INVESTING IN HOLLYWOOD OBTAIN AN EXPERIENCED ADVISOR    Have an experienced entertainment attorney review all documents. Make sure the filmmaker has adequate representation as well. Filmmakers may be very capable in the arena of production, and yet be unsophisticated in business matters. Filmmakers can be badly taken advantage of if they attempt to negotiate a distribution deal without assistance. Since the investor generally shares in the revenue paid to the filmmaker, if the filmmaker gets screwed, the investor suffers. A skilled attorney or producer rep who represents many filmmakers may have added clout in negotiations. Such a person is aware of what distributors pay for films, and the concessions they are willing to make. By virtue of the attorney’s or rep’s relationships with festival directors and acquisition executives, attention can be drawn to a film that might otherwise get lost in the shuffle. back