While taking your own movie idea from script to screen is challenging, it is not impossible.
Once you have a story, the next step is to create a screenplay, a production schedule and then a budget.
From there you’ll create a business plan and start your search for prospective investors.
There are many prospective investors outside of media who would be interested in funding film & media projects. Some are interested in backing a project because they think it will help them find love, make more money or simply give them something to brag about at the next party.
If this aspect of film & drama producing seems totally crazy and you never sold a thing, I highly recommend you a sales job. This will teach you cold calling skills, how to face rejection and if you’re good, you might make some money in the process. Selling your film or media idea starts with selling you.
From experience don’t pitch to sellers
While waiting at the GP for my appointment, I overheard a conversation pitching film ideas to each other. The problem was, both of these hopefuls wanted the same thing – Each was hoping the other person to produce THEIR movie.
In this example, even if these people were real, there was no buyer in the conversation, just sellers. Before you make your pitch, make sure you’re actually pitching to a buyer. secondly, make sure the buyer actually cares about what you’re selling.
Make sure your project is more than an Idea
Everybody has an idea for a movie. Everybody thinks they can write screenplays. Everybody thinks they are special. Everybody is crossing their fingers, waiting and praying that someone else will recognise their talent and sprinkle them with fame and fortune fairy dust.
Ideas are everywhere and ideas are worth less than something tangible. If you want to be taken seriously, make sure you have more than an idea. My experience would suggest having the rights to an outstanding story, or some money in the bank, or the interest of a NAME actor. Or an awesome screenplay. At least this is something.
Communicate with the language of your buyer
Everybody asks: What’s in it for me? This is the number one rule of any negotiation. Most would be producers fall down at this stage. I Don’t recommend to pitch a horror movie or drama to a studio looking for a love story, also a documentary to someone who makes action films. T.his seems obvious, it happens all too often.
Is there a niche target audience for your story?
Life would be easy if you could just make a pitch and sell your movie idea. However the world doesn’t work this way. You will notice that most filmmakers started out on small projects. With each project came more experience and credibility… so stop making excuses and start taking positive steps with a plan of action.
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