Offering my first film as a case-book example...

sillyweefilms

Post Deleted by user.

chillywilly

id be interested in following the progress of your film as i havnt even made my first short film yet.....saving up for camera equipment is a pain in the ass lol!!!!!

lodgepole

I'd be interested alright. Have you considered setting up a blog somewhere to chart your progress?

BlitzKrieg

defitnally interested.


i would be esp. be interested on how you deal with the budget, and schedualing, its an area thats looked over so much (very curious if your original producer was an idiot) when people discuss their filmmaking experiance.

sillyweefilms

chillywilly wrote:

id be interested in following the progress of your film as i havnt even made my first short film yet.....saving up for camera equipment is a pain in the ass lol!!!!!

Yes, that is one of the biggest problems. I set up a business doing corporate videos, so I was able to buy my equipment.

sillyweefilms

Lodgepole wrote:

I'd be interested alright. Have you considered setting up a blog somewhere to chart your progress?

There is a blog at -

http://www.makethejourney.co.uk/diary.htm

sillyweefilms

Yeah, he was a bit of an idiot...

Never give up, never surrender

BlitzKrieg

had a look at the website...interesting.


one thing i must say though is that the title for your film is very messy, with the multi-coloured smoke and the swords and the lightning, there's too much in it, should look into having a more simple design made for it.

sillyweefilms

That is getting done at the moment - thank you

We're holding a press junket in May in hope of getting much needed publicity in the press hoping we can find our remaining 250 people to donate £100 to our budget Unless some people start donating more than that, ofcourse, lol.

Thanks.

- Fraser

BlitzKrieg

We're holding a press junket in May in hope of getting much needed publicity in the press hoping we can find our remaining 250 people to donate £100 to our budget Unless some people start donating more than that, ofcourse, lol.

This is your only warning:


Your film company has been banned before for solicitating for funds on boards before and while this could be a very interesting read and discussion any attempt at doing so again will result in a swift ban and deleting of this thread.

That is getting done at the moment - thank you

thats good to hear. The scene you have on your website to watch, how close is that to the final piece in terms of editing etc?

sillyweefilms

It was just put together for our investor DVD, so it's nowhere near finished - we haven't even got a proper editor on board as of yet to do grading etc etc, but we have teamed up with another filmmaking company who are doing the same as us, so hopefully they'll be able to help us with that.

Sorry if it seemed like I was asking for money - it didn't mean to sound like that.

BlitzKrieg

we haven't even got a proper editor on board as of yet to do grading etc etc,

shouldnt that be priority at the moment?

sillyweefilms

I've made a few posts looking for an editor experienced in film, but nothing suitable has came back yet. I do want the editor on board by the time we film the movie itself, so they can come to shooting to make life easier for them. I've still got a few months to find the editor

moonboy

is this a joke?

BlitzKrieg

what part moonboy?

moonboy

BlitzKrieg wrote:

what part moonboy?

where to begin?
mainly the part about "funding" and "media interests".

"The budget is set at £30,000. That's £100 each from 300 people. That's not impossible, but I understand that not everybody can afford it. But if you can donate that money, you become a producer on the film, you get a copy of the film, you own a part of the film, and if we make a profit (an estimated £180,000 profit I may add) then you'll get a percentage of that profit."

firstly where is the 180,000 profit going to come from?
when i first glanced at this thread i though "cool some guys having a pop at making a feature etc etc etc. "
i didnt realise they were taking themselves so seriously.
to be honest the technical skills/script/casting just doesnt add up to something that merits investing or indeed 180,000 profit.

i was shocked by the trailer. fair enough itd be cool if it was just for kicks or a bit of fun/joke as i asked.
but obviously not.
180,000?

BlitzKrieg

i admit the part i am curious is the budget, if there is a 30,000 pounds budget i'd like to see how they are dividing it up. The lack of editor so late into production (your pass pre-production you've shot one scene right?) worries me as i'd assume that having an editor on board would be an early priority (along with the other main crew elements)

But i refuse to comment on the film from just the trailer and footage online as most of it seems to be from before the film got some funding (ala trailer, i do believe i saw it before) or is only a rough cut to see how scenes flow. So i rather not condemn the filmmakers for how that footage looks.

moonboy

fair enough. if its just just test cuts etc and theyre that ahem, bad, they shouldnt be posting them. no one looking at that site is going to even think about giving them money.
i just dont expect them to get any funding other than aunties and uncles.
anyway thats my 2 cents. i shallnt comment on the matter any further as im sure nothing i have to say is useful..


are you sure its not a joke?

BlitzKrieg

stop...your putting doubt in my mind. (and a serious case of deja vu.)

moonboy

did i offend yerman.??
his post is gone.
maybe it WAS a joke.

BlitzKrieg

ughh i think we either crushed someones confidence, or seriously p*ssed them off.


I am also confused, cause apart from saying it was a joke (which you must admit is a bit hurtful) your points were quite good.
ahh well.,

just so the thread doesnt die.


Here have an imaginary 30 000 pounds/euros. You got the chance to do your first independent picture, how will you budget it?

idiotproof

Well...

Firstly I'd take my €30,000 and track myself round to every rich businessman I could find and ask him/his company to match every second euro with one of his own just for a laugh bringing me to €45,000 and I'd work off a budget of €50,000 and know i was behind and pull every discount I could swing.

We'll start on the fun stuff

€5472 for 38 400ft rolls of 16mm stock (shooting ratio of 5:1)

£1368/€1915 for processing at 9p stg a foot

Depending on the weight of the stock fly ryanair or drive the stock to london and back for processing. Maybe send the first few days rushes for some kind of gauge but generally no daily rushes.

€4770 for 16mm grade at ratio of 2.5:1 grading time to stock time

That makes €12,175

Lighting wise I'd buy as much equipment as I could afford when it comes to lights etc. probably look for a blonde or two, kit of reds, kit of 300's, then whatever other low wattage lights are knocking around so between "borrowing" and 2nd hand reckon there's another €5000 gone there. Maybe some more gone on renting for special needs.

Sound wise I'm on a mad running sound straight to laptop buzz at the minute so should be able to knock that sort of gear together between mates etc. without too much pain use my own 416. Externals would be a pain in the whole so look towards a DAT for that doubt its getting booked out of filmbase much let alone Galway film centre so possibly block book either of those and try swing a good deal on its only outing that summer. So between DAT tapes, and various sound consumables and some DAT rental tehre could be another €1000 gone there?

That makes €18,175

Yes I have been avoiding camera, it's a tricky one, you could try:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Arriflex-16BL-MINT-16mm-Movie-Camera-Arri-Indie-Film-NR_W0QQitemZ7608238318QQcategoryZ628QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

but as far as I can see it's only got a zoom lens no primes which is gonna cost you later in hassle and time and not enough light cos I'd guess it doesn't go further than f3 so again there's the Galway Film Centre.

Sure there's the drive there and back but its something like a third the price then from film base and hardly ever used so far enough in advance you might be able to chat them up a bit, for 21 days you'd be looking at €3,150 thats with a set of primes, mags, tripod etc. but no matte box so there's a chat to production depot or the like for one, it comes with bars, and a few filters. Call that €5,000 on camera rental in general which brings us to €23,275.

But wait, why not buy the yoke?

http://www.visualproducts.com/storeProductDetail02.asp?productID=660&Cat=17&Cat2=31

€12,000 will get you an SR2 from the states with all you need, yes it's standard but beggars not being choosers and all that. Make your dp smile and make it €17,000 (hey, it's fake money) for camera costs and rental in general for him to get some primes, bars, some filters, you'll need a tripod now but I'm sure one can be had for a few weeks with out too much hassle or buy a satchler head and lash it on your mates manfroto legs. (The nice part of the buy it plan is you then have a whole load of physical assets that can be flogged when you really need the cash and hopefully by that stage you have it in the can)

Call it €38,175 we're on now because we splashed out on a nice tripod head.

That leaves us €11,825.

Tell these people

Male Lead
Female Lead
Male Support
Female Support
DP/Operator
Focus Puller
Clapper Loader
Sound Operator
Sound Recordist
Grip/Runner

you want three weeks of their summer to shoot a feature on 16mm. You've got less than no money but you've enough to give them €100 a week which by the time they get off set at night will keep them in beers and credit and the like while your in production.

That leaves €8,825, but no catering, no make up, no dollys or cranes and only a cast of four. Because your making a feature you've been around a few sets and shot a few things here and there so you know, or know someone who knows which actors you can hit for a day or two of smaller parts and as long as they know whats going on and they're well fed that shouldn't be a problem.

Well fed... important, I'll say it again, important. €200 per shoot day and we're working off 21 days thats €4,200 but your producer (you) will never let you spedn that much so call it €3,000 and you're now on €5,825.

Make-Up, could be insane money, budget for 3 days for €750, haev them on your first big days shooting and have your girlfriend/sister/boyfriend looking over they're shoulder to figure out how to do little things like remove shine and things, they won't do a comparable job but you can't afford it, the other two days are for your fight scenes or suicide or whatever is in your script.

This leaves you with €5,075 for all the stuff I've forgotten. Petrol, fines, taxis, van rental, carpet shampoo.

You refuse to pay for locations and you shoot most of it in your uncles house. You have no money for post but by that stage you have at least enough left to buy your editor that crate of beer you promised him and with the pressure of sitting on €50,000 of your money in the form of you tapes he'll cut it.

Flog a rough round the fairs and film board and someone should knock you a couple of quid to tidy it up pay your now deranged editor.

well that's the theory anyway, isn't it?

Very very over simplified and off the top of my head but it was worth a shot, would like to know how much i left out

BlitzKrieg

i dont think you left out much...in fact thats more impressive then i was expecting.

though i feel you cheated with the start...and the end. You only have 30 000.


I worked with the SR2..or was it the SR1? wonderful camera, if you get a bloody good cinematographer your footage would look wonderful. if you get a crap cinematographer (like i was when i started) you get very ughhh "colourful" images. (damn me for fogetting the blue gels.) though i think it was an older model when i look at that website.


anyway. Would the choice of film or digital not come into question? with a budget of 30,000 couldnt you save a bit by going digital and renting hidef.

Or is that artistic vision affecting your stance and film is what you NEED for your material.


I guess my choices would be the same. A large portion of the budget would go to equipment for lighting and camera. Though the lighting budget could be cut depending if the script is calling for mostly outdoor shooting. Then i think cheap tickets to southern italy might work better.

Actors and crew, i would defitnally pay my most important people, leads and cinematographer etc. But i would be looking for that fresh faced (like myself) just out of film school person to fill gaffers, grips, runners etc. The editor would be another one i would put money aside for, but prob more to give him the equipment to run wild with rather then actually paying him (that will come later).

Similarily might be seen as unwise, but i would raid the recently finished drama school department for supporting cast. As these are areas that can be manipulated with a good crew or a good lead.

Catering and all other sustaining costs are noted, but beyond the members of my cast and crew who are above me. The small time tv actor or the cinematographer with actual experiance who will both recieve hotel rooms etc. The rest will join me on the crash at a friends, hostel, backseat of car route. And food will use the glory of rice, pasta and homemade sauces. big dishes at low cost.


As you can see i havnt given this much thought but i think i will at a later date this week. (i have editing tomarrow).

but very impressed with yours. hope to see more like it. Could compile a list out of the different entries for a guideline to different size shoots.

moonboy

man when theres the possibility of shooting beautiful film...
shoot beautiful film.

idiotproof

I don't reckon i was cheating considering you gave the choice of either €30,000 or £30,000, big difference between the pair, and if there's the possibility of shooting 16 you should, I don't think it's necessarily wasteful to spend €30,000 on a digital feature (or £30,000) but I think if you had the opportunity that for your first feature it be on 16 but tight for the rest of the budget it will put you in a lot stronger position day in day out on so many fronts that its easily worth it on a practical standpoint regardless of the overwhelming creative reasoning behind film rather than digital