Financing / Crowdfunding

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.).

Love initiatives like this one -- such a great opportunity for creatives!

It is great news for filmmakers, Jack Binder! "Risk is back on the table." I'm glad to hear it! We've been getting fantastic movies lately, and I'm sure we're going to get even more now. Thanks for sharing the article.

Thank you and my pleasure @mauricevaughan. It is very exciting to see Mubi's march into production and distribution and confirmation of the appetite for entertainment globally. Indeed, Neon likewise agrees with their choices as they take domestic distribution, win the Palm d'or, etc. on their business and creative play decisions.

You're welcome, Jack Binder. I plan on subscribing to Mubi again this week. I have Netflix, but Mubi has more indie films. They're my two favorite streaming services. And my favorite Neon film is Parasite. What's your favorite Neon movie?

Thanks for sharing.

This is great news for LA-based filmmakers! A 35% tax incentive could be a real start in bringing more productions back to Hollywood and making the state competitive again. Has anyone here worked with the CA Film Commission before or navigated the tax credit process? Would love to hear your experiences.

Ashley Renee Smith Absolutely and much needed upward revision. Sadly part of the friction with using the California film tax credit has been the arcane lottery system, with only very limited number of days for applicants. Hopefully they've streamlined and updated this system in the legislation - will update as details emerge further.

Jack Binder good news at last!

or take, for example, science fiction films. a large number of young actors became famous due to filming in such films. because in science fiction, the audience is interested in a fantastic plot, not the actors. an unknown actor is able to convey the image more fully. and now almost all sci-fi films are shot with famous or top actors, leaving no chance for newcomers to make themselves known.

Arthur Charpentier The worst part is that SAG scale, as I have seen listed, is only about $1,300.00 day rate for films over a $2M budget. That's where they draw the budget limit line, but then SAG dictates to production companies and studios what THEY think their union member is worth and label them Premium talent or A-list talent. There is not one mathematical equation on this Earth that could possibly justify any kind of evaluation like that, especially if said union actor has a big mouth and talks from his/her rectum.

I'm working on a $1.5M budget action/thriller film with a mixture of veteran actors and newcomers where the lesser known talent will shine in the roles I have planned for them, but investors would rather lose $100M then risk $1.5M.. These are the movers and shakers in this business? I wouldn't want these brain tumors to manage my piggy bank but it's what we're stuck with right now.

Ashley Renee Smith Lilo & Stitch is 23 years old. Mission: Impossible dates back to 1966. John Wick is 11—and that’s probably his IQ too. Honestly, it feels like a premature AI wrote it. And I could easily keep going. There’s something seriously wrong here. I mean, even a kindergartner could greenlight a $100 million project just because they assume the fans will carry it.

Same thing with “stars.” I don’t want to offend Ana de Armas—she probably is a lovely person in real life—but in most roles, she’s just... forgettable. Sure, there might be roles where she could shine, but we haven’t seen that yet. The issue isn’t a lack of talent—it’s a lack of screen presence. That ability to dominate the frame. To make you turn your head on the street. To be anything but average. Because lately, that’s what they’ve become.

If I were directing a $100 million film, I’d hold a completely new casting call. Maybe I only need one star—but I’d be happy if I discovered 20 more during the process. Honestly, that might be all we need for the next 10–20 years.

Stars? Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Lawrence (thank God she’s still around), Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Eddie Murphy... These were bold, unmistakable personalities. People waited for their next film. Audiences followed them. They mattered.

But just because someone’s been in a few films and carries that “A-list” brand—like a literal branding iron on cattle—I don’t consider them a real star. And I definitely wouldn’t bet a film’s success on them. These days, a “star” might only help a viewer decide, “Well, maybe they’re smart enough to avoid signing onto something completely awful.” But even that’s not a safe bet anymore.

The real issue? Nobody seems to care anymore whether a film’s lead is unforgettable, charismatic, bold—or even sexy. The lead needs to be something. Very much something. When we first watched Die Hard in packed theaters, did anyone know who Bruce Willis was? Not a clue. But within the first shot, you knew—this guy’s a star. That’s what we’re missing.

Not from the DNA of the world, but from the DNA of casting. And that’s one reason why, for so many films today, their future hangs on little more than a desperate prayer.

My film features a famous actress who recently passed away and it's crickets. Thought some star power would come out in support of her work.

Ashley Renee Smith yes, Ashley we are still seeking finance. We'll be approaching investors and sponsors in the next few months. We have two separate brochures for the film: investors and sponsors seek different rewards.

Market potential: we did a little data check and found a split demographic for our audience - young females, older males. We have a distribution company already interested in the film and have said they will X advance if we get 'this kind of talent' and Y advance, if we get better known talent.

We are also adopting a charity in the UK for its release over here and a different charity in the US. It may be that we do so in other countries for the release there. This also helps with the promotion of the film and elevates the profile of the film for the possibility of wider events sponsorship.

As for IP - I am my IP! And I have developed a diverse projects list, so as not to funnel myself into one trick pony territory.

Thanks for the encouragement Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Amrit Mukherjee. Hope to see you at the Community Open House tomorrow.

Aapne jo film ka idea diya hai — wo kaafi intriguing hai: ek philosophical adventure jisme mystery, comedy, hurdles, action, aur emotional depth sab kuch hai. Main is concept ko thoda polish karke samjhaata hoon, aur IMDB ke perspective se bhi explain karta hoon.

sir I have very emotional, struggled and transformation film script and based on tribal people, native people and sanatan dharm and the film is all over full of knowledge means gyaan

Piyush Bhawsar Hello Piyush, good to have you here. Please dm me.

I've never heard of them and evidently they've been around since 2012 or something like that? You say you're finding it a bit difficult to get your campaign approved. Have they explained why your campaign hasn't been approved? Even though no one ever reads this, have you looked in Terms and Conditions to see if you are violating any of their rules? You don't go into a lot of details so it's hard to figure out just where the problem is starting.

Nonono, I posted this before I had emailed them. They actually did give me some pretty good feedback. I just wondered if anyone here had done crowdfunding through them.