theater

5455 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1615, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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SEATING IS LIMITED

This is the hands-on workshop you have been looking for to answer all your questions regarding financing your film. You will receive practical, in-depth information, efficiently written and presented.  You will walk away with a proven method of success and be provided with relevant data for both filmmakers and investors. 

Balanced Producer is a full-day, detailed step-by-step guide to understanding all the worldwide financial sources for financing your film, how to create the tools necessary to close that financing - from Business Plan to Projections to Sizzle Reel, and your options to sell and distribute in the digital age.

What Is A Balanced Producer?

A Balanced Producer is someone who gives equal weight to his/her creative, audience and profit.  This balance assures the stability of each picture as it passes through the procecess of development, production and distribution.  50% is making the movie and 50% is marketing and distributing a movie, and most producer only understand 50% of their job.  Throughout her experience in the industry, Anne Marie Gillen has learned the key seven principles and practices consistently employed by some of the most powerful independent film producers.

Session with Maury Rogow, CEO of RipMedia Group will cover:

• CORE social media strategies that help engage your target audience
• DO'S AND DON'T's of online marketing.
•  **Bonus: Free and low cost online tools to effectively manage your film project

TESTIMONIALS

“Although I have extensive experience as a Line Producer on studio films, Anne Marie Gillen gave me the map of how to successfully negotiate the strange land of independent film production. She showed me which doors to knock on and how to get them to open. In three months, I went from being a clueless indie neophyte to negotiating with foreign sales agents bolstered by the confidence that comes with knowledge.”                                                                                    Robert Latham Brown

S.W.A.T., Charlie’s Angels, Spider-Man

"Anne Marie Gillen's captivating personality and unquestionable knowledge of financing films in the digital age were key in providing the vital tools to the Puerto Rico film industry."

Puerto Rico Film Commission, July 2011

“In show business, everyone is in love with the show, but it’s the business of making significant money that turns on the big boys and girls inside the tent.  Learn what they already know…”

Steve Eccelsine

Independent Producer (12 films & over 700 TV episodes)

“Your insight cleared up my eyesight…What a great seminar!  The information you provide on the business principles and practices of the entertainment industry is an invaluable tool for producers.” 

Karen T. Bolt

Development Executive

Carrie Productions (Danny Glover)

“Anne Marie’s workshop was the best eight hours I spent for getting comprehensive and practical information.  She not only shared a wealth of knowledge but actual documents and worksheets for real-world application.  And to top it off, she made the day fun, lively and collaborative.  I walked away completely satisfied and, more importantly, energized and enthused about producing my film.

Debra Weeks

TV Producer (Hard Copy, Most Shocking, Most Daring)

March 19, 2011

SEMINAR OVERVIEW

We will start with a concise overview of The Seven Major Principals and Practices Common Among the Film Industries Most Successful Producers and how you can immediately implement these practices.

 The key to the workshop will be exploring and understanding Sources of Film Financing Worldwide and all aspects of Your Most Important Financing Document:  The Business Plan.  We will focus on one of the key elements to close that financing - Financial Projections. 

And finally, we will review Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools and explore distribution Traditional to DIY to Hybrid.

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION

• OVERVIEW:  The Seven Major Principals and Practices Common Among the Film Industries Most Successful Producers. 

There is a small core of powerful independent production companies that know how to achieve their ultimate creative goals, locate their target audiences, and turn a profit on every picture they produce. They all apply these Seven Major Principles and Practices.   

• FINDING THE MONEY: Sources of Film Financing Worldwide

Equity is King – and finding and closing it is the key component to funding every film. We will cover everything from equity to crowdfunding; presales to tax credits/rebates, co-production companies with financing to goods & services deals. 

• CLOSING THE MONEY - PART 1: Your Most Important Financing Document:  The Business Plan

A concise, thorough and compelling business plan is the essential document necessary to raise the funding to make your film. You must think like an investor to attract the investor.  This session will be a step-by-step guide of all necessary sections for a winning business plan.

• CLOSING THE MONEY – PART 2:  Your Most Powerful Financing Tool:  Financial Projections. 

Money In, Money Out, and Timing:  these are the critical factors any investor will need to understand.  This session will walk you through the process of building a waterfall and projections for your single picture.

• SALES TOOLS:  Your Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools:  Ripamatic / Proof of Concept / Sizzle Reel. 

Film is a visual medium and when pitching your project to investors, distributors, talent and sales agents, this remarkable tool will set the tone and communicate your film’s marketability and must-see factor.

• DISTRIBUTION:  Traditional to DIY to Hybrid

This session will review the myriad of distribution models that the new digital age affords the indie producer: from theatrical to four wall and service deals, to streaming downloads and direct-to-consumer DVD.  Special Guest Speaker:  Maury Rogow, CEO RipMedia

LEARNING OUTCOMES 

As a result of successfully completing this workshop, you will have acquired a variety of valuable skills & knowledge: 

SKILLS

You will be introduced to crucial skills, including:

• How to track comparable films to analyze the target audience and potential revenue for your film
• Production financing worksheet to determine actual cost of money
• What is required to write a professional business plan
• How to pitch potential investors
• Single picture and film company activity and cash flow projections

 KNOWLEDGE

You will be exposed to critical knowledge, including:

• What all the myriad of financing sources are available to filmmakers worldwide
• Financial projections on 3 levels of performance
• Internet marketing & DIY distribution

SUGGESTED READING

• “The Producers Business Handbook” (3^rd Edition) by John J. Lee & Anne Marie Gillen
• “The Biz” (3^rd Edition) by Schuyler M. Moore
• “Filmmakers and Financing” by Louise Levinson
• “The Independent Film Producer’s Survival Guide” by Erickson, Tulchin & Halloran
• “Save the Cat!” by Blake Snyder
• “The Complete Film Production Handbook” (4^th Edition) by Eve Light Honthaner

FEATURED INSTRUCTOR

Anne Marie Gillen, CEO of Gillen Group, LLC, is an independent producer whose goal is to develop and produce commercially successful entertainment that enlightens the human experience.  Gillen Group’s consulting division, established in 2006, offers business planning, script analysis, worldwide distribution consultation and internal greenlighting (project and/or film company cash flow projections) to independent film producers and investors. Anne Marie also served as COO for Morgan Freeman’s company, Revelations Entertainment.  During her time there, the company produced Along Came A Spider (Paramount Pictures), developed Port Chicago Mutiny (NBC), and produced Under Suspicion (Sony Pictures).  Anne Marie co-founded and served as CEO of Electric Shadow Pictures, and executive produced the multiple Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated film, Fried Green Tomatoes.  November 2010 Ms. Gillen released her first book – the 3^rd edition of “The Producer’s Business Handbook” - through Focal Press and co-branded by Variety.

Ms. Gillen is a lecturer and panelist and gives workshop seminars for such organizations as:  Puerto Rico Film Commission, NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers), Institute for International Film Financing (IIFF), Show Biz Expo, Screenwriters Expo, UCLA Film School, USC Film School, Chapman University, Act One Producer Program, Century City Chamber of Commerce Entertainment Symposiums, Independent Feature Project seminars in New York, Minneapolis and Cannes, France, California Lawyers for the Arts, Women In Film, and Playback.

PROGRAM DETAILS

Session 1 (30 minutes)

The Seven Major Principals and Practices Common Among the Film Industries Most Successful Producers. 

• Review all necessary items and costs to sanely move through development to full financing
• Review the process of how to greenlight a film
• Explore worldwide distribution and when to engage in their services
• Overview of all potential sources of rights sales & revenue
• Overview of all sources of production financing
• How to become a Balanced Producer

Session 2 (90 minutes)

FINDING THE MONEY: Sources of Film Financing Worldwide

• In-depth analysis of all the sources for financing your film
• What to offer equity investors
• How to work with a foreign sales agent to secure presales and estimates
• The new kid on the block: Crowdfunding
• Co-production sources of financing
• Production financing worksheet

Session 3 (2 Hour)

CLOSING THE MONEY - PART 1: Your Most Important Financing Document:  The Business Plan

• Review all necessary elements for a strong business plan
• How to build your team
• How to think like an investor
• Risk factors

CLOSING THE MONEY – PART 2:  Your Most Powerful Financing Tool:  Financial Projections. 

• Tracking film comparables
• Projecting a film’s revenue projection on 3 levels
• Timing of return of revenue to the producer

Session 4 (1 Hour)

SALES TOOLS:  Your Most Powerful Marketing & Sales Tools:  Ripamatic / Proof of Concept / Sizzle Reel. 

• Review several samples produced by filmmakers and produced by trailer house
• What elements are needed to make a successful reel

 Session 5 (1 Hour)

DISTRIBUTION:  Traditional to DIY to Hybrid

• Analysis of traditional theatrical distribution model
• Review of Four Wall and Service Deals
• Overview of Direct-to-Consumer DVD & Blu-ry
• VOD and Aggregators
• Service deals, to streaming downloads and direct-to-consumer DVD.
• Special Guest Speaker: Maury Rogow – Social Networking & Viral Marketing

MAURY ROGOW - RIPMEDIA:  SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Film makers that embrace Social Marketing in their business plans are impressed with its return on investment.  Improvements are achieved by locating your target audience, building strategic alliances, and increasing DVD and ticket sales.  Word-of-mouth input on social media sites can influence your films sales more effectively and inexpensively than any other medium.

Learn how to:

• Increase your fan base
• Decrease marketing costs 

FEATURED INSTRUCTOR

Maury Rogow
President: RipMedia

Maury Rogow built a successful career in business development, from Avaya, Lucent Technologies, to GeoTel, a startup up later sold to Cisco Systems for over $1Billion.  He shifted to the entertainment industry where he founded RipMedia Group, where he serves as President.  He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Film Independent, a certified Inbound Marketing Professional, as well as Executive Producer of the feature film Bedrooms (Showtime, The Movie Channel), is in development for Shambler, and The Helix, and completed marketing projects for multiple films in production.