ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 5 months ago - Barrington Robinson

Hi Daryn, I have not yet produced any features, however I do have a lot of love for working class stories and athletics and would be I tested in reading a treatment or script? Many Thanks Barrington

9 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Sounds like Billy Elliot with rights issues ;-)

People do like a good 'wrong side of the tracks comes good'/fish-out-of-water story, so that has plenty of scope (Flashdance, The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, and many, many more). That's sellable, and hence fundable.



You're looking for a producer, by this do you mean you're trying to sell/place the script? Or do you have any finance in place already? Here's my hand-waving guesswork based on minimal information, some of it may be helpful...

It's going to cost more than you think to make. Athletics means stunts, stunts aren't cheap, and you've instantly reduced the range of cast available (someone to convincingly be a world-class athlete plus decent actor).

Have an idea of rough budget levels, even an order of magnitude is better than nothing. For that, look at similar films, find their estimated budgets from IMDb, realise the cash production budget was maybe around half the stated budget (there are lots of other costs and soft money deals too), adjust for 2016, and you have a crude indicator. If the answer is £20M, it's a big studio film, this isn't the place to promote it (and if it's £20k, you got the numbers wrong). Producers look for films in their budget range - I know a financing producer who bangs out films at the rate of 6-8 £500k-£1M films a year. If your film doesn't fit in that bracket (£500k with no names, after that you need named cast), then you need a track record or different financier! Knowing the budget range of your film is going to help connect you with the right people.

The IOC are completely paranoid about their brand. They make Disney look slack on IP protection. My local hardware shop had a visit making them take down 5 frying pans in the window configured like the five rings, in fact (quite how they didn't do the same at the pet shop next door with five drinking bowls I don't know). This means the film isn't about the Olympics, and can't mention them. This means the Olympic trope is gone, so the script needs to build up a new goal to make the arc fulfilling.

BBC Script Editor is quite a broad church - is it someone on staff for drama, or is it a freelancer? What other stuff have they written/been the final editor on? That's what the value of their opinion will be judged on (possibly unfairly, but our industry isn't about fairness). Did they script edit The Night Manager, for instance? Or another hefty drama? That is how you get people to pay attention. If they have endorsed it, can they present it to BBC Drama commissioners for you?

Great to hear you're almost winning awards, that's an achievement. Beware it doesn't make you fixate though - keep working on other stuff and revisit this script again and again. What seems perfect now might seem better again after another couple of projects written and out of the way!

Hope some of that is helpful at least :)

9 years, 5 months ago - Daryn Castle

Hi Paddy

Thanks for the advice, very helpful.

I was working with a producer years ago on an early draft which fell through due to financing and that producer thought the film could be filmed on a budget of £1m.

However, that was before drones became so accessible so I am certain the race scenes can be filmed using drones on the track which reduces the costs considerably.

With regards to the BBC script editor, the person is permanent staff and has edited TV drama series scripts and has passed it to several agents for me. Agents have praised the script but unfortunately the few who have read it didn't take it on due to it not being a fit for their agency or them focusing on TV projects. I have already approached BBC script department but they passed on it stating it doesn't fit their current slate of films but that should not be an indicator of the scripts quality as we all know this business is about timing and the right reader.

Although the Olympics is the end goal, the film is about other issues such as abandonment and financial hardship relating to the central character. If the mention of the Olympics became an issue then the competition can be just as easily changed to the worlds or the commonwealth games.

I have lots of other scripts I'm working on and directing shorts so definitely agree with you on keeping other projects going. I just feel this script has commercial appeal with the right team behind it and cast.

Thanks again.

9 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

It sounds like an interesting and worthwhile project if we can find the right framework for you/it.

I suspect £1M is ambitious - not having read the script but from your drone comment. £1M sounds a lot more than it is when you have money shots with stadiums and lots of extras, plus there's the usual overheads and fees to find. My guess would be more like £2-3M cash spend too get the film to a saleable technical standard and the crowd scenes looking realistic. Crowds need feeding and facilities, stadia aren't cheap, extremely weather dependent, etc.

There are certainly some aerial shots, but drones won't replace a stabilised camera vehicle trackside, for instance. Cheap drones have sucky quality cameras, good ones are still expensive. And frankly drone shots are overused at the moment - look a bit tacky if you're not careful! ;-). In the context of the rest of the day costs, it's an ocean drop :)