CIO PLAN
THE PLAN
Investment Sought: $2,000,000
Minimum Investment: $100,000 (or negotiable)
Use of Funds: Production ($1.2M), Post ($300K), Marketing/Distribution ($250K), Legal/Insurance ($100K), Contingency ($150K).
Note: The total budget is $2.3M, but we are only raising $2M in private equity.
The remaining $300K is covered through the state tax rebate and soft money, which does not dilute investor shares or recoupment priority.
Investor Benefits:
First-position recoupment (100% principal before producer profit).
70/30 profit split favoring investors until 2× ROI, then 50/50 thereafter.
Executive Producer or Co-Producer credit on film and IMDb.
Festival and premiere access, red-carpet invitations, and marketing inclusion.
Festival Launch: Target premiere at SXSW or Tribeca (strong comedy doc precedent).
Theatrical Window: 50–100 screen limited release to build awareness and reviews.
Digital / VOD Launch: Transactional (Apple, Amazon, Google) followed by SVOD deal (Netflix, Hulu, or niche streamer).
International Sales: Handled via boutique sales agent; focus on UK, EU, and Australia (strong nostalgia market).
AVOD / FAST Channels: Long-tail release via Tubi, Pluto, Roku Channel, generating consistent residual revenue.
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
Budget: $2,000,000
Marketing/Distribution Reserve: $300,000
Total Cost to Recoup: $2,300,000
Our goal is to finance the film through private equity investment and to recoup principal plus profit through a combination of theatrical, digital, streaming, and international revenue.
The mockumentary format allows for high audience engagement and festival visibility at a fraction of traditional marketing costs.
Production Model: Improv-driven mockumentary (Christopher Guest / Improv style)
Structure:
Unit A – Narrative/ensemble scenes (core story with improv actors)
Unit B – Talking-head interviews (celebrity cameos, mockumentary inserts)
Unit C – Pickups / B-roll / archive and VFX inserts
This format allows for fast, flexible shooting and scalable celebrity involvement without inflating the overall spend.
TOPLINE BUDGET BREAKDOWN
CASTING STRATEGY
Core Ensemble (Improv Actors):
Drawn from the Upright Citizens Brigade / Groundlings / Second City communities (e.g. Lisa Gilroy, Andrew Knox, Tim Kalpakis).
Structure: 8–10 core actors working under SAG scale or modest “favored nations” day/week rates.
Ensemble improvisation reduces need for long scripted days — faster setups, fewer takes.
Celebrity “Talking Head” Cameos:
Strategy: one-day shoots per cameo; self-contained B-unit to minimize scheduling cost.
Sample range (typical indie cameo day rates):
Tier 1 TV Nostalgia Talent (Danielle Fishel, John Stamos, Jaleel White, Tiffani Amber Thiessen): $25K–$50K each (1-day commitment)
Tier 2 Cult/Comedy Talent (Edi Patterson, Paul Scheer, Joe Lo Truglio): $15K–$30K each
Tier 3 Comedians/Podcasters (UCB/Alt Scenes): $5K–$10K each
By batching interviews into 3–4 shoot days, the production maintains high perceived value without full A-list schedules or contracts.
SHOOTING PLAN
Main Narrative Shoot: 4 weeks in and around Los Angeles (or Atlanta if incentives apply).
Interview Unit: 4 days of talking-heads (flexible across 1-2 weeks).
Pick-ups / Inserts: 2 days for mock “TV footage,” vintage gags, or visual transitions.
Crew Size: 25–35 core personnel, designed for speed and adaptability.
Look: Documentary realism meets nostalgic 90s sitcom polish.
HOW THIS STRUCTURE SERVES INVESTORS
Keeps total spend under $2 million while maintaining star visibility and festival-ready production value.
Multiple-unit design maximizes name participation with minimal overhead.
Mockumentary style reduces shooting ratio and setup time, leading to fewer shooting days and lower costs.
Recognizable actors and nostalgic subject matter increase marketability for streamers and ad-supported platforms.
Our hybrid production plan allows us to deliver an elevated, celebrity-driven mockumentary within a lean $2 million framework. By combining an improv-based ensemble shoot with targeted one-day cameos from recognizable names, Cory in Orbit maximizes creative flexibility, minimizes risk, and offers strong value to investors.
INVESTOR STRUCTURE
Investment Vehicle:
Private equity investors participate through the production LLC and are repaid via “first-in, first-out” priority.
Waterfall Summary:
Gross Receipts from all sources (domestic & international, theatrical, VOD, SVOD, AVOD, TV, merchandising) are collected.
Distributor / Sales Agent Fees are deducted (typically 25–35%).
Distribution Expenses (marketing, deliverables, etc.) are recouped.
Investor Principal is repaid 100% first (first-dollar recoupment).
Profit Participation: After recoupment, profits are divided:
70% to Investors / 30% to Producers until investors achieve 2× their original investment.
After 2× return, profits shift to 50/50 split between Investors and Producers.
DISTRIBUTION & ROI STRATEGY
Phase 1 – Festival Launch:
SXSW, Tribeca, Austin Film Fest, Atlanta Film Fest, AFI, etc. — targeted for critical acclaim and buyer interest.
Phase 2 – Limited Theatrical:
Event screenings + select markets (Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, NYC) to build press and credibility.
Phase 3 – TVOD / Digital:
Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play for direct transactional revenue.
Phase 4 – SVOD Licensing:
Pitch for exclusive streaming deal ($250K–$500K typical for niche comedies).
Phase 5 – AVOD / FAST Platforms:
Long-tail monetization through ad-supported channels (Tubi, Pluto, Roku).
PRODUCTION TIMELINE (proposed)
RISK & MITIGATION
WHY THIS FILM WORKS
Festival-forward mockumentary with commercial comps
Affordable, tightly producible outline-based structure
Strong streamer appetite for character-driven comedy
Built-in retro/nostalgia fanbase
High upside / low marketing burn
WHY BACK THIS TEAM
Created by filmmaker Aaron G. Hale, with a strong comedic voice, a unique brand, and a fully developed pitch deck and execution plan.
INVESTOR BENEFITS
Producer credit (on-screen + IMDb)
Access to set, festivals, premiere
Invitations to promotional events
Commercial upside through revenue splits
A creative legacy project to be proud of
IN CONCLUSION
Cory in Orbit represents the rare combination of a high-concept comedy and a contained production model.
With a proven creative team, clear target audience, and multi-platform distribution strategy, the film is positioned for commercial success and festival visibility.
We invite you to join us in bringing this story to life — a heartfelt, hilarious exploration of nostalgia, ego, and second chances.
Contact:
aaron.g.hale@gmail.com