Summary
Learn from a producer of over 45 film and television projects with Netflix, Disney, Sony, Paramount, HBO and Showtime!
Get a sample option agreement, talent offer agreement, CAMA agreement and more!
Feature films with a budget under $5 million have the advantage of being relatively smaller, agile productions while also allowing enough money for a quality crew and the option to attach meaningful on-camera talent. This paradigm can elevate your film, and make it more profitable.
However, how can you successfully make a creatively satisfying and profitable film under $5 million? How much should you pay for talent? What types of stories lend themselves best to this budget range? And what distribution options work best for films under $5 million to ensure a successful release and money back to your investors? Stage 32 is here to here to answer all of those questions for you and more.
In this exclusive Stage 32 4-part class, you will learn every step of the process to make a successful feature film for under $5 million from the inception of your idea through production and all the way to generating profits via distribution. From learning how to pick the right script to understanding the proper distribution options to learning how to structure your finance sources to optimize your returns, you will walk away from this class with all the tools and know how to successfully make a feature film for under $5 million.
Teaching you everything you need to know to produce your feature film for under $5 million is Jeanette Milio. She has worked on over 45 films and television programs for companies like Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, and many more. Her projects have also starred Academy Award-winning performers, including Halle Berry, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, and Mickey Rourke. Jeanette is a member of the Producer's Guild of America, Women in Film, and the Cannes Film Festival Producer's Network and structured her own media fund that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million.
Over 4 interactive sessions with Jeanette, you will learn the steps to take - and steps not to take - when making your feature film for under $5 million so you can ensure a smooth production and land a profitable distribution deal. This course will define the risks associated with producing films in the mid-budget range and you will learn mitigation strategies to protect your project, your producer, and your investor(s).
If you want to learn a step-by-step guide to producing films under $5 million that sell and generate profits then this class is for you!
PLUS! You will receive exclusive handouts to help you produce, finance, and distribute your under $5MM feature film. Downloads include:
- Today’s film marketplace quiz
- Financial planning tools
- Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement
- Sample story rights agreement (option)
- Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play)
PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION:
"Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." --Phillip F.
"Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." -- Letty L.
"I learned so much from Jeanette and highly recommend you work with her!" -- Kaitlin L.
What You'll Learn
SESSION 1: Understanding The Film Industry Today
- What are the recent major shifts in the industry that impact producers, both negatively and positively
- How content producers can constantly optimize for success in an ever changing industry
- How the global film market affects the film you will make
- Why low budget feature films (under $5 million) make sense in today's marketplace
- The economics of $5 million feature films
- Q&A with Jeanette
Assignment:
- Quiz - Understanding Today’s Market Place
SESSION 2: Distribution Options For Films Under $5 Million
- How does your budget impact distribution revenues?
- The risks and pitfalls you should know about in distribution
- Risk mitigation options when it comes to distributing films under $5 million
- Sales agents and distributors - what to know before you sign a contract
- Q&A with Jeanette
Assignment:
- Distribution Case Study: Establish Sales Estimates, Pre-Sales for a Feature Film and structure the related Bank Loan
SESSION 3: The Financing Options Available Today
- Identify the various financing sources that are available today for feature films
- What financing option makes sense for your project to optimize profits?
- The sources to finance in today's market and how they differ
- Banking
- Equity
- Branding
- Production incentives
- More...
- How to secure financing for your low-budget project
- Do's and Dont's when working with investors
- How to approach investors for your under $5 million feature film
- What are the steps you should take during the financing process that lead you to optimize profits?
- Q&A with Jeanette
Handouts:
- Financial Planning Tools
- Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement
Assignment:
- Case Study to finance a feature film including all available finance sources today
SESSION 4: Putting It All Together: How To Create A Successful Business Plan For Your Film
It is critically important to know how to break down your script into a budget and business plan that delivers a high quality commercial film that will be a financial success. You need a strong business plan to attract meaningful talent, distribution, and financing.
- What are the important elements of a business plan pitch deck?
- How to secure distribution before you start shooting and how to structure the deal to get a greenlight for your project
- Why so many producers utilize pre-sales for their under $5 million feature films
- Learn how to protect your project (and your investor) creatively and financially
- Q&A with Jeanette
Handouts:
- Sample story rights agreement (option)
- Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play)
Assignment:
Create a business plan for your project.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
- This class is designed for beginner and intermediate students looking to learn how to produce, finance, and distribute your under $5mm feature film in today’s marketplace. This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed class with significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar.
- This class will consist of four sessions, each roughly two hours in duration and spaced one week apart from one another.
Who Should Attend
All levels of producers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to produce a feature film for under $5 million.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to produce a feature film for under $5 million.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn the craft of TV pilot writing from an experienced literary manager who has sold projects in the marketplace.
Producers who want to better understand the under $5 million feature film market and what represents a marketable under $5 million feature film script.
Actors who want to take control of their careers by producing a feature film for under $5 million.
Executive
Jeanette Milio has over twenty-five years working across three continents as a producer, executive producer, and financier of motion pictures and television programming. She has worked on over 500 hours of film and television content in the US, Europe, Dubai and South Africa, with a combined total production value of over $250 million. She produced the Netflix Original THE EXPERIMENT starring Adrian Brody and Forrest Whittaker and has worked with ABC/Disney, USA, Showtime, TLC, CW, Discovery, Lionsgate, Paramount and more. She has also consulted for the international co-production department of Warner Bros. in the U.S. and Germany, which was focused on producing local feature content in Europe.
Born and raised in Germany, Jeanette B. Milio started her career in the entertainment industry as an assistant with the German network station RTL, where she was involved in the production of German formats of internationally renowned shows such as THE PRICE IS RIGHT, FAMILY FEUD, and JEOPARDY, among others. Five years later she produced 5 seasons of the prime-time drama series WILDBACH for the German network ARD, and the feature KREIS DER ANGST for the PRO SIEBEN network.
Jeanette immigrated to the United States and produced theatrical motion pictures and television content for U.S. studios and network stations. Credits include TIMESHARE starring Nastassja Kinski, Timothy Dalton, and Kevin Zegers (distributor: FOX Family/ABC Disney), 13 starring Jason Statham, Academy Award® winning actor Mickey Rourke, Sam Riley, Ray Winston, Michael Shannon, and Curtis Jackson aka 50 Cent (distributor: Paramount Vantage); THE EXPERIMENT directed by Paul Scheuring, starring Academy Award® winning actors Adrien Brody and Forrest Whitaker, as well as Cam Gigandet (distributor: Sony Pictures, Netflix); and DARK TIDE, starring Academy Award® winner Halle Berry, directed by John Stockwell (distributor: Lionsgate), etc. Throughout her career, Jeanette was involved in financing over 45 film and television projects for HBO, Showtime, ABC, USA Network, Disney, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and others.
Jeanette managed a media fund for Far East National Bank, which funded 40 film and television projects, which lead to her structuring her own media fund in 2009, that financed theatrical features with a production volume of $60 million.
She co-created, co-financed and executive produced the beauty competition series GLOBAL BEAUTY MASTERS (TLC) and its spin-off series THE LOOK ALL-STARS (CW Network). She further managed the renowned dog series TV series and brand DOG WHISPERER WITH CESAR MILLAN, which aired for 9 seasons on the National Geographic Channel and sold in over 180 countries. In 2020 Jeanette co-created, financed, and produced two seasons for the new series DOG MASTERS, starring Laura Nativo and Alex Rossi, which is being represented by The Gersh Agency for the U.S. and international distribution.
Jeanette B. Milio is a member of the Producer’s Council for The Producers Guild of America, an executive member of Women in Film, and a member of the Cannes Film Festival Producer’s Network. Jeanette was a co-founder of the Film Finance Forum in Zurich with Winston Baker, teaches Entertainment Finance at UCLAx, and is the author of the industry guide for film and television finance: ENTERTAINMENT FINANCE TODAY, a comprehensive guide in film and television finance.
Jeanette B. Milio holds a bachelor’s degree in Business (Fachhoschule Cologne, Germany), and studied screenplay writing (USC, Los Angeles).
Testimonials
PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION:
"Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." --Phillip F.
"Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." -- Letty L.
"I learned so much from Jeanette and highly recommend you work with her!" -- Kaitlin L.
Credits
