For Filmmakers
General
For Investors
Submission form for filmmakers
FAQs
Criteria:
ScreenLight provides productions with loans against their state and local tax incentives, union loans, pre-sales agreements, distribution agreements, Section 168 financing, and other tax efficiencies, and gap/equity placement. In general, filmmakers can expect 80% of the cumulative value of the secured assets provided to ScreenLight. A formal application would be required in order to obtain a formal commitment and funding. Collateral must cover the full loan amount plus all costs (interest, legal, and bank fees) after applying standard margins. In some cases, you may qualify for additional unsecured "gap" financing for up to 30% beyond the collateral value.
Once the all documentation and materials listed are received and approved, we will be in a position to issue a final loan agreement and complete the funding process within 1 to 5 banking days.
Next Steps:
Summary of Submission Documentation:
In order to facilitate initial discussions, provide:
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One Sheet—Genre, Logline, Budget, Producer, Director, Lead Actors, Locations, Financing in place, Distribution in place
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Pitch Deck—Director, Cast, Locations
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Finalized Production Budget—in both top sheet and full line-item detail, approved by the producer.
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Finance Plan—identifying all confirmed and pending sources of financing (equity, subsidies, pre-sales, tax credits, etc.).
Once you have submitted and meet our criteria, the following documentation and procedures will be required:
Production & Financial Documentation
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Finalized Production Budget — in both top sheet and full line-item detail, approved by the producer.
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Cash Flow Schedule — reflecting all sources and uses of funds, including the lender’s position.
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Finance Plan — identifying all confirmed and pending sources of financing (equity, subsidies, pre-sales, tax credits, etc.).
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Completion Bond — evidence of application or issuance by an approved completion guarantor. For productions less than $3M, contact us.
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Chain of Title Documentation — all underlying rights agreements, assignments, and copyright registrations confirming your company’s ownership of the Project’s intellectual property.
Contractual Agreements
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Key Talent Agreements—copies of all executed contracts for the principal cast, director, writer(s), and key department heads.
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Distribution Agreements—any pre-sale or minimum guarantee agreements with distributors, as well as sales agent agreements.
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Music Licenses—evidence of music rights clearances or planned licensing arrangements (if applicable).
Corporate & Legal Documents
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Company Formation Documents — certificate of incorporation, articles of organization, and good standing certificates.
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Authorized Signatories List — identifying persons empowered to execute loan documents on behalf of the borrower.
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Insurance Certificates — production insurance policies, including general liability, cast insurance, negative film, and errors & omissions (“E&O”) coverage.
Security and Delivery Items
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Assignment of Tax Credits - most international and foreign tax credits or rebates are also acceptable.
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Pre-sales—from qualified direct distributors with a specified dollar amount, payable at a certain or determinable date, prior to release, and must be assignable.
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Lender’s Security Interest Confirmation — including control agreements over collection accounts, escrow arrangements, and interparty agreements (as mutually agreed between parties).
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Delivery Schedule—estimated timeline for production, post-production, and delivery to distributors.
Get in Touch with
ScreenLight
Please forward all requested documents to our Compliance Department at compliance@screenlightmedia.com.
Should you have any questions or require clarifications, do not hesitate to contact us at contact@screenlightmedia.com to be assigned a ScreenLight representative.
Screenlight FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is a senior lender in film and media finance?
As a senior lender, we provide the primary debt for a project, which is secured by first-priority liens on the project's assets, distribution contracts, and tax incentives. In the capital stack, senior debt is the first to be repaid from the project's revenues before equity investors or mezzanine lenders receive payouts.
2. What types of media projects do you finance?
We finance a wide range of commercially viable entertainment content, including:
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Feature Films (studio and independent)
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Television Series (scripted, unscripted, and docuseries)
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Digital & Streaming Content
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Animation & VFX-heavy productions
3. What assets or collateral do you lend against?
We typically structure senior loans against high-quality, verifiable collateral, including:
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Minimum Guarantees (MGs) and pre-sales from reputable distributors.
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Tax Credits and Incentives (domestic and international rebates).
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Negative Pickups from major studios or streaming platforms.
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Unsold Territories (on a highly conservative, structured basis).
4. What is your minimum and maximum loan size?
Our sweet spot for senior debt typically ranges from $1 million to $10 million per project. For larger studio-level productions or slate financing, we can syndicate deals with our network of institutional partners to accommodate higher financing requirements.
5. Do you provide gap financing or equity?
Our core focus is senior secured debt. However, on a case-by-case basis and for projects with exceptionally strong underlying collateral, we can provide structured gap financing (lending against unsold territories). In some cases we can provide development funding. We do not provide seed equity.
6. What do you require to evaluate a project for financing?
To conduct an initial review, we generally require a comprehensive submission package containing:
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Fully executed distribution agreements or pre-sale contracts.
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A detailed, bonded production budget and shooting schedule.
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A vetted finance plan showing all sources of capital.
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Profiles of the key attachment team (producers, director, lead cast, and sales agent).
Frequently Asked Questions (continued):
6. What do you require to evaluate a project for financing?
To conduct an initial review, we generally require a comprehensive submission package containing:
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Fully executed distribution agreements or pre-sale contracts.
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A detailed production budget and shooting schedule. For budgets over $3M, a bond is needed.
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A vetted finance plan showing all sources of capital.
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Profiles of the key attachment team (producers, director, lead cast, and sales agent).
7. Does my project need a completion bond?
If your production is up to $3M, Screenlight does not require a bond, if your production has secured one of the approved production companies as a partner on the production, MediaFusion Entertainment is one of them.
For productions of $3M and up, a bond is required to protect our investment and ensure delivery to distributors; we almost always require a completion bond from a reputable, A-rated completion guaranty company.
8. How long does the underwriting and closing process take?
Once we receive a complete submission package, an initial term sheet can be issued within 5 to 10 business days. The deep underwriting, legal due diligence, and final closing process typically take 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the distribution arrangements and the multi-party agreements involved.
9. Can you cash-flow international tax incentives?
Yes. We have extensive experience cash-flowing state, federal, and international tax credits. The incentive jurisdiction must have a reliable, transparent legislative track record, and the tax credit application must be vetted by a recognized entertainment CPA firm.
10. How do I submit my project for consideration?
Producers or their financial representatives can initiate the process by sending an email to: compliance@screenlightmedia.com and send an executive summary. Please ensure your project has at least a portion of its distribution or collateral secured, as we do not review projects that are purely in the early script-development stage.