Allow me to introduce myself...
I'm Joanne Butcher
Let's get down to film business...
Allow me to introduce myself...
I'm Joanne Butcher
Let's get down to film business...
Films Featured On:
Value I Bring To The Table
Work with someone with experience
Mentored by the best in the biz.
I have had the privilege of studying under and working with some of the industry's most talented producers and businesspeople: James Shamus (producer & writer of Ang Lee's The Ice Storm and former CEO of Focus Features), Ted Hope (producer of Brokeback Mountain), Laura Bickford (producer of Traffic), Sergio Giral (Cuban writer and director), and Lucy Barreto (producer of over 200 Brazilian films).
Diversified experience.
Between working on sets, directing a first-run movie theater and film school, teaching at the college level, working as a marketing consultant for YouTube and their movie rental unit, and raising millions as a fundraiser for nonprofits and social organizations, I truly have "been there, done that" and know how to guide others through any experience that they may come across during the production of their film.
Call to service.
In the middle of a successful and still blossoming career, I was struck by illness. I spent 7 years unable to work, and was devastated. But as I slowly healed, I thought a lot about how I could perform meaningful work in a way that still spoke to my passions. It was then that I realized that I could help others find their voice - something that took me decades to learn how to do. I could help filmmakers share their stories, ideas, and creativity with the world through film. Aha! My gift.
Local and global sensibility.
I don't believe that Hollywood is the center of the filmmaking universe. Being half Trinidadian, half British, and having lived in all regions of the US (but a true Miami girl at heart), I have found that the most satisfying part of my job has been working with filmmakers outside of the Hollywood bubble. I have worked with filmmakers in the US, UK, Brazil, Cuba, the Carribean, and across Latin America and Africa, and I love showing the world what non-Hollywood filmmakers can do.
Impeccable track record.
I have worked with hundreds of filmmakers throughout the span of my career, and decided to take the dive into fulltime coaching and consulting in 2015. Since then, my clients have produced 20 films that are currently in distribution (with more releasing in the coming months), 1 national PBS series, and over 140 feature fiction and nonfiction films in various stages of development. My clients have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, but – more importantly – have learned the ins and outs of film business, finance, and fundraising.
Respect and honour for all.
Filmmaker Success is a welcoming and inclusive space for all - regardless of race, creed, color, gender, ability, or sexual preference. I believe that diversity of all kinds is necessary in the production of meaningful art and that everyone deserves to have art that speaks to them. In order to work in line with those beliefs, I do not accept intolerance of any kind - be that on a personal or professional level. Everyone has a safe space working with me, ALL people are accepted & encouraged to be who they are.
Let's Stay In Touch!
"Joanne has guided me to a place where I can understand how I want to create art."
“Joanne has guided me to a place where I can understand how I want to create art, and how to think of myself not just as a creative artist, but as a viable business person. Joanne has helped me to understand my art, understand who I am, and understand that I am worthy of calling myself a filmmaker – which I do confidently now. “
- Jared Prima
"Right now our film is in distribution and festivals around the world."
"My partner and I were in development on a project when we met Joanne and started working with her and she has helped us through every step of the way. Right now our film is in distribution and festivals around the world. And we really couldn't have done it without her. So I'm always so excited when we get a new client on board because I get to tell them personally, all the success we've had with Joanne. Besides the business aspects of things, the technical sides of things, learning more about the industry through her I think one of the biggest, most helpful parts of working with her has been the personal relationship, having a cheerleader and someone to support you through what can be a really hard process emotionally sharing something that means so much to you and creating art."
-Alexandra Loreth
"Since I started working with Joanne, I have become wonderful at pitching at a moment's notice"
"Hi, I'm Tatiana Bacchus is from the Philadelphia area. And I'm here to recommend Joanne Butcher as a film consultant. Before I started working with Joanne, I really didn't speak about film from a business perspective only from the creative perspective. And I wasn't getting the results that I wanted. Since I started working with Joanne, I have become wonderful at pitching at a moment's notice. And I understand that I need to be able to not just talk about the creative part of my project, but also the business part where I am where I'm going to talk about the money and then follow through. So at every point, Joanne helps you structure, structure structure, and she adds that for you as and she adds an enormous wealth of resources that I would have never been able to find without working with her. So if you are listening, and you want to know what it's like working with Joanne I would say it's instantaneously life changing. So you're gonna get so much bang for your buck if you work with Joanne."
-Tatiana Bacchus
"She really helped help me make my first feature film & got me through that whole process"
"Hi, I'm K. Pontuti. I'm an artist, filmmaker, and educator. And I have been working with Joanne Butcher and have just loved the process and gotten so much out of it. You know, she really helped help me make my first feature film got me through that whole process and now we're working on our second one, and I would highly recommend working with her. Joanne brings to the table this really incredible commitment to her clients and her availability and the ability to really hone into, our specific needs. The Filmmaker Success group and everything around that, it's just been fantastic. I definitely owe so much to her and I really value her as an advisor and a friend.
-K. Pontuti, Director, Media X, University of the Pacific
"I highly recommend working with Joanne. I'm so grateful for her and all of her wisdom."
"Hey filmmakers, my name is Dewi Marquis. I'm a director, editor, independent filmmaker out of Boulder, Colorado. And I am so excited for all of you that you have this opportunity to connect with Joanne today. Joanne came into my life about three or four years ago, and at that time, I had been pushing this massive feature documentary up a very steep hill. I had a misconception about my worth, and my abilities as a filmmaker, director, editor, not only on the independent side, but also as a person for hire. And I was really struggling at that time to make ends meet, and figure out how to pursue this art that I love so much in a way that actually sustains me as a human being and a mother. Since then, I've been able to get on the other side of it. And, you know, it's always work. We're always going to have our defaults and our critical voices in our heads, but she really helped hold up a mirror so that I could see where I wanted to transform as a filmmaker, and a person. Joanne's work wasn't just focused on the business, although that was among the most helpful ways that she guided me, but she was also focused on me as a person on the emotional sides of this work and even the spiritual path. And I'm so grateful for her for showing up in all of those ways that so many of us need extra support and guidance. So if you are ready to step into a new space and see where that path takes you, I highly recommend working with Joanne. I'm so grateful for her and all of her wisdom."
-Dewi Marquis
"Wow! That's what it feels like to be a real storyteller!"
"I worked with Joanne last year on my feature animation project. I was eager to get started and Joanne had all the materials ready for me for the consultations. She was always upbeat, practical, told you the hard truth but gave you tools and guidance on how to improve your project, your pitch and your confidence all with a brilliant smile! I learned some very valuable lessons, and got really great at pitching my story. I knew my story so well that recently at an evening party, drinking margaritas, someone asked me about it out of the blue. I told the story without hesitation in a very engaging way that people gathered to hear what I was saying. They enjoyed my story and I thought to myself, "Wow! That's what it feels like to be a real storyteller!" I highly recommend working with Joanne and going through the process. It is work but you need to do it, you need to know if your story is marketable and you need to know your story, cold."
-Sharon Contillo, President, Women in Film, New England
"Joanne is an engaging writer with many interesting stories to tell as well as creating a roadmap that any filmmaker can follow"
"If you are waiting for your film to get made, Joanne Butcher's book, "Getting your film funded," shows you how to stop waiting and make your dreams a reality. There are many books on writing, directing and filmmaking, but I have not found any other book that provides a producer with both realistic costs and sales prices for independent films. Joanne holds nothing back in her personal story, where she battled with intense migraines leaving her bedridden for many years or with the nuts and bolts of what financial returns are probable for an independent film. The chapters break down everything needed to help producers create a clear picture to success. Joanne is candid in her evaluation of which genres a first time filmmaker should and should not produce and includes many interesting case studies on both successful and unsuccessful producers. Just reading these pages gave me a sense of empowerment, as there was information included that is usually invisible to the general public. Joanne is an engaging writer with many interesting stories to tell as well as creating a roadmap that any filmmaker can follow to move their project from page to production and most importantly to distribution. I was able to read through this book in less than one day, but I am sure I will refer back time and time again.”
-Sharon Tosten
POWERED BY:
DESIGNED BY:
