The 1st time that we (RnD) pitched a script to a development executive we had virtually no idea what we were doing.
I thought that a pitch had to describe the entire script. We had five minutes. We spent the entire time talking about the script. We interested three out of five execs. But, they liked the idea- not the pitch.
As time went by, we learned more about pitching. We talked to people about their styles and we spoke with developments execs about what they were looking for. One of the last times that we pitched at a pitching “event”, we interested 14 out of 15 execs that we pitched to. And, that one that was not interested asked us to send him other ideas; he was just not interested in the idea that we pitched.
It should be noted here, that the script that we pitched here was Phobia. The feature script that was optioned, went into pre-production and was derailed by Hurricane Katrina. We later shot Phobia – The Short as a prequel to the feature.
But I digress…
What we have found works best for us is to have a phenomenal 30-second pitch… If you are pitching at an “event” you usually have five minutes. If you are pitching “in real life” you may only have 3o-seconds…
Here is our secret formula. (If we help you make a sale, you must remember us and ensure that we are thanked in the credits.)
Be courteous and nice. Remember that the person you are pitching probably does not want to be there. Ask them how they are doing- and try to mean it.
Introduce yourself. You are pitching yourself here. Why would this exec want to work with you? If you have the opportunity to know who you are pitching before hand- research them. Can you find ANY common ground that you can mention?
Don’t flinch. No matter what. We have had people eat while we were pitching. Someone once pulled up a chair and started recording us. We even had someone take a phone call and proceed to yell to his girlfriend directions for her to get out of canyon country while she was losing her signal. Never let them see you sweat- no matter how much you may be fuming on the inside. They will appreciate it.
If you have multiple projects that you are ready to pitch, ask if they are looking for any genre in particular. Explain that you have numerous projects in a few different genres.
Now pitch. Ideally, everything up until this point has taken 60-seconds, no more than 90. Now, give the execs the best roller coaster ride you can in 30-seconds. Hit the important generalities. You don’t need to explain that the lead character’s name is John Locke… and not base on the character from Lost, but on the real life philosopher… No one needs to know the trivia at this stage.
BAM! You are done. Ask them if they have any questions. They will. Their questions will help you figure out if you left an important part out of the pitch and/or you will learn what this particular exec is focusing on.
If all does go badly, and you have time left, tell them you know that was bad and ask them what they look for in a good pitch. This is a last resort as some execs will see this as you trying to improve yourself, while others will take this to mean that you are simply not prepared.
Good luck.
Go forth and pitch…
Don.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Goldberg Gambit
A few years ago, I had a retired guru working for me. He was gruff and quite a few people didn’t like him. I always liked him and got along great with him. We started working at the place on the same day.
For a year or so, we were essentially equals. He worked part-time, I was full. We worked in different departments, but helped each other out as needed.
When I was promoted up to team leader in my area, half of my team was transferred out to other areas. This was not a good time for me. I was not used to struggling.
Bob knew I was struggling and that I had a brief concern with whether I could succeed or not. He gave me a GREAT piece of advice. He said…
Never apply/take a job that you are qualified for. If you do, you will become bored and lose interest. Find the job that is a step or two above where you are now. This will allow to stretch and stay interested, if you are learning new things daily.
Every job that I have had since has been beyond where I was at the time I applied. But I got in, learned, exceeded and succeeded.
Now that I am looking for a job, I have gone against that idea and have been applying to jobs that I am qualified for. On the few occasions that I speak with the people, I am told that I am “overqualified”.
It’s time for me to remember The Goldberg Gambit and find the job I want that is above me… and go for it.
Don.
For a year or so, we were essentially equals. He worked part-time, I was full. We worked in different departments, but helped each other out as needed.
When I was promoted up to team leader in my area, half of my team was transferred out to other areas. This was not a good time for me. I was not used to struggling.
Bob knew I was struggling and that I had a brief concern with whether I could succeed or not. He gave me a GREAT piece of advice. He said…
Never apply/take a job that you are qualified for. If you do, you will become bored and lose interest. Find the job that is a step or two above where you are now. This will allow to stretch and stay interested, if you are learning new things daily.
Every job that I have had since has been beyond where I was at the time I applied. But I got in, learned, exceeded and succeeded.
Now that I am looking for a job, I have gone against that idea and have been applying to jobs that I am qualified for. On the few occasions that I speak with the people, I am told that I am “overqualified”.
It’s time for me to remember The Goldberg Gambit and find the job I want that is above me… and go for it.
Don.
Friday, May 29, 2009
SAG... Worth its Weight in Gold?
When we were trying to decide whether to go through the whole process of becoming a SAG signatory or not, I wasn’t sure that the SAG card was going to make a difference.
When we learned that one of Larry’s friend of a friend high school classmate was a working professional actor, we contacted her. She went to the same high school as he did, but different years. He knew of her from a friend. He contacted her and we spoke about what she was doing and if she might be free. She was game.
We pursued becoming a SAG signatory for her. However, when we were hiring cast and crew, the fact that we were a signatory impressed most people. It showed that we knew what we were doing. At that point… we didn’t know… exactly.
Larry and I flew up to NYC to attend a meeting on becoming an Independent signatory. We stayed at the Marriott in Times Square, it was just a couple blocks away. We spent a whole lot of money… to learn… not so much.
Some would say that I am borderline OCD. I like to research; I like to read. I spent a couple days going though the SAG site and learning everything I could. I did make a (small) list of questions, which the SAG representative was able to answer. Our return on investment was not great. However, I would rather have spent the money to go up to NYC and not learn much, than have not spent the money and risked not knowing what I needed to know.
Ultimately, we had only one SAG actor on our shoot, but two had just become SAG-eligible. If I had to make one comment, I would say that the SAG actors were more serious. Not about their craft or ability but about themselves. They claimed to be actors, nothing more. Some of the non-union actors would say they were an insurance salesman (or insert job here) that wants to be an actor. I think that Phobia – The Short had an amazing cast (and crew), both union and non-union.
Given the choice, I would always want to be a SAG production- especially in the indie category, where it is easier to have union and non-union actors. You may think that it is too much hassle. But, just do it…
Don.
http://www.sagindie.org/
When we learned that one of Larry’s friend of a friend high school classmate was a working professional actor, we contacted her. She went to the same high school as he did, but different years. He knew of her from a friend. He contacted her and we spoke about what she was doing and if she might be free. She was game.
We pursued becoming a SAG signatory for her. However, when we were hiring cast and crew, the fact that we were a signatory impressed most people. It showed that we knew what we were doing. At that point… we didn’t know… exactly.
Larry and I flew up to NYC to attend a meeting on becoming an Independent signatory. We stayed at the Marriott in Times Square, it was just a couple blocks away. We spent a whole lot of money… to learn… not so much.
Some would say that I am borderline OCD. I like to research; I like to read. I spent a couple days going though the SAG site and learning everything I could. I did make a (small) list of questions, which the SAG representative was able to answer. Our return on investment was not great. However, I would rather have spent the money to go up to NYC and not learn much, than have not spent the money and risked not knowing what I needed to know.
Ultimately, we had only one SAG actor on our shoot, but two had just become SAG-eligible. If I had to make one comment, I would say that the SAG actors were more serious. Not about their craft or ability but about themselves. They claimed to be actors, nothing more. Some of the non-union actors would say they were an insurance salesman (or insert job here) that wants to be an actor. I think that Phobia – The Short had an amazing cast (and crew), both union and non-union.
Given the choice, I would always want to be a SAG production- especially in the indie category, where it is easier to have union and non-union actors. You may think that it is too much hassle. But, just do it…
Don.
http://www.sagindie.org/
Thursday, May 28, 2009
A Couple of More Reasons Not to Watch the “Big Networks”…
UPDATE…
While Medium was not picked up by NBC, it was picked up by CBS and will air on Friday nights.
Despite the fact that the smallest network (MyNetworkTV) was up 46% in viewers last year, the network has essentially given up its status as a network and is moving to distribute syndicated content.
The good news is that MyNetworkTV has picked up several of recently cancelled “big network” shows. Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Deal or No Deal have found new life. As have one show that I have watched on an inconsistent basis- Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, and one show that never miss… that is unless football pushed the show before it so late that my DVR would miss it… The Unit.
With the simple addition of The Unit, I will watch one more show on the MyNetworkTV non-network than I will be watching on NBC. And if Reaper get picked up as well...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003977220
Don.
While Medium was not picked up by NBC, it was picked up by CBS and will air on Friday nights.
Despite the fact that the smallest network (MyNetworkTV) was up 46% in viewers last year, the network has essentially given up its status as a network and is moving to distribute syndicated content.
The good news is that MyNetworkTV has picked up several of recently cancelled “big network” shows. Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Deal or No Deal have found new life. As have one show that I have watched on an inconsistent basis- Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, and one show that never miss… that is unless football pushed the show before it so late that my DVR would miss it… The Unit.
With the simple addition of The Unit, I will watch one more show on the MyNetworkTV non-network than I will be watching on NBC. And if Reaper get picked up as well...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003977220
Don.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Just a couple of Phobia's jpgs...
The official Phobia - The Short poster.
The official Phobia logo.
Phobia - The Short was an official selection at New Filmmakers Fall 2007 Film Festival in NYC on Halloween.
The film Phobia was shot entirely in Florida.
Don.
Some Additional Links...
Some of my favorite and most useful links...
http://pro.imdb.com/
http://www.the-numbers.com/
http://www.aintitcool.com/
http://www.triggerstreet.com/
http://www.revver.com/
https://www.withoutabox.com/
http://www.sagindie.org/
http://www.indymogul.com/
http://www.wga.org/
http://www.afi.com/
http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/att_work.asp
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/
http://www.radicalcareering.com/
http://www.catherineclinch.com/
http://www.filminflorida.com/wh/ws.asp
http://www.fmpta.org/
http://www.tampahub.com/TampaBayFilm/index.html
Don.
http://pro.imdb.com/
http://www.the-numbers.com/
http://www.aintitcool.com/
http://www.triggerstreet.com/
http://www.revver.com/
https://www.withoutabox.com/
http://www.sagindie.org/
http://www.indymogul.com/
http://www.wga.org/
http://www.afi.com/
http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/att_work.asp
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/
http://www.radicalcareering.com/
http://www.catherineclinch.com/
http://www.filminflorida.com/wh/ws.asp
http://www.fmpta.org/
http://www.tampahub.com/TampaBayFilm/index.html
Don.
Listen up...
Just a couple of podcasts to listen to...
While there are dozens (if not hundreds) of podcasts relating to the behinds-the-scenes of filmmaking, I am quite fond of a few...
One focuses on the work of directors, appropriately located at http://www.watchingthedirectors.com/ The husband and wife team take a director that may be current or classic and discuss their body of work and evolution in each episode. The podcast has ended and the website has not been updated since last year. But, the shows are still available.
The second podcast focuses on screenwriters and can be found at http://creativescreenwritingmagazine.blogspot.com/
The final podcast is http://www.onthepage.tv/podcast.php hosted by Pilar Alessandra, script doctor and screenwriting consultant.I suggest that you check them out.
Don.
While there are dozens (if not hundreds) of podcasts relating to the behinds-the-scenes of filmmaking, I am quite fond of a few...
One focuses on the work of directors, appropriately located at http://www.watchingthedirectors.com/ The husband and wife team take a director that may be current or classic and discuss their body of work and evolution in each episode. The podcast has ended and the website has not been updated since last year. But, the shows are still available.
The second podcast focuses on screenwriters and can be found at http://creativescreenwritingmagazine.blogspot.com/
The final podcast is http://www.onthepage.tv/podcast.php hosted by Pilar Alessandra, script doctor and screenwriting consultant.I suggest that you check them out.
Don.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Lie. Get the job.
Recently, I answered an job posting for a short film. The writer-director liked me and my resume. I was offered my pick of jobs on the set. I asked what the shooting schedule was. [With two kids under the age of three and a wife that works about 12-hours a day, I don’t mind late or long hours but I have to have a schedule (tentative at least) so I can make sure my kids are covered.] I never got an answer.
I asked about the shooting schedule again. I was asked what job I wanted. I replied. I was told, “…great, welcome aboard”. I asked a 3rd time about the schedule- I never got a good answer.
I was given dates- that "may or may not be all of the shooting dates". It took me 2 days to make sure that I had triple back-up child care since I had no clue as to what times we would be shooting. I let the director know that I was totally available without restriction- and was then told that the position had been filled.
What? Was I being difficult by asking what the shooting schedule was? Was it unprofessional of me to explain that I just had to ensure that my children were taken care off?
In the making of my film, Phobia, I was irritated, annoyed and occasionally pissed when people would pull some schedule conflict out of the air. I appreciated and thanked the people that had provided me with their schedules and conflicts well in advance so that they could be worked out.
In my opinion, be honest… as early and as often as possible.
Don.
I asked about the shooting schedule again. I was asked what job I wanted. I replied. I was told, “…great, welcome aboard”. I asked a 3rd time about the schedule- I never got a good answer.
I was given dates- that "may or may not be all of the shooting dates". It took me 2 days to make sure that I had triple back-up child care since I had no clue as to what times we would be shooting. I let the director know that I was totally available without restriction- and was then told that the position had been filled.
What? Was I being difficult by asking what the shooting schedule was? Was it unprofessional of me to explain that I just had to ensure that my children were taken care off?
In the making of my film, Phobia, I was irritated, annoyed and occasionally pissed when people would pull some schedule conflict out of the air. I appreciated and thanked the people that had provided me with their schedules and conflicts well in advance so that they could be worked out.
In my opinion, be honest… as early and as often as possible.
Don.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Salvation Terminated...
Well, I went to the movies Saturday and… much like homemade stew – Star Trek is even better the 2nd time around. To all the haters out there, this is the best film of the year… I said it. Best… film… of… the… year.
Of course, I did not originally go to see Star Trek again. I went to see Terminator Salvation…
Let me set the record straight. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a feces fragment left lingering in the hot Arizona sun for the summer. Terminator is like sitting there watching the feces fragment linger in the hot Arizona sun for the summer.
TS was not… horrible. It was just… Ugh. It had no inertia, no movement… great special effects- but useless to the lifeless story.
No spoilers here. John Connor= wussy. Just like all other incarnations. Moon Bloodgood was totally underused and Bryce Dallas Howard… was she even in the movie? Anton Yelchin (Chekov from Star Trek, by-the-way) and Sam Worthington were the only actors that had any material to even attempt to act with.
OK...
***ONE SPOILER***
There is no tub sex… or sub text… in this movie. The boring first few seconds, clearly establish that Helena Bonham Carter is blatantly dying from cancer. Then, it had to be acknowledged and pointed out. Later in the film, it gets even more screen time. Apparently the target audience for this film is the brain damaged. The film spells everything out. Nothing is left to your mind for interpretation.
With this movie, I realized how McG directs…
Alfred Hitchcock used to spend a painstakingly amount of time on the storyboards for his films. When he was done, he was reported to say that the movie was complete… all that was left was to put it on film. He felt that as long as his storyboards were followed correctly, that anyone could capture the images on film.
After about the 1st 30-seconds of the film, myself and my companion began spitting out the film that was being paid homage to in the shot and/or scene. (Anyone that listened to the Charlie’s Angels director’s commentary knows that every shot in every scene comes directly from a film that he has seen.) From Apocalypse Now to Terminator, from T2 to Mad Max to Iron Eagle, from Planet of the Apes to The Transformers to Mission Impossible, from Battlestar Galactica to Cloverfield to I Am Legend, from Blackhawk Down to X-Men Origins: Wolverine… The list could go on… Pretty much, unless it was a Kevin Smith movie, Terminator Salvation paid “homage” to it.
Back to Hitchcock’s method… I figured out how McG directs. He pulls all of his DVD’s out and goes through them until he finds the shot or full scene he wants, then he records that and then moves on. When he is done, he simply hands his crew his homemade film and tells his crew to go shoot it.
Once again… if you feel the need to go see Terminator Salvation (or X-Men Origins: Wolverine) buy a ticket for Star Trek then go see whatever you want. I don’t believe in stealing the movies for free, but if you pay someone- then you are not technically stealing from the theatre. As for the studios and production companies… Everyone involved with the making of Star Trek should be rewarded and encouraged to make more; the people involved in the making of Salvation and Wolverine should be penalized and pushed to retire, to hopefully never darken our lives with such dreck again.
Don.
(Image borrowed from http://pro.imdb.com/media/rm3001845760/tt0796366)
Of course, I did not originally go to see Star Trek again. I went to see Terminator Salvation…
Let me set the record straight. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a feces fragment left lingering in the hot Arizona sun for the summer. Terminator is like sitting there watching the feces fragment linger in the hot Arizona sun for the summer.
TS was not… horrible. It was just… Ugh. It had no inertia, no movement… great special effects- but useless to the lifeless story.
No spoilers here. John Connor= wussy. Just like all other incarnations. Moon Bloodgood was totally underused and Bryce Dallas Howard… was she even in the movie? Anton Yelchin (Chekov from Star Trek, by-the-way) and Sam Worthington were the only actors that had any material to even attempt to act with.
OK...
***ONE SPOILER***
There is no tub sex… or sub text… in this movie. The boring first few seconds, clearly establish that Helena Bonham Carter is blatantly dying from cancer. Then, it had to be acknowledged and pointed out. Later in the film, it gets even more screen time. Apparently the target audience for this film is the brain damaged. The film spells everything out. Nothing is left to your mind for interpretation.
With this movie, I realized how McG directs…
Alfred Hitchcock used to spend a painstakingly amount of time on the storyboards for his films. When he was done, he was reported to say that the movie was complete… all that was left was to put it on film. He felt that as long as his storyboards were followed correctly, that anyone could capture the images on film.
After about the 1st 30-seconds of the film, myself and my companion began spitting out the film that was being paid homage to in the shot and/or scene. (Anyone that listened to the Charlie’s Angels director’s commentary knows that every shot in every scene comes directly from a film that he has seen.) From Apocalypse Now to Terminator, from T2 to Mad Max to Iron Eagle, from Planet of the Apes to The Transformers to Mission Impossible, from Battlestar Galactica to Cloverfield to I Am Legend, from Blackhawk Down to X-Men Origins: Wolverine… The list could go on… Pretty much, unless it was a Kevin Smith movie, Terminator Salvation paid “homage” to it.
Back to Hitchcock’s method… I figured out how McG directs. He pulls all of his DVD’s out and goes through them until he finds the shot or full scene he wants, then he records that and then moves on. When he is done, he simply hands his crew his homemade film and tells his crew to go shoot it.
Once again… if you feel the need to go see Terminator Salvation (or X-Men Origins: Wolverine) buy a ticket for Star Trek then go see whatever you want. I don’t believe in stealing the movies for free, but if you pay someone- then you are not technically stealing from the theatre. As for the studios and production companies… Everyone involved with the making of Star Trek should be rewarded and encouraged to make more; the people involved in the making of Salvation and Wolverine should be penalized and pushed to retire, to hopefully never darken our lives with such dreck again.
Don.
(Image borrowed from http://pro.imdb.com/media/rm3001845760/tt0796366)
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Plan, Plan and Plan Again.
Being an independent filmmaker, one has to wear many hats- especially in the early days of pre-production.
When planning Phobia, I planned out an extremely tight schedule. I planned every shot and how to best work the days. We had 21 pages of script and 6 days, over three weekends. Which would work out to about 3 ½ pages a day. However, we had quite a bit of small bits of actions and also several special effects that took hours of prep.
No one thought that we could make the 6 day shooting schedule, especially one key crew member- who fought me every step of the way.
I knew what I could do and just had to keep everyone on schedule. I had a phenomenal 1st AD that helped me keep everything to my tight schedule. We worked well together, and even though I planned most of the schedule and shot list myself, I kept her and everyone on crew in the loop as much as possible.
I cannot say enough how great it is to work with a dedicated cast and crew. Dedication can help get things done when there is no more time, money or energy.
If you create a realistic production plan and can sell it to your potential cast and crew, you can develop quite a dedicated group.
You have to plan, plan, plan. And, then look at the plan and plan again.
Don.
When planning Phobia, I planned out an extremely tight schedule. I planned every shot and how to best work the days. We had 21 pages of script and 6 days, over three weekends. Which would work out to about 3 ½ pages a day. However, we had quite a bit of small bits of actions and also several special effects that took hours of prep.
No one thought that we could make the 6 day shooting schedule, especially one key crew member- who fought me every step of the way.
I knew what I could do and just had to keep everyone on schedule. I had a phenomenal 1st AD that helped me keep everything to my tight schedule. We worked well together, and even though I planned most of the schedule and shot list myself, I kept her and everyone on crew in the loop as much as possible.
I cannot say enough how great it is to work with a dedicated cast and crew. Dedication can help get things done when there is no more time, money or energy.
If you create a realistic production plan and can sell it to your potential cast and crew, you can develop quite a dedicated group.
You have to plan, plan, plan. And, then look at the plan and plan again.
Don.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Location, Location, Location...
SHOW your locations, especially when you have them.
No one will ever know how amazing you locations are, nor how beautiful the places you film, if you don't show them. Shooting Phobia, we were granted almost unlimited access to The University of Tampa.
Our one limitation was that we were not to shoot one very distinctive part of the campuses architecture. That was not a problem. I walked through with my DP and we discussed what to shoot and how to shoot it.
We were given a few rooms specifically, then allowed access to other rooms or any areas that did not interfere with the summer students' activities. We filmed in many different areas of one floor and then we were able to shoot in two different offices. We also shot six different locations outside on the university grounds.
The problem was that we did not get establishing shots. I had asked my crew to get the shots, but not followed up on them. We have these beautiful locations but no wide establishing shots to give the viewers the feeling of where we truly are.
If you have great locations, or even if you don't, get the best establishing shots that you can... and get quite a few of them.
Don.
PS. In life, you must follow up on everything. Or, its your fault.
No one will ever know how amazing you locations are, nor how beautiful the places you film, if you don't show them. Shooting Phobia, we were granted almost unlimited access to The University of Tampa.
Our one limitation was that we were not to shoot one very distinctive part of the campuses architecture. That was not a problem. I walked through with my DP and we discussed what to shoot and how to shoot it.
We were given a few rooms specifically, then allowed access to other rooms or any areas that did not interfere with the summer students' activities. We filmed in many different areas of one floor and then we were able to shoot in two different offices. We also shot six different locations outside on the university grounds.
The problem was that we did not get establishing shots. I had asked my crew to get the shots, but not followed up on them. We have these beautiful locations but no wide establishing shots to give the viewers the feeling of where we truly are.
If you have great locations, or even if you don't, get the best establishing shots that you can... and get quite a few of them.
Don.
PS. In life, you must follow up on everything. Or, its your fault.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Collaboration - for better or worse...
Filmmaking is a collaborative medium. When a film gets distributed and makes money it becomes a movie. And a movie is part of show business. People tend to think of the filmmaking side but forget the show business part. Most people want to pursue the art without the business.
When you make a film, you have to realize that everyone working on the film is an artist. Everyone knows that the writer and actors are creative artists, not everyone thinks of gaffers or the boom operators are artists, as-well. Every artist is protective of their art. People are willing to buttheads and fight for their ideas - their art.
The director has to walk the show business line. In the world of television, generally the showrunner is a writer and usually the creator, he (or she) is the one that controls the direction of the show (along as the people paying the bills allow it). In the world of films, the director is the one that has the responsibility to provide the direction - the overall vision of the film. The director has to motivate all of the artists to do their best, while getting what he needs/wants for his (or her) vision. The director must also deal with the money men- whether producers, investors or studios.
Some great movies can be made when everyone is empowered and gives their best to the collaboration. However, some films fall apart from the poor act of collaboration.
Can you sell everyone on your vision? Can you work towards a compromise of ideas without a compromise of standards?
What do you want your filmmaking experience to be like?
Don.
When you make a film, you have to realize that everyone working on the film is an artist. Everyone knows that the writer and actors are creative artists, not everyone thinks of gaffers or the boom operators are artists, as-well. Every artist is protective of their art. People are willing to buttheads and fight for their ideas - their art.
The director has to walk the show business line. In the world of television, generally the showrunner is a writer and usually the creator, he (or she) is the one that controls the direction of the show (along as the people paying the bills allow it). In the world of films, the director is the one that has the responsibility to provide the direction - the overall vision of the film. The director has to motivate all of the artists to do their best, while getting what he needs/wants for his (or her) vision. The director must also deal with the money men- whether producers, investors or studios.
Some great movies can be made when everyone is empowered and gives their best to the collaboration. However, some films fall apart from the poor act of collaboration.
Can you sell everyone on your vision? Can you work towards a compromise of ideas without a compromise of standards?
What do you want your filmmaking experience to be like?
Don.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Who Watches the Networks?
I have been looking through the new fall shows and schedules of the "major networks"and I am struck with one question…
Who are the target audiences for the networks these days?
With the way that Donald Trump treated T-Boz and Khloe Kardashian on The Celebrity Apprentice, not to mention the way the Rivers women (Joan and Melissa) treated Brande and Annie (and the producers) - I will not be watching that show again.
And, with Life and Medium off the schedule, I can honestly say that I will not be wasting my valuable DVR hard drive space with any of the shows on the upcoming NBC schedule.
http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/nbc-picks-up-chuck-and-da.php
With FOX cancelling The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Prison Break, I will be watching Bones, Fringe, Dollhouse and the Gordon Ramsay shows. The Human Target looks like it could be an interesting new show, though.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003974025
ABC has renewed the somewhat amusing Better Off Ted, and cancelled Amber Tamblyn’s The Unusuals as-well-as Boston Legal and the fantastic Eli Stone. So, it is safe to say that I will only definitely be watching Lost, Castle and Extreme Home Makeover. With Supernanny, Better Off Ted and V good possibilities, as long as my DVR has no conflicts.
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/05/abc_fall_schedule_announcement.html
Check out V clips here. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/41130
As for CBS, I can’t believe that The Unit has not been renewed. With that in mind, unless Medium moves to CBS, the only CBS shows that I have any interest in are the Monday Night Comedies (provided that they stay intact) and Survivor- depending on the cast of characters.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003974084
Technically, CBS does not release its fall schedule until later today. The CW releases their schedule May 21st.
With barely a dozen shows of interest airing on the five “big networks” over seven nights--- I know that the networks are not programming shows for me.
So, who are they programming for?
Don.
Who are the target audiences for the networks these days?
With the way that Donald Trump treated T-Boz and Khloe Kardashian on The Celebrity Apprentice, not to mention the way the Rivers women (Joan and Melissa) treated Brande and Annie (and the producers) - I will not be watching that show again.
And, with Life and Medium off the schedule, I can honestly say that I will not be wasting my valuable DVR hard drive space with any of the shows on the upcoming NBC schedule.
http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/nbc-picks-up-chuck-and-da.php
With FOX cancelling The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Prison Break, I will be watching Bones, Fringe, Dollhouse and the Gordon Ramsay shows. The Human Target looks like it could be an interesting new show, though.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003974025
ABC has renewed the somewhat amusing Better Off Ted, and cancelled Amber Tamblyn’s The Unusuals as-well-as Boston Legal and the fantastic Eli Stone. So, it is safe to say that I will only definitely be watching Lost, Castle and Extreme Home Makeover. With Supernanny, Better Off Ted and V good possibilities, as long as my DVR has no conflicts.
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009/05/abc_fall_schedule_announcement.html
Check out V clips here. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/41130
As for CBS, I can’t believe that The Unit has not been renewed. With that in mind, unless Medium moves to CBS, the only CBS shows that I have any interest in are the Monday Night Comedies (provided that they stay intact) and Survivor- depending on the cast of characters.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003974084
Technically, CBS does not release its fall schedule until later today. The CW releases their schedule May 21st.
With barely a dozen shows of interest airing on the five “big networks” over seven nights--- I know that the networks are not programming shows for me.
So, who are they programming for?
Don.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
You need a pair of fresh eyes...
When do you know that it’s time to get a fresh pair of eyes on your project?
With studio films, they will show cuts of the movie and will let those strangers determine the fate/ plot of the movie. But for the independent filmmaker, what do they do?
As a screenwriter with a writing partner, we sometimes will run into the issue where we have discussed and plotted out the script so much that we know why things happen- but on occasion we miss them in the script. You need to have a few people that understand how scripts/films work and can intelligently explain their feelings and opinions.
At RnD, we have a good cross-section of readers that we use to gather opinions of our scripts after our 1st drafts are complete. We are then able to take a brief break from our script for the week or so that we give the readers and by the time that we have their notes- but before we read them, we will re-read the draft and make our own notes. Then, we will take our notes and the notes of our readers and begin our editing process from there.
When we were working on Phobia, we didn’t have many people that watched the movie that weren’t involved in the filmmaking process. I think that was one of the things that slowed up our editing process; whenever we seemed to have a final version we would discover something new.
We needed to have our own independent reviewers. You need them too. Anyone with a set of fresh and independent eyes can do wonders for you project.
Don.
With studio films, they will show cuts of the movie and will let those strangers determine the fate/ plot of the movie. But for the independent filmmaker, what do they do?
As a screenwriter with a writing partner, we sometimes will run into the issue where we have discussed and plotted out the script so much that we know why things happen- but on occasion we miss them in the script. You need to have a few people that understand how scripts/films work and can intelligently explain their feelings and opinions.
At RnD, we have a good cross-section of readers that we use to gather opinions of our scripts after our 1st drafts are complete. We are then able to take a brief break from our script for the week or so that we give the readers and by the time that we have their notes- but before we read them, we will re-read the draft and make our own notes. Then, we will take our notes and the notes of our readers and begin our editing process from there.
When we were working on Phobia, we didn’t have many people that watched the movie that weren’t involved in the filmmaking process. I think that was one of the things that slowed up our editing process; whenever we seemed to have a final version we would discover something new.
We needed to have our own independent reviewers. You need them too. Anyone with a set of fresh and independent eyes can do wonders for you project.
Don.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Save. Back up. Save again.
When I was in college, the school was using ¾” video recording equipment. To say that I shot and edited hundreds of hours of footage would be an understatement.
Between my own production classes and assisting friends in other classes, I would probably have shot a couple hours of footage almost every day of the week and usually, I was locked in the editing bays for a good 8-12 hours a week, or more. I used to get lost in editing; there were quite a few weekend days that I would sign in at 8am and not realize that it was 5pm, until some staffer asked me if I wanted them to pick me up food when they ran out on break.
My dedication, hard work and skill led to me being asked by the school to shoot and edit a conference that would be used for educational purposes for New York State employees. I became involved in our school’s Communication Arts Society and helped create the TV/video side of it. We produced a talent show benefit for the St. Jude’s Foundation, which I shot and edited. That talent show introduced me and my future RnD partner to many local singers and bands; we were asked to create a number of music videos and short promotional documentaries for them.
Both the college that I earned my AS degree at and the one that granted me my BA used ¾” equipment. When I moved to FL, the dozen plus copy paper boxes filled with the ¾” tapes were placed in a (extremely large) storage unit- along with everything else that did not fit in my car.
Two years later, when I finally returned to empty out my storage unit, I made the decision to toss all of the tapes. Where was I ever going to get a ¾” editing deck?
I have a couple of letters acknowledging and thanking me for my work… That’s virtually it. I can put everything on my resume- but I have no footage, no reel to show as either proof that I did the work, or as a visual representation of my work, talent or style.
Now, two years or so ago, when I moved into my house- I did discover a couple of school projects that had been converted to VHS. I now have a couple (and only a couple) of examples of my college work, most of them 2nd or 3rd generation or later and all over 10-years-old. They are not really anything I can use on a current reel.
These days, you can buy a terabyte drive for barely $100 with sales and rebates, and of course there are DVDs and even jump drives for easy storage and organization. Don’t be a fool. ALWAYS keep a copy of EVERYTHING that you shoot, you never know when you might be able to use unused footage from one project for another.
Don.
Between my own production classes and assisting friends in other classes, I would probably have shot a couple hours of footage almost every day of the week and usually, I was locked in the editing bays for a good 8-12 hours a week, or more. I used to get lost in editing; there were quite a few weekend days that I would sign in at 8am and not realize that it was 5pm, until some staffer asked me if I wanted them to pick me up food when they ran out on break.
My dedication, hard work and skill led to me being asked by the school to shoot and edit a conference that would be used for educational purposes for New York State employees. I became involved in our school’s Communication Arts Society and helped create the TV/video side of it. We produced a talent show benefit for the St. Jude’s Foundation, which I shot and edited. That talent show introduced me and my future RnD partner to many local singers and bands; we were asked to create a number of music videos and short promotional documentaries for them.
Both the college that I earned my AS degree at and the one that granted me my BA used ¾” equipment. When I moved to FL, the dozen plus copy paper boxes filled with the ¾” tapes were placed in a (extremely large) storage unit- along with everything else that did not fit in my car.
Two years later, when I finally returned to empty out my storage unit, I made the decision to toss all of the tapes. Where was I ever going to get a ¾” editing deck?
I have a couple of letters acknowledging and thanking me for my work… That’s virtually it. I can put everything on my resume- but I have no footage, no reel to show as either proof that I did the work, or as a visual representation of my work, talent or style.
Now, two years or so ago, when I moved into my house- I did discover a couple of school projects that had been converted to VHS. I now have a couple (and only a couple) of examples of my college work, most of them 2nd or 3rd generation or later and all over 10-years-old. They are not really anything I can use on a current reel.
These days, you can buy a terabyte drive for barely $100 with sales and rebates, and of course there are DVDs and even jump drives for easy storage and organization. Don’t be a fool. ALWAYS keep a copy of EVERYTHING that you shoot, you never know when you might be able to use unused footage from one project for another.
Don.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Prison Break... The doors are locked...
I just saw the Prison Break finale.
Several years ago, when the show 1st premiered, I wondered how a show could keep going for an entire season when the whole plot of the show was… a prison break. But with the two leads from two brilliant but cancelled shows - Joan of Arcadia (Wentworth Miller) and John Doe (Dominic Purcell), I took a chance… and loved it.
Over the years the show has had a few downs, and very many ups. This show has by definition been “edge of your seat” entertainment. At its best, it was better than 24.
Unfortunately, 24 and Jack Bauer continue to live on and fight more and more asinine threats, while Michael Scofield has left us.
My wife and I don’t like all that many of the same shows- but we both love Prison Break. We both have friends that we talk about the show with on Mondays.
Since the show returned with its last few episodes, the show has seemed weaker. Michael Scofield was no longer one of the most intelligent and interesting characters on television. As the finale progressed, I grew more and more irritated and couldn’t believe what the show was doing to Michael.
Then with five minutes left…
---SPOILER ALERT---
Several years ago, when the show 1st premiered, I wondered how a show could keep going for an entire season when the whole plot of the show was… a prison break. But with the two leads from two brilliant but cancelled shows - Joan of Arcadia (Wentworth Miller) and John Doe (Dominic Purcell), I took a chance… and loved it.
Over the years the show has had a few downs, and very many ups. This show has by definition been “edge of your seat” entertainment. At its best, it was better than 24.
Unfortunately, 24 and Jack Bauer continue to live on and fight more and more asinine threats, while Michael Scofield has left us.
My wife and I don’t like all that many of the same shows- but we both love Prison Break. We both have friends that we talk about the show with on Mondays.
Since the show returned with its last few episodes, the show has seemed weaker. Michael Scofield was no longer one of the most intelligent and interesting characters on television. As the finale progressed, I grew more and more irritated and couldn’t believe what the show was doing to Michael.
Then with five minutes left…
---SPOILER ALERT---
I saw it coming. The consistent rubbing of his head and the nose bleed at the end. Someone was paying for everything that had happened in the show… and it was the one person that we all wanted to see come out alive and safe. My wife was crying when they revealed Michael’s headstone. And I cannot deny, that even with seeing it coming from a mile away… I began to tear up as well. It did not matter how much the finale had sucked- at the end, the finale was a winner.
Don.
(Photo borrowed from http://pro.imdb.com/media/rm1532401920/tt0455275)
Zoe Hunter Saves the Universe...
The cast and crew of Phobia were dedicated and amazing. However, one woman gave up being away from her home and husband on her birthday to be part of our project. Zoe Hunter.
Zoe was the only member of our 50 person cast and crew that did not have a connection to the Tampa Bay area. She is a professional actress with (then)19 movies to her credit and numerous other voice-overs and commercials. She is a SAG member- and yes, we had to become a SAG signatory to hire her (more on that at a later date).
Larry and I met with Zoe and pitched her Phobia when we were in NYC for a SAG signatory meeting. We got along great. But you never know how someone will behave when they are working. She had by far the biggest resume of all of our cast and crew. When she noticed things being done… unconventionally, shall we say, she pulled Larry or myself to the side, in private, and voiced her concerns or opinions.
Zoe was a consummate professional, she never complained and made her tedious time in make-up fun. Zoe gets some of the best reactions and praise from the people that have seen the film. This is a benefit of working with a professional SAG actor.
Don.
All photos are (c) Nathaniel Smith.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
It’s in the contract, dumbass.
As I have been searching for jobs, I have been coming across various postings by filmmakers that are scrambling to replace people, places and equipment. You should always have contracts with everyone on your cast and crew.
With Phobia, I had thought that we had covered all of our bases. My producer and I had spent countless hours researching the contracts and forms used on film sets. We had everyone on our cast and crew sign multiple contracts that covered everything from being caught on screen to having their names used for promotional purposes.
However, with all of planning that we had done, we were far from perfect. Early on, when we were looking to crew up, we went over several people for one significant position. We made a decision based on who wanted lots of money and who would work for free. One of the guys that would work for free told us that he could get us free equipment.
I should have realized early on that he was going to be a problem, but we were in a time crunch and I’m sure he thought that he was trying to help. He was nothing but a problem, and I dreaded his phone calls every – single – day. He had guaranteed us free equipment, so we put aside his... idiosyncrasies.
Unfortunately, the closer we got to our shoot dates the more frequently his story changed. He couldn’t get in touch with his friend that owned the equipment. His other friend that owned equipment was out of the country. His third friend that had equipment wouldn’t let him use the equipment. There were more stories but I stopped listening and let my producer deal with him as I had so much going on trying to get the shoot ready.
Ultimately, this one crew member more than doubled our budget. Two days before principal photography was about to begin, we were forced to buy this equipment because we had trusted this man and had been giving us nothing but the runaround, resistance and problems.
Had we been provided the honest information about the equipment we would have been able to find inexpensive alternatives in the six weeks we had been depending on this man for so much of our needed equipment. Big studios can throw money at a film to fix problems. When you are self-financing, the jump from an $8,000 budget to $17,000 is destructive.
Have a contract that very explicitly spells out what each cast and crew member is to bring to the table. Even if you don’t have a barrage of lawyers, people will take you more seriously if you take yourself seriously and behave professionally. Don’t be a dumbass; get the contracts ready.
Don.
With Phobia, I had thought that we had covered all of our bases. My producer and I had spent countless hours researching the contracts and forms used on film sets. We had everyone on our cast and crew sign multiple contracts that covered everything from being caught on screen to having their names used for promotional purposes.
However, with all of planning that we had done, we were far from perfect. Early on, when we were looking to crew up, we went over several people for one significant position. We made a decision based on who wanted lots of money and who would work for free. One of the guys that would work for free told us that he could get us free equipment.
I should have realized early on that he was going to be a problem, but we were in a time crunch and I’m sure he thought that he was trying to help. He was nothing but a problem, and I dreaded his phone calls every – single – day. He had guaranteed us free equipment, so we put aside his... idiosyncrasies.
Unfortunately, the closer we got to our shoot dates the more frequently his story changed. He couldn’t get in touch with his friend that owned the equipment. His other friend that owned equipment was out of the country. His third friend that had equipment wouldn’t let him use the equipment. There were more stories but I stopped listening and let my producer deal with him as I had so much going on trying to get the shoot ready.
Ultimately, this one crew member more than doubled our budget. Two days before principal photography was about to begin, we were forced to buy this equipment because we had trusted this man and had been giving us nothing but the runaround, resistance and problems.
Had we been provided the honest information about the equipment we would have been able to find inexpensive alternatives in the six weeks we had been depending on this man for so much of our needed equipment. Big studios can throw money at a film to fix problems. When you are self-financing, the jump from an $8,000 budget to $17,000 is destructive.
Have a contract that very explicitly spells out what each cast and crew member is to bring to the table. Even if you don’t have a barrage of lawyers, people will take you more seriously if you take yourself seriously and behave professionally. Don’t be a dumbass; get the contracts ready.
Don.
Friday, May 15, 2009
IMDb, what fore art thou?
IMDb. Have you heard of it? I was talking with someone that is trying to raise money to shoot a film and they had never heard of IMDb.
Would you use a doctor that has never heard of the AMA?
IMDb is one of the best resources that an up-and-coming filmmaker/actor/etc… has. Even if you overlook the news and the message boards the site is indispensable. When we were crewing up and casting Phobia, the IMDb message boards were one of four places we posted and nearly ½ of the 200 candidates that we had came from there. But, I did say to overlook the message boards…
I had never been through a casting before; in college you use your friends and classmates. Once we had seen everyone and sat down to make our final decisions- I just was not sure who would be the best for some of the roles. To make matters worse, my producer, casting manager and I did not completely agree on who we liked. When I re-watched their audition tapes it didn’t help much. I then turned to IMDb.
I was amazed by people that handed me resumes with a long list of jobs that were not listed on the site. One person had a straight-to-video Tremors film on the resume but it was nowhere on his IMDb page. I understand that some jobs may be “uncredited” but you can still post them as “Other Works” or “Trivia” on your page.
Ultimately, the Phobia cast and crew totaled 50, with 27% having IMDb pages before our film was able to get listed and now 100% of the cast and crew have pages. When we were trying to get some deals and donations for our film it helped that we had that 27% listed. People saw that we weren’t just some fans trying to waste a few weekends making a “film”. We had some true cred because we had the people with credentials.
I am not sponsored by IMDb- and they pretty much have given me nothing but grief while trying to get the correct info posted for Phobia. However, it is one of the few websites that I do check every day- I check out the news, the message boards, get information on “that actor” that looked familiar on “that show” but was not sure who he was. I also like the fact that you can view people by birthplaces, etc…- I like this to help to develop possible contact information. The site also comes in handy when you're at home and your producer is at a red carpet premiere and calls and asks you who someone is.
If you have any interest in filmmaking, please... know what IMDb is.
Don.
Would you use a doctor that has never heard of the AMA?
IMDb is one of the best resources that an up-and-coming filmmaker/actor/etc… has. Even if you overlook the news and the message boards the site is indispensable. When we were crewing up and casting Phobia, the IMDb message boards were one of four places we posted and nearly ½ of the 200 candidates that we had came from there. But, I did say to overlook the message boards…
I had never been through a casting before; in college you use your friends and classmates. Once we had seen everyone and sat down to make our final decisions- I just was not sure who would be the best for some of the roles. To make matters worse, my producer, casting manager and I did not completely agree on who we liked. When I re-watched their audition tapes it didn’t help much. I then turned to IMDb.
I was amazed by people that handed me resumes with a long list of jobs that were not listed on the site. One person had a straight-to-video Tremors film on the resume but it was nowhere on his IMDb page. I understand that some jobs may be “uncredited” but you can still post them as “Other Works” or “Trivia” on your page.
Ultimately, the Phobia cast and crew totaled 50, with 27% having IMDb pages before our film was able to get listed and now 100% of the cast and crew have pages. When we were trying to get some deals and donations for our film it helped that we had that 27% listed. People saw that we weren’t just some fans trying to waste a few weekends making a “film”. We had some true cred because we had the people with credentials.
I am not sponsored by IMDb- and they pretty much have given me nothing but grief while trying to get the correct info posted for Phobia. However, it is one of the few websites that I do check every day- I check out the news, the message boards, get information on “that actor” that looked familiar on “that show” but was not sure who he was. I also like the fact that you can view people by birthplaces, etc…- I like this to help to develop possible contact information. The site also comes in handy when you're at home and your producer is at a red carpet premiere and calls and asks you who someone is.
If you have any interest in filmmaking, please... know what IMDb is.
Don.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Phobia; The Debut...
Phobia – The Short debuted in NYC at the NewFilmmakers Fall 2007 Film Festival on Halloween night. We were one of eight shorts and two features to play that night. Phobia was the last short to play. In the audience were Zoe- a star of the film, Jason- a singer on the soundtrack, Larry- producer, co-writer, et al. and myself, along with a theater of strangers... and a few friends..
About seven mins into the 18 minute movie the worst thing possible happened. The DVD stopped. So did my heart. Once my heart started again, I jumped up and made my way to the projectionist- whom we had previously met. Luckily, I had a couple of additional copies of the DVD with me. However, it turned out that there was a player problem and not a DVD failure.
Once the film resumed, and my heartbeat slowed to a medically acceptable level, I sat back town. The audience laughed at the few laughing parts and jumped where they were supposed to. When the credits rolled, Phobia seemed to get the loudest applause. Larry and I stepped out to the lobby after our film, before the 1st feature played. I had on my Phobia ball cap and we both were wearing our T-shirts, we were approached by several of the audience members that told us that they loved our film. Everyone said that they could see it as a feature.
The film festival was not a Sundance level but a smaller NYC-based festival for true film lovers that runs twice per year. It was a great experience. Larry and I have been to more than a few dozen film festivals, including Sundance- but up until this point we were always the fans. This time we got to meet some people who could be our fans. Up until this point, everyone that saw a version of the film had been connected to it in some way, shape or form. It was a truly unbelievable and indescribable feeling.
Then, a few weeks later, near Christmas, I had my 1st brush with fame…
I was in line at Toys 'R Us. I had my Phobia T-shirt on. The cashier asked about Phobia. When I started to explain... He asked if there was a scary psycho clown with an ax in it? I said “Yes”. He had seen the film... Now, it is a week before Christmas and there was a long line AND I was taken by surprise, so I didn't get to ask him what he thought. However, unfortunately he would have seen a very rough cut- he saw a cut that Michael- our f/x guru had- which would have been the 1st or 2nd rough cut I believe. Either way, people are seeing and have seen the movie.
When you are passionate about something, it is quite an unbelievable feeling when strangers validate your work. You want people to like your work, but even if they hate it- you have to realize that… people are seeing your work.
Don.
About seven mins into the 18 minute movie the worst thing possible happened. The DVD stopped. So did my heart. Once my heart started again, I jumped up and made my way to the projectionist- whom we had previously met. Luckily, I had a couple of additional copies of the DVD with me. However, it turned out that there was a player problem and not a DVD failure.
Once the film resumed, and my heartbeat slowed to a medically acceptable level, I sat back town. The audience laughed at the few laughing parts and jumped where they were supposed to. When the credits rolled, Phobia seemed to get the loudest applause. Larry and I stepped out to the lobby after our film, before the 1st feature played. I had on my Phobia ball cap and we both were wearing our T-shirts, we were approached by several of the audience members that told us that they loved our film. Everyone said that they could see it as a feature.
The film festival was not a Sundance level but a smaller NYC-based festival for true film lovers that runs twice per year. It was a great experience. Larry and I have been to more than a few dozen film festivals, including Sundance- but up until this point we were always the fans. This time we got to meet some people who could be our fans. Up until this point, everyone that saw a version of the film had been connected to it in some way, shape or form. It was a truly unbelievable and indescribable feeling.
Then, a few weeks later, near Christmas, I had my 1st brush with fame…
I was in line at Toys 'R Us. I had my Phobia T-shirt on. The cashier asked about Phobia. When I started to explain... He asked if there was a scary psycho clown with an ax in it? I said “Yes”. He had seen the film... Now, it is a week before Christmas and there was a long line AND I was taken by surprise, so I didn't get to ask him what he thought. However, unfortunately he would have seen a very rough cut- he saw a cut that Michael- our f/x guru had- which would have been the 1st or 2nd rough cut I believe. Either way, people are seeing and have seen the movie.
When you are passionate about something, it is quite an unbelievable feeling when strangers validate your work. You want people to like your work, but even if they hate it- you have to realize that… people are seeing your work.
Don.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Phobia at the NewFilmmakers 2007 Fall Film Festival.
Phobia - The Short poster for the NewFilmmakers 2007 Fall Film Festival.
Larry (far left) and Don (right) at NewFilmmakers 2007 Fall Film Festival in NYC, October 31st, 2007.Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Phobia; The Beginning...
A few years back, a movie came out that was to be the next big thing. There was a story about a screenwriter that wrote a script and plotted out the next few movies in the saga. I liked the idea that you could actually plot out your movies and their character arcs. Not a totally original idea, but one that had never been laid out like this. The movie was a hit, and great, but the subsequent films never lived up to the hype. I wanted to take that idea to the next level and create a movie where the killer begat a killer who begat a killer. The idea gestated for quite a while. When Larry and I were developing script ideas, my story idea came back up. Collectively, we developed Phobia.
We took quite some time to research and gestate the idea and when we were ready, the first draft of the script was completed in four days. We made some edits based on our trusted readers' notes and worked on making the script better.
Flash forward a year or so, Larry and I were in a Reggae bar in Miami waiting to meet with an agent. We met and liked him. He had a long-term vision of what he wanted to create- his own studio. At the time he was a representative to some singers, soap opera actors and an HBO series' star who later appeared on Lost.
Over the next several months we spent quite a bit of time, and more money traveling from FL to CA to pitch our ideas (Phobia and others). We had quite a few companies that were interested in our script. In one week of pitching we had eight out of nine pitches end in requests for the script.
Our representative had little more to do than deliver the scripts that we had worked so hard to write and pitch. He decided that he would partner up and optioned our script himself. We didn't know better and let him. (HINT: Legally an agent can't be a producer.) He was able to get various "industry" people interested. He never wanted to go for any of the names that we wanted- but be he did get people that have been on various television shows.
Along the way we spent a year in development hell. (That will be subject of many future posts to come.) We did re-writes based on the asinine whims of those involved… The director wanted a classic car (that he could keep after filming) so we had to work it into the script- despite the fact that the whole script is set on a college campus with no cars needed. They wanted it "darker" but didn't have a clue how or what they wanted. More deaths. Done. More violence. Done. Less girl-on-girl action. Done. Our opening sequence became more like a Final Destination movie- than our original script.
We had become frustrated and disillusioned when we were finally told that a $10million budget had been set and financed and the pre-production crew was location scouting in New Orleans. Two days later we were told that the crew was being pulled out do to a hurricane. You may have heard of it… Hurricane Katrina.
After the devastation in New Orleans and surrounding areas, the cast and crew that had been on board started to head on to other projects. There was talk that the movie would be shot from places as far as Vancouver, Prague and even Florida. As the option date came closer to an end, we were told that a new deal was in the works that would have brought both Larry and I roughly double the WGA minimums and kept us on as producers.
While we would have liked the credit (and money), we were glad to be separated from the mess. We decided that we would not option Phobia again and that we would produce our own short film. When we began researching short films, we discovered a number of films that were produced in the hopes of expanding them to a feature. We decided to take a slightly different approach. Our first scene of the feature script would become the final scene of the short. That was just the beginning…
Don.
We took quite some time to research and gestate the idea and when we were ready, the first draft of the script was completed in four days. We made some edits based on our trusted readers' notes and worked on making the script better.
Flash forward a year or so, Larry and I were in a Reggae bar in Miami waiting to meet with an agent. We met and liked him. He had a long-term vision of what he wanted to create- his own studio. At the time he was a representative to some singers, soap opera actors and an HBO series' star who later appeared on Lost.
Over the next several months we spent quite a bit of time, and more money traveling from FL to CA to pitch our ideas (Phobia and others). We had quite a few companies that were interested in our script. In one week of pitching we had eight out of nine pitches end in requests for the script.
Our representative had little more to do than deliver the scripts that we had worked so hard to write and pitch. He decided that he would partner up and optioned our script himself. We didn't know better and let him. (HINT: Legally an agent can't be a producer.) He was able to get various "industry" people interested. He never wanted to go for any of the names that we wanted- but be he did get people that have been on various television shows.
Along the way we spent a year in development hell. (That will be subject of many future posts to come.) We did re-writes based on the asinine whims of those involved… The director wanted a classic car (that he could keep after filming) so we had to work it into the script- despite the fact that the whole script is set on a college campus with no cars needed. They wanted it "darker" but didn't have a clue how or what they wanted. More deaths. Done. More violence. Done. Less girl-on-girl action. Done. Our opening sequence became more like a Final Destination movie- than our original script.
We had become frustrated and disillusioned when we were finally told that a $10million budget had been set and financed and the pre-production crew was location scouting in New Orleans. Two days later we were told that the crew was being pulled out do to a hurricane. You may have heard of it… Hurricane Katrina.
After the devastation in New Orleans and surrounding areas, the cast and crew that had been on board started to head on to other projects. There was talk that the movie would be shot from places as far as Vancouver, Prague and even Florida. As the option date came closer to an end, we were told that a new deal was in the works that would have brought both Larry and I roughly double the WGA minimums and kept us on as producers.
While we would have liked the credit (and money), we were glad to be separated from the mess. We decided that we would not option Phobia again and that we would produce our own short film. When we began researching short films, we discovered a number of films that were produced in the hopes of expanding them to a feature. We decided to take a slightly different approach. Our first scene of the feature script would become the final scene of the short. That was just the beginning…
Don.
Monday, May 11, 2009
George Lucas is the devil...
OK, not really. But, Lucas has been demonized for the process. I am referring to the continuation of the editing process. As an artist, I understand the want and even the need to edit and re-work your work. However, there is always a time when you just need to let it go and walk away – or you re-work your art to death.
I used to be someone that would re-work my work forever. Then, I realized that if you stay focused on that one piece, it becomes hard to produce anything else. Then the pendulum swung in the opposite direction; I would finish a script and then move on to the next. Now, I’d like to think that I have found a happy medium. Once I complete a rough draft of a project now, I will send it off to a limited number of people that I know will provide me honest feedback. I then take in what everyone says and digest it. Sometimes I will make changes, sometimes I will not - but at least I have gotten the opinions of my own focus group.
Richard Kelly gave us on of the greatest films ever, Donnie Darko. The film was released in 2001 and he kept working it. I liked the 2nd DVD but I’m not sure that it was that much more superior to the original DVD release. Then in 2008, Richard Kelly’s 2nd movie was released as straight-to-DVD. Has he damaged his potential to remain a true auteur? (NOTE: I saw the movie... it should have been a straight-to-the-under-$5-Wal-mart-bin.)
How do you know when it’s time to walk away?
Any thoughts?
Don.
I used to be someone that would re-work my work forever. Then, I realized that if you stay focused on that one piece, it becomes hard to produce anything else. Then the pendulum swung in the opposite direction; I would finish a script and then move on to the next. Now, I’d like to think that I have found a happy medium. Once I complete a rough draft of a project now, I will send it off to a limited number of people that I know will provide me honest feedback. I then take in what everyone says and digest it. Sometimes I will make changes, sometimes I will not - but at least I have gotten the opinions of my own focus group.
Richard Kelly gave us on of the greatest films ever, Donnie Darko. The film was released in 2001 and he kept working it. I liked the 2nd DVD but I’m not sure that it was that much more superior to the original DVD release. Then in 2008, Richard Kelly’s 2nd movie was released as straight-to-DVD. Has he damaged his potential to remain a true auteur? (NOTE: I saw the movie... it should have been a straight-to-the-under-$5-Wal-mart-bin.)
How do you know when it’s time to walk away?
Any thoughts?
Don.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The knock-out goes to Kirk in the 1st 30 seconds.
Believe me when I say, drop what you are doing and run out to you're theatre and go to see STAR TREK. WOW... is about the only word that descibes it. Greatest Star Trek movie ever. Lucas should hire BAD ROBOT Productions to make the final trilogy. ;-) That said... There are not enough bad words in the English and American lexicons to decribe the pile of pugent feces that is WOLVERINE. Avoid that movie at all costs.
***reprinted from my Facebook page***
{photo borrowed from http://www.bastardly.com/2009-star-trek-vs-wolverine--set-for-a-box-office-showdown--0508}
What is a filmmaker?
I was reading an article that pretty much said everyone that works on a film is to be considered a filmmaker. They listed actors, directors, stunt people and even craft services as filmmakers. I have to disagree. I don’t want to diminish anyone’s work but just because a nurse or orderly works at the hospital doesn’t make them a surgeon.
I would classify the positions of director and producer as the only true jobs that should be considered a filmmaker. The producer and the director are the only jobs that can get a film made. No matter how exquisite the writing or amazing the actor, the film can not be made without the director and/or producer spearheading the project.
I’m not saying that directing and/or producing must be the primary job, but it has to be a portion of the resume if you want to be considered a filmmaker. I am originally a writer. I was forced to direct and produce to get my own film off the ground. And, I would do it again in a heartbeat. As someone that has written (or co-written) more than two dozen scripts and developed (to some extent) a hundred ideas or so, I had always thought that I would direct a few films while continuing to write other scripts.
What is your definition of a filmmaker?
Don.
I would classify the positions of director and producer as the only true jobs that should be considered a filmmaker. The producer and the director are the only jobs that can get a film made. No matter how exquisite the writing or amazing the actor, the film can not be made without the director and/or producer spearheading the project.
I’m not saying that directing and/or producing must be the primary job, but it has to be a portion of the resume if you want to be considered a filmmaker. I am originally a writer. I was forced to direct and produce to get my own film off the ground. And, I would do it again in a heartbeat. As someone that has written (or co-written) more than two dozen scripts and developed (to some extent) a hundred ideas or so, I had always thought that I would direct a few films while continuing to write other scripts.
What is your definition of a filmmaker?
Don.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Star Trek: Into the Abyss...
I had the television on early one day, as I was online. It’s not something that I usually do, but anyways… a Deep Space Nine episode came on. I found myself watching even though I knew what was going to happen. That was a great sci-fi show, with an amazing writing/ producing staff. Battlestar Galactica, The Dead Zone, The 4400, Medium, Roswell, Now and Then, Carnivale and Dark Angel all have mined the ST:DS9 talent pool.
Back in college, Larry (of RnD) and I wrote a script for one of the Star Trek shows. We actually wrote a two-parter for college credit as Independent Studies. I had written a couple scripts before and he had written numerous short stories and was a published poet. For both of us to get credit we had to write two separate scripts.
We ended up with two scripts that any fanboy would love. When combined, they told an epic story. ,At the time I did not quite get the concept of the bottle show. Unfortunately, our scripts were never read.
Flash forward a couple years and I was laid up due to having a dislocated knee and needing to recuperate after surgery. I had written a half dozen scripts or so since the last Star Trek attempt and I felt that I had grown as a writer. I started plotting out a new script. This one was a bottle show. It was a total stand alone story that gave all of my favorite characters a time to shine.
The problem that I had was... while I can pick apart movies and shows- what’s good, bad or indifferent and usually speak about them intellectually; my memory is not the best. I’m not someone that can just start quoting every episode of shows or knows every little fact regarding the character’s backstory.
Now, my friend Ted is the type of person that can give you an obscure quote and tell you from what episode. I enlisted Ted’s aid to help with continuity and editing. However, as the writing process went on, he began bringing more and more to the script and eventually we were co-writers.
Larry, of course, is the D of RnD. Ted is the creative consultant, the story editor - that helps us stay on track. He is one of the few people outside of the industry that has the knowledge and intelligence to understand what we are doing and offers us an honest opinion of what works and what doesn’t, from someone not intimately involved with the script.
What makes this a good story is that few years after the second script was submitted I moved to Florida. About 18-months after I lived in FL, I finally went back to New York to empty out my storage unit. The day before I got back to NY, my mother received ALL of the scripts that I/we had previously submitted, unopened. THE DAY BEFORE.
What makes this even funnier is that each one of the scripts had a letter with it that said that the script had not been read due to the fact that the shows were no longer in production. From the date that the last script was submitted to the day that they were returned, more than four years had passed and the show had gone off the air the year before.
Don.
Back in college, Larry (of RnD) and I wrote a script for one of the Star Trek shows. We actually wrote a two-parter for college credit as Independent Studies. I had written a couple scripts before and he had written numerous short stories and was a published poet. For both of us to get credit we had to write two separate scripts.
We ended up with two scripts that any fanboy would love. When combined, they told an epic story. ,At the time I did not quite get the concept of the bottle show. Unfortunately, our scripts were never read.
Flash forward a couple years and I was laid up due to having a dislocated knee and needing to recuperate after surgery. I had written a half dozen scripts or so since the last Star Trek attempt and I felt that I had grown as a writer. I started plotting out a new script. This one was a bottle show. It was a total stand alone story that gave all of my favorite characters a time to shine.
The problem that I had was... while I can pick apart movies and shows- what’s good, bad or indifferent and usually speak about them intellectually; my memory is not the best. I’m not someone that can just start quoting every episode of shows or knows every little fact regarding the character’s backstory.
Now, my friend Ted is the type of person that can give you an obscure quote and tell you from what episode. I enlisted Ted’s aid to help with continuity and editing. However, as the writing process went on, he began bringing more and more to the script and eventually we were co-writers.
Larry, of course, is the D of RnD. Ted is the creative consultant, the story editor - that helps us stay on track. He is one of the few people outside of the industry that has the knowledge and intelligence to understand what we are doing and offers us an honest opinion of what works and what doesn’t, from someone not intimately involved with the script.
What makes this a good story is that few years after the second script was submitted I moved to Florida. About 18-months after I lived in FL, I finally went back to New York to empty out my storage unit. The day before I got back to NY, my mother received ALL of the scripts that I/we had previously submitted, unopened. THE DAY BEFORE.
What makes this even funnier is that each one of the scripts had a letter with it that said that the script had not been read due to the fact that the shows were no longer in production. From the date that the last script was submitted to the day that they were returned, more than four years had passed and the show had gone off the air the year before.
Don.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Mr. Whedon I presume... UPDATE...
Make that an "Active"... I am not cute enough to be a "Doll".
...refer to the previous post...
Don.
Don.
Mr. Whedon I presume...
Tonight, FOX air's the "Omega" finale episode of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. After that it will probably be cancelled. We will all have to wait until the DVD release this summer before we get to see the truly last episode, "Epitaph One".
While I understand that many people want to plop down in front of their televisions and zone out watching shows that explain everything to them, there has to be room for more than that on the "major" networks. There needs to be some sort of advertising curve for intelligent shows to make money and survive. The reason that shows become cult hits is usually because they are different, creative, intelligent and not aimed at the lowest common viewer. Their viewers have passion and intelligence.
As a creator, I would rather have fewer people love my "product" than have more people tolerate it. When was the last time any viewer said/wrote anything with passion about one of those number one rated proceedurals? I consider myself a Browncoat (I was one of the few people that actually watched Firefly when it was shown on FOX.) and as the viewers begin to rally I guess I will be a "Doll" as well.
As Star Trek is burning up the screens and the dumptruck backs up to J.J. Abrams's home full of money will Joss Whedon be filing for unemployment, prepping the next Dr. Horrible (I hope so!) or be thanking the FOX execs for one more season- and reminding them that X-Files was a slow starter too?
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/dollhouse/support-joss-tweet-to-save-dol-28343.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dollhouse/14409357519
Don.
While I understand that many people want to plop down in front of their televisions and zone out watching shows that explain everything to them, there has to be room for more than that on the "major" networks. There needs to be some sort of advertising curve for intelligent shows to make money and survive. The reason that shows become cult hits is usually because they are different, creative, intelligent and not aimed at the lowest common viewer. Their viewers have passion and intelligence.
As a creator, I would rather have fewer people love my "product" than have more people tolerate it. When was the last time any viewer said/wrote anything with passion about one of those number one rated proceedurals? I consider myself a Browncoat (I was one of the few people that actually watched Firefly when it was shown on FOX.) and as the viewers begin to rally I guess I will be a "Doll" as well.
As Star Trek is burning up the screens and the dumptruck backs up to J.J. Abrams's home full of money will Joss Whedon be filing for unemployment, prepping the next Dr. Horrible (I hope so!) or be thanking the FOX execs for one more season- and reminding them that X-Files was a slow starter too?
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/dollhouse/support-joss-tweet-to-save-dol-28343.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dollhouse/14409357519
Don.
Why Filmmaking?
I was having a conversation the other day with someone and they were asking me where my interest in filmmaking came from.
So, I thought and thought…
Most kids learn to read reading the likes of Dr. Seuss or The Berenstain Bears. Not for lack of trying on my mother’s part, but the stories seemed “childish” to me. I was more taken with the dynamic visuals and “adult” concepts of comic books. I remember comics from the time I was 2 or 3-years-old. I remember reading my first comic months before I read my 1st Berenstain Bears. Comics offered real world visuals, many comics at the time were based in NYC and The X-Men were based just 2 counties away from where I lived, as opposed to the fantastical Seussville.
Comics helped me develop my interest in mythology and science and adventure and reading. I also had to learn how to deal with the impatience of waiting for the next issue to hit the stands. I learned to “write” the stories in my imagination. For the next decade or so, comics were a large part of my life.
Somewhere along the line I started plotting out and writing long hand comic stories of my own. One of my favorite comics had an editor that came from the humble beginnings of a fan and frequent letter writer. He openly took story submissions. So, I submitted… lots of story ideas- and if I recall correctly, all received individual responses. I was 16-17 at the time.
I had decided what I “wanted to do when I grew up”. A comic book writer. So, where does the filmmaking come in, you ask?
I started looking for all the information that I could find on comic book writing. Which was virtually non-existent, at the time. I did however find information on writing scripts. At first, I started applying the screenwriting techniques to my comics writing. Then, I wrote my 1st television script. It was for a Stephen J. Cannell show that was my favorite show at the time. The problem was that I still did not have a computer at the time, but I did find a service that would type up scripts for me. That is a WHOLE other story…
Ultimately, I decided that the best thing to do was go to college. Previously, I pretty much hated school since about pre-school. I was always a good A/B student- I just was never interested. I was more interested in making notes for my own stories. I went to a community college where I was on the Dean’s List - and had the dream of going to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
In my 2nd semester, I met Larry who was just a little younger as I had not gone directly from high school to college. Once we eventually started to get to know each other, we realized that we had quite a bit in common. We became a great team in our video production classes. We both had entertainment dreams. I wanted to write, shoot and photograph. He wanted to act, write and just plain all around entertain.
We branched out the Communication Arts Society to include a TV side and produced a benefit concert for the St. Jude’s Foundation. We both wanted something more. I think that that was on the top things that we had in common- neither of us could see ourselves staying in our hometowns and working retail for the rest of our lives.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the money to pay for NYU (and I did not see student loans as a real option at that time). I allowed myself to get talked into majoring in Political Science at a state school. A professor of mine told me that I was quite a good writer but needed to broaden my knowledge. So, I went to a college that had older equipment, larger classes and less inspiring professors. All of which, along with getting a new job and catching mono, led me to focus on working and “life” and lose track of my dreams- no matter how far back they were formed.
It took sometime and a move from NY to FL to get me back on track. But, I eventually started writing again. THAT is more than one story for the future…
After more than a dozen scripts (and a few hundred ideas) we (RnD) decided to shoot our own short film based on one of our feature film scripts. The trek to filming is MANY more stories to be told at a later date…
That 1st day of shooting--- after 16-hours on my feet, no sleep for the 2 days before and being mentally exhausted--- was probably the best day of my life… that did not include my wife or children.
My passion is creating “entertainment”, whether it’s filmmaking or comic books. So, I may be struggling right now but my passion is unstoppable. I have no other options but complete and utter success.
So, to paraphrase that old saying, "help me, follow me or get the frak out of my way."
Don.
So, I thought and thought…
Most kids learn to read reading the likes of Dr. Seuss or The Berenstain Bears. Not for lack of trying on my mother’s part, but the stories seemed “childish” to me. I was more taken with the dynamic visuals and “adult” concepts of comic books. I remember comics from the time I was 2 or 3-years-old. I remember reading my first comic months before I read my 1st Berenstain Bears. Comics offered real world visuals, many comics at the time were based in NYC and The X-Men were based just 2 counties away from where I lived, as opposed to the fantastical Seussville.
Comics helped me develop my interest in mythology and science and adventure and reading. I also had to learn how to deal with the impatience of waiting for the next issue to hit the stands. I learned to “write” the stories in my imagination. For the next decade or so, comics were a large part of my life.
Somewhere along the line I started plotting out and writing long hand comic stories of my own. One of my favorite comics had an editor that came from the humble beginnings of a fan and frequent letter writer. He openly took story submissions. So, I submitted… lots of story ideas- and if I recall correctly, all received individual responses. I was 16-17 at the time.
I had decided what I “wanted to do when I grew up”. A comic book writer. So, where does the filmmaking come in, you ask?
I started looking for all the information that I could find on comic book writing. Which was virtually non-existent, at the time. I did however find information on writing scripts. At first, I started applying the screenwriting techniques to my comics writing. Then, I wrote my 1st television script. It was for a Stephen J. Cannell show that was my favorite show at the time. The problem was that I still did not have a computer at the time, but I did find a service that would type up scripts for me. That is a WHOLE other story…
Ultimately, I decided that the best thing to do was go to college. Previously, I pretty much hated school since about pre-school. I was always a good A/B student- I just was never interested. I was more interested in making notes for my own stories. I went to a community college where I was on the Dean’s List - and had the dream of going to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
In my 2nd semester, I met Larry who was just a little younger as I had not gone directly from high school to college. Once we eventually started to get to know each other, we realized that we had quite a bit in common. We became a great team in our video production classes. We both had entertainment dreams. I wanted to write, shoot and photograph. He wanted to act, write and just plain all around entertain.
We branched out the Communication Arts Society to include a TV side and produced a benefit concert for the St. Jude’s Foundation. We both wanted something more. I think that that was on the top things that we had in common- neither of us could see ourselves staying in our hometowns and working retail for the rest of our lives.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the money to pay for NYU (and I did not see student loans as a real option at that time). I allowed myself to get talked into majoring in Political Science at a state school. A professor of mine told me that I was quite a good writer but needed to broaden my knowledge. So, I went to a college that had older equipment, larger classes and less inspiring professors. All of which, along with getting a new job and catching mono, led me to focus on working and “life” and lose track of my dreams- no matter how far back they were formed.
It took sometime and a move from NY to FL to get me back on track. But, I eventually started writing again. THAT is more than one story for the future…
After more than a dozen scripts (and a few hundred ideas) we (RnD) decided to shoot our own short film based on one of our feature film scripts. The trek to filming is MANY more stories to be told at a later date…
That 1st day of shooting--- after 16-hours on my feet, no sleep for the 2 days before and being mentally exhausted--- was probably the best day of my life… that did not include my wife or children.
My passion is creating “entertainment”, whether it’s filmmaking or comic books. So, I may be struggling right now but my passion is unstoppable. I have no other options but complete and utter success.
So, to paraphrase that old saying, "help me, follow me or get the frak out of my way."
Don.
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