Q/A: How to Attract a Producer to Your Film Project

Question: How can I attract a producer to my film?

You’ll have more success having a plan to proactively approach producers with your project than you ever will simply hoping to “attract” someone.

Here are 3 steps to implement to create results:

Step 1: Assess what you are bringing to the project and ensure it’s a valuable offer that a producer will be interested in.

• What do you have packaged?
• Do you have attachments – a director, marketable talent?
• Do you have any financing in place?
• Has the script won any awards or received recognition?
• Did it get a “recommend” from a reputable coverage service?
• Is it based upon an underlying property that has value?

Ensure you are presenting a valuable and irresistible opportunity to entice an established producer to come on board.

Step 2: Make a list of ideal producers to approach. A great place to start your initial search is with IMDbPro.com where you can find contact information for producers and productions companies.

Look for producers who produce films in your genre and, most importantly, within your project’s budget range. If your film has a $5 million budget, you don’t want to approach producers who make $40 million films.

Step 3: Connect with the producers and present your offer. Ideally, you want to step into any opportunity you have to meet the people on your list in-person (at film festivals, events, conferences, markets).

You can also call them directly. This strategy can help you move past the gatekeeper. Your first sentence needs to state the value you’re bringing to the producer, such as...

“Hi, my name is Ima Filmmaker, and I have an action-thriller script based on an award-winning book, with Ms. Marketable Actor attached and 25% of the financing secured. Is Mr. Big-Time Producer available to speak with me about this project?”