{"product_id":"how-to-crack-the-code-needing-money-to-acquire-cast-and-needing-cast-to-acquire-money","title":"How to Crack the Code: Needing Money to Acquire Cast and Needing Cast to Acquire Money","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"http:\/\/admin.stage32.com\/vendor\/moxiemanager\/data\/uploads\/15.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"158\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003eHaving a known or in-demand actor in your independent film can make all the difference in whether it succeeds or not. A name actor gives your film a sense of legitimacy, which attracts new investors and more interested distributors. It also gives your film more opportunities for press and buzz, and will convince more people to watch it once it is released. That famous actor is very likely what you need to clinch your film, actually get it made, and have it ultimately find an audience and a home. But there’s a big, glaring problem with this truth: You need a name actor to get funding, but you need that funding in order to get the name actor. It ends up being a vicious circle, a catch-22 that can come across as frustratingly insurmountable, a barrier for entry that no independent filmmaker can get beyond.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #cdcdcd;\"\u003eLet’s not mince words. Landing high level talent for your film is HARD, especially if your funding hinges on that actor saying yes. But at the same time, this isn’t the unsolvable puzzle it may at first seem. It comes down to finding the right investors and giving them what they need to say yes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #cdcdcd;\"\u003e This means pulling out all of the stops, preparing correctly, and doing the hard work.\u003c\/span\u003e You’ll never be the only filmmaker going after top level talent, but you might be one of the few who’s able to do it the right way. First, it’s vital to understand what the “right way” actually is and what you need to know to do this right. Acquiring a talent is always going to be a hustle, but knowing what it takes and how to navigate this world can give you a serious edge.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIndependent feature film producer Franco Sama has produced an impressive array of over twenty independent feature films including cult favorite GUNS, GIRLS AND GAMBLING starring Gary Oldman, Christian Slater and Dane Cook, which was released theatrically acquired by Universal Pictures.\u003c\/strong\u003e Other films Franco has produced include; \u003cstrong\u003eBLACK LIMOUSINE\u003c\/strong\u003e starring \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Arquette, Vivica A. Fox\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eBijou Phillips\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTOOTH AND NAIL\u003c\/strong\u003e starring \u003cstrong\u003eMichael Madsen\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eVinnie Jones\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTHE PENITENT MAN\u003c\/strong\u003e, starring \u003cstrong\u003eLance Henriksen\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Keegan\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePAID\u003c\/strong\u003e, starring \u003cstrong\u003eCorbin Bernsen\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eTom Conti\u003c\/strong\u003e. Franco’s company \u003cstrong\u003eSamaco Films\u003c\/strong\u003e continues to fund and develop independent films from burgeoning filmmakers. \u003cem\u003eAfter nearly two decades of experience in film finance, distribution and packaging, Franco has come to understand how to crack the code and attract top level talent to independent films. He’s ready to share what he’s learned exclusively with the Stage 32 community.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #cdcdcd;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFranco will go in-depth on how exactly an independent filmmaker can find both cast and funding for their project.\u003c\/strong\u003e He will begin by explaining \u003cstrong\u003ewhat budget range you should be aiming for\u003c\/strong\u003e to allow you to acquire the talent you’re looking for. He’ll then teach you the steps you must take before reaching out to either talent or investors. He will explain how to \u003cstrong\u003etap into an investor’s mindset\u003c\/strong\u003e and use it to your advantage, including why it might be easier for you to raise $5 million than $500,000, and how you should frame your project as an opportunity for investors. He’ll explain what \u003cstrong\u003edevelopment funding\u003c\/strong\u003e is, how it works, and why it’s now necessary in today’s landscape. Next, he will delve into how you should be building a strong team for your project before you start approaching talent. He’ll lay out \u003cstrong\u003ethe seven critical people you will need to bring on from the beginning\u003c\/strong\u003e, why you need an executive producer, \u003cstrong\u003ehow to choose the “right” director and casting director\u003c\/strong\u003e, and whether you can attract major talent as a first time director. Franco will explain the importance of \u003cstrong\u003eacquiring international sales estimates\u003c\/strong\u003e and will lay out what your \u003cstrong\u003epresentation deck to investors\u003c\/strong\u003e should look like to find funding and gain the cast you’re looking for. He will also talk about how\u003cstrong\u003e pre-sales\u003c\/strong\u003e work and how many you need to be seen as successful. He’ll then start talking about the actual casting process, including how to create a realistic actor’s wish list, deciding between “A-List” and “B-List” actors and whether or not they pass Franco’s “Parentheses Test”. He’ll explain casting with an eye towards sales and then explain the difference between\u003cstrong\u003e letters of intent, letters of commitment, and phone verification\u003c\/strong\u003e when going after talent. He’ll also break down \u003cstrong\u003econtingency investments\u003c\/strong\u003e and how to know when to employ \u003cstrong\u003edeferment and back-end offers\u003c\/strong\u003e with actors. Franco will explain how to make legitimate offers to actors and agents and how to ensure they’re never empty offers. He’ll go into how \u003cstrong\u003e“pay or play”\u003c\/strong\u003e works in this world and why going out too early to actors can destroy your casting choices. Finally Franco will explain how you can use tax incentives to help with casting. \u003cem\u003eExpect to leave with a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the steps you need to take to bring on your dream actor.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"\u003ePraise for Franco's Stage 32 Webinar:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"One word - Invaluable.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e- Larry S.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e “Head \u0026amp; shoulders above the usual webinars on film distribution and finance. Franco actually knows his stuff and has a track record to back it up. Really good presentation.” – Scott B.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis was incredibly illuminating and really entertaining at the same time. I'm so glad I watched this\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e-Glenda T.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWow. I cannot believe how much I learned from this webinar. Franco is the best.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e-Terrence R.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #dfdfdf; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"http:\/\/admin.stage32.com\/vendor\/moxiemanager\/data\/uploads\/18_11.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"158\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stage 32","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48055799316787,"sku":"","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0700\/7728\/4659\/files\/image_65c59acfd5748.jpg?v=1707449042","url":"https:\/\/stage32.myshopify.com\/products\/how-to-crack-the-code-needing-money-to-acquire-cast-and-needing-cast-to-acquire-money","provider":"Stage 32","version":"1.0","type":"link"}