On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
On Demand Webinar - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.
Jordan Yale Levine, President, Yale Productions Named as one of Variety's 10 Producers to Watch in 2016, a member of the Producers Guild of America, and the President of Yale Productions, Jordan Yale Levine has made a strong name for himself in the entertainment industry. Jordan has garnered a substantial list of film credits, as well as currently having several projects in various stages of production and development. Jordan is responsible for the producing, financing and/or distribution of over twenty-five feature films. These films include the recently released IFC title, King Cobra, starring James Franco, Christian Slater, Garrett Clayton & Keegan Allen, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and Jack Goes Home, released through eOne, starring Rory Culkin, Britt Robertson & Lin Shaye, which premiered at SXSW in 2016. Additional films include Petunia, starring Brittany Snow, Thora Birch, and Eddie Kaye Thomas; Addiction: A 60's Love Story, starring Ian Harding, Evanna Lynch, and Carol Kane; Black Limousine, starring David Arquette, Bijou Phillips and Vivica A. Fox; Wreckage, starring Aaron Paul, Scoot McNairy and Cameron Richardson; He's Way More Famous Than You, starring Michael Urie, Jesse Eisenberg, and Ben Stiller; and more. Upcoming releases that Jordan produced include Welcome The Stranger, starring Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, and Caleb Landry Jones, which is Jordan's second collaboration with writer/director Justin Kelly, and Welcome to Willits, starring Bill Sage, Thomas Dekker, and Chris Zylka. Most recently, Jordan produced Pretenders, which was written by Josh Boone, directed by James Franco, and stars Jack Kilmer, Shameik Moore, Jane Levy, Juno Temple, Brian Cox, and more. Matthew Helderman, CEO, Bondit Media Capital Matthew Helderman founded Buffalo 8 Productions in 2012, as a feature film & commercial production company growing to deliver projects to clients such as Sony and Lionsgate. Under Helderman’s leadership, Buffalo 8 has built a full library of content – touting 4 premieres at the 2016 Sundance Festival – a roster of commercial directors, a talent management division and a full post-production facility. In 2013, Helderman co-founded BondIt Media Capital to solve the multitude of financing difficulties found in the entertainment & media business — by 2017 BondIt had participated in the financing over 200 feature film projects ranging from low budgets to studio level productions. Helderman graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in English from Lake Forest College. Helderman has been a featured speaker at the Cannes, London, and Bahamas Film Festivals as well as guest speaker at the Chinese US Business Summit. Full Bio »
This is the 2nd installment of the Stage 32 + Bondit Media Capital Masterclass featuring Matthew Helderman (CEO of Bondit Media Capital) and Jordan Yale Levine (President, Yale Productions).Please note this webinar is audio only.
Your Stage 32 + Bondit Film Finance Master Class host, Matthew Helderman, leads a discussion with Jordan Yale Levine, President of Yale Productions, about film financing today. In this exclusive Master Class they go over common traits of producers and financiers that allow them continued success. Matthew and Jordan go over the process of creating a brand to help you create project after project. They talk about a case study of working together with James Franco on the film King Cobra and how that model has helped them continue producing successful features. They discuss the common thread for attaching name talent and modern packaging. They also talk about the need to be on set as a producer and what it takes from the crew to make a successful film. Together they go through various case studies on low-budget to mid-budget films they have worked on together.
Q&A with Jordan
Jordan Yale Levine
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The big streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV) are leading the charge in original programming. The number of new shows being produced has never been higher. However, these platforms have different needs, different expectations and different boundaries and mandates than those of traditional broadcast networks. So how does a creative navigate the big time streaming world? And how does a writer stand out to get staffed or sell a standout drama series? This webinar will explain in comprehensive detail how drama series are pitched, developed, and sold to streaming platforms and what you can do as a writer to position yourself to get noticed. With so many writers vying for an opportunity to sell or be staffed on a show, it’s incredibly important to understand the changing landscape and know the best ways to operate within it. Having a clear sense of how executives at streamers think and what they’re looking for will give you a distinct advantage in adjusting your script to pique their interest or in presenting yourself more effectively to sell your show or get staffed on one of their growing number of series. Spencer Robinson is a literary and talent manager at Art/Work Entertainment who's been in the industry for over twenty years. His clients have been in films with directors Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Clint Eastwood, Gore Verbinski and more. In the TV world, his clients have been regular cast members on shows for Netflix, The CW, Cinemax, CBS, NBC, FX, Starz, Nickelodeon, EPIX, and TBS, to name a few. His writing clients work in both features and television on broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. He currently has a client writing on two Netflix series, and another client who just sold a show to Amazon. He also reps a writer who currently has a project at Aggregate Films, which has a deal at Netflix. Spencer will use his extensive experience working with writers and selling their shows to streamers to share some of the do’s and don’ts of writing a drama pilot for streaming television and outline how to tailor your script to make the best impression with the executives at these platforms. He will do this by first laying out how the streaming platforms differ from one another and what exactly they're looking for. Not all streaming platforms are created equal and it's imperative you know the difference. From there, Spencer will dive into script structure and formatting, specifically analyzing what you should be considering before you write your pilot. Next, he will tackle staffing and sales, so no matter what your goal whether to be in a writer's room or selling your pilot, you have all the information you need to position yourself correctly and with the best chance of success. Spencer will even get into the difference between streaming platforms and broadcast networks so you can determine where your material might be a best fit. Expect to leave this class with a comprehensive understanding of the shifting industry of streaming television and a toolkit to better excel within it. Like what you heard from Spencer during this webcast? Send your script to Spencer and speak with him for an hour by clicking here. Praise for Spencer's Stage 32 webinar: Spencer was awesome! Super informative and detail driven - providing great insights. Packed so much into a short amount of time which I'm super grateful for! -Eric C. Spencer Robinson has high energy and packs a ton of information in his lecture. Most importantly Spencer gives realistic advice while encouraging writers to move forward fully informed of the terrain. -Oweeda N. Spencer opened my eyes to how the TV world works with broadcast and streaming. What a great crash course! -Ricki L. "Very enlightening. Gave a realistic view of how difficult it is to get a pilot made but was just inspiring enough to give hope. :)" -Clive M.
Have you ever been asked, “what are the comps” for your project? Or, what’s the “this-meets-that”? Potential investors are always looking for the next big idea, and if your project aligns with past box office success in terms of story, genre, tone, budget, and more, you’ll be able to win those producers over. Having a Comps Report can provide real industry data to push your sales pitch over the top. Short for “comparable,” comps are films similar to your project that prove you have a viable idea to investors. So why can’t you pick a box office success as your comp and call it a day? Because it takes more than knowing titles. You need to understand different markets, different platforms, why those comparable films did well in some areas and not others, and more. An unrealistic report can even do more harm than good by driving away the people who could help your film produced. To walk you through creating your comp report is Bruce Nash, founder and President of Nash Information Services, LLC., the premier provider of movie industry data and research services, including comp analysis and international sales projects for feature films and real-time tracking of the industry through its OpusData service. Since its launch in 1997, Bruce and his team have served over 1,000 clients, with projects ranging from big-budget Hollywood hits to Oscar-winning dramas to low-budget films from first-time producers. In this webinar, Bruce Nash will teach you what quality analysis is, what comps are and how best to choose them, the four key questions to ask when compiling a comp report, and how to understand today’s market. Bruce will also include where you can find free online tools to help assemble your comp report. Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best in the business.
"Jason was and is wonderfully inspiring!" Watch for FREE here: Want to join Jason's 2-part AD class April 8 & April 15? Register here! PRAISE FOR JASON'S TEACHINGS: "Jason's webinar was fantastic. I really enjoyed it. That's why he's where he is today." "Just chiming in to say what a great job Jason did." "Always a pleasure to hear passionate committed professionals discuss their work." "Major bonus points that he so clearly "pays it forward" by encouraging and providing guidance and apprenticeship to up'n comers." "Jason was and is wonderfully inspiring!"
It's an undeniable fact that we're in a gold rush of television content. Last year, over 500 television shows were produced and a thousand more were shot either as pilots or proof of concept. This means the need for accountants and those who can work with television budgets, incentives, payroll and other facets associated with the accounting of a television project is higher than ever. This also means that many backroom people who have worked for years on feature films are making the jump to the television side. But, between the two mediums, the work is varied and seemingly changing by the day. Being an accountant for television requires a knowhow of the entire landscape. Between networks, premium cable and the streaming platforms, every deal has its own parameters and variables that need to be fully absorbed and understood. Whether it's working with a variety of different unions and dealing with fringes or simply deciphering and interpreting the every growing and wide ranging array of incentives available globally, you must be on top of everything happening at the moment to assure that the back end of the project runs smoothly, efficiently, and with no fiscal catastrophes. Jonathan Siebel is the Director of Budgeting & Estimation for Paramount Network. Prior to joining Paramount Network and working on their slate of television projects, he also worked in budgeting and accounting on Berlin Station, produced by Anonymous Content on Epix, and on The Unknown starring Dominic Monaghan for Crackle. He began his career working in accounting on major studio films such as Bridesmaids, Django Unchained, Thor and more. In addition to working on the studio level, Jonathan also works in the independent space, having written, directed and crowdfunded his own independent film BREAK THE WILL. He's worked on all types of projects small and large and is bringing his extensive knowledge to the Stage 32 community. With his vast and varied experience, we're thrilled to have Jonathan teaching this extremely important subject exclusively for Stage 32. While inside Movie Magic Budgeting software Jonathan will detail all the differences between a P&A and an AIO budget and show you which would be best for your project. He will teach you everything you need to know about globals, including setting up the schedule, rates, and pay hours to be used on all globals. He will define and explain fringes including state, federal and union fringes including IATSE, WGA, SAG and DGA. He will simplify and take away the anxiety of dealing with the wide world of incentives to make sure your paperwork is in line and that you're getting the best bang for your buck. Jonathan will make the complex easy and get you on the path to working consistently in television accounting and budgeting setup.
Stage 32 is proud to continue our partnership with Raindance Film Festival for the 5th year in a row, and while we may not be able to all come together in London to celebrate so many amazing and talented filmmakers, we're thrilled to partner with Raindance to highlight global talent virtually and from the comfort and safety of our own homes. Even in its virtual format, Raindance continues to showcase and champion the best new films from all over the world, and included in this year's incredible program is a collection of remarkable short films. Stage 32 is bringing together some of the world's top up and coming short filmmakers whose most recent films are playing Raindance. Included in this conversation will be Arjan Brentjes, whose animated short film SAD BEAUTY is playing at Raindance, along with almost 30 other film festivals this year alone. Also featured will be London-based director and cinematographer Molly Manning Walker whose debut short film GOOD THANKS, YOU? will be playing this year's Raindance in addition BFI London, Bilbao, and Palm Springs Film Festivals. Rounding out the panel, is Will Niava, an Ivorian-Ghanaian film director based in Montréal, Canada, whose film ZOO won Stage 32's 5th Annual Short Film Contest and is currently selected at over 40 international film festivals. In this FREE Stage 32 webinar, Arjan, Molly, and Will will take part in an exclusive Q&A moderated by our very own Stage 32 Managing Director Amanda Toney to discuss the state of short filmmaking today and how they put together their most recent projects.
Learn how to develop iconic characters from history for the screen from Sam Sokolow, an executive producer of GENIUS: MLK/X, GENIUS: ARETHA, GENIUS: PICASSO & GENIUS: EINSTEIN on Nat Geo/Disney+! PLUS! You'll receive a copy of the GENIUS: EINSTEIN television pilot script and the ALI feature film screenplay! There have always been films and television shows about the great iconic figures in history - from movies such as SCHINDLER'S LIST and ALI to TV series like THE CROWN and GEORGE & TAMMY. Do you have an idea to tell the story of an iconic person from history? Someone whose name has lived on through time or their accomplishments resonated and changed lives or, perhaps, both? Telling the story of an icon from history can be more challenging than telling almost any contemporary story. Often times their accomplishments put them on a cultural pedestal. It’s more expensive to go back in time on-screen. Distributors crave younger audiences who may not care about a certain person from history. And creatively, how do you truly decipher if your character’s life story can effectively fill a 2-hour movie or a 10-hour series? And then, if everything points to a worthy endeavor, what specific legal rights might you need to tell the person’s story that you want to tell? Stage 32 is here to answer all of these questions and more. Taking you through this professional-level training is Sam Sokolow, a 2-time Emmy nominated executive producer with a focus on historical drama. Sam has put almost 20 original shows on television, including the 20-time Emmy-nominated limited series GENIUS for National Geographic Channel and Disney+. The fourth season of GENIUS – GENIUS: MLK/X – will premier in the Fall of 2023. He is currently in development on several films and television series based on real people or true events from history. During this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how to determine if an iconic person from history’s story has a high or low probability of becoming a film or TV series and why. You will discuss how to best develop a dynamic and engaging story for the screen based on an iconic character in history. You will delve into how to best create an on-screen version of your iconic person that an A-List actor would want to play, which is usually a key component of getting a green light for a historical film or TV show. And so much more. Developing the story of an iconic person from history has the advantage of audience awareness in many cases but there are real challenges and creative questions that need to be answered and addressed early on for your project to have the best chance at success. You will be given the tools to make the most informed decisions on whose story to develop and why, how best to develop that person’s story and how to position your project for success. PLUS! Sam will provide you with the pilot script from his series GENIUS: EINSTEIN and the feature film screenplay from Michael Mann's Muhammad Ali biopic ALI. If you are considering telling the story of an iconic character from history for the screen, or if you are already in development on a project about an iconic character from history and need to figure out how best to tell their story for commercial success, then this webinar is a must! Praise For Sam's Teaching on Stage 32 "I'm so glad I got to work with Sam. His knowledge is very evident in his teaching and I'm better for it! After taking this course, I feel much more confident in pitching." -- Carolyn R. "There's a lot of info I learned here that I had no idea I didn't know. The pitch can really sink or swim your project, so I can't express the importance of learning this material enough!" -- Amanda H.