business plan
a written description of a proposed commercial activity, often used in obtaining start-up financing from investors and other sources of capital
commercial potential
a subjective judgment about how a proposed movie project will do at the box office
development
the initial stage in the preparation of a film; those activities relating specifically to taking an idea or concept, turning it into a finished screenplay, preparing a producer’s package, and raising money
entrepreneur
a person who takes on the risks of starting a new business
hook
something unique that will set a project apart, attract the attention or gain the interest of a target audience; this can be a story element or an individual involved in the project
horizontal integration
a consolidation of business entities at the same level within an industry. For example, the film business has three levels – production, distribution and exhibition – and the Regal Cinema Group is a consolidation of businesses at the exhibition level.
package
the total presentation of the basic elements needed to do a film; normally includes a script, schedule, budget and commitments by key talent
producer
the person who carries the ultimate responsibility for the original shaping and final outcome of a film; generally finds and develops a project; arranges for financing, oversees the production and post production and arranges and supervises the distribution of the film
producer’s fee
compensation paid to a film’s producer out of the budget of the film; also, the up-front payment to person who has developed a package and sold it to a studio for production
Producers Guild of America
an organization that tries to insure the correct application of screen credits for producers; despite its name it is not a guild or union because the producer is a managerial position
producer for hire
a person who performs the services of a film producer as an employee of a studio, production company or network
royalties
payments for the right to use property such as copyrighted material; also, a share of the proceeds from the exploitation of the property
target market
a specific audience segment a producer and/or distributor seeks to reach with a program and its advertising and promotional campaign
title
the registered name of a screenplay; also refers to a shorthand term of ownership and having the right to possess, use and exploit a property.
trades
The daily, weekly or monthly newspapers and magazines that specialize in reporting news and information relating to the entertainment industry
treatment
an intermediate stage of writing between the idea and the shooting script for a feature film or the actual production of a nonfiction project; an essay style description of the story and characters; generally 25 to 30 pages for a feature film or 5 to 10 pages for a nonfiction work
turnaround
a film development situation in which an original studio purchaser of a property has declined to go forward and has provided a turnaround notice to the original producer. The project is now available to be picked-up by another studio, normally with the reimbursement of development costs to the original studio
vertical integration
the unified ownership of several different levels of production, distribution and/or exhibition. The same owner owns or controls at least two of a studio facility, production company, distribution entity, exhibitor chain, television network, cable networks or cable operators
window
a limited time during which an opportunity should be seized or it may be lost. In film, the period of time in which a film is available in a given market (theatrical, home video, pay cable, television)
