Producer's Business Handbook

John J. Lee, Jr. successfully led the vision, launch and expansion of several entertainment and media entities and provided business, funding and distribution services for scores of major studio-released motion pictures, television network series and specials, with combined production costs of over $470 million and global rights earnings exceeding $4 billion.Anne Marie Gillen is an independent producer who has developed, financed, and produced films ranging from studio fare, like Fried Green Tomatoes, to passion projects to low-budget indies. As an executive, she served as COO for actor Morgan Freeman’s company, Revelations Entertainment. Gillen Group’s consulting division offers business planning, script analysis, worldwide distribution consultation, and cash flow projections.

"As a die-hard independent producer of over 700 TV shows and 15 movies, I wish this book had been available at the start of my career! If so, I would have avoided a decade or so of discovery from the school of hard knocks. Whether you are producing for the big screen or the smaller ones, I recommend you read, study and use this latest edition of The Producer's Business Handbook as part of readying your projects for the myriad of possible revenue streams that will make all your hard work much more rewarding. John Lee and Anne Marie Gillen's book is a brightly-illuminated path through the otherwise very murky waters of finance and distribution."—Steve Ecclesine, Independent Producer of 15 Motion Pictures and over 700 TV Episodes"This is the single best work on financing independent films. The landscape of the film business is changing rapidly, and this is one of the only books addressing two of the most difficult aspects: financing and distribution. There is more to financing a film than developing a business plan. This book shows practical, in-depth information, efficiently written and presented." —Don Smith, Associate Chair & Associate Professor, Film & Video Department, Columbia College"This is a timely book, detailing a proven method for success and providing relevant data for both investors and filmmakers."—Jillian Alexander, Managing Director, Conduit Consulting LLC.; Former VP of Corporate Development, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Member of Sony US Ventures Team

• IntroductionThe Industry U.S. Theatrical DistributorsInternational TerritoriesDIY DistributionAncillary Windows, Rights, & ProductsProduction FinancingProduction IncentivesGuarantorsAttorneysTalent Agents & ManagersCompany StructureDevelopment FundingThe TeamOperationsProducers BusinessResourcesGlossary