The Producers Handbook

John Lee's book The Producer's Handbook is used by most film schools as a text covering the business, finance and distribution responsibilities of motion picture producers, ‘The Producer’s Business Handbook’ provides a comprehensive orientation to those desiring to become producers, as well as those focused specifically in finance, distribution, banking, completion bonds, legal, company operations and other aspects unique to the business of motion pictures. In addition to thorough orientation, this book also provides a CD with spreadsheets, organization charts and other elements enabling readers to put what they learn to use. Also included in the book are helpful statistics and charts indicating global positioning and trends.

One reader had this to say:

If you’re planning to produce a movie or thinking about investing in a movie and
want a realistic, in-depth look at the business of show business, you need to
read The Producer’s Business Handbook -and then you’ll want to read it
again.

The Producer’s Business Handbook stands alone in describing the entire
inner workings of the financial engines that keep the “business” part of the
movie business humming. Only within the covers of this book will you find such a
wealth of knowledge that removes the mysteries of financing, marketing, and
distribution. The author provides another way of understanding the movie
business that will change your thinking forever.

The 3rd Edition is coming out in Fall 2010 with Anne Marie Gillen, CEO of Gillen Group LLC co-authoring and is co-branded by Variety.  It will contain many important updates regarding the current state of film financing, international repeals, self distribution and hybrid models, VOD, and viral marketing, etc.
About the Authors: John is Dean of Whistling Woods International, the largest film school in Asia. His twenty-seven year career was in the global financing and distribution of motion pictures, most of which were studio releases.  John and his wife currently live in Mumbai, India, where they are deeply involved in humanitarian work focusing on educating eager, able, but less fortunate children, and enabling women to become financially independent.

Anne Marie Gillen, CEO of Gillen Group LLC & Cabin 14 Productions LLC is an independent producer whose goal is to develop and produce commercially successful entertainment that expresses heart and enlightens the human experience. Her long expeience with motion picture and television development has created exceptional relationships with studios, international distributors, production and acting talent.   Presently Anne Marie’s film slate includes the recently completed film Into Temptation starring Kristin Chenoweth and Jeremy Sisto; she is producing The Schwa Was Here based on the bestselling young adult novel written by Neal Shusterman, and developing and producing Charlie’s Place with director Thomas Carter (Save the Last Dance, Coach Carter, Swing Kids).

Look inside the book at Amazon.com

Order the book at Amazon.com

This is not a plug, or it is a plug.  John Lee was a client of ours many years ago and his accomplishments are many but one of his primary enterprises was pulling back the curtain on the financial sphere of filmmaking...how to project and plan the financing of film.  Anne Marie Gillen and I go back to our early days when she was working with John Daly at Hemdale!