GoViddo.com is a film investment platform for mainstream British movies backed by reputable talent.
Mr. Pratik Shelar
Mr. Pratik Shelar is the CEO and founder of GoViddo Ltd. which is a UK-based company that enables group and individual investors to invest in films. He has recently released his own inspiring life story in the form of a documentary series called The Entrepreneur – A Documentary on GoViddo’s YouTube channel. An excerpt of his talks –
1. One underlying theme that we see throughout the series is your decision to keep soldiering despite all the hardships. Can we dare to call it a streak of eccentricity?
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That’s one way of looking at it. But I would say I am passionate. I am a slave of my dreams and I try to do everything that I can to achieve them. I consider Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs as my inspiration.
2. What motivated you to present your story to the audience?
I felt the need to tell my story because growing up in a small town in a middle-class family in India during the 90s, we were brought up with a certain mindset of limited career options and a set way of life. I broke all those social/cultural norms as I was not comfortable in following them. I wanted to prove that a better life is not just for the privileged ones belonging to the metro cities of Mumbai and Delhi. If a person like me without any financial backing or business acumen can achieve his dreams, then anyone in the world can do it.
3. You have been very candid about your personal life throughout the series. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just skip those parts and stick to the professional journey?
I felt in order to understand the complete story it was necessary to get to know the personal side that compelled me to take all those impractical decisions in life, which eventually brought me here. Without understanding the depth of those personal emotions, it would be difficult to engage with my story. I hope it resonates with the audience and motivates them.
4. Tell us more about GoViddo Limited.
GoViddo.com is a film investment platform for mainstream British movies backed by reputable talent. Any retail investor can consider movies as an investment option. To keep it simple, if you have as little as £5000 or INR 5,00,000, you can invest this amount in mainstream British movies.
GoViddo vets highly qualified, valuable film projects based on the criteria of Subject Matter, Talent, Robust Distribution Deals and Completion Guarantor.
5. How exactly does it work?
If an investor shows interest in a particular project and approaches GoViddo, we explain the risks and benefits involved. As we are not regulated yet, we do not provide any sort of advice and ask the investor to consult their financial advisors before taking any decision. Then GoViddo introduces the investor to the producers of the project along with providing further details on the project and accompanying investment memorandums. Now each film has its own special purpose vehicle (Film SPV) organized by the producers. Investor becomes shareholders of that SPV. GoViddo does not accept or hold any funds from the investor and receives fees from the producers for securing the investment. Once the movie is completed and ready for release and distribution, filmmakers get paid by all the channels they have distributed the movie to. They then pay the investor as per the mutually agreed terms. GoViddo serves as liaison in this entire process and holds up to 10% in the profit share in every investment as its fees from the investors.
6. What inspired youto come up with the idea of investment in movies?
My dream is to start a film production house here in the UK so that I can tell deeply rooted Indian stories to global audiences in collaboration with reputable western talent. For that, I needed to establish my network with reputable filmmakers and producers from the British and Hollywood film industry. At the same time, I want to create a network of movie investors who would consider investing in our movies. Also, investment in movies is restricted to people in the movie business and institutional investors only. I wanted to open this platform for common people as well.
7. Where can theaudience get more information about this with regard to tax benefits, etc?
They can visit www.GoViddo.com where we have explained everything. Currently, only investors in the UK have tax benefit options where they can avail of 30% tax benefits on some investments.
8. Your very firstbusiness venture, IndianMovieFriend.com is essentially for people living in the UK. Any plans of taking it on a global platform?
No, at the moment our focus is to serve in the UK only.
9. One lesson thatyou have learned personally throughout your journey so far.
I have learned that nothing is permanent. Whether it is your highs or lows, everything is temporary. Also, everything is dispensable in life; so, there is nothing like 'I/We have arrived.’ It’s a marathon, not a sprint. So, you have to keep working confidently on the plan that you have designed to achieve your dreams. Remember, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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