Film Financing Intro: Producing a film, writing a screenplay, or acting in a film? What you need to know to navigate the law and finance of the film industry
Article by Ronald JJ Wong.
I love movies, short films, videos, television series. I binge on them. I talk about them with friends.
I get jealous that TV series like La Casa De Papel, Fauda, Kim’s Convenience get picked up by Netflix for distribution to international acclaim.
Singapore has produced great films like Apprentice, Pop Aye, 7 Letters, Ilo Ilo, 881, Singapore Dreaming, and more recently, A Land Imagined.
What’s stopping Singapore content creators from producing more great work that receive international acclaim?
I think a lot of it has to do with financing. Producing a great film requires assembling a massive team of talents, staking high on a good story with high production value. Without a reasonable budget, a film cannot even get off the ground.
I know a little bit about this because I’ve produced film, theatre and other projects before. Money isn’t everything. But it’s a really big thing. There are also various legal and management issues about producing such projects.
So, with some help, I decided to put together this series of short articles on film financing and legal issues in Singapore. If you’re a content creator, I hope this helps you fuel your dreams. If you’re an investor or fund looking for high stakes, but also high risk, investment opportunities, please do consider taking a shot at our Singapore talents.
As Leo Bloom exclaimed in The Producers, “I’m not going into the toilet! I’m going into show business!”
Series Contents
1: An Overview: 3 Things for Film Producers
2: Understand the Different Types of Business Structures
3: The 3 Important Approaches To Negotiating A Fair Deal
4: Negotiating A Fair Deal With Writers
5: Raising Finances For Your Film
6: An Introduction To Completion Bonds
7: Distributing Your Film – Entering Into Distribution Licence Agreements
8: Get To Know Your Film’s Intellectual Property Rights – Copyright And Trademark Protection
This series of articles was written with assistance from Natasha Lee Varella.
