Europe vs US: The Film-Funding Game – ON THE GO – Episode 85
In this second part of our chat with two big-name agents, we discuss the differences in funding film projects in the US and in Europe.
One of the biggest differences between Europe and the US when it comes to financing a film project is the availability of public funding bodies in Europe. However, access to these funds and a variety of tax breaks and rebates often means using a certain amount of resources from individual countries, such as locations or talent. These financial benefits can be so significant to the overall budget of a production, that they can influence the job market in the industry. Kristen Tolle-Billings from Worldwide Production Agency and Kasper Notlev from ArtOfficial share with us how these options in the funding game can influence productions.

Kirsten Tolle-Billings from Worldwide Production Agency
That said, Kasper is of the opinion that the European market is changing, with an ever-increasing influence from the American model of private funding. Of course, the potential success of the project will play a big part in drawing the interest of backers. This is when the cast, crew and other names associated with the project will prove essential.
Finally, the potential marketing budget is also a key element in gauging your film’s potential success. While viral marketing is appropriate for some kinds of projects, others may benefit from a different strategy…

Kasper Notlev from ArtOfficial
If you are interested in the funding aspect of film, make sure to check out ON THE GO Episode 64, where we talk about funding, equity points, and all that fun stuff! Also, if you’re wondering if you should be the one to market your own film, check out our Perspectives on Filmmaking Episode 4 – our roundtable discussion with respected cinematographers where we tackle this very topic.
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