I don't know exactly how much my film is costing the producers, but certainly not the 3 M rumored; more likely about half that price. The way it is done is that the producers (independent; two guys in NY, essentially) divide the property into parcels just like real estate people would do to sell out individual plots. If they cannot sell enough of these to cover the entire expense, they may venture to commence production in the belief that the rest will sell after more of the film becomes visible -- which I think was the case here.
The trick is to not be greedy. I am taking my share of the risk too by asking for a reasonable sum in cash payments throughout the production period in exchange for a larger percentage of the ownership of the property. These guys have my admiration in the risks they have taken with me, my age for instance (but they are even older
). I had not yet passed the 5 year limit needed to be labeled "cured " of a critical type of throat and neck cancer I had (I had 4 years at the time we started). I never made a theatrical feature before and I am not famous; I picked a book that at first glance has little story to it and they had never produced an animated film before.
They had to dole out a lot of money to insure me under these conditions. They had to pay a lot of money to secure star actors without which no one would pay any attention to the film once released... We also never met before but have become good friends and I don't have a single horror story to tell, which is pretty telling considering that the film is almost completed and that all three of us are old (cranky) geezers.
this movie is going to be a BLAST !!!
