PRODUCTION TIPS: Should You Form a Production Company?
Here's an excerpt of some advice I posted on Avvo , recently, in response to a filmmaker asking whether they should form a production company or continue working under their own name as a sole proprietor. It seems like a no-brainer and that the answer is yes but I would only say yes, it's worth the time and money if it meets your goals. Check it out: Basically, whether to form a business entity like an LLC, partnership or corporation or remain as a sole proprietor (which is what you are when you do business "just as yourself") comes down to what kind of goals your production is trying to meet. You should form an LLC, partnership or corporation if your goals are any or all of the following: 1. raise funds from investors, 2. hire a team of independent contractors or employees, 3. work with business partners and co-producers, writers and directors, 4. avoid risky liabilities that can personally bankrupt you (especially if you are shooting a picture with action