4th Edition
The Producer's Business Handbook The Roadmap for the Balanced Film Producer
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the business of entertainment and learn to successfully engage in all aspects of global production with the revised and updated 4th edition of The Producer's Business Handbook. Learn how to cultivate relationships with key industry players including domestic and foreign studios, agencies, attorneys, talent, completion guarantors, banks, and private investors.
This edition has been updated to include the latest opportunities presented by changing technology and their impact on the producer’s ability to brand, monetize, finance and globally release content. Also included is new information on audience, earning, distribution and funding opportunities created by the explosive growth of VR, AR, 360 and gaming, as well as the rapid conversion to OTT.
Additional features include:
- Completely updated production financing worksheets – an essential tool for producers;
- Expanded information for low-budget independent producers, internationally-based producers, producers using government funding, and film school students alike;
- Coverage of China’s changing entertainment landscape, including their entertainment consumption, their commitment to produce content for the big global territories, and more;
- New, full-color illustrations and graphics that provide a visual representation of complex topics.
Introduction
The Industry
U.S. Theatrical Distributors
International Territories
DIY Distribution
Ancillary Windows, Rights, & Products
Production Financing
Production Incentives
Guarantors
Attorneys
Talent Agents & Managers
Company Structure
Development Funding
The Team
Operations
Producers Business
Resources
Glossary
Biography
John J. Lee, Jr. successfully led the vision, launch and expansion of several entertainment and media entities and provided business, funding and distribution services for scores of major studio-released motion pictures, television network series and specials, with combined production costs of over $470 million and global rights earnings exceeding $4 billion.
Anne Marie Gillen is an independent producer who has developed, financed, and produced films ranging from studio fare, like Fried Green Tomatoes, to passion projects to low-budget indies. As an executive, she served as COO for actor Morgan Freeman’s company, Revelations Entertainment. Gillen Group’s consulting division offers business planning, script analysis, worldwide distribution consultation, and cash flow projections.
"As a die-hard independent producer of over 700 TV shows and 15 movies, I wish this book had been available at the start of my career! If so, I would have avoided a decade or so of discovery from the school of hard knocks. Whether you are producing for the big screen or the smaller ones, I recommend you read, study and use this latest edition of The Producer's Business Handbook as part of readying your projects for the myriad of possible revenue streams that will make all your hard work much more rewarding. John Lee and Anne Marie Gillen's book is a brightly-illuminated path through the otherwise very murky waters of finance and distribution."
—Steve Ecclesine, Independent Producer of 15 Motion Pictures and over 700 TV Episodes
"This is the single best work on financing independent films. The landscape of the film business is changing rapidly, and this is one of the only books addressing two of the most difficult aspects: financing and distribution. There is more to financing a film than developing a business plan. This book shows practical, in-depth information, efficiently written and presented."
—Don Smith, Associate Chair & Associate Professor, Film & Video Department, Columbia College
"This is a timely book, detailing a proven method for success and providing relevant data for both investors and filmmakers."
—Jillian Alexander, Managing Director, Conduit Consulting LLC.; Former VP of Corporate Development, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Member of Sony US Ventures Team
