Here is the finance model that the hypothetical PDF would preach: Corman didn't spend his own money. He sold distribution rights before shooting. He would take a poster (before the script was written), fly to Cannes, and sell the German rights, the Japanese rights, and the UK rights. He collected the money, then made the movie for less than the sum of those presales. By the time he shot frame one, he was already in profit. You cannot lose a dime if you have already collected the dimes.
To understand the book, you must understand the author. Roger Corman (1926–2024) was often called the "King of the B-Movies." He directed and produced hundreds of films, ranging from horror and sci-fi to biker dramas. Here is the finance model that the hypothetical
While Hollywood studios were spending millions, Corman was making films for pennies—and making a profit every single time. He is also famous for giving starts to now-legendary directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Ron Howard, and actors like Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro. He collected the money, then made the movie
This is the book's punchline. Corman owned his film elements. He didn't sell the master; he licensed prints. When a distributor went bankrupt, Corman got his reels back. Most filmmakers lose money because they surrender ownership. Corman never did. To understand the book, you must understand the author
While you might not find a one-page PDF cheat sheet, the principles are well documented. If such a PDF existed, here is exactly what the table of contents would look like.