Summary
Learn how to produce your $5 million and under feature film from a producer who has projects with Paramount, Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate, and Showtime!
PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts including financial planning tools, a sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement, a sample story rights agreement (option), and sample talent offers for your director and cast (pay-or-play).
You may be surprised to hear this, but most producers find it much harder to put together a low-budget feature film than a medium or high-budget film.
The reason is that low-budget films are riskier for investors and producers. With a high budget studio tentpole film, there's a certain level of guarantee that large audiences will flock to the film. However, on lower budget films, getting eyeballs on it is not always a given. That said, low budget films have a great upside - both financially and creatively - if done the right way. The trick is to know how to do it right.
In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you will learn the optimal way to finance a film under $5 million, and generate a profit.
Teaching you everything you need to know about making a low-budget film under $5 million is producer, executive producer, and financier of motion pictures and television programming Jeanette Milio. Jeanette has worked on three continents across all budget ranges and has firsthand knowledge and experience to give you on under $5 million film projects. She has worked on over 500 hours of film and television content in the US, Europe, Dubai and South Africa, with a combined total production value of over $250 million. She produced the Netflix Original THE EXPERIMENT starring Adrian Brody and Forrest Whittaker and has worked with ABC/Disney, USA, Showtime, TLC, CW, Discovery, Lionsgate, Paramount, and more.
You will learn the finance, production, and distribution options available for low-budget films today, how to secure and structure the various finance sources and how to optimize distribution agreements. You will learn what genre, and what types of stories, to focus on in this budget range, and what genres tend to be easier to sell (and which are harder to sell). Jeanette will teach you how to go about attaching talent and how talent can impact your project – positively and negatively. You will also learn how you can create a feasible budget with the script you have that you can take to investors.
PLUS! Jeanette will provide you with exclusive handouts to help you in making your low-budget film. Downloads include:
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Financial Planning Tools
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Sample CAMA (revenue/profit) agreement
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Sample story rights agreement (option)
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Sample talent offers for director and cast (pay-or-play)
If you're looking to make a low-budget feature film under $5 million, then this webinar taught by an industry pro is a must!
PRAISE FOR JEANETTE'S PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION:
"Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my movie on the big screen was possible." - Phillip F.
"Jeanette's experience really comes through in her mentorship. She has seen it all and is so helpful in guiding you through the complex world of film and tv." - Letty L.
What You'll Learn
- The “Four Steps to Greenlight” - Realizing a film under $5 million includes the following steps:
- Step 1: Industry Overview
- The Industry Landscape Today. What are buyers/distributors looking for?
- Step 2: Distribution
- Distribution Options for films up to $5 million concerning international distribution and US distribution options.
- Step 3: Financing
- Define the financing options available today and learn how to secure them, and how to balance them in a way that they can generate a profit for the producer and investor.
- Step 4: Risks and Pitfalls
- How to mitigate risks and avoid common pitfalls in the areas of financing, production, distribution, and revenues.
- Q&A with Jeanette
Who Should Attend
All levels of producers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to produce a low budget feature film under $5MM.
All levels of producers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn the fundamentals of successfully producing a film under $5MM.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to write a feature film screenplay that can be made for under $5MM.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) who want to take charge of their careers by writing and producing a feature film under $5MM.
Actors who want to take control of their careers by writing a low budget feature film that can be produced for under $5MM
Executive
Jeanette B. Milio is a veteran producer and entertainment finance expert with over 25 years of experience in film and television across the U.S., Europe, and beyond. She has overseen the development and production of more than 50 projects with a combined production volume exceeding $250 million. As CEO of Alliance Cinema, she structures equity investments, debt financing, and content library strategies, with investments supporting productions totaling over $60 million to date.
Her work includes collaborations with Academy Award®-winning talent, and her credits span major studios and platforms such as Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros., HBO, Showtime, ABC/Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, National Geographic, and others.
Select credits include: “Timeshare” starring Timothy Dalton and Nastassja Kinski (ABC/Disney, Freevee), “13” starring Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Michael Shannon, and 50 Cent (Paramount Vantage/Amazon), “The Experiment” starring Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker (Sony Pictures, Netflix), “Dark Tide” starring Halle Berry (Lionsgate, Amazon, Apple TV), “Global Beauty Masters” (TLC) and its spin-off “The Look: All Stars” (CW Network), “Operation Hidden Treasures” (Discovery Channel, American Heroes Channel), “Dog Whisperer” (National Geographic Channel, Disney+), “Dog Masters”, an original series created and produced by Jim and Jeanette Milio, currently in production and the non-profit documentary series “C-Story”, which is currently in production.
Ms. Milio is the author of “Entertainment Finance Today”, a widely adopted industry guide to financing and distributing media content. She advises producers, lenders, and investors and regularly consults for platforms including Netflix and Amazon Studios on development, finance structuring, and feasibility. She also designs and leads customized finance seminars for funds and media companies, including Netflix and Amazon.
A recipient of the Distinguished Instructor Award at UCLA Extension’s Entertainment Studies Program, she is a frequent speaker at industry events and institutions including Stage32, the Cannes Film Festival, the American Film Market, and others.
In 2025, she and her husband co-founded Perfection In Progress (PIP) Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to producing mission-driven content that fosters empathy, environmental awareness, and social impact.
Credits
