Having completed a two-year degree in filn production in France, I then started a bachelors program in Business Administration also in France. I will finish my degree within an exchange program at Cal State Univeristy of Fullerton (CA). Meanwhile, I am creating a business plan for a film production company which I plan to base in California. I have substancial skills in the field, several completed short films, and a catalog of scripts for features to be produced. Moreover, I benefit from a full understanding of the French and European film industry which provides amazing public aid programs. My goal therefore, is to create a production company in the US and mount co-production deals with French and European production companies with whom I have secured contact to generate sources of funding for films, which would be produced i the US.
Why?
- California and the US in general provide a unique infrastructure for the industry in terms of investment possibilities, studios, artists, and technicians
- American film production companies have a growing interest in the public funding possibilities offered in Europe. But to access these soruces of funding, a co-production deal is critical. I can draw such deals.
- I benefit from many contacts in Europe (technicians, artists, actors, producers) who are ready to follow me in such an enterprise.
- By mixing production processes from both continents, great projects can be completed.
- Although I have grown up in France, I have Canadian citizenship and speak fluent English, French, and Italian.
My question :
How do I go about starting such a business in the US if I am not a US citizen? I have double nationality : Canadian and Italian.
Yes, if you can qualify as an E-2 Treaty Investor. That is a non-immigrant visa category that permits a non-citizen investor to start up a new business or to purchase an existing business. The benefits of E-2 status are that the visa category has no maximum periods of stay, the status is renewable indefinitely, and the alien is permitted to work in the U.S.
To qualify you must be a national of one the countries with which the U.S. has a Treaty of Commerce & Navigation. You also must have invested or be actively in the process of investing a 'substantial amount of money'. While there are no fixed dollar amounts for the investment, as a minimum the investment generally must be in the $50,000 to $300,000 range. The investment must be an active commercial enterprise and you must take an active role in managing and directing the business.
---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.
swityum_12 | Performer | 7/12/2010 - 5:30 am
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