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Why & how to invest in Film Production?

Why Invest in Films?

The British entertainment business, film and high-end television production spend in the U.K. reached over £5.64 billion ($7.65 billion) in 2021, £1.27 billion higher than in the pre-pandemic year 2019. The figure includes £737 million from films made for streaming platforms.

The Film industry has brilliant investment opportunities and is always welcoming to better and newer projects which are bound to give you amazing returns. Th ROI in film making is not only confined to the cinema tickets but various other options including private networks like Netflix, HBO, Hulu etc. as well as live streaming platforms, DVDs, Blue-Rays and VOD subscriptions. All are lucrative and highly profitable means of adding to your profit and revenue.

At 4.4% CAGR, The "Siliconized Film Market" Size is expected to grow from 1871.7 million USD In 2020, to reach 2538.6 Million USD by 2026.

By investing in a film, you are investing in a tremendous venture which enables the creative ideas and talents to nurture and showcased on big screens. Over the decades, several creative directors, film makers, actors and musicians have entered the field who yearn to display their works via films.  

Film investment is fairly technical but if done the right way, you can attain fabulous returns and build a strong repute amongst creative film makers who are always on a hunt for good investors. Tying up your funds in potential blockbusters can do wonders. Various investors who were earlier engaged in smaller projects are now working on bigger and better projects due to their right choices in the past.

How to Invest in Films?

There can be multiple purposes of investing in films. Some invest with the sole aim of making more money while others may have a broader agenda such as supporting a noble film venture, better exposure to the celebrity world and the charm of being a part of the high end showbiz events such as red carpets and award ceremonies.

The measuring of ROI may vary from producer to producer. While some may only be concerned about the monetary benefits, others may have a greater inclination towards bagging more future projects. Some may only be fond of media coverage and fame from a super hit project.

So how to assess the investment opportunity? Whether a film will be the next box office hit or not is the key question that you need to ponder over. While those who have been a part of film production may have a fair idea about safer investments and projects but those who have just entered the world of film making may need some tips and tricks to assess the films future.

The foremost concern of an investor is that who is the script writer? How successful his past scripts have been?  Who is the target audience? Will it be screened locally or internationally as well? Though focusing on these areas may help you plunge into lucrative ventures, however, there are no certain ways of calculating the precise ROI but you can have a fair assessment of your profitability and returns by addressing the above questions.

Moreover, your role as an investor can also be dynamic as there are various opportunities such as hedge funds, private equity or being a solo film producer. Knowing your standing as an investor can guarantee better results and lower the risk to a certain extent.

The Cost of Investment

The investment opportunities in the film business can vary from few hundred thousand to billions of dollars depending on the magnitude of the project. While the profit making notion of ‘higher the risk, higher the return’ also prevails largely in the film industry, you can be certain that for bigger investments, bigger sales and coverage is the key which leads to break even.

The amount desired by any project varies with its script, actors, special effects and animations. Some other factors include the location of the movie, whether it’s been shot locally or on expensive foreign locations, the movie sets, as well as the overall marketing budget. These elements reflect largely on any film’s budget and determine the success probability as well. The more dynamic a project, the more probability of its success is.

You can also consider investing in art films or small scale projects that are less demanding. The marketing budget, cost of the sets and other expenses can easily be weighed down in simpler and smaller projects.

Independent Film Investment

An independent film investment refers to the financing of a movie project produced outside of the major studio system. Independent films are typically made with a smaller budget and have a more artistic and experimental approach to filmmaking. Investors may fund independent films in exchange for a percentage of the film's profits, credits as a producer, or other forms of compensation.

Investing in independent films can fulfill your desire of getting incredible returns with lesser investment. If the film becomes a blockbuster, then you are ought to earn a big name in the industry. This perhaps is the most dynamic and exciting area of investment with terrific profit making prospects.

One of the biggest example of a successful venture is Moonlight, a film that was produced with $ 1.5 million budget and ended up bagging $65 Million and dozens of awards for its incredible performances, which is a producer’s dream come true indeed.

Where is all the Money Invested?

When investing in a film, you may wonder whether your entire money will be gone in making sets, costumes and locations but the reality is that your investment is scattered evenly into areas such as the salaries of the support staff, the fee of actors, props, sets, location rents, make overs, and a lot more. Here are the funds best categorised:

Pre-Production Expenses: These are costs that occur before the actual filming begins, such as Script development, Location scouting, Casting, Hiring crew members, Storyboarding, Legal fees and permits, etc.

Production: These are the costs involved in the actual filming of the movie, including equipment rental and maintenance, set design and construction, wardrobe and costumes, lighting and sound, special effects, transportation and lodging for cast and crew, insurance, etc.

Post-Production Expenses: These are the costs involved in editing and finalizing the film, including editing, sound mixing and design, music composition and licensing, color correction, visual effects, titles and credits, marketing and distribution, etc.

Contingency Fund: A contingency fund is set aside to cover unexpected expenses that may arise during production or post-production, such as weather-related delays, equipment failure, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Investors typically provide funding for all of these categories, and the total budget for the film is the sum of all these expenses. The film's producer is responsible for managing the budget and ensuring that funds are allocated appropriately to each category to ensure that the film is completed on time and within budget.

The Final Steps

Once a film is completed, it is then marketed through various channels before it hits the theaters. It is the producer’s call to sell it to leading studios, create the desired hype amongst targeted audience and also market through social networks, PR companies, etc. This is the starting point of your film’s potential success. Once the film has been well marketed, it’s time for it to hit the film theaters.

The film’s premier is often marked with the presence of the leading cast, producers and significant crew members. The box office collection within the initial days speaks for the success of the film and the revenue generated is likely to meet the break even if it has managed to impress the audience.

Once the inflow of profit begins, the foremost concern is to pay off the debts and then comes the equal distribution of the revenue amongst the investors and producers. Hence, you can be secure and confident that you are going to receive the returns sooner than all other parties.  If there are other parties involved, then they will be a part of the profit sharing. The profit sharing is discussed and pre-agreed between the producers and investors at the very beginning and an official contract is drawn involving all the parties.

As a matter of fact, investing in films can boost your fame game and add to your funds if you do it the right way. There are several investors who started from the scratch and are now thriving as the most renowned names. Once your repute is established amongst the film makers, you are automatically approached for viable projects.

With a growing number of opportunities of investment in the film industry, you can be sure of getting the right chance depending on your budget and limitations. It’s not mandatory to invest a fortune in a single project, you can also dive in to multiple projects and be sure of returns from different films. However, before investing in any film, it’s always ideal to have a few meetings with the other stakeholders and determine whether you are sure of tying up your money in the project in question.

If you are looking to make an investment in film, Pennine Kennedy Productions is your perfect choice for all the aspects. We are experienced enough to ensure you get the best return on your investment.

4 Reasons to Invest in Films
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Film Industry is Thriving

Investing in a film gives you the chance to make great profits. The film industry is a thriving business. While going out to movies has taken a hit in 2020 and 2021, the love of films has increased during the pandemic. A film doesn’t need to be a large success at the box office for you to get a return on your investment. That is one of the major benefits of investing in films. Besides, the latest development in entertainment technologies and platforms have given new wings to the film industry, making it a great and safe investment.

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Multiple Platforms / Streaming Boom

As films are no more restricted to mainstream cinema and there are multiple platforms for entertainment now, investing in this business can be a smart move. With the rise in streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Apple TV Plus, etc., there’s been a notable rise in the need to produce fresh content. Subscriptions to streaming services reached 1.3 billion globally, a 14% increase from the 1.2 billion in 2020. So investing in films can certainly be the next big thing!

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Create Your Own Film Portfolio

As a film investor, you can choose to make multiple investments in the projects of your choice. Thanks to the large pool of choices available that allows investors to a better opportunity to choose multiple movies to invest in and create their own portfolio. You can diversify your investment, increasing your chances of scoring a hit. It means that as an investor you can expect to have some hits and some misses, which in turn will increase your chances of success, minimizing your losses at the same time.

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Extra Perks

In addition to earning a return on investment, investing in a film can come with several perks. One of the most common is having your name listed in the credits, a way to commemorate your involvement in the project. Investors may also have the opportunity to meet the cast and crew backstage, attend red carpet events, and participate in VIP opportunities related to the film, such as exclusive screenings and after-parties. These perks can be a fun and exciting way to be a part of the film industry and experience the filmmaking process up close.