ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 3 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Tom, I'm a line producer who also works in the live sector (which I love - real-time feedback from audiences), the camel was a life-sized puppet with 2 operators inside and used for the story of the prophet Muhammad live on stage in Sharjah last year :)

10 years, 3 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Blimey Tom, I don't see it like that at all!

I don't post my likeness online because that opens a whole can of vanity/not liking photos/etc. And it's irrelevant too, of course. I am not a brand, I don't need valuation by seeing images of myself online.

The pantomime camel says more about me (to me) than a photo - the camel represents a very successful show, working with a lot of good industry friends. Given the chance, I'd do it again tomorrow, but things have changed in the region and so bids have become more difficult, massive shame.

I'm not hiding anything pertinent behind it, it serves the purpose of making my posts identifiable if anyone cares, but don't know what extra it would communicate to have yet another 30-50 year old white male face on a site rich in them. Without a picture, I've had people assume I'm Irish, female, all sorts - so take my thoughts purely on their own merit, not on associations with my appearance! I have no acting aspirations, I am not a presenter, I'm not a singer, I'm a backroom guy. I prefer to keep it like that :)

10 years, 3 months ago - Tom Lassu

Nothing is obvious about Bastiaan's (that's TWO aa-s, for those who mind details) post, it is just a daring attempt to do the 'impossible'.

We could call the post lazy, as it is certainly curt; or an attempt to fish for a great script for little or nothing, but we don't know what great ideas he may or may not have, let alone setting up himself up to fail. Personally, I would be honored if someone put in a great effort (and some money, no matter how little) to co-produce my low budget idea, and I am keenly aware of the potential success that such projects (like Paranormal or El Mariachi) can bring.

No matter how many underemployed, accomplished or aspiring film industry workers protest in frustration, teaming up to work for credit and shared potential profits and equity is a speculative business that we have all the right to engage in at our own risk, or, to collaborate on a production that later might be deemed as a hobby by tax entities (especially if it never makes money) is just as legal and ethical. Of course, the person who initiates this has to be very honest about it up front, and since many are not, that is the only aspect that we should protest.

If you have time on your hands and still need to let out steam, look up the hundreds of similar posts from the past by complainers who see themselves as victims in an industry in which supply outpaces demand by the factor of hundreds or thousands. Perhaps work one into a monologue, memorize it, scream it into the camera, edit it a bit (must be fast paced!) and post it on YouTube. We all need something to laugh about, don't we?

Many great filmmakers started this way, including Robert Rodriguez and Wong Kar Wai, the list is long. Sometimes passion just circumvents red tape and talent can bypass conventional wisdom in surprising ways. For those who can appreciate it, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Google!) maintained a frenetic pace in filmmaking in a career that lasted fifteen years, he completed forty feature length films; two television film series, three short films, four video productions, twenty-four stage plays, four radio plays and thirty-six acting roles in his own and others’ films.

The only way he could do that was not giving a shit about bureaucracy and totally ignoring the naysayers. If he would have pursued painting, sculpting, or writing "until he had the resources necessary to actually create a good film", he would have never got off the ground. So, to suggest anything along that line to a filmmaker is VERY offensive and patronizing, and it reflects poorly on the poster.

It reveals or implies jealousy, frustration, lack of ambition or guts, a futile attempt to control the market, trying to censor attempts to create a challenge for ourselves and others. No board or it's members should do that; if it's not your cup of tea just move on to the suggested crafts yourself and make the shorts mentioned above.

There is no guarantee that they will turn out better than a feature that stretched every penny to the max.

10 years, 3 months ago - Tom Lassu

Paddy (correct my salutation if it's wrong),

I can sense the competence/experience behind your posts, but I am frustrated by animal pics (like Dan's 'Lassie'), and the context behind the camel is far from obvious. So I decided to tease it out... and I am glad that you are not offended.

I understand that some do not want to provide access to their likeness to the NSA and such, but often a semi-dark silhouette or a photo taken at medium distance provides the right combination of privacy and recognition - at least by those who already know you.

It does not make a good impression to hide behind animal figures, babies, etc. as it seems to be in the way of integrity.

10 years, 3 months ago - Tom Lassu

Good advice from a camel! Yes, where are you, what is your role in this?

10 years, 1 month ago - Gary O'Dwyer

Hi. Did you find a script? I may have something for you?

10 years, 3 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hi Bastian,

Just to say good luck, and that it may be important to give more details of what you actually want when soliciting a script. Writers often have no practical experience of budget (words are cheap compared with sets and locations), so may have great dialogue but set in a solid gold helicopter orbiting the sun, or set in 1973 as a period piece. £10k doesn't go far when filming at all, so it might be worth being more specific what you're after!

Even so, production head on, 90pp is a LOT of material to get through. If you don't have to move unit base, it can be done, but it's going to be pretty hard going and rely on a lot of very big favours. Maybe quickly calculate how your budget breaks down into what you have for labour, hires, consumables, travel, catering, locations, insurance, post, etc, as it'll give you a guide how long you can shoot for, what location requirements are, and this will affect the types of script you can produce :)

I'd suggest it's a 9 day shoot at most (I don't think you can afford more, and even 9 days is pushing the budget to the limits but is 2 weekends and the days in between), so you might want to specify if the script absolutely cannot be over 90pp for instance, or more than one location.

And good luck!

10 years, 3 months ago - Kays Alatrakchi

"Looking for feature film script to realize. 10k budget." Ok, so you do....my first question to you is "why?"

You obviously don't have a great idea that you're looking to put out into the world, so why are you setting yourself up to fail while asking a substantial number of people to work for free? I think this would be quite different if you had a story that you created and that you felt very passionate about, but after knocking on doors and trying the crowd-funding route, you only came up with $10k.

But in this particular case, you don't have a great idea, you are just looking to generate unpaid work for a bunch of people while setting up a project with absolutely not enough resources to be good (or likely even watchable).

There are plenty of other creative outlets for yourself out there, including painting, sculpting, or writing. Why not focus on those until you have the resources necessary to actually create a good film? Alternatively, why not consider doing a short film instead? $10k would go a long way toward making a 10 minute short which you could shoot in 2-3 days while giving everyone a small stipend and having enough resources available (gear rentals, permits, props, costumes, etc) to actually make something good.