Investing in Movies

12Evaluating Projects

Summary—This chapter addresses how to evaluate projects (primarily independent features). Distinctions are drawn based on what stage the project is in when presented for evaluation, beginning with an underlying literary work before a script is commissioned to full-fledged scripts and complete creative packages. The bifurcated rights model is further discussed and advice is proffered as to what levels of foreign sales are required in order to reasonably greenlight a project and what level of domestic risk should properly be assumed. Investors are advised to always confront the producer to justify what is special about the film he or she is promoting. In particular, the challenges of realizing attractive returns on low-budget ...