A one-day workshop for filmmakers who want to work at the £1m budget level and beyond. We show you how to (re)structure, position and package your film so that
it is attractive to investors, broadcasters, distributors and international sales agents.
Date: January 25th 2020 (Saturday)
Where: Ealing Studios, Ealing, West London
How Much: £99
This Masterclass is brought to you in association with the Met Film School.
Micro budget filmmaking is booming.
But what if your project needs a bigger budget? Worse, what if you did reduce your budget - and vision - and then the project that you have spent so long getting to market ends up disappearing in a sea of no-budget and poor quality movies?
...there is still an industry, as focused as ever, financing films from a mix of funding sources, including: pre-sales, broadcasters, equity investment, soft money, etc… and making movies budgeted in the (low) millions, movies that reach global audiences – sure they are still low budget by Hollywood standards, but blimey, what could we do with a £million budget?
Richard Holmes is a prolific British producer who has consistently produced feature films for between £1m and £2m for the past 20 years. In this candid and unique one day seminar he will share exactly how he - and you - can develop, finance, produce and sell feature films with a budget in excess of £1million – the budget that allows for a sellable cast, proper distribution, foreign sales and a world class profile.
‘It’s like a 2 year MA in one day!’
Cera Rose Pickering
Screenwriter and Producer
Actually, you do. One of the things that sells a movie, both to the distributors and audiences at the end of the chain, is your cast. Ask any sales agent - after they have asked
you about the title and genre, the first thing they will ask is ‘who’s in it?’ If you say ‘unknowns’, you may well hear the familiar click of the phone hanging up! Named actors who can deliver
performances worthy of your screenplay will not only raise the artistic quality of your film, but also its commercial viability.
Also, surrounding yourself by expert professionals, cast, crew, screenwriters etc., can only improve your vision. But there is one key partner you really need involved: The Sales
Agent. If they have a stake in the actual production of your movie, they then have a vested interest in selling your film hard. On most micro budget films, sales agents will only take
your film on a punt. If it doesn’t sell, it’s no skin of their nose and they will continue selling hard the films in which they invested. Make a £1m film and get a sales agent in the mix.
‘Sage advice from a prolific producer’
Mike Mindel
Screenwriter and Producer
Actually yes you can. As Richard will show, even though it is a graft, raising £1million is not rocket science. He will show you just how to model your project so you make it
attractive to producing partners and financiers. The key here is that while you will drive the project, you will also work alongside experienced partner producers and Executive Producers - people
with targeted skills and relationships - and draw from their experience and networks. Remember, the film industry is screaming out for killer projects being driven by determined filmmakers. Can
you step up your game?
‘Hearing from an active and prolific producer who is regularly getting films financed in the millions was a revelation’
Gail Hackston
Writer and producer
There is a full breakdown of the day here… Broadly, it’s broken into two halves – Strategy, the
broad strokes of how and why, then tactics, the specific detail of how to make it happen.
Full schedule HERE
‘Richard’s energy and honesty was fantastic, imparting important info gained over years of experience’
Paul Sukhija
Filmmaker
Having real world budgets and other critical documents from a real world film, direct from the producers laptop, can be hugely illuminating – and Richard is prepared to share those documents with you – partially redacted of course, for legal reasons. This paperwork will show you, line by line, exactly where the money goes on his £1m films, compared to your own micro budget experiences. Gold dust.
A lifelong career in film is dependent on making a SECOND film. The first film is easy by comparison. And a smart filmmaker would lay the plans for that all important second film before they even made the first, just like Chris Nolan did with ‘Memento’, his second film that was produced right after his debut ‘Following’.
We know of no other workshop that details the step by step process you need to follow when transitioning into fully funded productions.
Richard has been there and got the T shirt, plus he is also an exceptional communicator. We guarantee you will leave with a sense of purpose, direction and clarity.
‘It is wonderful to be in such a positive and energising environment’
Clare Cahil
Filmmaker
If your business, aspirations and film projects are not taken to a whole new level during the workshop, I will give you a full refund. Remember, as an organization, we are in the trenches right beside you. We have made films, we are making films and we connect with hundreds of experienced film makers through our books and bigger events.
Chris Jones - Film Maker and Author
‘Richard Holmes... What a complete legend!’
Amanda Duke
Filmmaker