| Acknowledgments | p. xiii |
| Foreword | p. xv |
| Getting Ready to Produce | p. 1 |
| The Time Was Right | p. 1 |
| The Landscape is Changing | p. 2 |
| A Step-By-Step Approach | p. 2 |
| Wearing Two Hats: Business and Creative | p. 3 |
| The Business of Film Producing | p. 4 |
| Timeline for Séance | p. 6 |
| Timeline for the Film, Séance | p. 7 |
| September/October 2005: Optioned Screenplay | p. 7 |
| November/December 2005: Business Plan and PPM | p. 8 |
| January 2006: Opened an LLC | p. 9 |
| January/February/March: Funding the Film | p. 10 |
| March: Finalized Details | p. 10 |
| April: Soft Prep - Four Weeks | p. 11 |
| April: Casting | p. 11 |
| May 1: Preproduction Begins - Three Weeks | p. 12 |
| May 21: Principal Photography - Two Weeks | p. 12 |
| June 5-September 29: Postproduction | p. 13 |
| October: Prepared for Market | p. 14 |
| November 1-8: Attended the American Film Market | p. 14 |
| November 9-December 1 5: Delivery | p. 14 |
| The Script: Option and Development | p. 15 |
| Time to do the Paperwork | p. 15 |
| Research and Read Option Agreements | p. 16 |
| What's Needed in an Option/Purchase Agreement | p. 16 |
| Option Period | p. 23 |
| Payment and Back End | p. 23 |
| Deferments | p. 24 |
| Certificate of Authorship and Short-Form Assignment | p. 24 |
| Script Development | p. 27 |
| Table Read | p. 27 |
| Director's Notes | p. 28 |
| Creating Your Business Plan | p. 29 |
| K.I.S.S. | p. 29 |
| Table of Contents | p. 29 |
| Quotation | p. 30 |
| Investor Proposal | p. 30 |
| Why $7,500? Here are Four Good Reasons | p. 32 |
| Let's Start with Delivery | p. 33 |
| Operating Costs | p. 33 |
| Executive Producer Fee | p. 33 |
| Budget | p. 34 |
| Extra Bonus | p. 34 |
| Risk | p. 35 |
| Project Objective | p. 35 |
| The Marketplace | p. 36 |
| Film Comparisons | p. 36 |
| Company Summary and Team | p. 37 |
| Synopsis | p. 37 |
| Revenue Scenario | p. 38 |
| Newspaper Articles | p. 40 |
| Section 181 | p. 40 |
| Mission Statement | p. 40 |
| Your One-Sheet Poster | p. 41 |
| PPM/Operating Agreement/Subscription Agreement | p. 43 |
| Setting Up Your LLC and Opening Your Bank Account | p. 45 |
| Opening Your LLC: You Can Do It! | p. 45 |
| Where Do I Open My LLC? | p. 46 |
| Wait Until You're Ready | p. 46 |
| Step # 1: Clear The Name | p. 46 |
| Step # 2: Articles of Organization | p. 47 |
| Step # 3: Getting Your EIN Number | p. 49 |
| Certificates and Seal | p. 50 |
| Opening Your Bank Account | p. 50 |
| Wait Until You're Ready to Open Your Account | p. 50 |
| Open two Accounts | p. 50 |
| What Type of Checkbook Should You Order? | p. 51 |
| Making Deposits: Details | p. 52 |
| Get Your Visa or Mastercard Now | p. 53 |
| The Checks and Visa Are in Your Name Only! | p. 53 |
| Check Request Form | p. 54 |
| Payroll Company or Not? | p. 55 |
| Sales Presentation and Finding Investors | p. 56 |
| Preparation | p. 57 |
| Outline | p. 57 |
| Booking the Venue | p. 57 |
| Getting the Word Out | p. 58 |
| Logistics | p. 59 |
| Setting up the Room | p. 60 |
| Your Assistants Represent Your Company | p. 60 |
| It's Showtime: Welcome Everyone | p. 61 |
| Purpose of the Evening | p. 61 |
| Outline for the Evening | p. 61 |
| It's Your Time to Shine: Have Fun! | p. 62 |
| Introduce Yourself | p. 62 |
| Your Company Introduction | p. 64 |
| Launching Windchill Films: Why this Film? Why This Budget? | p. 65 |
| The Director's Vision | p. 66 |
| Introduce Your Team | p. 67 |
| Your Offering | p. 68 |
| What's in It for Me, The Investor? | p. 69 |
| Question and Answer Session | p. 70 |
| Wrap-Up | p. 70 |
| Mock Sales Presentation | p. 70 |
| A Promise Is Not a Check | p. 71 |
| Additional Perks | p. 71 |
| Tips to Getting Investors | p. 71 |
| Be Prepared | p. 73 |
| Be Innovative | p. 74 |
| Let's Get Visual | p. 74 |
| Soft Prep | p. 76 |
| What Is Soft Prep? | p. 76 |
| Get Sag Signatory Number | p. 77 |
| Table Read | p. 78 |
| Location Scouting | p. 80 |
| List Your Film in the Trades | p. 82 |
| Inform Your Investors | p. 82 |
| The Casting Process | p. 84 |
| Part 1: Preparation | p. 84 |
| Casting Director - Or Not | p. 84 |
| Guild Actors-Or Not | p. 85 |
| Guild Deposit | p. 85 |
| Breakdown Services | p. 86 |
| Plan Casting Process With Your Director | p. 88 |
| Part 2: Scheduling | p. 89 |
| Scheduling Auditions | p. 89 |
| How to Schedule | p. 89 |
| How Much Time to Allow for Auditions | p. 91 |
| Book Your Readers | p. 91 |
| Choosing the Sides | p. 91 |
| Typed Sign-In Sheets | p. 92 |
| Part 3: Auditions and Callbacks | p. 92 |
| Auditions | p. 92 |
| Lunch Break and Atmosphere | p. 93 |
| Scheduling Callbacks | p. 94 |
| Callbacks | p. 94 |
| Chemistry Callbacks | p. 95 |
| Final Decisions | p. 95 |
| Part 4: Deal Memos | p. 96 |
| Extras | p. 103 |
| Preproduction | p. 105 |
| Producer versus Line Producer | p. 105 |
| Producer's Focus | p. 106 |
| Line Producer's Focus | p. 106 |
| A Look at the Producer's Job | p. 108 |
| The Making-of Producer and Stills Photographer | p. 108 |
| Still Photography and Making-of Cast Schedule | p. 109 |
| Proposed Questions for Cast for the Making-of Feature | p. 110 |
| Your Editor | p. 110 |
| Your Director of Photography | p. 112 |
| Your Director | p. 116 |
| Table Read With Your Keys | p. 116 |
| Cast Table Read and Wardrobe Fitting | p. 118 |
| Product Placement | p. 119 |
| Update Investors | p. 120 |
| Keep the Actors and their Agents Informed | p. 120 |
| Principal Photography | p. 121 |
| Now the Fun begins | p. 121 |
| Know How to Read Your Call Sheets, Day Out of Days, and Shooting Schedule | p. 124 |
| Shooting Schedule | p. 124 |
| Dailies | p. 124 |
| Video Village | p. 126 |
| Know Your Script | p. 127 |
| Your Editor | p. 127 |
| Staying on Time: Your 1st AD | p. 127 |
| Writing Checks | p. 128 |
| Stills and Press Release | p. 128 |
| Treats | p. 129 |
| Putting out Fires | p. 130 |
| Planning Your Wrap Party | p. 131 |
| Going the Extra Mile | p. 133 |
| Children and Animals | p. 136 |
| Investors | p. 138 |
| Interviews for Postproduction Positions | p. 139 |
| Acknowledgment | p. 139 |
| Wrap-Up and Postproduction | p. 140 |
| Wrap Party | p. 140 |
| Line Producer's Wrap-Up | p. 141 |
| Editor's Assembly | p. 141 |
| Copyright Transfer | p. 141 |
| Film Website | p. 142 |
| Hiring for Postproduction Positions | p. 142 |
| Director's Cut | p. 149 |
| Audience Testing | p. 149 |
| Pick-Up Day | p. 153 |
| Lock Picture | p. 153 |
| Sales Agents and First Round of Festivals | p. 154 |
| Music Score, Sound Designing, Color Correction, Spotting, and ADR | p. 156 |
| Additional Songs | p. 157 |
| Front-Roll Credits (Main Titles) | p. 160 |
| End-Roll Credits | p. 161 |
| Making Of | p. 163 |
| Investors | p. 163 |
| Delivery and Sales Agents | p. 164 |
| Put The Horse Before The Cart | p. 164 |
| Mistakes can be Expensive | p. 166 |
| The Cost of Delivery | p. 172 |
| Items to Watch For | p. 172 |
| Sales Agent Or Not? | p. 178 |
| The Tables are Turning | p. 178 |
| Problems With the Old Model | p. 178 |
| Buy-Outs | p. 179 |
| Changes are Happening | p. 179 |
| Your Deal with a Sales Agent: Do Your Research! | p. 179 |
| Expenses | p. 180 |
| Commission | p. 180 |
| Get a Copy of Each Territory Deal | p. 180 |
| Keep the Number of Years Low and Get Back-End Deals | p. 181 |
| Money Goes Into Your Bank Account | p. 181 |
| Have Them Check With You if the Amount Is Below the Estimate | p. 182 |
| Which Territory Sold? | p. 182 |
| Do They Have an-E&O Umbrella? | p. 182 |
| Get a Box Of Dvds | p. 182 |
| If They are Doing Your Domestic Sale, be at That Meeting | p. 183 |
| Exit Clause | p. 183 |
| Distribution Alternatives and Film Exposure: Guest Interviews | p. 184 |
| You've Delivered … Now What? | p. 211 |
| A Whole New World | p. 211 |
| Festivals | p. 212 |
| Communicate With Your Sales Agent | p. 212 |
| Attending Markets | p. 213 |
| Promoting Your Domestic Sale | p. 213 |
| Inform Investors Along The Way | p. 215 |
| Sag Residuals | p. 215 |
| Accounting and Taxes | p. 215 |
| Closing Your LLC | p. 218 |
| Final Notes | p. 218 |
| Be Sure To Get A Mentor (Or Two) | p. 218 |
| Surround Yourself With Winners | p. 219 |
| Keep Your Eye On The Prize | p. 219 |
| Filmmakers Website Resource Guide | p. 221 |
| Books: Some of My Favorites | p. 229 |
| Glossary | p. 231 |
| Index | p. 237 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
