Bolling for dollars
Teuton producer-director plans to make IPO
At least that's the plan.
Boll, the enigmatic producer-director whose cinematic talent has drawn comparisons to Ed Wood, previously raised north of $300 million via tax sheltering private film funds.
Specializing in vidgame adaptations such as the upcoming "In the Name of the King" and "BloodRayne," the $25 million vampire actioner that was quickly impaled at the box office, Boll wooed German investors looking for tax writeoffs.
Last year, however, the German government shut down tax haven investment funds -- sending operators scrambling for alternative sources of coin.
The new tax laws may soon desiccate his money pool, but Boll is planning to list his Boll AG on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange's Entry Standard in coming weeks.
The filmmaker says capital raised via the initial public offering will not replace financing collected from his funds but rather go to strengthening the company's market position.
Boll hopes to set up his own sales and marketing operation -- including the launch of a new inhouse label to showcase his own films and those of third parties -- and to open offices in Los Angeles, a distribution arm in Germany, and expand distribution to include Internet downloads and VOD.
