This paper explores the role of risk management during the pre-production phase of film projects. The purpose is to find the key risk management factors in film production and find which actions top management takes in the pre-production phase to mitigate these. To address this, the following research questions are used: (1) What are the key risks associated with film projects, and what actions are taken by top management to mitigate these?Followed by our sub-questions of, (2) How are risks identified in the pre-production of film projects? (3) How does communication and stakeholder engagement contribute to risk mitigation in film projects? (4) Which are the most common and recommended risk mitigation strategies? The central problem addressed in this paper is the lack of a comprehensive understanding of how risk management practices can contribute to mitigating risks in film projects. To explore this issue, we use a qualitative research methodology, including semi-structured interviews with five top management professionals in the film industry. The interviews aimed at gathering in-depth insights into their experiences and practices related to risk management during the pre-production phase. The data collected was analyzed using thematic analysis. Our research identified key risks in film projects and what methods top management uses to identify these risks in pre-production. Furthermore, we present how communication and stakeholder management contribute to risk management in pre- production. Lastly, we provide the most common risk mitigation strategies applied in the film industry. Our findings offer practical recommendations for professionals in the film industry and for up-and-coming producers and directors who want ground pillars to stand on when starting a film project. Furthermore, our findings contribute to the existing risk management literature by focusing on a not-so-well-studied subject, namely risk management, in the film's pre-production phase.