The Business of Independent Film For the past few years, the business of creating independent film has faced many challenges. Outside financing has suffered from the “Great Recession” as banks stopped lending, Federal Section 181 film tax credits have evaporated, State film Tax credit programs have imploded from scandal and debate rages about the effectiveness […]
Archive for the ‘Budgets’ Category
When Soderbergh Speaks, Indie Filmmakers Listen
May 2, 20135 #Legal Questions to Ask BEFORE Starting Your #Crowdfunding Project
April 9, 2013Five Legal Questions To Ask BEFORE Crowd-funding You Next Film (or Creative) Project Intro I recently had the opportunity to share the stage at a Chicago VentureShot Community panel presentation on crowdfunding an independent film project. My client successfully raised enough funds to produce his film through the Crowdfunding site KickStarter.com. Due to the unpredictable […]
NOVAC Provides Local Filmmakers Financing and Guidance on Making Deals
April 12, 2012April 11, 2012 Via Chris Henson, New Orleans Indie Movie Examiner “The film industry in New Orleans, and in Louisiana in general, is booming. But it is not only the major studio productions coming to the Crescent City. Independent filmmaking has also exploded in the area. Non-profit organizations like the New Orleans Video Access Center […]
Dark Knight may occupy Wall Street
October 18, 2011Although major motion pictures are known for carefully planning out scenes months in advance, Christopher Nolan‘s “The Dark Knight Rises,” which is scheduled to be shot in New York, may get a dose of gritty authenticity by using the protests as a backdrop or a stand-in for something that already exists in the film. See […]
Strength In Numbers: Indie Producers Band Together In New Venture
August 12, 2011The move is good for indie filmmakers, to protect them against well-heeled financiers and distributors, which should have mobilized such an effort years ago.
“Indie” Another Way Of Saying Innovative?
December 22, 2010What defines the “Indie” aesthetic? Some say, its an a edginess that eschews mainstream roles and requirements. Others say its a certain purity of purpose that comes from being unsigned and undiscovered. Still others have posited that the word is nothing more than its root definition: independent, original, obscure and wholly lacking dependence on mainstream […]
Section 181 “Indie” Film Tax Credit Resurrected in Tax Deal
December 20, 2010Obama has breathed new life into the Section 181 film tax credit (originally blogged about here) that had expired at the end of 2008. Originally signed into law as part of the 2004 Jobs Creation Act, it has been resurrected as part of the controversial new tax bill. The new tax bill recently signed into law […]
IRS Section 181 Film Production Incentives UPDATE
July 23, 2010Many of us have been waiting patiently for any news about whether the federal film production tax incentives made possible under IRS Section 181 will be extended.
DIY Indie Film Marketing: Blogging rewards and risks
June 16, 2010If blogging is part of your marketing plan, if your business sends free samples to bloggers or if you hire endorsers or spokespeople, then you need to know about Federal Trade Commission guidelines surrounding paid endorsements.
Are documents submitted in support of state film tax credit incentives confidential?
February 24, 2010That is the question being posed in Iowa after that state’s suspension of the film tax credit program by the governor’s office. Eleven film companies are suing Iowa’s Department of Economic Development, arguing that certain documents relayted to film tax credit program – including expenses and budgets – should be kept confidential. The attorney for the film […]
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