Since you’re a hardcore business person, that too in the finance sector – Was there any moment where a dilemma concerning film’s financial returns crossed your mind?
In some ways, yes. For instance, as I told you earlier, there were demands to replace Tim early on. There were also several changes to the film that we incorporated in both initial development and later stages. And we were advised against many of them. I don’t feel those advice was wrong. All those suggestions were made about improving my film’s financial viability. And to keep making films, which I want to – there is an urge to at least make my money back from the previous one.
But then, I probably wouldn’t have learned so much about the process. Making this a close-knit production allowed fewer complications and more freedom to collaborate and throw in ideas. I am glad that I am in a good position financially from my other businesses. I own a good company and have great people working for us. So, I could take the longer route and invest in this film without stressing aggressively on the business side.
And you know, for the love I developed for the cast and the crew who worked on this project with all their heart, I also re-acquired the rights to the movie. It delayed our Prime Video release, but it’s alright. I can do it. I also wanted them to celebrate their jobs, so we went on to throw in a Hollywood premiere, organizing a little red-carpet event. It felt nice.
Publish Or Perish has better production quality than many first-time indie projects. You also said that you could invest in the film without stress. How do you think the money changes the production process of an independent film?
It helps a lot. I was able to get top marketing guys. I was able to hire top marketing people for the film. I actually did a finance panel for the movie. Plus, given my background, I also have contacts that I can easily reach out to. I am a public speaker and owner of a well-structured firm, so people pick up my calls. And I agree that this is not precisely duplicable for every film project. I feel the stars really aligned for us.
Can other interested and aspiring creatives navigate such challenges in their individual projects?
What we are working on is developing a process, an ecosystem to tackle this. It will be a business incubator program. We are still in the idea phase. But it will have a monthly newsletter. Also, possibly a series of webinars. We plan on getting a couple of people for mentorship, offering ideas on topics like money management in creative processes, stuff on film financing, and a lot more. I have made some excellent connections in this circle. I believe that creatives must understand the value of making connections, learning about investors, and having readily available information that may come in handy.
People invested in me when I was starting out. It wasn’t like I was without a roof or a meal; luckily, I had loving parents. But it was challenging to not fully understand how to move ahead in my career. This concept is to help entrepreneurial filmmakers and other creatives bridge the necessary gaps in their workflow and assist them as best I can.
