43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film : A Comprehensive Analysis of Film Finance

John W. Cones has updated his now classic 43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film: A Comprehensive Analysis of Film Finance with a substantially reorganized and expanded third edition.An essential reference guide for film professionals on every side of film financing, 43 Ways answers the question that every filmmaker and producer ultimately faces, the issue that can make or break any venture into the film industry: How do I finance my feature film? The third edition includes updated information and coverage of new options for financing.In his clear and concise style and with expertise amassed over his nearly twenty years of experience in the film finance industry, Cones breaks financing options down into six main areas: gifts and grants, investor financing, domestic government subsidies and tax incentive programs, lender financing, international finance options, and studio or industry financing. Beginning with the forms of financing most likely to be accessible to independent feature film producers, Cones proceeds to other forms that become increasingly available as the producer’s career matures.As an objective adviser, Cones provides specific, concise information regarding the many possible financing strategies and lists the distinct pros and cons of each strategy. This guide covers the options for film financing in rich detail so that even first-time producers and filmmakers will be able to make educated and informed decisions about the best approaches to financing their films. An extensive bibliography contains additional information about each form of film finance. Cones also counters much of the bad advice being provided by pseudoprofessional film finance consultants and points out scams that may separate unwary film producers from their money.Although the book focuses on financing feature films, much of its information is relevant to the financing of other kinds of projects, such as short films, documentaries, videos, and multimedia and theatrical endeavors. Anyone considering making or investing in a feature film will be well served by this practical and helpful guide. Contents ......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 Introduction: No Single Best Way......Page 16 Part One: Subsidies......Page 24 1. Gifts and Grants......Page 26 2. Domestic Government Subsidies and Tax Incentives......Page 36 Part Two: Investor Financing......Page 54 3. The Investor-Financing Agreement......Page 64 4. General Partnerships and Joint Ventures......Page 67 5. The Initial Incorporation......Page 74 6. The Member-Managed LLC......Page 79 7. The Manager-Managed LLC......Page 86 8. Limited Partnerships......Page 89 9. Corporate Finance......Page 95 10. Statutory Exemptions of the 1933 Securities Act, Section 4......Page 111 11. Intrastate Offering Exemption......Page 118 12. Regulation D......Page 120 13. Public/Private (Hybrid) Exemptions......Page 130 14. Small Corporate Offering Registration......Page 143 15. Regulation A......Page 146 16. Regulation S-B......Page 150 17. S-1 Public Offerings......Page 153 18. Over-the-Counter, NASDAQ and Stock Exchanges......Page 156 Part Three: Lender Financing......Page 162 19. Lender Financing without Distributor Contracts......Page 164 20. Negative Pickups and the ArtificialVersion......Page 172 21. Presale Financing......Page 181 22. Gap and Supergap Financing......Page 192 23. Insurance-Backed Schemes......Page 199 24. Securitization......Page 203 Part Four: Studio/Industry Financing......Page 208 25. Studio Development and In-House Production......Page 210 26. Studio Production-Financing/Distribution Agreements......Page 214 27. Studio-Based Production Companies......Page 219 28. Independent Distributors......Page 222 29. Domestic Studio Facilities......Page 225 30. Film Laboratories......Page 228 31. Talent Agencies......Page 230 32. Actor Financing......Page 232 33. Product Placements......Page 236 34. End Users......Page 240 35. Completion Funds......Page 242 Part Five: International Finance Options......Page 246 36. Foreign Equity......Page 248 37. International Coproductions......Page 259 38. Foreign Tax Shelters and Tax Incentives......Page 271 39. Blocked Currency or Blocked Funds......Page 290 40. Foreign Currency......Page 294 41. Foreign Below-the-Line or FacilitiesDeals......Page 296 42. Foreign Government Subsidies......Page 298 43. Foreign Debt Capitalization Programs......Page 304 Conclusion: The Broader Film Finance Environment......Page 306 Appendix A: Finding Investors......Page 312 Appendix B: Limited-Use Business Plans......Page 314 Appendix C: Financial Projections......Page 319 Appendix D: Securities Marketing Considerations......Page 322 Sources and Further Reading......Page 346 Index......Page 374 Author Bio......Page 385 John W. Cones has updated his now classic 43 Ways toFinance Your Feature Film: A Comprehensive Analysis of Film Finance with a substantially reorganized and expanded third edition. An essential reference guide for film professionals on every side of film financing, 43 Ways answers the question that every filmmaker and producer ultimately faces, the issue that can make or break any venture into the film industry: How do I finance my feature film? The third edition includes updated information and coverage of new options for financing. In his clear and concise style and with expertise amassed over his nearly twenty years of experience in the film finance industry, Cones breaks financing options down into six main areas: gifts and grants, investor financing, domestic government subsidies and tax incentive programs, lender financing, international finance options, and studio or industry financing. Beginning with the forms of financing most likely to be accessible to independent feature film producers, Cones proceeds to other forms that become increasingly available as the producer's career matures. As an objective adviser, Cones provides specific, concise information regarding the many possible financing strategies and lists the distinct pros and cons of each strategy. This guide covers the options for film financing in rich detail so that even first-time producers and filmmakers will be able to make educated and informed decisions about the best approaches to financing their films. An extensive bibliography contains additional information about each form of film finance. Cones also counters much of the bad advice being provided by pseudoprofessional film finance consultants and points out scams that may separate unwary film producers from their money. Although the book focuses on financing feature films, much of its information is relevant to the financing of other kinds of projects, such as short films, documentaries, videos, and multimedia and theatrical endeavors. Anyone considering making or investing in a feature film will be well served by this practical and helpful guide. This reorganized and expanded third edition of 43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film answers the question that every filmmaker and producer ultimately faces, the issue that can make or break any venture into the film industry: How do I finance my film?

This guide covers the options for film financing in rich detail so that even first-time producers and filmmakers will be able to make informed decisions about the best approaches to financing their films. An extensive bibliography refers readers to additional information about each form of film finance. In addition, author John W. Cones counters much of the bad advice of pseudoprofessional film finance consultants and points out scams that may separate unwary film producers from their money.

Although 43 Ways focuses on financing feature films, much of its information is relevant to the financing of other kinds of projects, such as short films, documentaries, videos, and multimedia and theatrical endeavors. Anyone considering making or investing in a feature film will be well served by this practical and helpful guide.

About the Author:
John W. Cones, a securities and entertainment attorney based in California

A comprehensive overview of film finance with a discussion of advantages and disadvantages of forty-three different ways to finance feature films and other entertainment projects. The material covers studio/industry, lender and investor financing, as well as a number of foreign finance options

Author Cones breaks financing options down into six main areas: gifts and grants, investor financing, domestic government subsidies and tax incentive programs, lender financing, international finance options, and studio or industry financing. Beginning with the forms of financing most likely to be accessible to independent feature film producers, Cones proceeds to other forms that become increasingly available as the producer's career matures. He provides specific, concise information regarding the many possible strategies and lists the distinct pros and cons of each strategy. Cones also counters much of the bad advice being provided by pseudoprofessional film finance consultants and points out scams that may separate unwary film producers from their money. Although the book focuses on financing feature films, much of its information is relevant to the financing of other kinds of projects, such as short films, documentaries, videos, and multimedia and theatrical endeavors.--From publisher description.