Not too long ago, we got an email from Andy confirming something that he mentioned to us over the phone a few days before – that he was looking to set up a second ‘Investor Presentation’ near the middle of this month. The reason for this is that the yield from the first wasn’t as big as we needed it to be. Do not get me wrong – the support from the investors that did come on board was staggeringly good – but there was still a small gap. The second presentation is with a new group of potential investors to fill that.

We’ve just got another email from Andy, confirming that he would like us to come up to Canberra for the event, near the middle of the month. We’ll hold production meetings both sides of the Presentation evening to maximise the time we have in the same room.

When I first read that email, I thought – cool, we can do that. But then I re-read it and realised the true importance of a line that Andy had written, after he had asked for an ETA on the next draft:

With finance assured it really is just a case of working the budget to…

With finance assured. With. Finance. Assured.

In typical Andy fashion, he had completely poo-poo’d, with a throw-away line, the monumental fact that HE HAD DONE IT! He had raised the budget for the film. We were definitively green lit. Us. The film. We. Lit. Of the the Green variety.

It was such a strange feeling to realise the importance of those words. I never doubted that the finance plan would be executed. Not for a second. But now that it WAS actually done… wow.

The film is getting made.

When I spoke to Andy over the phone, I asked him if he had run around the room naked, got blind drunk – did something to recognise this incredible achievement. He had created a movie from nothing. There was nothing, and now there was a financed movie. He laughed, and basically said that there was still so much work to do. It was great, of course it was, but he might feel more like celebrating when we were all together in Canberra. For now, business as usual.

So why the need for a second Investor Presentation, I pretend to hear you ask, Dear Reader?

The funding plan has been completed with gap finance. Andy’s preference, quite understandably, is to have investors on board the film as part of the team, sharing the risks and rewards like the rest of us. Gap finance is not that, so we will present to this new group with the intent that the investors participate instead.

Either way, we are green lit.

I took the time to thank Andy for everything that he had done up to this amazing point, and for everything that he would do. I didn’t thank him just on Ryan and my behalf, because he wasn’t doing this for us. He was doing it for filmmakers, everywhere.

He said he would do something huge and wonderful… and then he actually did it.

For anyone that has had anything to do with the film industry, you will know what I mean when I say how amazing that really is.