Film Production and Producing The Core Course

The Core Master Course "Intensive"
PRODUCING/FUNDING/DISTRIBUTION

May 10-19
(see Schedule below)

Without reservation, I highly recommend this course. "
from a writer/director 2006 attendee from Los Angeles, California
more attendee comments click>>>.

The Film Program Cannes is a private professional
training program for filmmakers by filmmakers

Film Production, Funding, Distribution and Producing with an Understanding
and Use of the Contemporary Film Marketplace

Besides the 5 double-session lectures, students of the Film Program Cannes
will attend morning review sessions to examine Market trends
and review assignments specific to their own film projects.

While attending the Market students can take part in a number of seminars
and symposium offered daily by the various national pavilions and trade publications.

Course Objective
The core course of the Cannes Intensive Workshop is intended to
provide a working understanding of the contemporary film market
with an emphasis on how the film producer or executive functions
in the market place to optimize the recoupment of funds invested
in a film. The strategies and mechanics of successfully bringing
films to the market place and negotiating and closing distribution
contracts lies at the core of the course. We will also explore how
an independent producer or film company executive utilizes the
market to secure financing for future projects or slates of films.
The emphasis of the course is on narrative feature films, which is
the dominant focus of the Cannes Market. Documentary and short
films are marketed in similar ways but primarily at different markets
that are focused on these genres.

Course Design
The course is primarily designed for beginning producers and film production executives with a
working knowledge of film production who intend in the future to either bring completed
films to market or utilize the market to secure financial commitment
for future projects.
The course content can also be extremely useful for writers and
directors in understanding how content and packaging
will impact upon the potential funding and financial return
for a film project. The course will meet for
intensive day long sessions prior to the opening of the market.
During these sessions the emphasis will be on the acquisition of
knowledge necessary to understand the workings of the market. After the festival and market begin the course will meet in the
morning to examine the news and trends that are actually
developing in the market. An examination of daily market news
published in the trades will keep serve to develop market skills.
Precipitants will be expected to engage the market by meeting
with sellers and buyers to better understand the process and the success and
failures in the market place.

Course Outline
The first part of the core course is divided in to five basic modules
that will be delivered prior to the opening of the festival. Once the
festival begins the emphasis will shift to what is actually occurring
in the marketplace as events unfold. Most producing courses
begin with the finding of material, however this course begins with an
examination of how films recoup investment. If one begins
with this understanding one is much more likely to have success.

The course is based on the philosophy that if one has a good
script, a good cast will follow. If one has a good script and a good
cast, then the financing will follow, if the project is appropriately
budgeted for the value offered with the script and cast.
It really is that simple, but.....finding a good script and attaching
a good cast turns out to be far more difficult than actually securing
the financing. That is the trick.

2010 Core course Director is Robert Nickson, an independent producer and professor at New York University's Graduate Film School. One of the architects of the NYU dual degree, MFA/MBA producing program at Stern and Tisch. Credits on imdb.com

Class Schedule 2010:
Monday, May 10, Lecture 1, 10:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. & Lecture 2, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 11, Lecture 3, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. & Lecture 4, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 12, Lecture 5, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. & afternoon--market registration, & get trades as directed in class
Thursday, May 13, Morning review class, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., analyze trades afternoon go to market with assignments
Friday, May 14 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions
Saturday, May 15 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions
Sunday, May 16 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions
Monday, May 17, Morning Review class, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., analyze market trends, trade leads and tips; Afternoon back to market
Tuesday, May 18 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions
Wednesday, May 19, Morning wrapup--last class, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., market analysis, leads; Afternoon back to market
Thursday, May 20 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions
Friday, May 21 - All day Market day and Market seminars at pavilions - evening reception for course participants
Saturday, May 22 - Market closes

Film Production and Producing,
Understanding and Use of the
Contemporary Film Marketplace
May 10-19, 2010

Part 1: The 5 Basic Modules

1) Understanding the Film Industry and Film Markets

Course Introduction
Brief history of film industry, global and Hollywood
Economic overview of film industry
Globalization of industry and impact on non-Hollywood production
The Film Markets - Cannes - MIFED - AFM

Understanding Foreign Sales and pre-sales
Licenses vs. Sales
Licenses and sales agreements
Foreign Delivery Requirements
Market research and strategies
Genres and foreign sales
Star power - still a star system

2) Finding, Developing and Packaging
for the Investment Market

Finding material
Original scripts vs. stories based on other material
Options - strategies and agreements - Chain of Title
Writing and rewriting - Writers' agreements
Dealing with writers' representation
Negotiations - Payments - Deferrals and step deals

Packaging
Final Script as part of contractual obligations
Attaching Director
Attaching Key Cast and other elements - Lead
Preliminary Budget as a function of project scope and cast

3) Preparing the Financials of the Package, Contracts, Legal

Preliminary Production Schedule - Prior to Final Budget
Shooting schedule and Board prepared by producer
Day out of Days for cast
Introduction to Scheduling Software
Production Management Considerations
Preparation of Full Production Budget
Schedule folded into accurate budget
Introduction to Budgeting Software
Multiple Budget Strategies Hi-Lo
Analysis of schedule and location changes on budget

Production Financing
PFD Financing legal considerations
Industry vs. Private monies
Legal entities - Corporation - LLC
Bifurcated financing - Banking contracts - Cash Flow
Guarantors and gap financing based on pre-sales

4) The Producer's Functions During the Making of the Film

Role of Producer in Pre-Production
Relationship with Director and Casting Director
Storyboards and their function
Banking, accounting, auditing and chart of accounts
Union and Guild Negotiations - wavers - union deferrals
Crew considerations and hiring
Locations and scouting - Location contracts
Music and licenses for music on camera
The Production Management team AD PM POC DP
Production Paperwork and record keeping
Product clearances and Product Placement
Rehearsal and the care and feeding of talent

Role of Producer in Production and Post-production
Making the schedule
Production reports
Cost Reports and the Completion Bond Company
Facilitating production and staying out of trouble
Continued care and feeding of Director and cast
Director��s cut and then final picture lock
Music - composer, underscore, Master and Synch Licenses
Sound packages and mix
Laboratory Finishing

5) Completion and delivery, festivals and marketing the film

Completing the film
Delivery Requirements
Physical Delivery IP IN M&E Video Mastering
Legal and Contract Document Delivery
Preparation of marketing materials
Key Art
Foreign delivery
Marketing strategies and publicity
Publicity agencies
Press Kits

Preparing for the Market
Research and identifying distributors by territory
Seeding the market
Market materials and plans
Heading to market, office and communications
Sales negotiations ask and take prices by territories
Talent availability and support and press relationships
Closing deals and financial and banking arrangements

End of first part of course.

Second part of course
Review of daily trades
Screen International
Variety
Hollywood Reporter
Moving Pictures
Market attendance
Research Buyers and sellers
Attend market screenings and evaluate films
Research film commissions and financial incentives

Recommended Books:

As an intensive course such as this must move along at a good speed the following
books are recommended. The more one is familiar with their content of the following
reading list the more can understand the concepts of the course.

Film Finance Handbook--Media Business School Publication
Edited by Mike Downey
Columbia University Press

Independent Feature Film Production
by Gregory Goodell
St. Martin��s Press
ISBN 0312181175

The Movie Business Book
by Jason E. Squire
Fireside 2nd edition November 1992
ISBN 067175095X

Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry
by Mark Litwack
Silman-James Press
July 1994
ISBN 1879505150

Film Scheduling: Or, How Long It Will Take to Shoot Your Movie?
by Ralph Singleton
2nd Edition (April 1991)
Lone Eagle Publishing
ISBN 0943728398

Film Scheduling/Film Budgeting Workbook
by Ralph Singleton
Lone Eagle Publishing (October 1984)
ISBN 0943720807X

Film Production Management
by Bastian Cleve
Focal Press (June 1994)
ISBN 0240801067

Easy Rider and Raging Bulls
by Peter Biskind
Simon & Schuster
ISBN 0684809966

Reel Power
by Mark Litwak

Contracts for the Film and Television Industry
by Mark Litwak
Silman-James Press
ISBN 1879505177

When we hold the last class the work and learning goes on.
The balance of time with the Intensive attendees during the Festival/Market is very important of follow up from what has been learned in the dally class meetings and now is taken to the Market with a "hands ons" effort and the networking of fellow Intensive atendees and new professional contacts. The last day there is a chance to watch the films you have missed while attending the class and Market on the 27th as the Festival replays all the Festival films.

FPC Intensive attendees are encouraged to sign up and join the Official Festival/Market
Activies of their choice during the stay in Cannes for the Intensive Course.
The Official Market and Festival has Meetings, Panels, with Buyers and Sellers, and
Film Commissions and Financial Incentives information. Visit the Cannes Market, Short
Film Corner and the Cannes Film Festival Online and register for one of your choice.

"... Independent producer or film company executive utilizes the market to secure financing for future projects or slates of films."

This FPC Master Course gives you the information you need
that will save years in your career in selling a film to a distributor.

Film Program Cannes Cancellation Policy:
Program content and speakers are subject to change without notice. Space is limited, and all programs are offered on a space available basis. The Film Program Cannes will make every effort to hold events at the times, dates and locations specified on this web site, however, the Film Program Cannes holds the right to cancel and/or change event times, dates and locations under certain conditions. These conditions usually include, but are not limited to, event venue cancellation or rescheduling, and insufficient number of participants for the event. We have not had a cancellation of a major event to date. The Film Program Cannes holds the right to cancel the event for any reasons up to and including the day of the event. In the event that the Film Program Cannes must cancel an event, you will be refunded your money in full for that event.

If you need to cancel:
Cancellation for workshops, networking sessions or Intensive courses received more than 30 business days before the start of the program will be refunded 100% of their registration fee but is subject to a $50 processing fee. Within 20 business days of the start of the program, cancellations will receive a credit for future seminar of equal value. Event no-shows will not receive fee refunds or transfer credit.

Questions: pat@film-program-cannes.com