Summary
Tom Malloy is an actor, writer, and producer, a passionate and driven filmmaker committed to telling compelling stories with commercial appeal. Many of these projects are developed through the production company he founded in 2005, Trick Candle Productions.
In 2016, Tom co-founded the sales and distribution company called Glass House Distribution. Glass House maintains a presence in all the major film markets including AFM, EFM, TIFF, MITcon, and Cannes, and has grown from two people to a seven-person operation, recently adding a TV-series department.
Tom's unique ability to both write projects and raise funding for them has been a primary factor in the success of the company. In fact, Tom shared his expertise on the subject in the best-selling book about independent film financing called Bankroll. In 2019, Tom co-founded Filmmaking Stuff HQ, which is one of the premiere online training platforms for filmmakers.
Show Notes
[1:37] Dividing time between LA and upstate New York
[2:48] How Tom got into the film business
[4:45] How his various roles all work together
[6:33] Motivational speaking and getting started in fundraising
[8:50] Creating the perfect pitch
[10:53] Improving on earlier pitches
[12:18] The average day of a producer
[14:29] Juggling multiple projects
[16:14] The advantages of partnering up and building your network
[17:50] Moving from working with friends to working with pro talent
[19:26] The difference between a producer and a fundraiser
[21:47] Defining different types of producers
[23:57] Tom's take on crowdfunding
[25:41] Investors motivated by ROI vs. vested interest
[29:12] What kind of package do filmmaker's need to pitch a studio?
[31:35] Movie Plan Pro
[33:01] The merits of various funding sources
[35:19] What do producers take into account when producing a first-time director's script?
[38:13] How do find producers and investors?
[41:36] How to approach pitching single projects versus a slate of projects
[43:07] Pitching for the hot genre
[44:37] How does an aspiring filmmaker turn this passion into a business?
[46:45] How much does it cost to go to a film market?
[48:29] Investing in your career
[49:42] How do you keep the executive producers/backers out of the creative process?
[51:13] How do you figure the budget of how much you need to raise for a film?
[52:30] Quick tips, the most effective strategy, and advice for first-time fundraisers
[55:12] How do you know you have a great script?
[57:42] Advertising for readers
[58:10] What is involved in the pre-production development?
[59:30] Bankroll Your Film
[1:05:33] “Stay out of the movie business!”
Links and resources
- View Tom's credits on IMDB
- Visit Trick Candle Productions
- Check out Tom's online indie filmmaking training at Filmmaking Stuff HQ
- To learn more about Bankroll, please visit the website
- Learn more about Glass House Distribution
Be sure to check out podcasts with other great guests in the film and media industry on our DMP Podcast Page!