When your business and life mission are interconnected, great things can happen. Koura gives some salacious details about 50+ projects and 49 award nominations. Thirty of the 50 projects are complete, like the films Gone Cray, Dual Flush, Mark and The Martian, and Mark and Dot. Twenty of the 50 are in the works, including the feature film Comic Relief, Catching The Light, and Tuesday Mourning. Four full-time employees, an intern, four partners, and independent contractors (Day Players) keep Space Dream Productions cranking out projects and films.

To clarify, “Space Dream Films is a part of Space Dream Productions, an independent film and music production company grounded in the idea that all storytellers are ambassadors of humanity, tasked with sharing our voices. Filmmakers have the added responsibility of creating visual worlds around these stories. For this reason, Space Dream Productions’ focus is on films that entertain and aim to showcase pieces of humanity.”

The Film Fund’s list of 10 reasons filmmaking and entrepreneurship require the same skills provided an enlightening debate about which skills are more fitting than others. Number two prompted a more extended discussion that resonated with both of us. How films get priced and how crippling the process reminds me of the challenges we all face in valuing our work and paying fair wages when there is what Koura describes as an absolute crippling madness around pricing films.

You can use the list below to follow along and see which skills fit from your perspective. Please email your thoughts to nancy@wementor.com.

The Film Fund’s List of 10 Reasons Filmmaking and Entrepreneurship Require the Same Skills

1. Concepts are nothing without proper execution. Are you a take-charge person who makes things happen?
2. Films and start-ups both offer a value proposition. Koura has a deep contention with how films get priced that you will find relatable.
3. At a fundamental level, entrepreneurs must provide value; so must entertainers and storytellers. Consumers need to believe in the product offered, the film, the sandwich, and whatever they consume.
4. Filmmakers must also understand digital marketing and community management. Koura says NO. Find out why.
5. Short films represent entertainment funding MVPs (minimum viable products). Koura explains how short films are a multitude of things that tie in our #2 skill, offering a value proposition.
6. Filmmakers and entrepreneurs wear multiple hats. We debate what that means and the difference between the responsibilities of a producer and director.

*See where you stand with the last four commonalities linking entrepreneurs and filmmakers.

7. They both experience imposter syndrome.
8. They must both know basic accounting, finance, and tax laws.
9. They must understand intellectual property law.
10. Filmmakers and entrepreneurs have big dreams.

Koura’s Offering. Let someone else do your business’s social media and content creation so you can focus more on what you do best. Koura offers various packages and can stack you with one to four months’ worth of content. Check out their services page here. 

Now, it’s time to listen to our spirited conversation and learn something new. DOWNLOAD 

NEXT STEP: Challenge yourself and do the Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring (C.A.L.M.) Activities, below.