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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Foreword | |
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| Getting Ready to Produce | |
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| The Time Was Right | |
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| The Landscape is Changing | |
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| A Step-By-Step Approach | |
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| Wearing Two Hats: Business and Creative | |
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| The Business of Film Producing | |
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| Timeline for S�ance | |
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| Timeline for the Film, S�ance | |
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| September/October 2005: Optioned Screenplay | |
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| November/December 2005: Business Plan and PPM | |
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| January 2006: Opened an LLC | |
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| January/February/March: Funding the Film | |
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| March: Finalized Details | |
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| April: Soft Prep - Four Weeks | |
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| April: Casting | |
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| May 1: Preproduction Begins - Three Weeks | |
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| May 21: Principal Photography - Two Weeks | |
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| June 5-September 29: Postproduction | |
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| October: Prepared for Market | |
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| November 1-8: Attended the American Film Market | |
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| November 9-December 1 5: Delivery | |
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| The Script: Option and Development | |
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| Time to do the Paperwork | |
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| Research and Read Option Agreements | |
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| What's Needed in an Option/Purchase Agreement | |
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| Option Period | |
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| Payment and Back End | |
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| Deferments | |
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| Certificate of Authorship and Short-Form Assignment | |
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| Script Development | |
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| Table Read | |
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| Director's Notes | |
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| Creating Your Business Plan | |
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| K.I.S.S. | |
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| Table of Contents | |
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| Quotation | |
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| Investor Proposal | |
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| Why $7,500? Here are Four Good Reasons | |
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| Let's Start with Delivery | |
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| Operating Costs | |
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| Executive Producer Fee | |
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| Budget | |
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| Extra Bonus | |
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| Risk | |
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| Project Objective | |
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| The Marketplace | |
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| Film Comparisons | |
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| Company Summary and Team | |
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| Synopsis | |
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| Revenue Scenario | |
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| Newspaper Articles | |
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| Section 181 | |
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| Mission Statement | |
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| Your One-Sheet Poster | |
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| PPM/Operating Agreement/Subscription Agreement | |
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| Setting Up Your LLC and Opening Your Bank Account | |
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| Opening Your LLC: You Can Do It! | |
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| Where Do I Open My LLC? | |
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| Wait Until You're Ready | |
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| Step # 1: Clear The Name | |
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| Step # 2: Articles of Organization | |
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| Step # 3: Getting Your EIN Number | |
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| Certificates and Seal | |
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| Opening Your Bank Account | |
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| Wait Until You're Ready to Open Your Account | |
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| Open two Accounts | |
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| What Type of Checkbook Should You Order? | |
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| Making Deposits: Details | |
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| Get Your Visa or Mastercard Now | |
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| The Checks and Visa Are in Your Name Only! | |
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| Check Request Form | |
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| Payroll Company or Not? | |
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| Sales Presentation and Finding Investors | |
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| Preparation | |
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| Outline | |
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| Booking the Venue | |
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| Getting the Word Out | |
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| Logistics | |
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| Setting up the Room | |
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| Your Assistants Represent Your Company | |
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| It's Showtime: Welcome Everyone | |
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| Purpose of the Evening | |
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| Outline for the Evening | |
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| It's Your Time to Shine: Have Fun! | |
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| Introduce Yourself | |
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| Your Company Introduction | |
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| Launching Windchill Films: Why this Film? Why This Budget? | |
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| The Director's Vision | |
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| Introduce Your Team | |
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| Your Offering | |
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| What's in It for Me, The Investor? | |
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| Question and Answer Session | |
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| Wrap-Up | |
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| Mock Sales Presentation | |
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| A Promise Is Not a Check | |
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| Additional Perks | |
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| Tips to Getting Investors | |
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| Be Prepared | |
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| Be Innovative | |
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| Let's Get Visual | |
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| Soft Prep | |
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| What Is Soft Prep? | |
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| Get Sag Signatory Number | |
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| Table Read | |
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| Location Scouting | |
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| List Your Film in the Trades | |
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| Inform Your Investors | |
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| The Casting Process | |
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| Part 1: Preparation | |
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| Casting Director - Or Not | |
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| Guild Actors-Or Not | |
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| Guild Deposit | |
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| Breakdown Services | |
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| Plan Casting Process With Your Director | |
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| Part 2: Scheduling | |
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| Scheduling Auditions | |
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| How to Schedule | |
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| How Much Time to Allow for Auditions | |
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| Book Your Readers | |
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| Choosing the Sides | |
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| Typed Sign-In Sheets | |
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| Part 3: Auditions and Callbacks | |
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| Auditions | |
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| Lunch Break and Atmosphere | |
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| Scheduling Callbacks | |
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| Callbacks | |
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| Chemistry Callbacks | |
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| Final Decisions | |
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| Part 4: Deal Memos | |
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| Extras | |
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| Preproduction | |
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| Producer versus Line Producer | |
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| Producer's Focus | |
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| Line Producer's Focus | |
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| A Look at the Producer's Job | |
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| The Making-of Producer and Stills Photographer | |
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| Still Photography and Making-of Cast Schedule | |
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| Proposed Questions for Cast for the Making-of Feature | |
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| Your Editor | |
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| Your Director of Photography | |
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| Your Director | |
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| Table Read With Your Keys | |
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| Cast Table Read and Wardrobe Fitting | |
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| Product Placement | |
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| Update Investors | |
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| Keep the Actors and their Agents Informed | |
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| Principal Photography | |
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| Now the Fun begins | |
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| Know How to Read Your Call Sheets, Day Out of Days, and Shooting Schedule | |
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| Shooting Schedule | |
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| Dailies | |
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| Video Village | |
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| Know Your Script | |
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| Your Editor | |
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| Staying on Time: Your 1st AD | |
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| Writing Checks | |
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| Stills and Press Release | |
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| Treats | |
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| Putting out Fires | |
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| Planning Your Wrap Party | |
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| Going the Extra Mile | |
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| Children and Animals | |
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| Investors | |
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| Interviews for Postproduction Positions | |
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| Acknowledgment | |
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| Wrap-Up and Postproduction | |
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| Wrap Party | |
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| Line Producer's Wrap-Up | |
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| Editor's Assembly | |
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| Copyright Transfer | |
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| Film Website | |
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| Hiring for Postproduction Positions | |
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| Director's Cut | |
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| Audience Testing | |
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| Pick-Up Day | |
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| Lock Picture | |
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| Sales Agents and First Round of Festivals | |
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| Music Score, Sound Designing, Color Correction, Spotting, and ADR | |
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| Additional Songs | |
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| Front-Roll Credits (Main Titles) | |
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| End-Roll Credits | |
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| Making Of | |
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| Investors | |
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| Delivery and Sales Agents | |
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| Put The Horse Before The Cart | |
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| Mistakes can be Expensive | |
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| The Cost of Delivery | |
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| Items to Watch For | |
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| Sales Agent Or Not? | |
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| The Tables are Turning | |
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| Problems With the Old Model | |
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| Buy-Outs | |
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| Changes are Happening | |
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| Your Deal with a Sales Agent: Do Your Research! | |
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| Expenses | |
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| Commission | |
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| Get a Copy of Each Territory Deal | |
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| Keep the Number of Years Low and Get Back-End Deals | |
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| Money Goes Into Your Bank Account | |
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| Have Them Check With You if the Amount Is Below the Estimate | |
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| Which Territory Sold? | |
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| Do They Have an-E&O Umbrella? | |
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| Get a Box Of Dvds | |
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| If They are Doing Your Domestic Sale, be at That Meeting | |
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| Exit Clause | |
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| Distribution Alternatives and Film Exposure: Guest Interviews | |
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| You've Delivered … Now What? | |
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| A Whole New World | |
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| Festivals | |
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| Communicate With Your Sales Agent | |
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| Attending Markets | |
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| Promoting Your Domestic Sale | |
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| Inform Investors Along The Way | |
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| Sag Residuals | |
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| Accounting and Taxes | |
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| Closing Your LLC | |
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| Final Notes | |
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| Be Sure To Get A Mentor (Or Two) | |
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| Surround Yourself With Winners | |
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| Keep Your Eye On The Prize | |
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| Filmmakers Website Resource Guide | |
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| Books: Some of My Favorites | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |