Consultancy

Independent producers and content creators are struggling to survive and prosper in an increasingly complex media environment.

The long-awaited convergence of television and the internet has arrived. Retaining as many rights as possible and knowing where and how to exploit them is absolutely essential.

Our team is available to help guide producers through a variety of rights and financing issues relating to both production and distribution. We can help clarify the complexities involved in working with PBS. We can provide a better understanding of the “rights language” of the new media landscape. We know the pulse of the international marketplace, the homevideo/DVD marketplace, the non-theatrical/inflight marketplace, the educational marketplace, the new media marketplace (VOD, IPTV, web, mobile), and the overall environment for production, co-production, and sales.

• UNDERWRITING
  For projects in development designed for public television, we can help with the search for corporate underwriters and sponsors.
• PBS SYNDICATION & STATION RELATIONS
  For completed and fully-underwritten programs or series designed for public television in the United States, we can manage the syndication and station-relations campaign to provide the best possible carriage/penetration throughout the PBS system.
• CONTENT SOURCING
  We provide a content sourcing service for major media companies seeking large libraries of programming for new media ventures or cable, satellite, IPTV, or VOD launches.
• CATALOG & PROJECT EVALUATIONS
  For international content suppliers seeking to break into the U.S. market, we can provide an analysis of your program catalog and its potential in the U.S. market. For projects in development or in production, or finished programs or series’ pilots, we can provide evaluations in terms of production quality, presentation quality, and overall marketability and potential for sale to both American and international television and/or DVD-video markets. We can also recommend companies (networks or distributors) which would be the best fit for your project, and provide rough revenue estimates.
• CONTRACT NEGOTIATION
  We can help with the negotiation of major deal points in production or license agreements (co-production, pre-sale or acquisition) with television networks, offering experience with contracts that rivals that of the best entertainment attorneys.

The Process
Our consultants are available on monthly retainers for long term projects (content sourcing, stations relations, underwriter search). Project budgets and time frames vary widely, and can include travel expenses if meetings are called for, and incentive commissions when projects involve a search for financing. An initial one-hour telephone conversation is complimentary if a retainer agreement is signed; if not, the hour is billable at $500.

We often work on short-term projects as well, which typically take the form of one or two hour telephone advisory sessions, or the engagement of a consultant to work at specific conferences, festivals and markets, etc.. Telephone conferences are scheduled after a thorough review of available materials (footage, screeners, treatments, presentations, etc.). The minimum telephone consultation is for one hour, and the minimum fee includes billable time for our consultant’s preparation (reading, screening, etc.). Clients may also request half-day or full-day in-person meetings with our consultants, which must be scheduled well in advance and which entail travel expenses.

So, meet our consultants…

And then let us know about your project and your budget — complete our inquiry form and we will respond promptly.