Filmmaker's Dream Blog

There are many experts within the film industry that have to oversee a business plan in order to make sure the movie is successful. The right person to look towards in this case would be the film producer. The responsibilities of a film producer include:

• Producing a film within its budget
• Supervising the film project from concept to distribution
• Secure financing for a film project
• Hire cast/crew to make sure the film is delivered and put together to the best of its ability. 

The list goes on and on as far as what a film producer has to do to make sure the film happens. I decided to research and review two industry experts to see how they gained their success in the business department of film. The industry experts I have chosen are Kevin Geiger and Kathleen Kennedy.
Kevin Geiger is known for films such as, 'Reign of Fire', 'Species', 'Chicken Little', and 'Henry's Garden'. With his major focus being in digital arts, Kevin has also offered great details on having an indie film business plan. Kevin says, "Most indie filmmakers have a strong creative pitch, but not a strong business pitch when going to investors, and if those aren't linked, you've got a problem." According to Kevin, a few key factors investors are looking for an a business plan include:

• How are the investors going to make their money back?
• Prepare a cash flow projection
• Create a business plan presentation for investors
• Select development and advisory teams.

Check out his great informational videos below!
The next industry expert is Kathleen Kennedy, by far one of the most successful film producers of all time. She's produced films like 'Jurassic Park', 'ET', 'Adventures of Tin Tin' and many more. Kathleen attended San Diego State University and later worked as a camera operator, video editor, and floor director. Kathleen started as a production assistant in working with Steven Spielberg and worked her way up to becoming the second most successful film producers in the world. Kathleen Kennedy is now the co-chair person for Lucasfilm. ( Deadline, 2012)
Kathleen Kennedy says she became lucky after taking a job as a production assistant for Steven Spielberg's '1941' and later became a producer. Kathleen mentions how she looks for someone who is talented, nice, balanced, with various interests in the film industry when hiring new people. She also mentioned that for great advice you have to have a lot of tenacity, work hard, and strong values to make it in the film industry. (HollywoodTV, 2007)  Kathleen gives excellent advice in the video below for ways to make it in Hollywood.
 Deadline. (2012, June 01). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.deadline.com/2012/06/lucasfilms-names-kathleen-kennedy-as-co-chair/

HollywoodTV. (2007). Kathleen kennedy how to make it in to hollywood [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlxCUyC9fmE