Les Butchart's Blog (9)

CHECK OUT THE HI-DEF VERSION! Continue

I'm writing this for everyone who has asked about Hwy 29's start-up strategy. Our strategy currently involves four dramatic film projects: 1) "Swimming in a Lake of Fire," a feature film with a cash budget of $55k, 2) "The Hive," a web drama that will be completely self-funded (if necessary), 3) "Crier," a feature film that will also be completely self-funded, and 4) "Wrightsville," which we're hoping will be funded by healthcare sponsors ("Wrightsville" is our first health-themed movie and is a… Continue

Continue

The Ex-Boyfriend from Les Butchart on Vimeo. Continue

Movies Among Friends and Highway 29 offer a rare opportunity to those people who aspire to become involved in the movie industry on the business side of things. The role of an "executive producer" is multi-faceted and involves an understanding of film finance, contracts, production and marketing. If you're interested in getting involved with us as an Executive Producer, now is the time. We are putting together plans for multiple films, and we could use your help. You are not required to invest… Continue

Historically, a lot of motion picture companies have funded their films through separate legal entities -- limited partnerships (LP), and, more recently, limited liability companies (LLC). The production company becomes a member of the new entity, which is designed to serve the purposes of the single film or perhaps a group of films. Sometimes these entities are called "funds." In most every case, the investment itself is a security, which means your business activities and the whole process of… Continue

Well, it's Thanksgiving and I have something else to give thanks for. Yesterday we had a great meeting at a coffee shop in Greensboro called the Green Bean. We filled the conference room there and had a wide-ranging discussion about how to develop the promise of this new motion picture production company we're calling Highway 29. For the record, here's the attendance list: the five founders: Lucas Butchart, Matt Nunn, Mark Robertson, Alksander Epselund, and myself; Billy Ingram, who is playing… Continue

I wanted to get this topic addressed early on because one of the first questions anyone asks about a movie project is "where will the money come from?" The purpose of this site is to promote the MAF projects, not to lean on people for funding for those projects, and yet, funding is essential, and there will be ways you can help MAF, by hosting a fundraising party, for example. That kind of thing. And you know this group knows how to throw a party! In theory, the most important thing for the suc… Continue

Okay, I'm going to give you the long version of the story, since this blog might be the only place it is ever written down. Movies Among Friends (MAF for short) is an effort by writers, actors, filmmakers and musicians to make some motion pictures. I have made some low budget movies and I know how frustrating it can be, which is why I hadn't jumped into a new project, then 2008 rolled around. I kept running into screenwriters at a writing workshop called Wildacres that I attend, the group inclu… Continue