One way to invest in the film industry

Independent film financing is finding a new investor base in Canada.

A Calgary-based film and media finance firm, 982 Media, has launched a fund that allows investors to profit from a diverse portfolio of feature films.

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The fund, which was introduced officially through Canada’s exempt market on May 17, 2012, offers equity participation.

“The 982 Media Fund is financing films with top talent and international commercial appeal,” says Arti Modi, president of 982 Media. “Investors won’t simply be donating funds in order to receive a t-shirt or to see their name in the credits, [but] they will actually share in the revenue as shareholders in a company that will materialize Oscar-quality films.”

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The firm will provide the print and advertising financing for Odd Thomas, the movie adaptation of the bestselling novel by the same title, and Thunder Run, an action thriller based on the eponymous book.

“Our main strategy is to invest in super senior debt by loan print and advertising capital to film producers,” says Modi. “As print and advertising financiers, our investors earn high interest rates on the money we loan to highly anticipated projects [and] also participate in a percentage of the potentially huge post-box-office revenues these types of projects have.”

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The company has received about 300 to 500 films for consideration, but has only chosen about half a dozen for investment.

“The films the fund invests in could be Canadian or Hollywood, as long as they pass the company’s due diligence process,” says Modi. “Currently we have two U.S.-produced films and one from the UK.”

The fund requires a minimum investment of $5,000 and is RRSP eligible. It is currently offered to investors through exempt market dealers such as Portfolio Strategies and Privest Wealth Management.