The Sparq: Make sure you get paid when your movie makes money
Published about 1 month ago • 6 min read
The Sparq
February 9, 2026
A weekly note from Eunice — founder, filmmaker, builder
Hey friend!
I’ve been a bit quiet lately (mostly in deep execution), but I’m back in your inbox and I’m really glad you’re here. Our family of filmmakers has grown quite a bit since the last newsletter, so WELCOME!
If you downloaded Film Finance Fundamentals (our glossary of funding + finance terms), this newsletter is the companion to that download because the simple way I look at things, knowing the terminology is step one. Knowing what they mean for you and your project comes next.
That said, this newsletter is full of gems. Here's what's inside:
Industry tea: What YouTube's revenue signal means for creators
Funding watchlist: 3 funding open opportunities
Resource: the 2026 Indie Filmmaker Outlook
What’s the Scenario: All about recoupment in a real project
Live invite: Build Your Production Funding Strategy
CEO Reflection
Let me start at the beginning. Some of y’all might remember I said I was starting a community.
Yeah… you probably noticed that did not happen.
And it wasn’t because I couldn’t do it. I just realized with my current schedule, trying to run a community well, by myself, is more than I can responsibly commit to right now.
When we start building out the team, I want to revisit this concept for sure.
It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I can’t only share my highlight reel if I want you to truly understand what we’re building. I’m learning that this season requires deep execution, not just good ideas announced out loud.
Here’s what I learned this week:
I went to a networking event at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurship in Atlanta and shared what we’re building with CineSparq and Flip the Script. The person I was speaking with asked, “What can I share to help spread the word?”
And I almost disintegrated because I didn’t have anything ready.
POV: You gotta admit you're NOT READY
The thing is, I'm a recovering perfectionist LOL. I had a website but it's outdated. I have projects on Vimeo but they're not public. And that all means I gotta get my digital footprint in order because after making 10 film projects, and trainining hundreds of creators since 2017 aint no good reason my social media is the only credible way to learn about the work i've done.
So... this week, my ONLY focus is updating my website to showcase past wins and give people a credible place to understand the goals, mission, vision and work we must do together.
And for context: I’m also currently working on two feature film development deals while building CineSparq and launching the next season of Flip the Script in Atlanta. So when I talk about fundraising, packaging, and the messy middle, know that I’m in it with you, building publicly.
I'm making some pretty big mistakes but still winning overall because I haven't quit!
Here’s the message I’m taking with me (and passing to you):
You can’t afford to wait until everything is perfect.
Start with what you have. The needs will reveal the priority.
Industry Tea
If you heard that YouTube just crossed $60B+ in revenue in 2025 (ads + subscriptions), it's true. But we don't care about the gossip. The reason I'm sharing this is because I see it as yet another signal that audience ownership is becoming a respectable financing asset, not a nice-to-have.
Why indie filmmakers should care:
Audience = leverage. A measurable audience can reduce perceived risk for partners, investors, and distributors.
Distribution is getting more hybrid. The “platform-first” conversation isn’t theoretical anymore. TV viewership is a big part of YouTube’s growth strategy.
Brands follow attention. If you’re building a niche audience, sponsorship and partnership conversations get easier to open.
One practical takeaway: If you’re raising or packaging, start tracking one audience metric you can defend (email list growth, watch time, retention, ticket pre-sales, community turnout). And use it as part of your business case. This can help you negotiate recoupment terms that really work in your favor.
You don't have to JUST use YouTube either. In our next newsletter, I'll share some innovative distribution strategies you might want to check out.
Funding Opportunities
I wanted to share a few funding opportunities so you can plan, prepare, and submit. If one fits your project, don’t overthink it: apply with what you have, then improve as you go. If you go after any of these, I'd love to hear how things go!
If these don't meet your needs, no worries, I'm sourcing new funding and financing weekly.
The 2026 Indie Filmmaker Outlook
Since 2017, I've made it my business to analyze trends, industry news and data from across the film production ecosystem in order to present updates that are relevant to filmmakers. This year, that work resulted in the first annualIndie Filmmaker Outlook.
2026 Indie Filmmaking Outlook
If you only have 3 minutes, read it with these questions in mind:
Where is indie money actually coming from right now?
What assumptions are changing around distribution, audience, and platform strategy?
What pressure points keep showing up (budgets, timelines, and recoupment reality)?
If you're recognizing signals, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Just reply to this message or send me a DM on any of my socials.
If you landed in this community after downloading the Film Finance Fundamentals, then you already know there are more than 200 terms you need to be familiar with in order to navigate funding opportunities and financing deals and build a production capital stack that works for your project.
If that's news to you, grab your copy, but not before you check this week's funding scenario:
You raise $250,000 to produce a feature film. The project sells to a streamer for $400,000. Everybody celebrates… until the money hits.
Now the real question:
Who gets paid first—and why?
Is it you because you "own" the project
Could it be your partner because they brought all the equipment?
This week’s term is the proverbial fork in the road where a lot of great creative teams part ways over irreconcilable differences.
Why? Because the assumption is that everyone eats when the project makes money but that's not always true.
Recoupment is the process of determining how revenue from a project is distributed until initial investments are repaid. This tells us things whether:
investors take 100% first
expenses recoup before equity
the creators see money at all
Most filmmakers don’t lose money because the film itself wasn't good. The failure point actually happens more because the recoupment structure didn't position them to get paid, even if they own the project on paper.
This is exactly why we define terms at CineSparq then frame them inside real project scenarios.
This week we'll be exploring another term. To see what it is and get a thorough breakdown of how it can apply to you, be sure to follow on Threads and LinkedIn.
Build Your Production Funding Strategy
Come learn how to take your film funding strategy beyond crowdfunding and bootstrapping.
Pull up for a real-world breakdown of how to build a production capital stack, so you can take advantage of multiple funding sources working together.
We'll also cover the key terms you need to speak this language with funders, investors, and finance reps.
And don’t worry, this isn’t a webinar where I try to sell you a course at the end. You can’t buy anything, but you will leave with a real strategy beyond crowdfunding, a better understanding of deal language, and a capital stack outline you can start using immediately.
Quick heads up: we’re not doing a replay or sending slides. If you want the breakdown, registration + live attendance is the move.
Lunch & Learn Details
Date: Thursday, February 26
Time: 11:30 am EST/10:30 am CST
How to save your seat: Click the button and register
