Producing

Hi, Paolo Ruello. Two of the things you could consider first is the location count and the character count. A higher location count and character count can increase the budget.

Paolo Ruello, Great topic to bring up! It’s something every producer and writer has to wrestle with at some point. One resource I’d really recommend is Stage 32’s webinar: What Elements of a Script Really Drive Up Your Budget: https://www.stage32.com/education/products/what-elements-of-a-script-really-drive-up-your-budget

It does a deep dive into the specific factors that can quickly inflate costs and how to strategically manage them without sacrificing the story.

Paolo Ruello The process is this: 1. finalize script fully. 2. Break down script entirely for production. 3. Schedule the production. 4. Derive your costs from the schedule. If you don't go through that process, in that order, you will not have anything like a reasonable estimate of what your film will cost. If you cannot do those steps or you have no point of reference for how long things will take to prepare and shoot, then you should hire a line producer or production manager who is experienced in production who can create your budget for you. I do this all the time, and while it's a required expense and inexpensive in industry terms, most people don't want to spend the money, and shouldn't, unless they are aiming to produce the film. Above all, do not use a "pro forma" budget or a budget prepared by someone who hasn't worked in actual film production. The former means nothing to anyone and the latter will likely be very inaccurate.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg thank you so much. You have a profound knowledge, that is gold. I have added you. I would love to further discuss this with you. Thank you!

@ashley thank you, I am checking it <3

Elena Priovolou You are asking me to speculate. I can't tell you who will or will not invest in your project. When you are in a vulnerable position looking for a quick financing fix, you want to be very careful here before you get taken advantage of by predators. Without discouraging creativity, you generally want to utilize this model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VwKtbiu3nI

Elena Priovolou You are welcome, we're now connected. DM me here and then we can set up a discussion direct. We are in Los Angeles so there's quite a time difference. I see your other posts and there might be some synergy with what we are doing here.

There are many ways to tackle this, but if the project can easily tie to the impact the film can make, I would position it with that mindset. I do a lot of impact producing (and wrote the book on it). You can check some of that framework out here: investinginfilms.com

Good luck!

Hi, Elena Priovolou. I like that idea! I listen to filmmaking podcasts. I think they're definitely valuable! I don't think I've heard a podcast that showcases financing plans of particular projects and how they were built and achieved. And I don't think I've heard a podcast about co-productions.

Very useful, thank you!

You're welcome, Elena Priovolou. Looking forward to your podcasts!

Hi Elena Priovolou - wonderful and challenging adventure ahead, but I feel one that would be welcomed, especially if it maintains a specific focus like financing or co-prods. At least staying on something for a 'season' before switching to something else. Niche with depth, as you already know, is always a good idea.

RE topic - my two cents would be for co-productions. I think it's on everyone's mind and I would assume not as many out there as there is info on financing. Plus, you'd hit financing anyway if covering co-production, right? No matter what, consider me 'Subscribed' to your future podcast! :)

Elena, I love this idea. Also, I’d love to hear episodes that break down financing plans in a story-driven way. Not just the numbers, but the narrative behind them:What was the emotional pitch? How did the team align across cultures? What did the producer learn about themselves in the process? I’d absolutely tune in. I hope this helps and I am cheering for BTTL success. :)

Hello Sandra. Although I love co productions and of course they are a great financing tool, I have found two challenges. First, costs rise as you need to accomodate all parties percentage. But, the most important is to have your voice heard creatively, if you are not the delegate producer. That is an greatly tough one.

Hi Elena Priovolou , thank you for naming this so clearly. I’ve felt both of those challenges deeply. Coming from a fashion CEO background into filmmaking, I learned early that co-productions are as much about emotional intelligence as they are about contracts. When I began collaborating internationally, especially between Portugal, the USA, and beyond, I quickly saw how costs can spiral when each partner’s percentage needs honoring. It's a delicate balance of vision and viability.

But the creative voice piece is what gives it its soul. Not being the delegate producer can be like watching your story from the sidelines. I've had to learn how to advocate for my story without overwhelming the collaboration.

What has helped me the most is clarity from the start: aligning on values rather than just deliverables. And modeling trust, because when trust exists, even the most difficult negotiations can result in shared breakthroughs.

Thank you for sharing.

thanks Sandra Isabel Correia - you too! :)

super sharp comment Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg - thank you. why beat them when you can join them... with potential latent leverage from a 'creator farm' on YouTube perhaps. cheers

Sebastian Tudores Yes exactly. Google already has a monopoly on search engines, and ensures that you no longer get bona fide "organic traffic" without paying them enough. This shows, among other things, that the MPA and Google are now cooperating to ensure that major studio content has access to audience, and is relegating its own platform to a permanent amateur status, and at best a farm team. That they have a separate initiative to find people to work with proves their attitude that their own YouTubers are not worthy of professional product. And of course, their actions are going to ensure that attitude is reflected in public eye, to the extent possible (and YouTubers, even those with millions of subscribers, have never been seen by public as professional, nor have they ever been paid properly for the views they get - that's another discussion entirely). This is one of the strategies the major studios and now their partner Google, are using to keep control of the market and keep independent filmmakers out. They have had defacto monopoly over theatrical distribution since about the year 2000. Streaming destroyed that and they cannot keep you from being distributed even from your own web page. One of the strategies left to them is to keep your marketing from being seen by audiences in the first place.

..Also as you noted in your edit, you noted this post is about exposure. One of my Colleagues is offering to cover the costs of a screening room for a short (30-40 minutes) film, in Los Angeles. The filmmaker gets the door (can sell tickets & keep the money) or give them away. DM me here with any inquiries.

YouTube is not a “platform” so much as a marketplace of evidence. It can furnish three proofs that buyers care about: proof of audience, proof of concept, and proof of craft. Treat it as a lab, a lighthouse, and a library, in that order.

Lab. Short, low-risk experiments pressure test premise, tone, and casting. Let the audience become your table read and your edit suite.

Lighthouse. A consistent channel turns sporadic interest into a community that will follow a project off-platform when it matters.

Library. A cleanly organized catalog makes your case to executives in one click. Playlists, “Shows,” and seasons give your work the spine of a series.

On that last point, YouTube quietly put real muscle into TV-style packaging. Creators can group videos into seasons and episodes on connected TVs, with a formal “Shows” structure rolling out to make episodic content feel like streaming.