Plan your raise

The hardest part of an indie pitch isn't the number — it's explaining how the money is structured and how investors get it back. Build your capital stack, see the gap, and model the recoupment waterfall. We'll write the plain-language pitch for you.

Raised $1,500,000 of $1,200,000Over-funded by $300,000
Where the money comes from
A bank lends against the value of your unsold territories. First money repaid from sales, and it charges interest + fees — so it's senior, lower-risk money.
A distributor commits a minimum guarantee for a territory, payable on delivery. It funds the budget now; that territory's receipts are already spoken for, so it sits outside the backend waterfall.
Your tax credit or rebate, often cash-flowed via a loan repaid by the credit itself — not from your sales. The cheapest money in the stack because it doesn't dilute your backend.
Cast or crew defer fees to help close the budget, repaid from revenue after senior debt. Lowers the cash you need to raise.
Investor cash for ownership. Last money repaid and highest risk — so it recoups at a premium and then shares in profit. This is the money you're pitching.
Deal terms
The pitch, in plain language

We're financing a $1,200,000 film with $600,000 of investor equity, alongside $350,000 in incentives and soft money, $300,000 in pre-sales and $150,000 of gap financing. Equity covers 50% of the budget, and the plan is fully financed.

Investor money is structured to be returned first. After the sales agent's 15% commission and the senior loan, investors recoup their capital at 120% — that's $720,000 on $600,000 in — before any profit is split. After recoupment, profit is shared 50% to investors / 50% to the production.

At our base case of $2,160,000 in receipts, investors fully recoup and earn a 1.91× cash-on-cash return ($1,144,000). The break-even for your investors is $1,162,353 in receipts — anything above that is upside.

How investors get their money back

Enter receipts that flow back to the production (after platforms/exhibitors). Break-even for your investors is $1,162,353.

low
1.23×
recouped + upside
base
1.91×
recouped + upside
high
2.93×
recouped + upside
Recoupment waterfall — base case ($2,160,000)
Sales fee & expenses$324,000
Senior debt (gap + cost)$168,000
Deferments$100,000
Equity recoupment (+premium)$720,000
Net profit split$848,000
To investors
$1,144,000
1.91× on $600,000
To production
$424,000
net profit share

This is an estimate, not advice.

Every number here is an estimate generated from published program rules and your inputs. Programs change with each legislative session, and qualification depends on details a calculator can't see. This is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Before you make a financing decision, confirm everything with the state film office and a qualified CPA and entertainment attorney.