Like a lot of young independent British film companies, 721 Productions had only a modest budget with which to enter the $36 billion global film industry in 2014 (an industry that seems recession proof given that global box office revenues have seen a 22% increase since 2009).
Despite the low budget, director Paul Emmanuel still produced a piece of brilliance with ‘The Maid’ - a romantic drama that hit the silver screen in early 2014 and subsequently went on to pick up various film accolades, including multiple awards, a nomination for Best UK Feature Film and screenings at the prestigious London and New York film festivals.
Since the overwhelming response to what was 721 Productions' very first film, the team has been hard at work on its latest film ‘Secrets of the Lost Souls’.
Paul Emmanuel is once again steering the ship second time around – albeit with a greater depth of industry connections and knowhow compared to the first. He is working alongside other talented and versatile filmmakers David C. G. Hare – who himself has built an impressive career over the past 15 years – and the award-winning cinematographer Steven Marshall who has over 9 years experience in his field and has worked on movies screened at film festivals in Cannes, Venice and Berlin.
The latest film production will cost £80,000 – you'd be forgiven for thinking that that's a small amount for the production of a movie. But with advanced digital cinema technology available to modern-day filmmakers at reasonable prices, costs can be contained. The film ‘Paranormal Activity’ for example, cost $15,000 to make and grossed over $107,000,000 at the box office – testament not only to the relatively small investment these types of productions need, but also to why Horror/Action genres are widely recognised as offering the highest rates of return on investment in the movie industry.
Like Paranormal Activity ‘Secrets of the Lost Souls’ is a supernatural horror thriller aimed at the more lucrative US market.
Production is scheduled to begin early next year and 721 Productions wants to make investors become part of the journey – one featuring ongoing film updates, special mentions, exclusive screenings, site visits, film previews and a wrap party. How far you travel on that journey with the production team depends on how much you invest.
Investors pledging money to this pitch will receive exciting investor rewards and shares in a movie from what is an emerging British film production company. Check out the 'rewards' section for more details.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£24,700
Comesto is a peer to peer web and app based service that enables professional food buyers to purchase directly from suppliers. They are a membership funded trading platform. The platform gives their members access to the whole market eliminating single brochures. Comesto offers industry buyers a complete purchasing, invoicing and scheduling management service and for suppliers their aim is to provide a simple cost effective way to increase sales.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£34,970
GIBIE combines ancient Indian dying methods with modern weaving technologies to produce sustainable and luxurious homewares. The company argues that the textile industry uses an astonishing 9 trillion gallons of water annually, as well as, releases harmful gases and chemicals in the air and water. GIBIE aims to change this scenario by bringing forth sustainable linen that has superior qualities to chemically enhanced and dyed linen. It has come out with an industrial-scale production proposal of its linen. The company is a PETA-approved vegan brand and a member of the Color Ashram Foundation that promotes the usage of herbal dyes around the world. GIBIE will use the investment to launch its essential sales programs, boost marketing initiatives and scale production.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£158,571
Lost At Sea (LAS) is an independent lifestyle beer brand that targets adventurers. The company has sold 26,000+ beers since 2019, with its products stocked in 50+ outlets. LAS claims that its new online shop has a 21.82% conversion rate and an engaged community of over 30,000 people. It also points out that since its first brew in 2019, it has seen substantial growth in demand, and as a result, provides kegs to its flagship stockist to ensure they have a constant flow of stock. The company has made over £1,000 Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) donations to date. They intend to use the investment to build a community of like-minded beer lovers, launch a flagship bar in Abersoch, North Wales to advocate local produce and sustainability, create a scalable bar concept for future expansion in other coastal towns, and hire personnel to drive product innovation and sales.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£82,351
At Wombat our mission is to empower generations to manage, save and grow their money. Our goal is to break down barriers that prevent people from investing. Wombat will allow people to invest in some of the world’s best known brands for as little as £5.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£209,160
PLAYin CHOC is an innovative, premium and award-winning manufacturer of vegan organic eco-friendly toys and chocolates. Its products are allergen-free, plastic-free, 100% organic and inspire creative play. Since its launch, PLAYin CHOC has sold approximately 50,000+ units in 21 countries. Additionally, potential stockists for its products are estimated at 100,000 in the UK and 1 million globally. Now, PLAYin CHOC is planning to take its product to the market via high-end food supermarkets; independent food, confectionary and gift shops; travel retail market; direct to the consumer via subscription; and international distributors. Funds raised will be used to increase growth by securing larger and permanent premises and intensify targeted marketing at trade & consumer shows and online.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£278,450
The Active Kollection (TAK) is an online store that sources running and cycling brands from around the world. The company is aiming to build a community of enthusiasts by making gear that will give them the performance, aesthetic and durability they desire. The sports and outdoor fashion market is expected to rise to £10.6 billion in 2022. TAK endeavours to become a major contender in this category. TAK's platform is live with 16 independent brands. The company has 54,000 followers across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It requires investment to accelerate its growth and continue its search to become the world’s most stylish running and cycling gear brand.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£69,432
Glug provides a platform for businesses to let customers order from a digital menu and have them served to the table or pick up from the bar. It points out that its system is designed to be user friendly and easy to set up wherein restaurants or bars can upload and digitalise their menu and can be discoverable within 24 hours. Consumers can discover the restaurant, book a table, place an order, and browse for offers and discounts, amongst other features using the company's community app. Glug asserts that more than 16,000 users have ordered food and drinks through its app in less than four months since the company's launch. It intends to become a contender in the UK dining and pub market that is a £40 billion+ industry. Glug argues that more than 20,000 users have downloaded its app from the App Store and Google Playstore. It will use the investment for marketing, hiring, technology development, attract 1.5 million users and onboard 1,000+ venues over the next 12 months.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£73,114
Designed for the millions of referees, teachers and sports coaches plus umpires globally, RefStuff are raising to launch their 4th product; the RefScorer Digital watch. RefStuff are already in distribution discussions with sports wholesalers internationally for their first 2 products - RefScorer and RefSgloves with a 3rd; RefSwallet due in Sept/Oct.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£4,910
A financial management software application for consumers to view everything from credit files and bank accounts, to vouchers and cashbacks. Score Genius aims to launch an Alpha version of their product at the end of 2018, with a public release planned for March 2019. The service will offer users the ability to monitor their credit files and perform transactions on their bank accounts and credits, as Open Banking will be integrated into the platform.
Score Genius is near completion of negotiations with large technological partners. Investments will used to market the platform and further develop features and functions, ready for the public release in 2019. Revenue streams will be comprised of advertisements, redeeming vouchers and users looking to switch their energy.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£144,920
