Final Flashcards
What are underlying properties?
The underlying property is the original source of a story. It could be a written play, book, life story, anything. It’s called a property because it is the intellectual property of the person who created/lived it.
Service/domestic vs Studio/Independent
Service is a foreign production being filmed locally while a domestic production is a production owned by a local producer being filmed locally.
Studio refers to productions funded by the studio system, most of which is in Hollywood while Independents are productions funded by independent producer.
What is a chain of title, and what documents are in the chain of title?
Chain of title is the evidence that shows ownership history of the property (story, script, etc.) Documents include option and purchase agreements, story editor agreement, writer agreement, co-producer agreement (partnership agreement), assignment/rights transfer agreement.
What is an option agreement?
An option agreement gives the buy the right of the purchase of the underlying property.
What are the 3 CRTC conditions of license that affect us as indie producers?
- Number of hours of Canadian content programming per week.
- Amount of money spent on independent Canadian content productions.
- Amount of Canadian content programming during prime time (7-11pm).
What is priority programming?
Prime time TV, 7pm-11, genres include drama (includes comedy), variety, documentaries, entertainment news.
What are tangible benefits?
Amount of hours of Canadian programming per week, amount of money spent on Canadian productions, amount of Canadian content during prime time. They allow for more Canadian content to be made.
What are the four tiers or types of conventional broadcast television?
Conventional (Free TV), specialty, subscriptions, VOD (video on demand)
What are the two ways to certify your production as Canadian content?
CAVCO and CRTC
Are tax credits based on labour spend or total production costs?
Labour spends
When do you receive tax credits?
After delivery of your production, when it’s ready to be aired.
What is a second window sale?
Second window in which your film is aired (second time you sell the rights to your film)
List the points for Canadian content productions. How many points do you need to be considered Canadian content?
Minimum is 6/10 with your producer being Canadian, either writer or director being Canadian, One or two lead performers must be Canadian, 75% of production costs paid to Canadians.
Director 2 points Screenwriter 2 points Lead Performer 1 point 2nd Lead 1 point Production Designer 1 point DOP 1 point Music Composer 1 point Picture Editor 1 point
What are some of the reasons for certifying your production as Canadian content?
Obtaining higher tax credits
What are some of the basic requirements for obtaining tv/digital media funding from the Canadian Media Fund? What kind of funding does the CMF provide?
Projects must be 10/10 Canadian Content. Support series or MOW productions.
What are some of the basic requirements for obtaining feature film funding from Telefilm Canada? What kind of funding does Telefilm provide?
Projects with 8/10 Canadian Content Points, the writer and director must be Canadian, the underlying property must be Canadian, must have a Canadian performer int eh lead role, not disguise its Canadian location except where it’s integral to the story, if the production budget is more than $1.25M, the production must have a commitment from an eligible Canadian theatrical distributor, so the distributor is the “key sale” for feature films. They provide equity investments for Canadian feature films.
Does a film rating affect the marketing of your film? If so, how?
Yes, higher ratings give you less of an audience because of age restrictions.
What is a license fee?
The “license” is like a rental of the broadcast rights to the show, so the producer retains ownership.
What does it mean to “bundle rights”?
Being able to choose which rights to sell to a broadcaster and keeping some for yourself to exploit.
What is the difference between serial and episodic television?
Serial is watching it from ep1 onward, episodic is being able to watch one episode and still understand the story of the show.
What are some tips to working with a distributor?
Pick a distributor that relates to your film. Create a good relationship with them and seek advice on your projects.
What kinds of content do distributors specialize in distributing?
They specialize in specific territories and media or platforms.
Define territory, media and term in relation to distribution agreements.
Territory
- Geographical are for which sales rights are granted to a distributor.
Media
- Any platform that the distributor will represent in the marketplace.
Term
- The number of years that a distributor will represent a project.
From reading “So You Want to Be A Producer”, what are some of the tasks of a producer in development, production, post-production, and onwards?
Development: Secure rights to underlying property, Research potential market, determine budget, raise finances for film, set up Production Company
Pre-production: Finalzie cast, budget, crew, locations, order equipment, etc
Production: smoothes problems between cast, if necessary re-scheduling, re-financing, prepare fo rthe week (fly in cast, secure locations, make sure you have equipment) pay bills, generate pay roll, cost reports
Post: hire sound team, prepare still images for marketing, distribution
What is petty cash?
Cash money you get (and can spend on incidental costs) from the production. You must keep receipts or you will have to pay back that money you spent.
What is a cost report?
Tells the difference between your budget and what you actually spent.
What is a budget? What are the main sections of a budget?
Budget is how much money you need to producer your film. Above the line (producer, director, writer, stars), below the line (all production costs), post production, other (legal, insurance, bank or financing costs)
What is a finance plan or structure?
A list of where you’re getting your money to finance your film from. Total of finance plan must equal the bottom line of the production budget.
What are the two different kinds of insurance?
What are the two different kinds of insurance? E&O (errors and omissions) and Entertainment package (general liability and accidents)
What is interim financing, drawdowns, and cashflow, and how do they relate?
Drawdowns is financing given only after certain parts of production has been completed. For example, 25% is given on signing, 25% at the first day of principal photography, 25% after the rough cut.
Interim financing is when the bank loans you money for your production to cover weekly costs not covered by income funds. Cash flow is how much money you need for each week.
Why do private investors usually invest in media projects?
Bragging rights, tax benefits, potential return on investment
What are some strategies for critical media viewing and media activism?
Be cautious of what you watch. Question what you see. Contact media industry executives and tell them what you like/dislike. Support independent media.
What is the main challenge for the business of Canadian web series?
No funding for it and there’s not a lot of profit to be made.
What is the difference between product placement and branded entertainment?
Product placement is having a product/label clearly placed in a scene. Branded entertainment is when a brand is integrated into the scene itself. For example it could portray the lifestyle of using a product that a brand wants to portray.
Describe the four different CC licenses: Attribution, ShareAlike, NoDerivs, and NonCommercial.
Attribution: Allows others to distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, as longa s they credit you for the original creation.
ShareAlike: Allows others to use your work like attribution, but they must license their new creations under the identical terms.
NoDerivs: Allows redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, credited to you.
NonCommercial: You can remix, tweak, distribute as long as they don’t make money off of it.
What is copyleft?
Allows creators to put their work on the public domain for free.
If content is distributed freely, what associated things are not free?
It’s “Containers” i.e. DVDs, merchandise, t-shirts, 35mm film prints, special editions, film screenings, etc…
What is transmedia storytelling?
Using multiple platforms to tell one story. Allows you to profit by combining visual story telling with various distribution platforms and new technologies.
Define some of the business models that we discussed in class. What is the function of knowing you business model in relation to the content creation business these days?
Reintermediation: Re-introducing an elemnt to a value chain (ex. Portals, content aggregators, apple TV)
Disintermediation: Elimating an element of the value chain - cutting out the middle man
Network effects: The value of business increases with more users
Advertising: The content appears or feels free
What are the five elements of a successful crowdfunding campaign?
video, perks, deadlines, teams, share
Why do you need to factor crowdfunding site fees into your production budget?
Because you don’t want to forget about htem and go over budget, you need to factor in the fees if you use crowd funding sites because they helped you raise the money for your film/got you a fan base.
What are some strategies we looked at for engaging audiences and building a successful YouTube channel?
Have your channel running for at least 30 days, verify account and enable monetization, build your audience, have a channel that gives them what they are looking for, have consistent content, be engaged with your audience.
Why do you have to worry about clearances if you want to monetize content from YouTube?
Because you can’t become a YouTube partner if you have copyright infringements.
New Models of Financing
Soft money: Money from government
Deferrals: Working for free-get paid if the project makes money
Four “F’s” of DIY financing: Friends, family, fate, favours
Bundling, carving or segregating rights: Keeping some rights of your own to monetize/profit off of instead of giving away all your ownership rights.
Pool versus Waterfall
Waterfall: Fast successful profit
Pool: slow intake of revenue
