Creating films is a process worth protecting—one you nurture from start to finish. A process worth developing in a tailor made strategy and model for your project. Momentum is generated when your specific steps build upon each other. And at some point, the momentum appreciates beyond the obstacles of your projects.
The key to running the marathon of the creative industry isn't just about securing funding for one project at a time but building out actionable steps that benefit from your project.
This guide will help you transition from chasing short-term opportunities to establishing a framework that allows your work to generate ongoing revenue—keeping you in control of your vision.
Before we start, have you already Downloaded The Self-Sustainable Filmmaker Manual?
This is one of your strongest weapons in the creative industry. Understand CGUs and you will find plenty of opportunities in the market. A Cash Generating Unit (CGU) is a combination of assets that, when strategically assembled, generate revenue.
Independent filmmakers need to shift their mindset from just making movies to building CGUs around their intellectual property (IP).
A CGU is made up of elements from your production that can be packaged, licensed or sold.
For example:
Film IP + Character Design + Merchandising Partnership + Distribution License = CGU
A CGU doesn’t rely on a single income source but on multiple interconnected revenue streams. This allows them to work well with your Sales strategies. And uses the appreciative powers of your IP as a catalyser for direct revenue sources.
Filmmakers often overlook the value of their IP. Instead of treating your film as a one-time product, treat it as a platform for multiple revenue streams.
Here’s how:
Sell access, not ownership.
Rather than selling your film outright, consider licensing it:
Set different licensing terms for different markets. And make sure to understand the scope of your terms. You can license parts of your project to multiple licensees as long as they sit outside the scope of a Licensing agreement.
Turn your visuals into tangible products.
Fans love physical manifestations of a film they love. But never underestimate the power of proven products as an introduction to a film they will love. Depending on the Brand Associations of your studio or project, you can further define what products fit your customers.
If I speak from the perspective of Blauw Films—we are looking at High-quality, artist-driven merchandise that creates a sustainable revenue model while developing the projects.
The thinking behind the products looks something like this:
In general, independent films made with passion, with narrative intrigue, strong aesthetics and are surprising enough—attract audiences with interests similar to such projects. If the exchange of value from the creators outweighs the sacrifice from the customer, they will invest in your project.
To which extent they will invest—whether by purchasing from your company or becoming a life-long fan, is for the world to decide.
Your project has fans. And they can find you.
When creating an IP you can start validating it on the market as soon as you’d like. Creating a website that serves an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) purpose can do wonders for your IP.
Audiences from all over the world will be able to find the project through search engines. And as time goes by—you can expand through images, videos and social media posts. Correctly tagged and communicated on the web, your IP can organically find the audience that it needs.
The audience you build is your audience. And if you want to best serve them you can provide free value, products and or services—as long as it fits the plan of your project.
Build your audience before you need them. The first 10 engaged fans are more valuable than 1,000 passive viewers.
Once your film generates revenue beyond one dependency, you can reinvest into future dependencies of the projects.
Reinvest a percentage of Revenue into Roadmap → Fund New Projects
License more Dependencies from Released Projects → Finance Development
If we can make our business sustainable, we will have happier days at work—and more focus on being creative. Sustainability in filmmaking is not about making one successful movie—it’s about building a chain of tasks that make the next task easier.
When working on your project, think about how many of these elements are a part of your operational plan. Good luck!
If you haven't already, Download The Self-Sustainable Filmmaker Manual from our Resources page!
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[1]: Dreams of Blauw are any form of crystallised thought based on honest expression. Sometimes they linger a shade of blue in your after-image.
