BUS 219 - Business of Film & Video Production

5 CR

Same as MEDIA 219.
Students develop a broad understanding of the Film and Television industries functions and explore ways to gain access to the industry. Students develop the knowledge and understanding to create their own production companies and bring their creative ideas and projects to fruition. Either BUS 219 or MEDIA 219 may be taken for credit, not both.

Recommended: Video production or film studies coursework.
Course Outcomes

Legal Structuring and Financing

Overview of Independent Filmmaking
Starting from scratch
Defining the Concept
Researching the Market

Market Research Among Distributors

The Production Package

Developing the Story and Screenplay
Acquiring an Existing Literary Property

Optioning the Property
Attaching Talent
Legal

Finding a Good Entertainment Attorney

Determining Budget

How to Create Budgets with Examples
Ideal Budget
Standard Budget
Low Budget
Four Rules
Money-Saving Tips
Negotiations
Insurance

Film Company Management Overview of Independent Financing

The Studios
Independent Production Companies
Distribution Guarantees
Negative Pickups
Grants for Independent Feature Production
Bank Loans
Foreign financing
Other Sources
Limited Partnerships

The Structure
The Limited Partnership Agreement
Investment Groups
Limitations

Selling the Investment

Selling the Investor

What Investors want to know

Presentations

How to make a successful presentation

The setting
The attitude
Presentation Structure
The Prospectus
Escrow Accounts

Producing

The Producer
Relationships, Agreements
Rights
Release Forms
Music rights
Copyrights

Distribution and Exhibition Finding Distributors

Introduction to Marketplace

The Theatrical Arena

The Distribution Pie
Four-Walling
The Distribution of Earnings
The Deals
Guarantees
Domination of the Market by the Major Studios
Foreign Theatrical Distribution

The Non-Theatrical Arena

Basic and Pay Cable Television

Shorts and Documentaries on the Movie Channels Interstitial Programming on the Movie Channels The Videocassette Marketplace Video Disks PBS Foreign Television Web Casting or Distribution on the Internet Contracts and Negotiations

Promotion

Paid Advertising
Publicity

Find out when this course is offered