Q&A with Jason Brents of OneDoor Studios
Founder, President, and COO
Principal Series:
Never thought you would find a motion picture investment worth considering? What if you recover 110% (or more) of your investment before the picture is even made? Then, on top of that, you share in 50% the global profits with the Development Company. What if the team is so experienced, the terms so compelling, and the story so overwhelming that nearly 1,600 people have invested over $3 million already.
The ONEDOOR STUDIOS team has successfully led the vision, launch and/or expansion of five entertainment and media entities, and provided business, funding and distribution services for twenty-three studio released motion pictures, television network series and specials, with combined production costs of over $470 million and global rights earnings exceeding $4 billion.
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What is the investment opportunity in Calculated’s Sequels?
Investors receive 110% (or more based on amount and timing) of their initial investment at the end of the development phase when scripting is complete along with distribution contracts and the completion bond secured. This means that investors recoup their investment before the film is shot. Additionally, investors also enjoy a proportional share of 50% of the development company’s profits. Mathematically this nets down to 50% of the development company’s 50%...so a proportional share of 25% of the film’s net profits from all revenue sources.
Calculated Sequels is a $7.2MM total development fund for 3 motion pictures, a film franchise is based on a top-rated novel series, released by a leading publisher on Amazon. We intend to use bank-financed production funding at $60MM for each motion picture ($180 million total).
What are the investor benefits compared with traditional independent film offerings?
Traditional independent offerings are high risk because they don’t set the distribution and business partnerships before production begins. This is typically because they are raising the production capital for a low-budget project, rather than a fully funded separate development fund. In Calculated Sequels’ opportunity, the first tranche of 110% or more returns comes to investors upon the securing of bank financing for production costs before each film enters full production–so the success of each film in the box office has no impact on the first tranche returns. This model then allows the investors to share in a second tranche return from the profits of box office, streaming, merchandise, video games and all ancillary products.
The two dozen or so production companies (Centropolis, Working Title, New Republic Pictures, Malpaso, Imagine, Lakeshore, etc.) who set their pictures’ primary distribution during their development assures their picture’s release, provides much of the necessary production bank loan collateral, and almost always ensures their profitability. This is OneDoor Studios’ business model for the production financing of each picture. Through combining this time-tested film financing model to the opening of its development investment to the public through equity crowdfunding, we are disrupting the industry.
What differentiates Calculated’s movie franchise from other (similar) investment offerings?
At first glance, the 110% (or more) preferred and 50% thereafter terms of some independent movie investment offering may look similar or the same as Calculated Sequels’ terms. Yet a little closer look reveals that this opportunity is vastly superior.
First, most offerings are raising production rather than development funds. Their only option for their investors’ return of investment is from the produced project’s income. Series Calculated Sequels’ offering is spent on the sequels’ development. About $5.5 million of the $7.2 million spent is on advanced production expenses for studio-level screenwriter(s), plus director and actor attachment fees. This allows the development company’s 110% (or more) preferred return to its investors to be paid from a combination of reimbursed production expenses plus its development fee, each paid from the project’s fully collateralized and bonded bank-provided production loan—and paid to investors as the project begins production. So, investors are not reliant on the project’s commercial success.
Second, most independently produced and financed motion pictures set their distribution after their pictures are completed, relying on festivals and private distributor screenings. Sundance is the largest of these with over 10,000 applicants each year, yet less than one-hundred projects are accepted to attend, and on their best years yielding about ten projects purchased. Dismal odds for investors looking for their returns from distribution earnings.
On the contrary, primary distribution is set up during each film’s development, confirming distribution before production and beginning each film’s branding. It also importantly assures key ancillary products—such as electronic games and brand tie-ins that need similar preparation as the motion picture—are typically planned a year in advance so as to release in concert with each release date.
Raising sufficient development capital for a studio-acceptable script, director and lead cast qualifies each film for North American studio distribution, which in turn assures international territory major distributor acceptance—which in turn leads to a profitable, risk-mitigated experience for our investors.
In summary, those investing in Series Calculated Sequels receive 110% of their investment before production begins, assuring none of their investment is reliant on marketplace success. Similarly, their 50% of Calculated Sequels’ profits are even dimensions ahead of other motion picture investments, because each motion picture and their ancillary products’ distribution are set-up before it begins production. With their investment more than fully returned, all else is bonus income. Hopefully abundant and for as long as audiences enjoy great entertainment.
Jason Brents of OneDoor Studios
As OneDoor’s President and COO, Jason continues to oversee all of its entities, developing and producing their in-house story properties and connecting OneDoor Studios with its various production partners, helping set OneDoor’s development funding and bank production financing.
Contact Jason: jay@onedoorstudios.com