32531 - LABORATORY OF MANAGEMENT OF THE FILM INDUSTRY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The student is expected to learn the basis of managerial and organizational methodology in the film and multimedia sector. In particular, the student is expected to: - get an national and international overview of the film industry and its players - learn the basis of movie production: pre-production, production and post production - understand the roles of producers and distributors in the market.

Contenuti

Commerce and art collide in the film marketplace every day. Is there a line between business and art, content and promotion, the bottom line and award accolades? In this course, students will explore the reality behind big budget art.

The course will detail the life of two fundamentally different film products: the independent and studio. From concept inception to final net revenue reality, students will investigate basic aspects of development, finance, production, marketing, and distribution through two roles; 1) as producer, and 2) as studio executive.

The course will focus on the U.S. production distribution studio machine as the primary market muscle for the largest product.

Course Objectives:

• Provide an overview of the history of film from a business perspective to better understand the growth of the domestic industry
• Learn the basic terminology of filmmaking development, finance and production
• Outline indie to studio structures; marketing vs. production, what is the pipeline, film “modeling” - from art house to genre, tent pole, and in-between.
• Define the major tools of the marketing executive, their budget, partnership structures and the essence of timing media for film campaigns
• Simulate a private equity investment pitch, and the studio green-light process

Testi/Bibliografia

Students must bring thumb drives to class or download materials from dropbox. Lecture slides integrate or summarize the following books:

Filmmakers & Financing, Business Plans for Independents, by Louise Levison

Marketing to Moviegoers: A Handbook of Strategies Used by Major Studios and Independents, by Robert Marich

Entertainment Industry Economics, by Harold L. Vogel

Recommended Industry Trades:
Variety
Hollywood Reporter
Los Angeles Times, Calendar Section
Sunday New York Times

Resources for class project and discussion:
Boxofficemojo.com
IMDB.com
thenumbers.com
MPAA organization
Yahoomovies.com
Moviefone.com
Rottentomatoes.com

RECOMMMENDED READING SOURCES

Story, by Robert McKee

Film & Video Budgets, by Michael Wiese and Deke Simon

The Filmmaker’s Handbook, A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age, by Steven Ascher & Edward Pincus

Independent Feature Film Production, A Complete Guide from Concept Through Distribution, by Gregory Goodell

Turning Points in Film History, by Andrew Rausch

The 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene

Acting without Agony, An Alternative to the Method, by Don Richardson

Film Directing, Shot by Shot, Visualizing from Concept to Screen, by Steven D. Katz

Metodi didattici

COURSE SCHEDULE

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MONDAY, 7 December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 1 – Film Industry Historic Overview (Beginning to 1960)

I. FILM HISTORY: Filmmaking evolves creatively and economically every year in a marketplace. In this class we will start at the beginning and discuss the major shifts in the industry’s history. The goal is to build an understanding of the product’s evolution, technology, distribution, and Box Office performance.

II. INTRODUCE CLASS PROJECT: Each student will role play as Producer of their own feature film. You are responsible for a) the original idea’s concept, or to find an available Intellectual Property, b) create a pitch, c) design the product’s ‘model’, the equity ‘deal’ structure (independent financial investment offer), and d) eventual ‘market comps’ and ‘financial projections’ charts by the end of the course. The final class will consist of two parts: a) a private investors pitch to raise development or production finance for your film, and b) a studio green-light meeting.

Assignment:

1) Finish reading “Film History - Beginning to 1960”

2) Brainstorm two potential film project ideas you want to pitch in class. You can have an original story of your own, or pull from some existing IP. You will need a few because you will present them in the next class. “The market” will discuss the viability of each and help you select which idea should continue the development process.

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WEDNESDAY, 9 December, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm - CLASS 2 – Film History Overview (1960-Present)

1. HISTORY CONTINUED: Finish the film history overview, and arrive at the current state of “picture picking” in the industry.
   
   
2. Profits and Loss Statements: introduce margins and review samples
   
   
3. CLASS PROJECT: review sample student business plans from previous GIOCA classes.

Assignment:

1) finish reading “Film History 1960-present”.

2) Prepare a two or three sentence summary of your two projects to be read in the next class. THE SHORTER THE BETTER. Think relevance, “why do I care?”

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THURSDAY, 10 December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 3 – Development

I. Development: How does it all begin? Where? Whose ideas get made the fastest, or slowest, and why? From creative producers, to studio executives, talent above and below-the-line, this class will outline who is in charge of what, why, and where they fall in the film making process. We’ll discuss the structure of the business, the power players, and how the money finds the creative ideas that get made and by whom.

1. Logline: summarizing the essence of your story.
2. Treatment: creating an original idea (concept, hero, journey)
3. Option: getting the rights to build on someone else’s original idea. Review sample materials from Saboteurs.
4. “Coverage”: sample coverage of Saboteurs.

II. Class Project: Share your film ideas in class. Professor Baker and class will evaluate which of your ideas might be best to continue developing.

Homework:

1) BUILD YOUR PROJECT - Part 1: Refine your Logline for your project, (short summary of the story’s essence,); Part 2: write the short summary of the plot, (about half a page single spaced) Part 3: make a list of key “above-the-line” talent you wish to use (actors, writers, directors). The document should be no longer than a page, or two depending on spacing. Use outline format, like the samples from previous classes. It will be reviewed in class tomorrow. Remember, you are building your final project part by part now.

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FRIDAY, 11 December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 4 – Independent vs. Studio Financing Deals

1. LLC Company Structures: Where are the investment sources and what are the rules of engagement for each structure?This class will focus on fundraising tactics and obtaining the ultimate goal: a “green light.”

1. Equity vs. Producer’s share (the 50/50 norm)
2. Phase 1 –Development $, Phase 2 – Production $
3. Market Guarantees (MGs)
4. Gap Financing
5. Negative Pick-ups
6. Studio Set-ups
7. Co-Productions
   
   

1. Modeling: Films usually fit into budget ranges that match their creative demands, otherwise known as “models”. Picking comparative films is an art-form and is limited by the research principle you can only compare “apples to apples, and oranges to oranges”.

1. Independent- under $8million
2. Art-house cross over - $10-20million
3. Genre - $15-40million (rom-com, thriller, young adult, etc.)
4. Academy Award - $20-60million
5. Studio comedy/drama - $60-$80million
6. Action/adventure - $100+million
7. Animation - $90million +
8. Tent-pole/franchise - $150+million
   
   

1. Class Project: Oral Pitching – you will share your assignments.

Assignment: 1) Read indie film finance case example (LOI, MOU).

2) BUILDING YOUR FINAL PROJECT - PART 2 – “DEAL/MODEL” a. Define a financial deal structure (LLC) and model (budget range, genre, etc.) for your project; b. create a list of five film ‘comps’ and offer a short list of adjectives why each film fits your project (i.e. same star, same genre, same budget, etc.) This is also outline format. Add this to Part 1, combined they should be no more than 1 page in length. To be reviewed in the next class.

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MONDAY, 14 December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 5 - Production Overview

I. Production: Film is a collaborative art form like no other – a costly, thus highly risky endeavor that involves visionary integration of image and sound to capture the imagination of an audience. This class will illuminate the key production jobs and their responsibilities during pre-production, production, and post-production.

II. Class Project: Deal/Business Model – you will share your project’s “deal” and “model” in class, to be refined during discussion.

Assignment: BUILDING YOUR FINAL PROJECT - PART 3 – “RESEARCH” – Films Comps Chart: Take your five film comps and build a Research Data Chart. Use excel and fill in the required information listed below. The films from your list should be on the vertical access. List each following piece of information in the horizontal cells besides the name of the film. Research using Boxofficemojo.com, imdb.com, variety.com is suggested. Format or shrink the info to fit one page.

• Production Company
• Distribution Studio
• Opening domestic box office (first weekend gross)
• Number of theaters opening weekend
• Eventual domestic cum (total box office at the end of its theatrical run)
• Eventual international box office cum (if available)
• Eventual World Wide cum
• Rating information (PG-13, etc)
• Release competition (movies opening the same weekend, movies already in theaters)
• Note any awards won
• Note stars, actors, or director talent that brought the audience to theaters
  
  

*NOTE – as this is a diverse international group of students, your film selection may represent a wide variety of international content, some of which might not have data available on imdb.com. Your taste is very valued and important for class discussion, so please make note of your original list. However, if you run into obscurity, and cannot find information on gross, theater count, release date, and production company, extend your list to find those ten films that you can find information. To be reviewed during the next class discussion.

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TUESDAY, 15 December, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 6 – Marketing Overview

1. Review the Water-Fall from Exhibitors down…
   
   
2. Theatrical Release Patterns and their P&A spends:

1. Limited
2. Platform
3. Planned platform
4. Wide
5. Ultra-wide
6. Day and date

1. Sample Marketing Plan:“If I can’t sell it, you shouldn’t make it.”This class will challenge students to come to terms with the commerce of their art.The gatekeepers of distribution, the marketing executives control the final life, and shape of the picture.This class will discuss the realities of the market and how it bares down on the creative artist hoping to tell a story.What is the marketing machine exactly, how does it work, and what influence does it have on the product?

1. Research “Tracking”
2. Target demo discussion

Assignment – BUILDING YOUR FINAL PROJECT - PART 4 – “THE BEST GUESS BOTTOM LINE”: Complete your Research Data Chart with best guess marketing P&A numbers and estimate the net revenue to the distributor and or production LLC for as many films as you can on your chart.

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WEDNESDAY, December 16, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm - CLASS 7 – Distribution Overview

1. Acquisitions Overview

1. Festivals
2. Marketplaces
3. Local Language Productions
   
   

1. Profits and Loss Statements
   
   
2. Exit Strategies
   
   
3. Review projects and present Low/Medium/High revenue projection charts.

Assignment – BUILDING YOUR FINAL PROJECT - PART 5 – “WATERFALL PROJECTIONS”: Create a Low/Medium/High revenue projections chart to complete your film pitch. See the examples.

FINAL PROJECT DOCUMENTS will be turned in during your oral pitch at the final class.

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THURSDAY, December 17, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm - CLASS 8 – Final Presentations & Picture Picking

1. Investor’s pitch: students will pitch their projects for private equity investment
   
   
2. Class Marketplace: the class will vote to green-light the projects they would put into production and distribute with their studio budget

Class Projects documents will be turned in at the moment of your in-class pitch to Baker.

Baker will review and grade. If a revision is necessary for you to pass the course, you will be notified and have a chance to improve the project documents. Those revisions will be due at the end of January.

As the economic principles of the business can only become clear after some lectures and your project takes shape, the last class and green light vote is designed to simulate the real world market pressures on creative ideas and their financial structures. Projects that are green-lit by class, picked to be produced and/or distributed, will receive bonus points. The project or two that receives an equity investment from Professor Baker will receive additional bonus points.

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DISCLAIMERS

CLASSIFIED MATERIALS: Many of the materials and stories shared in this course are highly sensitive and considered entertainment industry insider information. Your attendance to class obligates you to keep confidential all lecture notes, materials and class discussions. No recording devices or cell phones will be permitted at any time. Any disregard for this policy not only jeopardizes your passing but also the continuation of the course itself and/or the manor in which it can be taught.

THIS IS NOT A FILM THEORY COURSE: Many students may have studied film production, or theory in other programs. Many students may have made short films, or even features. This course focuses on the business of theatrical motion pictures. It is an economics class that breaks down creative concepts into business structures, quantitative research, marketing, and distribution models. It is not to disrespect high-art, cinema, in any way, but rather to offer a real world perspective on the larger global marketplace and how it works.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Student’s performance will be evaluated through the following point system:

Class Participation There are 8 classes worth 5 points each, totaling 40 points

Homework Daily homework projects for in-class discussion, worth 20 points

Final In Class Pitch 20 points

Final Project 20 points for final document

Project Bonus 10 points if your film is green-lit by class marketplace
10 points if your company receives investment from Professor Baker’s private equity firm

TOTAL SCORE: 100 - you must achieve at least 80% to pass this course.

GIOCA rules state that students must attend 70% of the lectures to pass, which translates to six classes in this course. The participation grade is evaluated based on active discussion and productive dialogue about class subjects. You must request permission to miss a class if you wish the opportunity to make up the participation grade points by doing a make-up assignment. It is highly recommended you take the participation part of your grade seriously. It is often the deciding factor in passing the course.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Jonathan Theodore Baker