For the first time at the Zurich Summit, a large number of investors participated in a panel to share what they are looking for when it comes to film financing. AC Independent head Nick Shoemaker, producer Marie-Christine Jaeger-Firmenich, Tango Entertainment principal Leah Bouman and Sovereign Media Capital CEO Andreas Roald all agreed to invest and I attended a long panel discussion to assess what the ideal ROI would be for them.
Shoemaker told attendees that Anonymous Content has “historically been very focused on director-driven content over the last 20 years, so about three years ago we decided to move our capital toward film.” “When I take over, I have a great foundation from which to leverage the relationships I’ve built.” Historically, we’ve worked with directors and producers to try to find investments that work. ”
“On the non-fiction side, we do the same thing, but that market has changed a lot in the last three years. On the narrative side, we are mainly focused on European co-productions. , we are focused on finding ways to make more money on screen, working with our European partners.”
Producer Marie-Christine Jaeger-Firmenich spoke about her entry into the film industry. Originally from Switzerland, she founded the Lobmer Foundation to pursue her philanthropic interests. Her first work, Gigi & Nate, was inspired by her work with a charity that trains animals to help people with disabilities.
“I knew nothing about the movie business,” she told attendees. “Around 2014, I was looking for someone to make this movie. I came up with the idea and thought I’d need a few cameras, a few people, a few actors, and that’s it. But that’s it. , it turns out it’s a completely different business.
After meeting Nick Hamm at dinner, she recalled telling the director about her idea, saying: The other woman thought she knew the film industry. ”
Hamm ultimately ended up directing that project, “Gigi & Nate.” Hamm is also in Zurich to promote his latest collaboration with Jager Firmenich, William Tell, an epic adaptation of the Swiss folk hero with a cast that includes Claes Bang, Ben Kingsley and Emily Beecham. It’s a story.
Regarding investment return goals, Mr. Shoemaker said: It’s not very deep, but it’s a difficult process. We work on projects almost any time, from pre-production to renovations that require a little bit of capital before the film’s release, which is about two to three months in advance. ”
Mr. Shoemaker continued: “The standard is 20-25% and that is the basis of our financial model.”
“For us, we think there are three different ways to achieve ROI. One of them is to make money without losing money so that we can continue,” says Aftersun et al. said Lia Buman of Tango Entertainment, who has worked on the project. and his three daughters. “But for the first one, it’s really all about the people. It has to be a positive experience that the film you made is what you intended it to be made. Part of the fun is how difficult it is and how much fun it is to be on the front lines with people you respect.”
Buman goes on to say that ROI “tends to be a little over 20% because of the cost…and how hard it is to put money into a movie, it takes over two years to get that money back. Really. I have to think about it.”
She continued: “The third ROI for me is how well the movie connects with the audience. That’s what the movie means to me: connection.”