An Indian UK businessman created a funding mechanism for mainstream British film productions

New Delhi (India) : Wealth can be amassed in a wide variety of ways today, from time-honored staples like savings accounts and life insurance to cutting-edge innovations like SIPs and bitcoin. But investing in film projects has traditionally been a “closed” market, accessible only to industry insiders and large financial institutions. GoViddo Ltd.’s founder and CEO, Mr. Pratik Shelar, wants to alter this situation. He had a strong desire to help others make money in the film industry, so he set up this UK-based firm.

When it comes to mainstream British films backed by credible talent, GoViddo.com is the place to invest. The film industry is open to investment from everyday people. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that you have £5,000 (or about INR 5,00,000) to invest in British commercial cinema. Subject Matter, Talent, Strong Distribution Deals, and Completion Guarantor are the four main criteria GoViddo uses to vet qualified, valuable film projects.

If an investor approaches GoViddo with an interest in a project, the company details the potential dangers and rewards. Since they are not yet governed by any sort of regulatory body, they cannot legally give any kind of advice to investors and instead recommend that they speak with their own financial advisers before making any moves. After that, GoViddo gives the investor access to the producers of the project and gives them a full rundown of the project and any investment memorandums that go along with it. Today, producers typically set up a separate “Film SPV” for each individual movie. The investor is then a member of the SPV’s board of directors. GoViddo does not take in or keep any investor money, but it does charge producers a fee for helping them find investors. Filmmakers get paid from every outlet they’ve distributed the film to once it has been completed and is ready for release and distribution. They make the investor a payment according to the terms established beforehand. GoViddo acts as a go-between for the investors and the businesses, and in exchange for its services, it can charge up to 10% of the investment’s gross profit as a fee. At the moment, only UK investors have access to the tax benefit option, which can provide a 30% tax rebate on selected investments.

Since its launch in February 2018, GoViddo Ltd. has assisted 12 commercial British films featuring well-known actors in raising a total of £1.5 million. The Liar, featuring Tony Hagger, Piers Tempest, Ben Pugh, Rory Aitken, Erica Steinberg, Gavin James, Robert D. Yeoman, and Eve Stewart (among others), Mrs. Churchill’s War, directed by Oscar nominee Bruce Beresford, Warrior Poets, by BAFTA nominee Victoria Thomas, and Midnight Peepshow, an official selection at the prestigious Frightfest Festival, are all worth mentioning.

Pratik’s ultimate dream is to start his own production house in UK through which he can tell deeply rooted Indian stories to a global audience in collaboration with western talent. To this end, he has already released his first production The Entrepreneur – A Documentary on 12th December 2022. It is a seven-episode long documentary series which is based on Pratik’s own life. Currently it is streaming on GoViddo’s YouTube Channel. Pratik plans to produce the same story in the form of a feature film with British artists essaying various roles. He presented The Entrepreneur Movie project at Cannes Film Festival in 2022 on a global stage. It is currently available for investments on www.GoViddo.com

Further information regarding movies as an investment option is available on GoViddo’s official website www.GoViddo.com.