# THE BAKER: Deeper Cannes Pitch Posture Adjustments

**Date:** 2026-05-08  
**Use:** Internal guide for refining the Cannes deck after revisiting the email and transcript.  
**Status:** Working adjustment note.

## 1. Main insight

The Cannes deck should not behave like a closing document. It should behave like a confidence-building conversation tool.

The screenplay is asserted. The package is proposed. The finance is modelled. The partner fit is explored.

This distinction matters because first Cannes meetings are unlikely to confirm QAPE, cashflow, cast, sales, MENA distribution, France co-production, and state support in one pass. The deck should create enough clarity for the next meeting.

## 2. Layered certainty

The deck should separate three kinds of statements.

### 2.1 Asserted creative truth

These can be stated with confidence:

- Fredric is the centre.
- The house is the system.
- The screenplay has a tragic machine.
- Nicholas is the director presented in this package.
- Ronny and Aya are producers in this Cannes framing.
- Ronny is presented as Vincent.

### 2.2 Planning case

These should be labelled as models:

- AUD 8.5M, AUD 10.5M, AUD 12.5M cases
- QAPE assumptions
- Producer Offset projections
- 90 percent cashflow planning rate
- post-offset partner conversation
- Screen NSW, France, MENA, sales, private equity ranges

### 2.3 Partner questions

These should be phrased as exploration:

- What QAPE can the structure protect?
- Which partner can model the offset?
- Which lender will look at the receivable?
- Which French structure fits?
- Which MENA partner has real value?
- Which cast attachment changes the numbers?

## 3. Role-specific Cannes asks

The transcript makes clear that the team needs to manage conversations depending on who is in front of them. A single generic ask is weaker than role-specific asks.

### Australian producer, production accountant, or incentive adviser

Ask them to model QAPE, Screen Australia pathway, completion needs, and cashflow assumptions.

### French co-producer

Ask whether France can improve structure, financing, eligibility, sales confidence, and European credibility.

### MENA financier, distributor, film commission, or services partner

Ask what cast, content, visibility, services, and distribution value makes the project meaningful for them.

### Sales agent or distributor

Ask which cast and budget case they can defend by territory.

### Cast representative

Ask whether the role, director, finance path, and timing justify reading and availability discussions.

## 4. Deck implication

The detailed Australian offset model should stay in the deck because it makes the package serious. But it should feel like a working model, not a demand.

Preferred finance language:

> Target planning case

> Offset conversation

> Partner ranges to test

> Finance questions by counterparty

Avoid:

> close

> confirmed

> locked

> must

> final

## 5. Practical deck change

The final ask slide should become a role-specific “Cannes conversation map.”

The ask should be:

> Help us pressure-test which version of the package is financeable, who should sit inside it, and what follow-up material you need to move from interest to commitment.

This is confident, but still honest.