The Business of Movies

Funding for The King's Speech
Interesting article from The Wall Street Journal about how the movie was funded:

Aegis’s model is to securitize an up-front loan to a film producer against guaranteed future revenue streams, such as tax credits and distribution sales, which are payable once the film is completed. For “The King’s Speech,” the fund lent money against the U.K. tax credit at a rate of 15%, against presales contracts at 15%, and at a rate of 18-20% against distribution in territories that hadn’t been presold.

WSJ: ‘The King’s Speech’: A Royal Return for Film Financing Fund



Microbudget Films And Subpar Sound
John Yost bemoans the problems of some small budget projects:

This ordeal raises many questions. Is there an expectation of micro-budget films to have subpar sound? I feel like there is. After a screening at a small film festival a few years back I distinctly remember this exchange from two audience members:
“Sound was all over the place.”
“Yeah, well it’s probably all they had to work with.”

FilmMakerMagazine: THE MICROBUDGET CONVERSATION: SOUNDS GOOD



10 Minute Film School
Robert Rodriguez is famous for his start in movies by producing “El Mariachi” on a shoe string budget. This article provides some tips from the master of stretching a dollar:

Shooting with wide lenses can save the headache of focus pulling.  With the massive depth of field you get shooting wide, it’s pretty safe to bet that your shots will be sharp and crisp when you’re, say, shooting with a steadicam or chasing a skier downhill.

ChaseJarvis: 10 Minute Film School with Robert Rodriguez