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HOW TO PITCH YOUR FILM:
THE MILLION DOLLAR PITCH
by Chad Zuber

Review of panel titled, "The Million Dollar Pitch" at the San Diego
Film Festival 2006.

The presenters:

Hartford (Harty) Brown - attorney for film
Scott Storm - filmmaker
Karl Kosak - co-founder of film festival, filmmaker (4 films)
Chris Gore - filmmaker, author "Film Festival Survival Guide"

Probably the biggest reason that the independent filmmaker doesn't
even produce a film, and almost definitely not a second one, is not
the lack of talent nor the lack of motivation but rather the lack of
dollars. However, funding a film, short or feature, doesn't have to be
funded by you, the inspired filmmaker.

The four presenters in this panel at the San Diego Film Festival provide a rare insight to the process of actually getting those dollars to produce your film. They did it themselves and it really isn't as difficult as you may think. First of all, forget about big, corporate investors. Look to private
investors. Your film isn't going to cost $135 million. Realtors, doctors, dentists and small business owners often earn a very above
average income and have extra to spare. They may even need an
additional tax write-off at the end of the year and what would be a
more exciting investment than a movie?

Sure, film is probably the worst investment someone could make but it's really not about investing. It's about being a part of the most exciting, glamorous industry in the world. It's movie making! He or she gives you $50,000 and you make he or she "executive producer" of your film. Give them an executive producer chair for when on set and a credit in the film and they will be thrilled to write the check.

Send potential investors business cards with their name, the title of
the film and the title "executive producer" on it. Appeal to their
ego. If it's someone you already know, they usually do it for you, not
for the film.

You need to be a good marketer to get investor' dollars. If you're not
comfortable with marketing then get someone who is. Creative artwork,
log line and good visuals are essential. Create a website for your
film with a private area for investors. They will feel special.

Most of all, have fun and be enthusiastic. If the investor feels your
enthusiasm for your film he or she will feel more confident and
writing the check will be much easier.

It is also important to be able to show some credibility. If you have
never produced a film before then it would be a good idea to first to
a short. Start small.

Investors will naturally want to have a lot of questions answered
before signing the check. You should be able to answer all of the
following questions and more:

* Who's your target audience?
* Who do you see being the lead character?
* Who's in it?
* What genre is it?
* What is it about?
* What's the title?

All of the questions should be answered confidently and with
enthusiasm. Again, it's more about the vibes that they feel coming
from you that will close the deal.

So, it sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it's not quite that simple.
There are other aspects to consider. Assuming that you have the 3
elements for a great film - 1) great script 2) great actors and 3)
great locations - before you even approach investors it is a good idea
to consider the legal aspects. The basic rule of thumb is, "cover your
ass!". The $125 LLC is not a good idea. Do it right!

A good attorney that specializes in film can save you time and legal
problems down the road. You will need an operating agreement and
investor package. The average LLC costs $1500 to set up but will be
well worth it for peace of mind. The average investor package costs a
few thousand dollars. You super low-budget indie filmmakers may be
thinking that you could just bypass all of this and use that initial
start-up cost towards your film but doing this right will really
separate your film from the ghetto productions and investors will have
much more confidence in you as well.

There are a key details to close with investors during the deal making
process. First of all, the filmmaker, that's YOU, must control the
creative decision making regarding the film, not the investor. Some
investors will try to seize partial control of the director's job. No,
the investor is to provide the financial support only. Also, you will
have to decide what percentage of the movie that the investor owns.
Now there will likely be many investors and the ownership percentages
may vary depending upon the amounts invested. After distribution, the
investors will receive a percentage. It usually takes at least two
years for investors to see something of their investment start coming
back. Consider all sales venues including foreign sales, home DVD and
cable. Again, if you're not good at marketing, find someone to push
the distribution of your film.

When determining the budget for your film, never low-ball it. Hold
back points in case of going over budget and/or for actors' bonuses.
Set aside a good amount for marketing. Get great photographs of the
actors on set. Be creative. Great photos can set your movie apart from
others. The locations that you shoot also make a big impression.
Powerful visuals will make the difference. When searching for actors
you may run into agent roadblocks with up and coming "A" list actors.
Go around agents and managers. Agents just want money. Actors often
just want to work.

- Chad Zuber
Actor, writer, photographer

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