ROBERT REDFORD: TIMES ARE TOUGH FOR INDIE FILMMAKERS

Robert Redford has suggested that these are dire times for independent filmmakers.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal , the founder of the Sundance Film Festival said that the struggle to find financing for films has become more
"intense."

Studios who previously backed independent filmmakers have "become more of a clearing house now." Instead, he said, they have brought in "all kinds of outside investors ... [who] tend to be these unsophisticated non-film people." Often, he suggested, "they'll pull out at the last minute because of their lack of sophistication and leave the filmmaker high and dry.

So as all these investors pull away, and distribution moves online, one has to wonder, "Where is the money going to come from? And I just don't know."

©2008, Contactmusic.com Ltd. All rights reserved.

Things Investors want to know before investing

Investors don’t give a damn about your screenplay. They also do not care if you are talented or if you have written the Great American Novel.

They do want to see your Business Plan and learn about their Return on Investment (ROI). They are interested in learning how you plan distribution of your completed film and they also want to know who’s running your company. And ultimately, the largest concern is how long will it take and when can they expect to see profits.

Filmmaking is a business and if you're in this business you have to speak their language.

© 2008 Stanley Lozowski, All Rights Reserved.