Berlin: Films get Backup

Backup Media Group, a Paris-based film becoming a consultant and investor, is planning the B Media Global film fund specific at non-French movies. A tax vehicle sourcing high-internet-worth folks France plus debt finance, B Media Global committed to foreign movies, delivering gap finance. The fund invested against films' worldwide sales. Generally, B Media Global will need equity positions on movies inside the millions of to 15 million ($1.3 million to $19.7 million) range, Backup partner Joel Thibout mentioned at Berlin. Incorporated within this are U.S. indie photos allotted at $3 million to $tens of millions of and upper midlevel European films inside the $1.3 million to $19.7 million bracket. Thibout mentioned Backup appeared to be considering the higher over the counter ambitious Latin American films now being made. In France, Backup has typically setup 5% to 10% from the film's budget in completion finance. But investment on films could increase to 40%, according to budget and collateral, Thibout mentioned. "B Media Global isn't like the Sofica schemes we run in France, nevertheless it solutions the identical needs simply because they do for French-being qualified films in France," Thibout mentioned. Introduced in 1985, a Sofica (Societe pour le Financement du Cinema et p l'Audiovisuel) can be a public limited businesses that functions as investment fund to purchase films approved through the CNC, french National Film Center. Unlike Sofica, B Media Global will have a way to possess a position in the film after it's begun production, he added. Itwill start to purchase films within the Cannes Festival. It'll fund around five movies this season, then 10-15 yearly. Other funds already provide gap investment for films but handful of have Backup's physical span. Backup's transfer to foreign film financing can be a logical growth step. Through B Media Export and B Media Kids, the two latest-generation Sofica schemes run by its investment arm B Media Management, Backup already works carefully with Paris-based sales reps, lending for his or her French films against foreign sales revenues. Paris has become an worldwide film production and customers company hub, Thibout mentioned. However, many French sales reps handle as much foreign as French films. B Media Global allows Backup to buy both, undertaking with a film concurrently as sales agents' pick-ups. As national industries be ambitious in Asia and South Usa, there's furthermore an increasing requirement of B Media-style finance plus an ever-bigger volume of films that justify it. "It is really an exciting prospect. If you appraise the worldwide sales prospect from the film, it shouldn't matter be it French or American. B Media Global allows Backup to buy films, whatever their nationality," Thibout mentioned. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com