Strictly Business Financing Film & TV Isn't What It Used to Be
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Jul 2, 2025 Daisy Stall, EVP & group head of entertainment finance at California Bank & Trust, shares her extensive knowledge gained from three decades in film and TV financing. She discusses the dramatic changes in funding models driven by streaming services and the shift towards private finance as traditional banks step back. Daisy highlights the role of AI in reducing costs and streamlining investments, while also addressing the impact of rising interest rates on Hollywood. Her insights into the evolving landscape reveal both challenges and exciting opportunities for creators.
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Streamers Shifted Power And Shrank Margins
- Streaming consolidation shifted leverage to big platforms and tightened producers' margins.
- Producers often lose IP and ongoing library value under modern streamer deals.
Pre-Sales Made Bank Lending Reliable
- Pre-sale distribution used to be standardized so banks could reliably lend against contracts.
- Legal documents like notices of assignment made those pre-sales bankable over decades.
Concentration Helped Then Hurt Financing
- Early streaming simplified financing by concentrating rights with one buyer, but that buyer gained leverage.
- That leverage let streamers dictate tougher business terms and reduce margins.