Financing / Crowdfunding

James Martin How about a haunted house horror picture?

Travis Mills, the director I worked with for my movie, Frontier Crucible, had previously done 12 Westerns in 12 months. Our proposed budget from Frontier Crucible started at $250k. It went up from there as more people came in, but that's where we started.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL03RgTxeA_1apynkvl1HvYNbODfZuIm9y

We have actually made (by the end of this year) 15 features for under $100k each. One of them called "The Bigfoot Trap" got on to Showtime and Paramount +! Quality under six figures can be done, if that's something you're interested in! https://vimeo.com/749815155

That's cool Aaron. Even my 15 minute shorts will be expensive, because very meticulous and careful.

Well done, Aaron! Have you found distribution to be a challenge?

Geoffroy Faugerolas - I learned just today that distributors often get 70% or more of film revenue, which I found shocking! What a strange world it is! As you can see, I"m an outsider to "the film world," but still leaping in because my soul knows this is where my lifelong poetry writing habit now wants to appear as "filmed poetry."

Anyone still here/ waiting?

I am still here, but gave up on the zoom

Hey all,

Yes, I’m based here in California (not Australia!) and just wanted to personally say how truly sorry we are for what happened yesterday. You should’ve received a message from edu@stage32.com yesterday and a follow-up from Emma this morning.

We’re very sorry again that Emma accidentally missed the session and truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday ! Please let me know any questions you have.

So sorry to all of you for the mix up and false start to our lab all of you! Looking forward to meeting you all on Sunday and the weeks we have ahead!

Hello all, I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Just wanted to drop a quick note here, I am unfortunately unavailable for this Sundays meeting, as I work every second weekend.

However, I'm looking forward to the next one, I hope it goes well for everyone!

Thanks for sharing this, Jack Binder.

My pleasure Maurice Vaughan - There are an abundance of opportunities out there for filmmakers whom make the effort to discover and put themselves out there. Be bold!

Greetings Geoffroy, Thanks for posting this forum. I have a spec horror screenplay that has been killing it at the festival circuit. I attached a producer to package with 50% down payment for services. The producer started working on packaging the director around January 2024. In that time, he's approached 3 different directors all with some experience and clout. 6 months typically goes by with one or two follow ups before we choose to move on when we hear nothing back. Is it common to get no response at all within 6 months of submitting a script and offer to a Director? Thanks in advance.

More and more studios, streamers are leaning in toward the safest bet. The level of risk aversion has had a negative effect, with less product and lower results. The door is open for indie players with an eye for quality.

Congratulations to you and your team on raising 150 million euro, Alex Francis! What’s one of the things someone would need to raise funds for a studio complex expansion?

That is amazing! Congratulations on your incredible success. I would love to hear more about your studio and what you are doing there. Best wishes from an American living in Germany..

That's incredible, Jack Binder! Hope other studios and companies do the same thing. I'm looking forward to seeing what movies Amazon MGM Studios releases in theaters.

Hey guys! Very excited to have Sean back you can learn more and sign up here: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/4-part-class-smart-film-finan...

We are currently on early bird sale!

Thank you for a terrific 30 minutes!

Really helpful Q&A webinar! I'm glad I was able to attend. Thank you, Emma Louise Smith and Stage 32!

Thank you @stage32 team for organising and for the great questions for those who joined!

Ashley Renee Smith NO! oh man, I'm so sorry we didn't get that hug!!! would have loved that - next time please :)

Now I am incredibly creative thanks to being on the extreme spectrurm of creative synesthesia. Plus, having ADHD with hyperfocus. I develop fully realized shows and films in a couple of days. I write songs in less than five minutes. I have everything set up with transmedia and a deep ecoystem laid out. Having said that, how do I get the right eyes to look at my work?

It was a pleasure, Linda!

The old model is broken and now with AI, no one knows what will happen. But some will make money. With so many streaming platforms and a limited number of movie theaters, maybe it is too much content chasing too few viewers?

You've hit on one of the most frustrating paradoxes in modern Hollywood! The disappearance of the $5-10 million sweet spot is a real phenomenon that's left both audiences and creators scratching their heads.

The Economic Reality is those low/mid-budget films actually do get made, but they're largely invisible because of distribution challenges. Studios have essentially bifurcated into two strategies:

- Tentpole films ($100M+) that can generate massive global returns

- Ultra-low budget (under $5M) that minimize risk (typically acquisitions)

Where Did the Low-Middle Go?

The $5-10M range got squeezed out by several factors:

- Theatrical economics - these films can't compete with spectacle movies for screens

- Streaming algorithms - platforms prioritize either massive hits or ultra-cheap content

- Marketing costs - a $10M movie still needs $20-30M in marketing to break through

- International sales - many low/mid-budget films struggle in overseas markets that drive profitability

They Still Exist, But...

Those films are being made, but through:

- Independent financiers rather than major studios

- Streaming platforms as direct-to-platform content

- International co-productions that you might not see in US theaters

- Genre specialists (horror, thriller) who understand those markets

The Writer's Perspective:

This is actually great news for screenwriters! There's huge demand for mid-budget scripts from independent producers, international buyers, and streaming platforms. The key is targeting the right buyers rather than hoping for studio pickup.

Films like "Barbarian," "X," "Anora," "A Real Pain" - all low/mid-budget successes that found audiences through strategic distribution.

The content is there - it's just distributed differently than the old studio system model. It comes more in the way of producer/distributor driven Direct to Streaming type movies, instead of more prestigious faire most commonly.

Pat Alexander Great write-up. This year, there has been a nice uptake in mid- to low-budget releases. It's a lot compared to the mid-2010s, when big budget ruled. Every two weeks of the month, there has been at least one solid movie worth seeing. So the new strategy is working.

The answer: There is no real film strategy in the industry today — not in Hollywood, and not in Europe either.

Saying “Okay, today we’ll make a 5-million-dollar movie” or “Okay, let’s make a 100-million-dollar one” — that’s not a strategy. Budget is not a strategy. Films should never be made this way. It’s a complete insult to the audience.

You either have 100 pages of paper with the story of Casablanca written on them and the deep understanding that this must be made —> or you don’t. And if you don’t, it doesn’t matter whether you have $100 million or $5 million — nobody will care.

It’s a fatal misconception to think that audiences don’t watch a film because it wasn’t marketed to them with enough money. Today, a film can reach audiences worldwide in 3 days, for free, with a great trailer and word-of-mouth — but only if it surprises them or it’s something they’ve genuinely been waiting for.

Accountants can’t make those kinds of films — at best, they stumble into one by accident. Even with $100 million, all they’re really selling is the illusion. And let’s be honest — small studios aren’t doing any better:

“We do not accept unsolicited materials.”

It’s like we’re in a madhouse. You don’t accept unsolicited materials?

Well, I have bad news — the solution is among them.

You cannot build a successful film industry based on luck.

"Maybe something will come through an insider... maybe it’ll work..."

"Sure, I have no idea what kind of film the world needs, but maybe, just maybe..."

It's all about advertising. Several corporations have monopolized the advertising market and restricted people from showing ads. therefore, only blockbusters with huge advertising budgets have access to the advertising market, and therefore to the audience. Films with small budgets have no chance of being advertised, which means the viewer won't find out about them and won't buy movie tickets.

Great share, Pat Alexander! One thing that stood out was "Come Prepared." I think that's one of the most important things about Cannes and any event. Come prepared (know where things are, have material ready, etc.).