Start with your role
These questions come from public film-community discussions. We have edited and translated them for clarity; the answers explain how to proceed on HKAIIFF MARKET. The original discussions are linked for context and are not endorsements of the market.
Questions and answers
Investors
What can I ask before investing in a film?
Ask for the screenplay or treatment, production budget, financing already committed, use of funds, production schedule, key team experience, rights documentation and proposed distribution plan. Ask how revenue is defined, which costs can be deducted, when statements arrive and what happens if financing or delivery falls short. On HKAIIFF MARKET, start with the Investment directory and its disclosed project information. Request missing documents through the project enquiry; a public presentation alone is not an open subscription.
Investors
Can I ask to read the script before funding a film?
Yes: request it from the project team as part of your review. The producer can arrange confidential access and agree any non-disclosure conditions. A public project page does not automatically give access to its screenplay, budget or master files. Include the project’s INDEX reference in your enquiry, explain what you need to assess and keep the received material within the agreed access scope.
Investors
How can I find independent film investment opportunities?
Use Investment to browse projects that have chosen public online exposure, then filter by country, genre or format and save a shortlist. Compare the project stage, team, planned release, disclosed materials and unanswered financial questions. Some projects are presented only at a roadshow or by invitation. A discussion page opens a conversation; participation and payment are available only through an approved offering, investor review and a signed project contract.
Investors
How can I assess whether a film will be completed and reach an audience?
Review the production schedule, budget including post-production and delivery, team track record, financing gap and evidence for any attached partners. Separate a proposed release plan from a signed distribution commitment. Ask for dated milestones, reporting responsibilities and the remedy for missed delivery. MARKET presents disclosed information and lets you request clarification; it does not rank a project as a guaranteed financial success. An assistant can compare public facts, while you decide which evidence is sufficient.
Investors
How are profits shared after a film is sold to a distributor?
The signed agreements define the sequence: revenue received, permitted deductions, any agreed recoupment priority and the remaining amount available for revenue participation. Box-office totals are not the same as money received by the film project. For a MARKET offering, read the revenue definition, investor share, reporting periods and payment terms before signing. Confirmed project income is recorded and allocated under that contract. There is no universal split or promised return.
Producers
What can I offer investors in an independent film?
On HKAIIFF MARKET, the film-funding workflow is participation in film revenue under a project-specific fiat contract. Set out the funding target, use of funds, investor revenue share, permitted deductions, reporting, milestones and completion or cancellation conditions. Credits, creative approval and ownership are separate terms to negotiate. Prepare the project in your workspace and submit it for review; a roadshow appearance or public profile does not itself create an investment agreement.
Producers
What should my film pitch deck show investors?
Present the story and audience first, followed by the team’s relevant work, production stage, schedule, budget, committed finance, funding gap and use of the new funds. Explain the release plan and proposed participation terms with supporting sources. Label forecasts as forecasts and identify missing decisions. Use Roadshows to discuss an event presentation; choose online exposure for a discoverable Investment profile. Invitation-only and event-only material stays outside the public directory.
Rights buyers
Who should I contact to license a film for a public screening?
Contact the rights holder or a distributor or agent authorised for the requested screening territory and use. In MARKET, open the work’s INDEX-linked page and submit a rights enquiry with your organisation, venue, country, screening dates, audience, language and budget. The seller’s authority and available scope must be confirmed before an agreement. The INDEX reference helps identify the work and version; a public record does not itself grant screening rights.
Screening organisers
Can a free film-club screening use a film that is available online?
Do not treat free online access as permission for a public screening. Check the work’s licence and the rules applicable to the venue and country. For a MARKET enquiry, specify that admission is free, the venue and dates, expected audience, publicity and any sponsors. Ask the authorised rights holder to confirm the screening scope in writing. The buying guide explains how to prepare that brief; local exceptions require a separate assessment.
Distributors and rights holders
Do I have to grant exclusive distribution rights?
Exclusivity is a term of the particular licence. Define it alongside the territory, channel, language, term and any reserved uses; also disclose earlier grants that overlap. A MARKET listing is not a worldwide exclusive distribution agreement. Review the proposed rights package and ask for changes before signing. If you want different partners for different territories or channels, those boundaries and any holdbacks must be explicit in each agreement.
Distributors and rights holders
How should territorial sales and geoblocking work together?
The licence should identify the permitted countries, channels, term and language, then specify how the distributor or exhibition service will restrict access where required. MARKET records the agreed rights scope; it is not the audience streaming service that implements every distributor’s geoblocking. Confirm territorial availability, earlier commitments and the partner responsible for access controls before signing. File delivery does not expand the licensed territory.
Distributors and rights holders
Does a distribution agreement include marketing?
Only if the agreed scope includes it. Define the release plan, target audience, channels, campaign materials, spending authority, expense limits, reporting and any costs deducted from revenue. A catalogue listing, rights licence or delivery package does not automatically include a marketing campaign. Use the distribution guide to prepare a brief and request a proposal for the services you actually need.
Post-production and delivery
What deliverables do I need when a film is finished?
Agree the delivery checklist with the buyer: the specified master version and technical format, audio mix and any required stems, subtitles or captions, screener, artwork, metadata and relevant rights documents. A DCP or editable project file is included only when required by the agreement. For INDEX-connected delivery, the rights holder authorises access to the agreed version; the buyer checks the delivered package and records acceptance or an issue. An INDEX transaction update is complete only after confirmation is received.
AI filmmakers
Where can I put a finished AI film so people can discover it?
HKAIIFF MARKET provides professional discovery and rights enquiries for INDEX-linked works. Complete the INDEX submission on IO, prepare a clear poster, synopsis, creative disclosures and rights information, then submit the market listing for review. Buyers can discover the work and discuss a licence. For a future film seeking finance, use a project presentation and the Investment or Roadshows workflow. MARKET is a business marketplace rather than an audience subscription streaming service.