Birdman producer plans to fund next hit with cryptocurrency

The next Hollywood film you see might be financed with cryptocurrencies.

Christopher Woodrow, who has helped produce or finance movies for the past decade, says the distributed-ledger technology known as blockchain is about to disrupt the film industry and he wants to be a part of it.

The producer the Oscar-winning film Birdman, as well as Black Mass and Hacksaw Ridge, plans to launch his own blockchain-based token called MovieCoin in the first quarter of 2018. Funds raised in the sale, or initial coin offering, will go toward financing a portfolio of movies. Investors will benefit as the tokens, which can be traded in the secondary market, would appreciate based on the success of the films, Woodrow said.

“We’re trying to revolutionise the way films are financed,” Woodrow said in a telephone interview. “Hollywood is relationship driven and what we bring to the equation is the ability to gain access to the highest levels of film finance. We’re in the process of putting together a slate of projects that will include A-list movie stars, top-tier directors, seasoned and established producers, and that will form the initial slate for MovieCoin.”

The target is to sell $100 million of tokens that will be compliant with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. Woodrow declined to name the movies being considered for the portfolio. Just like ICOs have given retail investors access to cutting-edge technology projects that used to be reserved to venture capitalists, Woodrow says tokens can also democratise film financing.

Woodrow is the former managing director at Prospect Point Capital, which invested in venture capital deals in the entertainment industry. He also worked at Citigroup, Oppenheimer & Co and CIBC World Markets in investment banking and portfolio management.