Indie Romantic Feature Seeks Equity Investors & Co-Production Partner

The Project:

Hook:

Two strangers. Two weddings. One wrong limousine.

A romantic comedy set across one day in Portland — intimate, witty, and built in the tradition of the films that remind audiences why they fell in love with cinema in the first place.

Concept:

A character-driven romantic feature in the vein of Before Sunset and Past Lives — two people, one city, and a conversation that changes everything. Portland is not just a backdrop. It’s a living, cinematic character in its own right.

The romance genre is in active renaissance. The most talked-about films of the last three years have been love stories. This one is built for festivals, awards conversations, and the audiences who made Past Lives, Anora, and The Worst Person in the World cultural moments.

Format:

Feature Film | Romantic Drama-Comedy | English Language | Portland, Oregon

Comparables:

Before Sunset (2004) → $5.8M box office on minimal budget · 2 Oscar nominations · benchmark for intimate romantic cinema

Past Lives (2023) → $23M box office · 2 Oscar nominations including Best Picture · National Board of Review Best Picture

Rye Lane (2023) · Anora (2024, Palme d’Or) — the conversation this film belongs in

What’s Ready:

Development Status:

✓ Script complete — final polish underway
✓ Full pitch deck, lookbook, and budget complete
✓ Director of Photography attached — Robert Brinkmann (U2: Rattle and Hum, The Cable Guy, Joker: Folie à Deux)
✓ Portland-based producing team attached — Desert Island Studios
✓ Oregon OPIF cash rebates confirmed — 26.2% production rebate on eligible spend
✓ Product placement strategy structured — script accommodates approximately 20 placements
✓ Supporting lead interest from a recognisable name — not yet confirmed, available under NDA
✓ Equity investor interest
✓ Principal photography targeted July–August 2026, Portland, Oregon
✓ All IP owned by Astral Plane LLC · SAG-AFTRA / WGAW

The Team:

Mike Stern — Writer, Director, Producer. Winner of the UTA College Screenwriting Award and the Hopwood Literary Award. Producer and star of Mid-Century

(Lionsgate/Peacock/Amazon) — Best Picture, 2022 LA Film Festival. In post-production on The Dregs starring Stephen Lang and Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. Co-writing and executive producing an untitled treasure hunt series for AMC Networks. Artistic Director of the North Fork Television Festival.

Robert Brinkmann — Cinematographer. USC film school graduate. DP on U2: Rattle and Hum, Encino Man, The Cable Guy, The Rules of Attraction, and Joker: Folie à Deux. Veteran of shoots for Ben Stiller, Reginald Hudlin, and Penelope Spheeris.

Desert Island Studios — Portland-based production company. Oregon Film Creative Opportunity Program grant recipients. Credits include multiple Portland Film Festival selections.

The Opportunity:

The Ask:

$1.15M equity raise sought · Co-finance and co-production partner welcome
50 equity points available at $20K per point · 120% recoupment before profit participation · Pari passu split thereafter between equity and creative class

Financing Status:

Soft money partially secured at $400K · Equity investor interest at $300K pending lead alignment · Oregon state rebates (OPIF labor 20%, Greenlight 6.2%, vendor 25%) reduce net budget further · Full financial waterfall available on request.

Why Now:

Romance is the most commercially reliable genre in independent film — top five in profitability, consistent festival presence, and the genre most likely to generate a breakout streaming acquisition. The budget is structured conservatively to maximise recoupment. Oregon’s cash rebates and product placement income are already built in. The script is polished, the DP is attached, and the production window is locked.

De-Risked From Day One:

— Net budget of approximately $1.1M after Oregon state rebates — lean, defensible exposure
— 32% soft money already in place reducing equity requirement
— Product placement strategy accommodates approximately 20 brands — additional income stream structured into the script
— Experienced DP with major studio credits attached
— Section 181 of the US Internal Revenue Code — 100% tax deductible for US investors
— Conservative 18-month MG scenario modelled at $3M worldwide rights — full model available on request

Most Interesting Project For:

Equity Investors:

A $20K entry point into a fully structured, tax-advantaged independent film with Oregon state cash rebates, product placement income, and a 120% recoupment preference before profit participation. Conservative MG modelling suggests 98%+ ROI on an 11-point position. Full waterfall available on request.

Co-Production Partners:

Portland shoot, July–August 2026. Oregon infrastructure, experienced team, locked budget. A co-production partner can enter with resources, services, or cash equity. Personal debt guarantees are not on the table — co-production or equity only.

Streaming Platforms & Sales Agents:

A festival-ready romantic feature positioned for the same acquisition conversation as Past Lives and Rye Lane — built for the audience that drives premium streaming subscriptions and awards-season engagement.

Interested in this project, please submit your interest through the form. Further information will be disclosed upon reviewing the details.