Does Financing Your Independent film or animation project in Canada sometimes feel like ' death by a thousand cuts' ? Accessing and cash flowing your film / media tax credits goes a long way to completing your projects. Here's why and how
Information on film finance in Canada. Independent film funding is a major financing challenge for producers of Canadian content as well as co ventures . The ability to access and finance your Canadian film tax credit is a key strategy for success
It seemed like a short project and challenge at the time! However most independent film finance becomes somewhat of a journey, and that's of course an understatement. But the Canadian film tax credit can help you play a huge role in pulling the financing for your project together.
Call it a challenge, call it, as some have, ' tricky' or call it skill, but the monetary part of your film, tv or digital animation project becomes a huge part of the producer and owners direct efforts for successful completion of any project.
We are often amazed at how little it takes, in funding, to complete a professional project in any of our 3 entertainment genres (film, television, and digital animation). Yet even smaller budgets have huge financing challenges when you don't have the financial backing of a major studio. Therefore your total costs of securing rights, paying actors, and actually producing the project often requires a long timeline.
Enter, at stage left, the Canadian tax credit. This is clearly the savior of many a production that is domiciled in Canada, often paying for 30- 40%, and more of a total production. We certainly not saying the rest of your financing becomes a 'cake walk ',
Naturally the more film funding you can rise via the film tax credit in Canada, as well as debt you can arrange simply means that you are not diluting your ownership position and therefore positioning you well for any financial success on your project.
Its all about partners in business today, and film finance is no exception. By partnering financially, in the right manner, with either co production agreements or Canadian film tax incentives you are able to maintain proper ownership of your project, and that's of course what it is all about.
Let's circle back to the Canadian film tax credit. The credits have become increasingly more generous over the years, and apply to all Canadian provinces where you might choose to shoot, film or product your project - depending on your genre again. By properly budgeting your project in a realistic manner an experienced Canadian film financing consultant can assist you in determining the exact amount of dollar eligibility for your tax credit. The tax credit becomes a part of your financial statement filings for the specific legal entity you have created for your project.
You can then finance the credit, which is a non repayable grant/credit from the government. Naturally you can simply wait for the credit, the ' cheque is in the mail ' so the saying goes, but many of our clients choose to finance the credit as soon as they have it certified. Receiving this funding in advance often creates a huge and positive working capital injection that actually helps finance of course the cost of the film. The tax credit is in essence the collateral for the bridge loan you arrange for the film tax credit itself.
Financing and film funding utilizing your Canadian film tax credit can be accomplished in a manner of weeks, and its all about having a budget, a tax credit calculation, and a firm finance plan that identifies the other parts of your project as complete.
Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian film tax credit financing advisor as to how you can maximize your return on investment for your owners and lenders via the film tax credit in Canada. It's a cash flow 101 great strategy!
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
7 Park Avenue Financial
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
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