Financing / Crowdfunding : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Tuesday 5/21 to Wednesday 5/22- How to Pursue Development and Production Funds by Michelle Alexandria

Hi Michelle Alexandria! Thanks so much for having this AMA and spending your day with us. Question: What genres do investors find to be the most enticing? Also, what budget levels? Thanks in advance!

Hi, Michelle Alexandria! Great to see you! Hope you're doing well. Congratulations to you and your team on wrapping up the two films and wrapping up Cannes Marche film market!

Thanks for taking the time to have this AMA. My question is your question, which I'm sure a lot of people are interested in hearing the answer to: "What tools should you have when reaching out to high net worth groups and individuals?"

Hi Michelle! Thanks for lending us your expertise. What’s the appetite in the marketplace for edgy hard hitting content that deals with tough social issues? I’ve garnered greater interest outside the US. Is that typical?

Michelle Alexandria Saludos Michelle, u have an amazing career. Happy new week. ✍️

Michelle Alexandria Im has been working as a screenwriter for several years and, with the passage of time, he has discovered vital secrets to bring each story up to par. I started making remakes of existing films out of passion and that magic led me to have certain skills as a screenwriter. I just need to be read properly, I also have original scripts. What is the best way or strategy to have the attention of an agent, I already want to sell, the journey has taken me to this stage.

Thank you for sharing your time with us today, Michelle Alexandria! When researching various financing companies and financiers, are there specific red flags that filmmakers should be aware of to avoid scams and seek out reputable professionals?

I have a documentary film on the origins of jazz in New Orleans. The filming is nearly complete. We have two 10 minute trailers completed as well. We need funding for errors and omission and licensing on the visuals and film clips we need to complete the film. What might be some good sources for funding?

Hi Michelle Alexandria, what should I prepare to have with me going into pitching for funding? And what would be a good process to determine a film's budget? I'm strong on the creative side, but I'd like to learn more about what goes into finances and funding. Thank you!

Clark Tolleson Hi Clark, nice to meet you through Stage 32. When you have an opportunity to pitch your project creatively, it would help you to have all the tools at hand that you can anticipate being asked. Such as, Do you have a pitch deck, do you know the budget, do you have a budget, how much of the package you have put together, where are you filming, is there a tax incentive? All of these things mentioned take time to put together and done by someone with experience. For this reason, I strongly suggest putting together development funds such as $10,000 minimum. Some filmmakers can do it themselves even maybe with a credit card. But I would start off with having your script, maybe even a mock poster, and even a basic one sheet that just shows the basic information such as the title, genre, the type of project it is, feature, series, documentary, etc., and then you build from there. But ultimately you do want to have your pitch deck and your budget/schedule. The best way to know what your budget is if you don't have the experience is to hire a line producer do a budget for you. Many here on Stage32. This can cost $1000 minimum or more depending on the experience of the line producer. But one of the most important things going into a pitch meeting is know what you're asking for. You definitely want to have an amount even if that number is going to change. If you say you are not sure yet then you lose the investor. Have your Asking amount.

Leonardo Ramirez Hi Leonardo, great question. It really depends on the investor. I work with so many different types of investors. They each have difference preferences. Some are strictly want faith or family, no horror. Some are only horror. Some don't care as long as it has potential to make money. Some are more about getting their family member in the movie regardless of genre. The key element is to get to know who your investor is. More often than not they do not even know they are an investor until you strike their interest with your project. Try to have multiple projects of different genres. You want to always be ready to present to them an opportunity.

That makes total sense Michelle Alexandria. Thank you so much. And I like the idea of having different genres on hand. I lean towards fantasy and scifi but I'm currently working on a drama with hints of fantasy so this is encouraging. Thanks Michelle!

3 CALAVERAS The first rock movie in Spanish in history (Everybody loves "The Wall"!) please help me with this!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/3calaveras/3-calaveras-la-primera-r...

8 Teasers here.... https://vimeo.com/user99291549

Thank you!

Matias

3 Calaveras Teasers

https://vimeo.com/user99291549

Hi Michelle, What is the number one thing that my team and I need to show to investors right away to help ensure our project(s) get serious consideration? Also, I have had a good deal of success as a doc filmmaker, one of our recent Docs (Stolen Babies of Spain) is on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and ROKU, while our newest (Letters to the Pope) has been winning festival awards. However, the 2 scripts now I am excited to pitch are both narrative/fiction. Should I bring in the Doc film success or focus only on the fictional side now? Thanks so much for your time and expertise. Much appreciated!

Welcome to the community, Matías Kotler. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. This is an AMA where you're free to ask questions. It's not an event to find collaborators. You can post your comment in the Your Stage Lounge (www.stage32.com/lounge/promotion) and on Your Wall.

Michelle Alexandria im really sorry, im just tried to get the perfect investor to make history in spanish language and rock movies... But I cant move mountains... im lost

Your comment was more about collaborating and promoting your project than a question, Matías Kotler. The AMA is to ask questions and learn.

Im really sorry!

No need to be sorry, Matías Kotler. Just letting you know.

Nick Douglas Hi Nick, THAT is the million dollar question! If we knew the sources for funding besides banks and studios it would be much easier to fund projects. You are actually way ahead of the game Nick. You already shot most everything and you now have trailers to show others when presenting your pitch in seeking funding. I would make a one sheet document with your poster, your basic info, and a link to the trailers, AND lastly the amount you are seeking. Please note, some sales agencies may cover your error and emissions so that reduces $3k-$5k. Use those trailers! That is your greatest tool. Ask friends, family, non-industry people. You may even want to try crowd funding using those trailers.

How to achieve my budget when it is very high and I need large investors? In my case it is US$ 909,000

Michelle Alexandria Hi Michelle and thank you for doing the AMA. Am I right in thinking that I see a greater possibility for c$5,000,000 budget films opening up, as investors are being conservative with their money at this time and a $5m movie seems like a good/safer punt?

Maurice Vaughan Hi Maurice, great question as always. In response to your questions of what tools should you have when reaching out to high net worth groups are individuals, it's best to at least know the dollar amount that you are asking for. Surprisingly many filmmakers are never quite sure. If you are not sure then the investor is not sure to invest. You want to have your script, somewhat ready. Don't worry about improving it because you will be doing that throughout the project. Approach funding as early as you feel comfortable. If you can have a budget and schedule even better, which is why I discuss here development funds. Any resources you might have that give you leverage to your project, locations, talent, partial funding, all these pieces add up and help you make it more complete so when you present to potential investor, the project feels halfway home which may entice them to want to invest before it's done. I hope this answers your question Maurice. Great to hear from you.

Geoff Hall Hi Geoff, I would have to say that $5 million is a very high budget in the independent filmmaking world. If your budget is $5 million you definitely want to be sure you have a possibility for strong, strong talent, a recognizable bankable Director, and very important, Marketing Funds, also known as P&A prints and advertising. Depending on your career and what your goals are can be helpful to determine this as well. I usually recommend filmmakers to make the first few films under $500,000 and really become comfortable with that number. With $5 million I would definitely want a strong partnership involved. I hope that answers your question Geoff, great to hear from you!

Reggie Cook Hi Reggie, thank you for your question. I would have to say working in Distribution for over 20 years, there is an audience for all topics. Depending on what your goals are in the industry, if it is more creative and you really have a story you want to tell, then, regardless of the marketplace, I would tell it. If you are looking to build experience and a stronger return then the more popular genres tend to be action, sci-fi, faith, and family. Each country has their preferences in parameters. The USA is more friendly. Back in the day, the International Returns were much bigger than domestic. Now for independent films I would say the USA has a stronger return genres. So whatever your genre, make the story you want to tell. There is always an audience :) I hope this helps you reggie

Yes, you definitely answered my question, Michelle Alexandria! Thank you!

Hey Michelle! Nathan of Only Human Productions. I wanted to pick your brain about "worth of actors" as a metric for ROI? We are more an artistic company (small) and so we still spend a lot of our time trying to nail down funding. Currently, working with a packaging producer with connections to investors and we're doing the slow-crawl of approaching actors for avails to piece together the main roles and use that as a means of proof of ROI. What is your experience with that type of packaging for low budget films? Is there a "reliable" resource to view that could give guesstimates on actor roi-value? (sorry actors, nothing personal, just dealing with bean-counters). Finally, would you recommend a different method to approach seed money for projects? Thank you so much for your time and good luck to everyone here!

Hi Michelle…i’m a writer, not a filmmaker. Should my “selling” focus be on finding a prod house that is interested in the script, and have them direct the financing and package-building process?

Hello Michelle Alexandria, I loved your sample question! If I missed someone asking already, let me know. What kind of material are investors looking for in the current landscape?

Just a quick comment here - Michelle Alexandria is the best! She is a wealth of knowledge and so generous with her time and expertise. Love having her in the Stage 32 community.

Hi Michelle

I truly believe I have that material for a true crime series/movie with 27 years experiences of my friend Frank Santorsola, it’s homicide, narcotics and undercover with one of the 5 families.

Sorry I missed the deadline but I just joined Stage 32 as it was recommended by a Florida contact.

Frank and I need the funding and support to make this a reality, we have the concept and materials but we cannot get traction to take it to that next level

Could I send you details or even books( Frank wrote a few)

Regards

R

Michelle Alexandria not quite, Michelle. I had been reading the dailies and they were talking about big budget films being in these economically troubled times, being not so desirous and so they were saying that lower budget films were now in vogue and suggested that the big studios maybe should should think of making more lower budget films around the $5m mark. I wasn't speaking about my film.

Thank you so much Michelle Alexandria! I appreciate your advice!

Hi Michelle Alexandria ,

Wow - congratulations on your success in the Film industry! It’s nice to learn from your experiences

From the first question you mentioned,

I would think to make sure the other client has the right bank account- if it is a high ceiling account. I’ve never worked in the banking industry long - a short temp job - working w checks lol, though over the years have noticed most personal and some business accounts only go to a certain level, I.e - 100-500k for example.

Are the high end groups more than 500 K?

Hope your week is great; hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Kerry Kennard

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What tools should you have when reaching out to high net worth groups and individuals?

Enjoyed the AMA, Michelle Alexandria! Hope this comment and question enhances! Education and filmmakers with content, more supported from outside of the US. The concerns! Understandably one of questions will be "How this is basically beneficial, lucrative or considered to be, to the local viewing public"?,

Q: Therefore any data or average, as to the percentage that have gotten investors, also investors who have gotten collaborators ?

Thanks, Best!

Hello Michelle Alexandria! I have been unplugged from technology for some time and sadly M.I.A from my @stage32 fam, but logged on just minutes ago to see what I missed! A whole lot! Wow! This sounded like an epic workshop that I would have loved to attend. Is there a replay somewhere?

Welcome back, Candina Ann. This AMA post will stay up for you and other members to read Michelle's answers.