Financing / Crowdfunding : Are Westerns hard to get financed? by Ryan Evans

Ryan Evans

Are Westerns hard to get financed?

Westerns aren't typically big box office draws...And they're usually expensive to make if you want the film to look authentic. But yet we still see a handful or so get made each year. Most recently, this years Oscar winning Film "The Power of the Dog" starring Benedict Cumberbatch. To that point, I think of Hostiles (2017) starring Christian Bale, which in my opinion is one of the best Western films in recent history. Even with an extremely modest budget of a reported $39,000,000, it still failed to make any sort of revenue in the box office. Westerns are one of the oldest genres in hollywood, but considered the biggest risk for filmmakers. Meanwhile, television shows like West World and Yellowstone are thriving. What do studios & producers look for in a Western? What is the criteria and selection process to get financed? Are there people actively looking to finance western films? I've been told that westerns are the last thing you should ever mention in a pitch meeting. Would producers be more willing to produce a television series over a film for this genre?

Scott Sawitz

Depends at the price... you can still make a western, but usually it's more of a modern crime film than a true western.

Ryan Evans

Hi Colette "ByFilms" Byfield, that sounds like a great idea! It's a genre that I'm personally very passionate about, I've spent a lot of time researching for my own screenplay, so I would definitely like to see that happen! A few of my favorites: "The Quick and the Dead" , "Tombstone", "High Noon" , The original "Magnificient Seven". I was disappointed the remake wasn't a better film despite having an impressive roster of A-list actors and an amazing director like Antoine Fuqua at the helm. That says a lot about the importance of good screenwriting, especially when it comes to making a successful Western. Speaking of remakes, I did enjoy James Mangold's "3:10 to Yuma" with Christian Bale & Russell Crowe, but it also performed badly in theaters. If "The Power of the Dog" is any indication, streaming might just be the best platform for this type of genre to be successful.

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