I AM STARTING A MOVIE STUDIO!
I want to start a movie studio! What are the general financial levels and commitments that a person or a group of people that have to be met to establish at least an operational micro movie studio? And of course, I am willing to put up and risk my own considerable monies. I am also willing to sell part of my new company and spread the risk and get additional financing in the market from others willing to roll the dice.
Why #1? Because I have a vision and a belief in myself and I already have several great concepts, I have a degree in film making. I am a pretty good writer and I have two other people of complimentary talents and mind set who are also willing to put up their money, find other investors and take the risk. We think we can make this happen, make a profit and build it in time into a major block buster movie studio.
"Starting your own movie studio requires defining a niche, forming a legal entity (often an LLC), securing financing (from $8M–$25M per film for micro‑studios), building development and production infrastructure, and establishing distribution relationships."
"Film budgets: $8M–$25M per project for mid‑budget genre films
Development infrastructure: $1.5M–$2.5M annually
Seed development fund: $500K–$1.5M
Legal setup: $50K–$150K
Marketing/P&A: $2M–$5M for theatrical releases
Completion bond & E&O: 3–5% of production budget"
Wow! I did not realize what level of financial risk was involved and all of the details in putting together such a project / company. And this is all before any movies are made, any people are hired and getting paid to actually make any movies.
So, in order to go through such a mine field of details in order to manifest my visions of making movies what are my incentives to commit to it a do it? Well besides building a great company and getting to employ a bunch a great people and pay them their salaries I have to be compensated with my own salary, but I also deserve the profits from the success of the movies that I make. No? Because I will suffer the consequences of failure on the other end of that equation if I am not successful, and that is for sure. If this financial incentive and self-interest equation does not exist, I have little to no incentive to create or do anything.
In addition, an owner usually for goes being paid at least initially. And I have been there before, lots of pasta with butter dinners in my past. And I know that if we are not successful, I certainly will suffer a great financial loss and failure. So, myself and those who do take the risk in business have a right to profits over and above what it cost to make the product which are the movies in this case.
So, without the freedom and financial incentive to make movies for the public (The consumer) who will be entertained who will hopefully see value in my movies and will be willing to pay for tickets to see my movies on the big screen, on the internet, pay per view and all over the world, nothing would happen without my self interested incentive to make a profit. Do we agree on that? I think we do.
There would be no writers, no directors, no camera technicians, no grips, no gophers, no makeup people, no nothing. There would be no jobs of any consequence because I just would not bother to do anything if the government was going to lord over me, kill me with unreasonable regulation, oppressive taxation that would confiscate my profits and in turn my self-interests and incentive. Self-interest is just human nature, self-interest is actually a rule of the universe and survival in it.
I now realize that movie company's or any company for that matter do not just miraculously exist. Company's and business only exist where someone identifies a need for a service or a product that they see value in selling to the public and government in a free society cannot mandate any of it. And if and when government attempts to mandate anything similar especially related to business, that becomes a massive disincentive, is counterproductive, is destructive of excellence and value and is an abuse of power in a free society.
And so, I will ask the "progressives", Socialists and "anti-Capitalists" in America: If there are no self interested risk takers in America and the world who are incentivized to innovate and establish companies and businesses with new services and products for people to find value in and purchase, where exactly do jobs come from?
Do jobs come from government? No, government has no money to hire anyone. Government hires people with other peoples money which is confiscated from them through taxation.
Where does wealth, value and prosperity come from? Wealth, value and prosperity is manufactured within the Pedestrian Realm. The governments only function in a free society should be to provide a legal and safe framework of freedom in order that the people can provide prosperity, value and prosperity.
Does wealth, value and prosperity come from government? Only if government in a free society provides a legal and safe framework so that the people can do what they do.
Can a government order or force people to be creative with no freedom, self interest or incentive to financially improve their lives? No.
Remember: Government, ALL government throughout history is FORCE. Right now, in America we have relatively little force applied that makes people think, say and do as the government dictates. For the moment in most states that is.
And that self interested freedom based system in America exists within the parameters that the Constitution by design structures along with fully embracing Capitalism and the ability to freely choose to do as you please for the most part. And that combination has been pretty successful for the last 250 years, good, bad or otherwise. NO APOLOGIES, TO ANYONE!
That being said what is government force? Politicians, government and creeping taxation, more and more taxation and increasing oppressive regulation. There was a revolution fought over taxation and unfair regulation by government if you remember. Taxation is the government confiscating your prosperity, value and wealth and Subjectively redistributing it to others to pay for politically based and incentivized projects and policies that continue to empower politically empowered politicians and governments self interests when it gets out of control. Which becomes a vicious cycle that will in time lead to total destruction of all value, all self interest, all prosperity and all wealth.
What do the Leftists, "progressives" and Socialists in America propose? More government, which is force, being inserted in the lives of the people with more and more demands for rights to the rewards, value and the prosperity of other people's efforts. All in the name of "Equity" and "Fairness". And that is Socialism and Socialism is but one degree from Communism, and that is just an incorrect position to defend if you value freedom. It sounds good to some, but it is incorrect and dangerous. And there is no evidence in either common sense or history that counters that I am incorrect.
So, when I start my movie studio and take on all the financial risks having to do with the many responsibilities and obligations like paying all of the employees that I may employ, why does anyone else over and above those agreed upon salaries and hard negotiated union benefits and pensions, healthcare and everyone else that gets paid have any right to MY profits? Whatever they might be, large or small. Are you also sharing in my potential losses? I didn't think so.
I will take my profits and reinvest them in new intellectual properties; I will probably buy myself a big house. And my money will further employ many accountants, lawyers, restaurant workers, caterers, car dealers, plumbers, electricians, directors, camera technicians, makeup artists, set designers, secretaries, writers, chauffers and many, many others. The government in a free society cannot order that I be creative, begin a movie studio and be incentivized to do anything in order to create all of those associated jobs and wealth in the Pedestrian Realm.
Being incentivized to do anything is where the potential for excellence exists, and the government cannot order that. All you will get is incompetence, laziness, bureaucracy and the destruction of wealth, value and prosperity and your freedom as a bonus. In a free society that is. Do you like living in a free society without government telling you what you must think, say and do and must not do?
My first movie project to be considered?
ATLAS SHRUGGED By Ayn Rand
The Ayn Rand novel has been made into a movie before, but maybe the people of America need to be rereminded with a refreshed more contemporary version? Government and politics is not the answer, government and politics needs to just provide the people with the safe and stable structure that the people have the opportunity to create the wealth, value and prosperity within.
"Atlas Shrugged follows railroad executive Dagny Taggart and steel magnate Hank Rearden as they struggle to keep American industry alive amid government overreach, while a mysterious figure, John Galt, leads the nation’s top innovators into a strike that accelerates societal collapse."
"a strike of the mind, led by John Galt, who believes that society exploits its most productive individuals. He persuades innovators to withdraw their talents to demonstrate the consequences of collectivism."
"This synopsis reflects the novel’s blend of dystopian fiction, political philosophy, and industrial drama."
Does any of this sound familiar to you given what todays "progressives" and the authoritarian DSA Socialist Democrats are proposing?
"The story unfolds in a collapsing America where heavy industry is nationalized, regulations are rampant, and productivity declines. A “national legislature” and “head of state” replace Congress and the presidency, enforcing laws that stifle innovation and punish success. The economy suffers from shortages, business failures, and a loss of trust in productive individuals.".
Anyone interested in investing? Let me know.
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Are You Paying Attention Yet America? JGL all rights resevered 10/8/26
An excellent post. And interesting that you choose "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. It reminded me of a line from her novel "The Fountainhead," spoken by her protagonist Howard Roark: "I do not recognize anyone's right (emphasis mine) to one minute of my life. Nor to any part of my energy. Nor to any achievement of mine. No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or how great their need."
Or, as my Victorian grandma used to say, "the world doesn't owe you anything."