# THE BAKER: Cannes Questions Annex **Date:** 2026-05-08 **Use:** Annex question set for Cannes meetings and follow-up emails. **Status:** Internal working annex. **Posture:** Pitch, pressure-test, model, estimate, identify path. ## 1. Purpose These questions translate the Cannes deck into meeting-specific asks. They are designed to open the right follow-up path, not to force hard answers in first meetings. The goal is to leave each meeting knowing: 1. which version of the package the counterparty believes is credible 2. what assumptions they would pressure-test first 3. what material they need next 4. whether they belong in the finance, cast, sales, co-production, or audience path ## 2. Australian producer, production accountant, or incentive adviser ### Main question > How would you model the Australian finance path for this package? ### Specific questions 1. How would you model QAPE across the AUD 8.5M, AUD 10.5M, and AUD 12.5M cases? 2. Is AUD 8.0M QAPE plausible inside the AUD 10.5M target planning case? 3. What schedule, cast, crew, post, and location choices would protect that QAPE? 4. Which line items are likely to qualify and which line items create QAPE risk? 5. What is the most credible Screen Australia certificate pathway? 6. What timing should we assume before pre-production? 7. What completion, audit, legal, and chain-of-title requirements should be built into the plan? 8. What would you need from Ronny, Aya, Tracey, and Nicholas to build a proper model? ## 3. Screen Australia adviser or experienced offset producer ### Main question > What would this project need to show to make the Producer Offset path credible? ### Specific questions 1. How would you assess the Significant Australian Content matrix for this project? 2. How should Australian-originated IP, Australian writers, Nicholas's role, Ronny's role, cast, crew, and spend be documented? 3. What is the best certificate or in-principle path to pursue at this stage? 4. What documents should be prepared before a serious application conversation? 5. How would an official co-production affect the Australian qualification argument? 6. What mistakes commonly weaken Producer Offset planning at this stage? ## 4. Cashflow lender ### Main question > What part of the projected Producer Offset could be cashflowed, and on what conditions? ### Specific questions 1. What advance rate would you consider against an expected AUD 3.2M Producer Offset? 2. How would the advance rate change at AUD 2.6M, AUD 3.88M, or AUD 4.6M offset scenarios? 3. What provisional certificate or Screen Australia material would you need before considering drawdown? 4. What are the likely interest, fee, reserve, and security assumptions? 5. Would a completion bond be required? 6. Would cast, sales agent, distribution, or co-production agreements change lender appetite? 7. What timeline would you assume between closing, production, final certificate, and repayment? Named candidate from Ronny's WhatsApp recording: - Fulcrum Media Finance ## 5. Screen NSW or state incentive contact ### Main question > What local production support could a Sydney and Western Sydney Lebanese Australian feature unlock? ### Specific questions 1. Which NSW spend categories matter most for this project? 2. What range of support might be plausible for the AUD 10.5M target planning case? 3. How should Sydney and Western Sydney locations, crew, cast, post, and cultural value be framed? 4. What jobs, services, and local economic impact data would strengthen the case? 5. Can state support stack cleanly with the Producer Offset? 6. What application timing and decision cycle should the team assume? ## 6. French co-producer ### Main question > Could France make this package more financeable, more European, and more credible at Cannes? ### Specific questions 1. Is an Australia-France official co-production path viable for this project? 2. What could a French partner realistically bring: cash, public funds, services, sales credibility, or access? 3. How would a French structure affect QAPE and Australian qualification? 4. Could France help carry the Lebanon-facing elements of the film? 5. Which budget case is most believable from a French perspective? 6. Which cast attachments would make the French lane stronger? 7. What material would you need next: screenplay, budget, director statement, cast letters, finance plan, or rights summary? ## 7. MENA financier, distributor, film commission, or services partner ### Main question > What would make this film meaningful enough for the region to participate? ### Specific questions 1. Which territories could realistically respond: Lebanon, UAE, Saudi, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, or wider SVOD? 2. Is the value theatrical, SVOD, services, equity, film commission support, or cultural profile? 3. Which cast attachments change the regional finance case? 4. Does Daniela Rahme or another regional name materially change traffic or partner interest? 5. Which content sensitivities should be flagged early? 6. Could regional services or in-kind support help without weakening QAPE? 7. What kind of distribution visibility would a regional financier need to justify participation? 8. What follow-up material should be sent after Cannes? ## 8. Sales agent or distributor ### Main question > Which version of this package can be defended territory by territory? ### Specific questions 1. Which budget case is most credible for sales: AUD 8.5M, AUD 10.5M, or AUD 12.5M? 2. Which cast names move estimates meaningfully? 3. Which territories have real value before cast is attached? 4. Which territories depend on cast? 5. How should Australia, France, MENA SVOD, North America, UK, Canada, and diaspora theatrical be separated? 6. What are the realistic presale, MG, or gap assumptions at this stage? 7. What materials would you need to issue preliminary sales estimates? 8. Is the current logline the right sales-facing hook? ## 9. Cast representative or talent contact ### Main question > Does this role, director, package, and timing justify a read and availability conversation? ### Specific questions 1. Is the role substantial enough for the actor at this stage? 2. Does Nicholas Lathouris as director strengthen the approach? 3. Does Ronny's authorship and role in the film strengthen or complicate the package? 4. Does the Australian finance path make timing credible? 5. Would equity, executive producer status, or other participation matter for this actor? 6. What fee range should be assumed for early modelling? 7. What is the best route to submit the screenplay and letter? 8. What timing constraints should the team understand before follow-up? ## 10. Follow-up material by meeting type | Counterparty | Follow-up material | |---|---| | Australian producer or accountant | screenplay, current budget, current schedule, QAPE planning sheet, company and rights summary | | Screen Australia adviser | screenplay, rights summary, Australian element memo, key creative bios, production structure note | | Lender | projected offset model, provisional certificate plan, finance stack, completion assumptions, sales and cast status | | Screen NSW | NSW spend plan, locations, jobs estimate, cultural value memo, key creatives | | French co-producer | screenplay, director page, finance plan, rights summary, co-production question sheet | | MENA partner | screenplay, cast strategy, content sensitivity note, territory plan, finance ask range | | Sales agent | screenplay, logline, cast strategy, budget cases, territory questions, comparable analysis | | Cast representative | role page, director note, producer letter, finance path, timing, offer assumptions | ## 11. One-line meeting frame > We are not asking Cannes to close the structure in the room. We are using Cannes to test which version of the package is financeable, who belongs in it, and what each serious partner needs next.