ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 3 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

£5k is about right for a weekend shoot, but is still a very real lump of money for someone to spend. In order for them to spend it on making your ideas and financing your experimentation and career development, they need to get something in return. You may find a 'patron of the arts' by asking around, begging friends and family, etc. Or you might need to just take a second job to raise it. That's probably the easiest way to raise £5k to be honest.

9 years, 3 months ago - Marlom Tander

5K, that's second job or credit card time, depending on how fast you need to move. That summer love story probably justifies a credit card so you can shoot this year.

BUT, you hear that great sucking sound? That's the sound of a 1000 new film makers pouring their 5k's down the drain because they didn't think about the WHY of the film.

WHY - why are you spending that money making this film? Because if you haven't got a clear WHY you'll soon be looking for another 5k, and pretty soon it's real money.

WHY's

a) To show I can direct actors. Doesn't need 5K. Needs a handycam on a tripod and nice room.
b) To show I can light a scene. Doesn't need 5K.
c) To show I can get sound. Doesn't need 5K
d) To show I can write/interpret a good script. Doesn't need 5K
e) To show that you can manage the whole team. Doesn't need 5k,m (just charm, to get them for free)

To show you can pull it all together and manage and make the full package, OK, now spend some money :-) But still, WHY?

Though now the WHY is why THIS film. It's a 5k short. It has no value, EXCEPT as a step towards something bigger, and that's what you should have your eye on. If the BIGGER is an action feature, and the short is a calling card, make it an action one. If the BIGGER is an interesting art project, your short should be something that appeals to those who hold the purse strings, or win a prize they deem impressive (so aim at that prize).

Just be aware that if you make a 5K short without a bigger game plan, your film may be great, but you'll probably be looking for another 5k very soon, to make the one with the plan.

ALSO, sell sizzle, not sausage.

If you decide on the project and put it in the diary for say October, you can network the hell between now and then and be talking about this great short your filming in October. Some people might be interested in saying "I'd like to see that when it's done". In November when you send them the link, they remember you, they remember if they liked you, and if they like film, they MIGHT tell their producer friend about you, their producer mate who has just the previous week complained about how hard it is to find a good, sensible, new Director.

9 years, 3 months ago - Jonathan Taylor Davies

Thanks Paddy, always best to face up to the fact there are no short cuts! Time to get down to the grind...

Appreciate the advice Marlom... I try to ask myself as many questions as I can, especially when I'm writing or editing a script/storyboarding/etc - but good to be reminded that "WHY" isn't just about character motivations and continuity, it's about business, progression, and career development.

I've been thinking about the questions you've posed and a few more besides and the 5k is definitely warranted but the networking & bigger picture thinking is something I've definitely got to be more specific about. I definitely think that plunging headlong into an expensive and fruitless few years in pursuit of vague goals is a trap many young filmmakers fall prey to...

9 years, 3 months ago - Jonathan Taylor Davies

But re: all the WHYs, I can direct actors, I can light a scene, I can get sound, I can write, and I can (though still learning) manage a team.

But I need a calling card and where the 5k goes is on hiring the equipment, locations, crew (and associated costs for food & insurance) I need to make sure said calling card reaches pre-requisite quality requirements for festival submission, to give me the latitude I need as a director to direct without having to make the mistake of many an aspiring low-budget film maker and multi-task as DoP/camera operator/sound recordist/AD... only to realise after a short, time and money pressured shoot... that you forgot to DIRECT the movie. (And also to discover, inevitably, that as admirably multi-skilled as many young up-and-comings may be... each of the aforementioned roles are dedicated disciplines that can't be half-assed).

In an ideal world I'd love to be able to pull 100k out of thin air for every short I want to make, and I do believe (to an extent) that money enables a more "complete" realisation of creative vision by alleviating certain pressures (also a tendency to spoil an untested director though, and money can beget its own troubles of course).

But 5K is enough. It's enough where a shoe lace budget of £200 would be insufficient to make a calling card I can be proud of. What kind of impression does it give to others if it's not good enough for you?

Not to say you can't make watchable film for nothing... acting/framing/a good script don't rely on technical parameters... but I have a good idea of what, with some corners cut, it will cost to achieve what I need to achieve.

I need to go away and think some more on "sizzle and sausage"... not a step I'd actually given much thought to, you've definitely given me something to occupy myself with!

9 years, 3 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

What money buys is time - time not to be wrangling the camera, not to be swinging a boom and checking levels, not to be microwaving 30 ready meals, etc. It buys you more time with your cast and time not taken up with paperwork, finding crew, etc. You can spend £5k many ways, but getting someone to produce the shoot for you is a good start, so you can just get on with the bits you want - and if you're paying, you get to do that. If you're not paying, you have to be across everything that nobody else wants to do!

9 years, 3 months ago - Jonathan Taylor Davies

Absolutely... I'm after the space and time to actually get down to the business of directing. It's tricky to learn a craft when I'm spending all my time worrying about logistics etc

9 years, 3 months ago - Marlom Tander

It does sound like your next project warrants the expense, so choose your project wisely and good luck :-)

9 years, 3 months ago - Jonathan Taylor Davies

Thank you :)