Start a Film Company

Major motion picture studios spend millions to make blockbuster movies, but one can also make films for a few thousand dollars by becoming an independent film producer working at home with the use of new software and media forms to transmit digital films to movie viewers.

So, how do you start producing a film and becoming a film production company?

• Have a story and a script for the story. If scriptwriting is not your forte, team up with a writer to do the work for you.
• Decide whether you can afford to finance the project or you would need financing for the project. If you do, write a good business plan that you can present to potential financiers and convince them to invest in your production. Sources of funding could be venture capitalists, government agencies providing motion picture funding as well as other production companies (co-production).
• Proceed with forming your cast. To find actors, contact casting agencies, drama schools, amateur theatre groups near you.
• Equipment needs in this business will depend on how big the planned production is. For digital production, there should be at least a digital video, tapes, hard disks, flash memory, tripod, and editing software. For large productions, there should be transportation, actor's trailers, rolls of films, cameras, cranes for moving set equipment, sit locations, props, costumes, generators, and computers.
• Decide on leasing or purchasing film making equipment like cameras, tripods, microphones, and video editing equipment. If you are into a major production, you must have transportation, rolls of films, cranes for moving set equipment, among others. If you are into digital production, secure digital video, tapes, hard disks, flash memory. In buying a computer for editing, determine first the type of video format you want so that you could buy a pc with just the enough specifications – if you don't you can end up with a gadget that's just too expensive for your needs. Avid Xpress Pro costs more than $1,000. You can use software with a basic editing program (which costs less) or have a hardware and software combination for added capabilities.
• Do the filming
• Edit the film
• Write a synopsis and other details of the film for marketing purposes
• Submit your work to film distribution companies. Or you can contain your work in CD-ROMs and DVDs so that you can distribute it yourself.

As an independent film maker, you have the advantage of being able to afford to take greater risks and innovate. Some low-budget films, like The Blair Witch Project, were made for a few thousand dollars, but were able to generate millions in revenues.