Film Financing

I am a huge movie buff. As an entrepreneur, I love to explore how some film projects get financed. I decided to do some research into the world of film finance. One company I discovered was the Institute for International Film Financing. According to their website:

"The Institute for International Film Financing ("IIFF") is an innovative, independent social-impact organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the worlds of filmmaking and finance. IIFF's one-of-a-kind mission is to prudently expand the scope and appeal of film financing in an economically sustainable manner, for the benefit of all stakeholders including the public at large."

The company was established in 2003 by a former investment banker. They bridge the gap between the worlds of art and finance. They find capital and take on projects they feel will not only be profitable, but a socially viable work of art.

The organization puts alot of emphasis into education. They hold several workshops for potential filmmakers and investors alike. In these seminars topics include understanding and preparing film business plans, traditional and nontraditional financing strategies, effective pitch presentations, and legal documents essential to film financing.

They also offer peer-to-peer support for screenwriters who are looking to sell their scripts. The people at IIFF will look at the script and help the author shop the work to potential studios or buyers. These workshops are in place to make sure that big budget blockbusters aren't the only films getting financed. While the big budget movies yield higher return for studios, the independent film industry helps the art-form or film-making grow.

I hope to someday work in the film industry. More specifically I hope to someday become a producer. One of the main jobs of the producer is finding sources of funding for the project. The IIFF seems like a great resource for independent filmmakers and producers alike who are looking for help getting their projects financed. For more information about them check out their website:

http://www.filmfinancing.org

The Highest Grossing Actor of All Time.

Being a huge fan of the movies industry, at first I was surprised when I found out who the highest grossing actor of all time in U.S. Cinema was. I have asked my friends and family who they thought it was and most of them had some great guesses: Tom Cruise? (nope), George Clooney? (nope), Mel Gibson? (nope), Arnold Schwarzenegger? (nope). And so on, and so on....

Believe it or not, the highest grossing actor in American cinema is Samuel L. Jackson. His movies have total grossed almost 7.5 billion dollars. (Yes that's Billion, with a B.) This may be shocking to some, but if you look at his track record, he has been in some very successful films. Here are some of the highlights:

• Star Wars (Episodes 1-3)
• Jurassic Park
• Pulp Fiction 
• The Incredibles
• Iron Man (I and II)
• Die Hard with a Vengeance
• Unbreakable
• and many many more.

Samuel L. Jackson has become one of the most famous and iconic actors of his time. He has starred in over 100 films and has three big budget blockbusters slotted for next year including the Marvel Super-hero flick The Avengers. 

Mr. Jackson doesn't just act in film. He is currently starring in The Mountaintop on Broadway. When asked about his work ethic, he told CBS: "I grew up in a working class family. When I was a kid, all the adults in my house got up and went to work every day. I assumed that's what grown people do. That's what I do. I just happen to have a very interesting job that's kind of cool."

As a businessman and an actor, Mr. Jackson has become one of the most beloved actors in America. He has done pretty well for himself over the past few years as well, making it on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list making 34 million dollars a year.

For More Information Check out the Following Articles:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000168/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2054485/Samuel-L-Jackson-named-highest-grossing-actor-time-raking-7-42billion.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

http://star-currency.forbes.com/celebrity/samuel-jackson