Just like all filmmakers and Entrepreneurs are not created equal, nor are all “Rich Guys.” Many will jerk you around, and not actually deliver on what they promise. So how do you know if your potential investor is legit? Well, here are a few tips.

Taking a little bit of a break from the visions of the film industry and the direction that it should go in, this week I'll be offering a piece of useful advice for all the producers out there.  I should start this by saying that I am NOT a financial planner. I am IN NO WAY qualified to evaluate a security.  I am also not qualified to give professional advise as to what stocks to buy, how to manage a portfolio, or anything even remotely related to that information.

In my time at the Institute for International Film Finance and Global Film Ventures, I’ve heard many people speak on various tricks to get Films Financed.  One of the single most valuable tools in my arsenal is one that I will share with you now. I will say this was not developed by me, but rather by a speaker for one of my events a while back.  I will start by saying that in order to be a producer, you need to understand your competition.  Not just in terms of other movies and entertainment that are up against yours in the marketplace, but also how your investment stacks up against other potential investments that High Net Worth Individuals may be considering. This requires that a savvy producer understand the stock market, as it is the most common place where investors keep their money.

There’s an old joke that goes something like this.  Three artists move to Los Angeles, a Fine Artist, a poet, and a Filmmaker.  The first day they’re in town, they check out the Mann’s Chinese Theater.  When they get there, a wave of inspiration overtakes them.  The fine artist says, “This is incredible, I have to draw something! Does anyone have a piece of chalk?” Low and behold a random passerby happens to have one, and hands it over. The fine artist does a beautiful rendering on the sidewalk.

Watching this, the poet says, “I’ve had a flash of inspiration, I must write!  Does anyone have a pen and paper?”  It happens to be a friendly sort of Los Angeles day, and someone hands over a pen and paper.  He writes a beautiful Shakespearean sonnet about his friend’s artistry with the chalk.