After thirteen wonderful, challenging, action-packed days, Found In Time now sits on several hard drives. I've spent the past week dealing with equipment returns, catching up on expense receipts, and following up on the inevitable hangnails (missing batteries, damaged props, etc.)
It's hard to describe how I feel. Witnessing the cast and crew work incredibly hard to put the world of the story together, listening to the actors creating depth and texture, feeling part of a big electric circuit... it's an exhilarating experience, and one very good reason to go into production. The long hours, erratic sleep, physical hardship, mishaps, upset, and chaos are just checkpoints along the way.
By the end of the coming week, the production will be wrapped - all the paperwork filed away, receipts counted, everyone paid - and post will officially begin with the logging and organizing of the footage. By then, I'll have more perspective and a cooler head, and I'll be able to talk more about the production experience, including lessons learned for next time.
Simeon Moore, our gaffer, has posted some wonderful production stills on the Found In Time Fan Page. We'll be posting some behind-the-scenes clips at some point in the future as well. Stay tuned.
9/30/2010
8/24/2010
Casting, Props, Fun!
This has been a hectic month+. We've been casting, building props, and locking down our locations - getting ready for the BIG DAY: September 10th! So this blog entry will be brief.
Firstly, we have our cast:
MacLeod Andrews | Chris
Mina Vesper Gokal | Ayana
Derek Morgan | RJ
Kelly Sullivan | Jina
Eric Martin Brown | Anthony
Mollie O'Mara | Jess
Curt Bouril | Morton
Stephen Bradbury | Ananasi
Glenn Thomas Cruz | Mark
Stuart Rudin | Isaac
Mary Monahan | Nadine
Avery Pearson | Matthew
Allison F. Phillips | Joan
Justin Myrick | Nicholas
Jaden Michael | Billy
Tony Wolf | Randall
Adam Feingold | Carl
We couldn't ask for a more talented group of people to be working with.
PROPS AND WARDROBE:
Just a quick selection of props and design elements:
This is the spinner that Ayana (one of the main characters) uses to weave her special braids.
This is a logo we made for the Psychcops, the special unit of the police force that keeps track of vendors.
That's it for now. Hopefully we will be able to get one more blog entry out there before we start shooting.
Firstly, we have our cast:
MacLeod Andrews | Chris
Mina Vesper Gokal | Ayana
Derek Morgan | RJ
Kelly Sullivan | Jina
Eric Martin Brown | Anthony
Mollie O'Mara | Jess
Curt Bouril | Morton
Stephen Bradbury | Ananasi
Glenn Thomas Cruz | Mark
Stuart Rudin | Isaac
Mary Monahan | Nadine
Avery Pearson | Matthew
Allison F. Phillips | Joan
Justin Myrick | Nicholas
Jaden Michael | Billy
Tony Wolf | Randall
Adam Feingold | Carl
We couldn't ask for a more talented group of people to be working with.
PROPS AND WARDROBE:
Just a quick selection of props and design elements:
This is the spinner that Ayana (one of the main characters) uses to weave her special braids.
This is a logo we made for the Psychcops, the special unit of the police force that keeps track of vendors.That's it for now. Hopefully we will be able to get one more blog entry out there before we start shooting.
7/04/2010
A Good Preproduction Checklist
I realize I haven't been blogging very much lately. The truth is that the actual work of putting the film together swallowed me up for a bit, which left precious little time left over for reflecting and writing on what I was doing.
June was a very busy month. A few of the things on the to-do list:
I've also been trying to study other low-budget fantasy films such as the recent Ink, The Science of Sleep, Cold Souls and Gabbeh (if you haven't seen these, I recommend them all highly). Gabbeh, in particular, fascinates me. Without any kind of special effects, it manages to utterly convince you of the authenticity of the magical world it creates.
Anyway, one of the overriding lessons of June is the importance of being organized. There are many preproduction checklists out there. But most assume a very idealized schedule and that you'll have a team of people working for you. Here I'm trying to condense it into a list that's manageable and more realistic for the folks who are producing films literally on their own or with one or two other people. As such it's organized more or less in priority order (of course, film preproduction is nonlinear and fluid).
CORPORATE STUFF:
Anything that involves should be taken care of as soon as you have a date set. This includes creating your production company, putting the legal paperwork together for your investors and partners, setting up your bank account and credit cards, getting a resale certificate, etc. This is time-consuming stuff and involves government entities, which move on a slow timetable. So don't put it off.
SCRIPT ANALYSIS:
You can never do too much of this. As a crew member, I used to hate it when the director seemed like the least prepared person on set. There's a difference between being "fresh" (not getting sick of the material before walking on set) and being unprepared. Properly analyzing your script will never make you sick of the material, only lead you to a deeper understanding of the story you're trying to tell. It will also give you the materials you'll need to help you communicate with the cast and crew.
In my mind, script analysis includes the following:
This should be happening throughout the preproduction process. It becomes harder to do as preproduction goes on, since it demands stretches of uninterrupted time. So start this as soon as you have a draft that you think could be shot. I also recommend "saving" everyone (including yourself) huge headaches by refraining from publishing new drafts until you've "ganged up" a few significant changes. Publishing new pages every couple of days is not going to endear you to anyone. On a really low budget film, you are GUARANTEED to get out of sync (with actors, crew, director and producer all showing up on set with different drafts).
PRODUCTION ANALYSIS:
This broad category includes breaking down the script, scheduling it, and budgeting it. This should start as soon as you have a workable draft and will (for better or worse) be an ongoing process. You should try to generate a budget, a location breakdown, and a cast list as soon as possible. I've written about this before, so I won't go into too many details here.
LOCATIONS:
Try to nail your locations, or at least start exploring possibilities, as soon as possible. I've written extensively on location scouting considerations, so I won't go into it here. I want to add two things: be prepared to bribe people to turn off their radios, park somewhere else, etc. And have a backup plan. You don't want to lose a day of shooting if a location gets scotched.
Use the best aspects of a location - even if it means bending the story a little bit. I once worked on a film where we had to find a country house for a corporate law firm partner. We found a beautiful, "rich-looking" house with two giant floor-to-ceiling, two story windows. But the scene was set at night, and we were shooting during the day. The DP and director wouldn't budge, so we gelled the windows (which took forever), and shot away from them - blocking everything in front of an interesting but rather "non-opulent" wall. The issue of wealth (important to the characters and the film as a whole) was lost.
CASTING:
You should start thinking about this as soon as the script is done. Do you know a "name" actor (and I mean know in the sense of actually having met, talked, worked with, and NOT in the sense of having lots of posters of him/her in your room or that you've stalked them or followed them on "E")? Do you know good "non-name" actors? Do you know a casting director?
The casting process is in many ways the hinge that the rest of the film swings on. If you cast well then many of your headaches will disappear on set (to be replaced by others, of course). Cast badly and you'll be wasting a lot of money and time. Note that casting well doesn't necessarily mean casting a name, or even someone with a lot of experience. But:
These last two sound funny, but they're not. I've worked (as a production manager) with musicians cast as actors. They tend to be very good, but many don't understand the concept of a seven-AM call time.
I've also worked with actors who told me on the day that they had to get to their catering jobs two hours before we were scheduled to wrap. My sympathy is limited - I've passed up day job money, sleep, sex, a few friendships, and a vacation or two to stay in this business. If you can't walk the walk, don't talk the talk.
On the other hand, if you're working with an actor who's got another ACTING commitment, then you have to respect that commitment and work around it. If you can't, don't cast that person, or wait until their commitment is over before you shoot.
Also, if your dates aren't solid (they won't slip by more than a few days), you can't expect any actor, no matter their level of experience, to wait around for you.
CREWING UP:
Crewing up is both difficult and easy at the same time. It isn't hard to find people who want to crew on films. The problem is finding people who are willing (see above) to stick with it during some tough times, and/or are also willing to take a pay cut to work on an indie film. Also, since everyone is a freelancer, you can't ask someone in May what they're schedule is going to be like in December. Unless the paycheck you're offering is awesome AND your dates are solid, you're going to have to settle for a "if nothing else comes up" commitment.
So start looking at reels and interviewing people, by all means, but don't count on hiring people for sure until a couple of months before the shoot starts.
PROPS, SET DRESSING, COSTUMES:
I like to create shopping lists of the props, set dressing, costumes, wigs, etc. that I'll need to obtain for the shoot. In creating this list, I focus on the following:
This leads to a lot of dumpster-diving, making phone calls to friends, closet-raiding, and other activities. The good news is that you don't have to do all this work at once. The bad news is that, like everything else on this list, you should start it as early as possible.
One thing I would caution against is assuming that actors can bring their own wardrobe. Depending on their financial situation, day jobs, and/or taste, you may not be able to find a three-piece suit or formal evening gown in their closets that you can use. And if you do, keep in mind that it's your responsibility to make sure they show up with it on the day, that it's cleaned regularly, and that a second rented/purchased, if possible. Actors sweat a LOT - the lights are hot, the AC has to be off for sound, and the work itself is nerve-wracking and physical - so make sure they can get into a clean version of their clothes the next day.
Similarly, locations are seldom perfect and may change between the scout and the shoot. You may have to live with the location as is (not always the worst thing in the world), or spend some time before the shoot crew arrives rearranging things. The key on a low budget is to be flexible.
There's more to come, but I've got to get back to work here. Casting begins in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know how that goes!
June was a very busy month. A few of the things on the to-do list:
- Two Location Scouts
- Filing the Tax Incentive applications with the City and State of NY
- Filing the Screen Actors' Guild paperwork
- Doing a new breakdown and schedule for the film
- Calling locations and soundstages
- Bidding on insurance
- Prop shopping
- Hiring the casting director and preparing for casting
- Further script analysis
- Setting up company credit cards, and the Quickbooks/filing system for the film
I've also been trying to study other low-budget fantasy films such as the recent Ink, The Science of Sleep, Cold Souls and Gabbeh (if you haven't seen these, I recommend them all highly). Gabbeh, in particular, fascinates me. Without any kind of special effects, it manages to utterly convince you of the authenticity of the magical world it creates.
Anyway, one of the overriding lessons of June is the importance of being organized. There are many preproduction checklists out there. But most assume a very idealized schedule and that you'll have a team of people working for you. Here I'm trying to condense it into a list that's manageable and more realistic for the folks who are producing films literally on their own or with one or two other people. As such it's organized more or less in priority order (of course, film preproduction is nonlinear and fluid).
CORPORATE STUFF:
Anything that involves should be taken care of as soon as you have a date set. This includes creating your production company, putting the legal paperwork together for your investors and partners, setting up your bank account and credit cards, getting a resale certificate, etc. This is time-consuming stuff and involves government entities, which move on a slow timetable. So don't put it off.
SCRIPT ANALYSIS:
You can never do too much of this. As a crew member, I used to hate it when the director seemed like the least prepared person on set. There's a difference between being "fresh" (not getting sick of the material before walking on set) and being unprepared. Properly analyzing your script will never make you sick of the material, only lead you to a deeper understanding of the story you're trying to tell. It will also give you the materials you'll need to help you communicate with the cast and crew.
In my mind, script analysis includes the following:
- Preparing a character breakdown for the casting director
- Taking general notes
- Looking at the script from the characters'/actors' POV (see Judith Weston's books on this)
- Storyboarding
- Shotlisting
- Preparing a "vision statement" that uses other films, stills, artworks, music... anything that someone can grab and watch/listen to/read to get a sense of what you want to accomplish
- Figuring out what sides you want to use for auditions
- Rewriting the script based on the above
This should be happening throughout the preproduction process. It becomes harder to do as preproduction goes on, since it demands stretches of uninterrupted time. So start this as soon as you have a draft that you think could be shot. I also recommend "saving" everyone (including yourself) huge headaches by refraining from publishing new drafts until you've "ganged up" a few significant changes. Publishing new pages every couple of days is not going to endear you to anyone. On a really low budget film, you are GUARANTEED to get out of sync (with actors, crew, director and producer all showing up on set with different drafts).
PRODUCTION ANALYSIS:
This broad category includes breaking down the script, scheduling it, and budgeting it. This should start as soon as you have a workable draft and will (for better or worse) be an ongoing process. You should try to generate a budget, a location breakdown, and a cast list as soon as possible. I've written about this before, so I won't go into too many details here.
LOCATIONS:
Try to nail your locations, or at least start exploring possibilities, as soon as possible. I've written extensively on location scouting considerations, so I won't go into it here. I want to add two things: be prepared to bribe people to turn off their radios, park somewhere else, etc. And have a backup plan. You don't want to lose a day of shooting if a location gets scotched.
Use the best aspects of a location - even if it means bending the story a little bit. I once worked on a film where we had to find a country house for a corporate law firm partner. We found a beautiful, "rich-looking" house with two giant floor-to-ceiling, two story windows. But the scene was set at night, and we were shooting during the day. The DP and director wouldn't budge, so we gelled the windows (which took forever), and shot away from them - blocking everything in front of an interesting but rather "non-opulent" wall. The issue of wealth (important to the characters and the film as a whole) was lost.
CASTING:
You should start thinking about this as soon as the script is done. Do you know a "name" actor (and I mean know in the sense of actually having met, talked, worked with, and NOT in the sense of having lots of posters of him/her in your room or that you've stalked them or followed them on "E")? Do you know good "non-name" actors? Do you know a casting director?
The casting process is in many ways the hinge that the rest of the film swings on. If you cast well then many of your headaches will disappear on set (to be replaced by others, of course). Cast badly and you'll be wasting a lot of money and time. Note that casting well doesn't necessarily mean casting a name, or even someone with a lot of experience. But:
- Do they bring the role to life?
- Do they think of things you haven't thought of?
- Are they committed to the sometimes arduous nature of the process (they refuse to coast on indication and cliche)
- Do they have chemistry with each other?
- Will they show up on time?
- Do they understand the hours and time commitment, or will you have to compete with their day jobs or significant others?
These last two sound funny, but they're not. I've worked (as a production manager) with musicians cast as actors. They tend to be very good, but many don't understand the concept of a seven-AM call time.
I've also worked with actors who told me on the day that they had to get to their catering jobs two hours before we were scheduled to wrap. My sympathy is limited - I've passed up day job money, sleep, sex, a few friendships, and a vacation or two to stay in this business. If you can't walk the walk, don't talk the talk.
On the other hand, if you're working with an actor who's got another ACTING commitment, then you have to respect that commitment and work around it. If you can't, don't cast that person, or wait until their commitment is over before you shoot.
Also, if your dates aren't solid (they won't slip by more than a few days), you can't expect any actor, no matter their level of experience, to wait around for you.
CREWING UP:
Crewing up is both difficult and easy at the same time. It isn't hard to find people who want to crew on films. The problem is finding people who are willing (see above) to stick with it during some tough times, and/or are also willing to take a pay cut to work on an indie film. Also, since everyone is a freelancer, you can't ask someone in May what they're schedule is going to be like in December. Unless the paycheck you're offering is awesome AND your dates are solid, you're going to have to settle for a "if nothing else comes up" commitment.
So start looking at reels and interviewing people, by all means, but don't count on hiring people for sure until a couple of months before the shoot starts.
PROPS, SET DRESSING, COSTUMES:
I like to create shopping lists of the props, set dressing, costumes, wigs, etc. that I'll need to obtain for the shoot. In creating this list, I focus on the following:
- What's already at the location that I can use for free/cheap?
- What do I own?
- What can I borrow for free?
- What can I rent for cheap?
- What can I "buy and return?"
- What do I have to fabricate or purchase?
This leads to a lot of dumpster-diving, making phone calls to friends, closet-raiding, and other activities. The good news is that you don't have to do all this work at once. The bad news is that, like everything else on this list, you should start it as early as possible.
One thing I would caution against is assuming that actors can bring their own wardrobe. Depending on their financial situation, day jobs, and/or taste, you may not be able to find a three-piece suit or formal evening gown in their closets that you can use. And if you do, keep in mind that it's your responsibility to make sure they show up with it on the day, that it's cleaned regularly, and that a second rented/purchased, if possible. Actors sweat a LOT - the lights are hot, the AC has to be off for sound, and the work itself is nerve-wracking and physical - so make sure they can get into a clean version of their clothes the next day.
Similarly, locations are seldom perfect and may change between the scout and the shoot. You may have to live with the location as is (not always the worst thing in the world), or spend some time before the shoot crew arrives rearranging things. The key on a low budget is to be flexible.
There's more to come, but I've got to get back to work here. Casting begins in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know how that goes!
6/05/2010
Scouting For Fun And Profit
So over the past few weekends, my director of photography Ben Wolf and I have been hitting the pavement. Starting in Astoria, jumping down to LIC and Greenpoint, and finally hitting some major paydirt in the Bronx, we've been taking in the sights and sounds of NYC.
We're looking for a side of New York that isn't often seen. Our everyday experience of New York, especially of Manhattan, is of a very close horizon with tall buildings and not much in the way of sky. This first image, shot in Astoria, is of the Hellgate Bridge. The vines growing up the supports help beautify the bridge, and the slight incline allows for a dramatic view. There's also a good contrast between the enormity of the bridge and the small (two-to-three story) houses next and under it.
The next couple of pictures, also taken in Astoria, show some nice diversity as well. The parking lot/alley, while generic in some respects, is broken up by the trees poking through the fence. And the park (Astoria Park) has several meandering paths and a nice incline. This allows for some good foreground/background blocking, creating depth in the frame.
The Bronx
The Bronx offers a "hilly" landscape, featuring a mix of residential and commercial buildings, lots of sky (a good lighting source, as well as a nice break from skyscrapers), and constant activity. The incline allows for some blocking opportunities that can create depth in the frame. The wide sidewalks are a big boon, since they will allow us to do profile shots without having to walk in the street. Many of the scenes take place on a "street vendor" corner, which means we need room for the camera, passersby, vendors with folding tables, and customers.
I'm also looking for a few other things in a good location:
Access to holding: Industrial landscapes and abandoned buildings are beautiful, except when you have to go to the bathroom or eat lunch, change wardrobe, or go somewhere to be quiet. I usually try to make a deal with the nearest church/synagogue/temple/mosque, community center, or hotel/motel.
Power: This is mostly for interiors. Gaffers usually love bringing along a generator and distribution, but on a low budget, it's impractical. Tie-ins or "plug-and-pray" are your better bet. Look out for tie-in-proof boxes (where they've sealed the distribution box cover so you can't get at the leads), old wiring, or 10 amp circuits (I still see some of these in old apartments).
Noise: The only downside of the part of the Bronx we saw was that we were only two or three blocks away from the elevated 4 train, and there was a tremendous amount of car and pedestrian traffic. We were there on Saturday, however; I'm going back during the week at some point to see how bad it is. The subway is on a somewhat predictable schedule and may be far enough away. Or we will have to decide to use it as part of the mix.
There's a lot of construction in Astoria, though not as much directly under the bridge. The Hellgate only sees the occasional freight or Amtrak train.
Goods: How far away are you from the nearest hardware store, supermarket, office supply place, and copy center. The last one is especially important at the end of the day when it's time to distribute callsheets.
Emergency: I worked on a film last year up in the Catskills that only had a part-time medical center in the nearest town. The closest full-on hospital was a good 30-to-45 minute drive. This was a little scary. On the other hand, the State Trooper barracks wasn't far away, and the volunteer fire department was fairly close by. The nearest snowplow and towing services were down the road.
If you're in the city, you can sometimes walk or drive faster to the nearest emergency ward than if you wait for the ambulance. So at least learn where the nearest fire/police/hospitals are.
Breakfast and Lunch: I usually try to find a variety of diners, restaurants, delis, etc. nearby so I can either send everyone away for walk-aways, or make deals for catering. It's almost always better to contract a local business for catering (they won't get lost, for one thing), but it's important that they understand the differences between Kosher/Halal, vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Astoria has a ton of restaurants. We spotted a number of good choices in East Burnside (the Bronx).
Public Transportation: Astoria is dependent on the N train and a couple of buses, while you have more options in Burnside.
Parking: No matter how hard you try, you'll end up with more vehicles than you'd like. If you have a shooting permit that gives you street parking (as opposed to "parking as available") AND you've coned out your parking the night before, you CAN technically ask for a tow service. But do you really want to piss off your temporary neighbors? Sometimes its better politics to find a cheap nearby garage.
Time To Location: A long commute will either be on the clock, or at least impact the turnaround, resulting in a "creeping call." It will also eat up gas and toll money (all non-production-value-enhancing costs). So shoot locally whenever possible.
Well, that's it for now - more scouting to do. Now that the rewrite of the script is done (finally), I have to break it down for the next draft of the schedule, and start thinking about interiors, props, and wardrobe concerns.
5/12/2010
Being Smart About Money
I've seen this happen. Genius starts a business. He's got a great product (or film), a lot of goodwill and interest from people, and a loyal team.
What's the first thing he does? Gets himself in hock buying or renting a LOT of stuff. Spending money (either his or his investors) on "publicity parties," glossy packages, and a really really impressive desk. He rents an office space.
Everything's going great, until the bottom falls out of the market, or Genius B comes out with the same product only cheaper, or your investor decides to shut the faucet off. Then Genius is left with a set of awful choices: close up shop, plow whatever's left into finishing the film/product, change horses and make something else, lay everyone off and try to go it alone, ask everyone to take pay cuts, and so on...
In the BEST-CASE scenario, the movie gets made, the software comes on the market, the appliance ships. It does reasonably well and the company skates by, but Genius has now burned pretty much everyone around him (usually including his spouse/significant other), is in personal debt up to his eyeballs, and may have to close up and go back to work for someone else for a few years before getting another chance at-bat.
I witnessed this behavior first as a computer consultant, then as a line producer. At this point I've been around long enough to watch small businesses in just about every sector fail. In trying to keep my own business afloat, I've had to learn (sometimes the really, really hard way) how to be smart about my (and my investors') money. This is a WAY-TOO-SHORT list of things to think about in this regard.
Limit Your Overhead
This should be obvious, but for some reason it's not. To start making a film you need (a) a cellphone, (b) a computer, (c) a printer, (d) your brains. [obviously you need more than that as time goes on] If you need to get away from the house because it's too distracting, find a cafe/bar/library/someplace, preferably free. Or make or buy a cheap desk and stick it in a corner of your room. Likewise, hiring people before you're ready to use them, buying lots of gadgets (more on that below), throwing launch parties, buying expensive desks... not good uses of money.
Get Good Tools
This seems to contradict to what I just said, but not really. You will need a smartphone, a computer, a printer, and probably some piece of furniture to put them on. Fortunately, good tools aren't always expensive. Almost any machine you buy from HP, Apple, or Dell will give you decent horsepower and all come with good warranty options. You'll need a laser printer (but not an expensive one) if you want to print bulk copies of scripts and business plans (it'll be cheaper than Staples or an inkjet). Most cellular plans come with decent promos for smartphones. A desk can be put together for about $50-60 in lumber or a trip to Ikea, or by salvaging a door and some filing cabinets (one of my favorite methods). A decent office chair (or better, a stool) can be gotten from Staples or Quill for cheap.
The price of buying bad tools that break or underperform is high - lost productivity due to tech support calls, cash spent on replacing items that are just out of warranty. Investors also take stock of your tools when you meet them (just as they do your clothes and hair). Appearing somewhat thrifty is good; appearing too cheap suggests that you don't have a good gauge on when to spend money.
Renting Gadgets vs. Buying Them
If you're a DP, a sound mixer, an editor or compositor, then your livelihood depends on having good tools (see above) and being able to use them when you want/need to. Purchasing a camera, lights, an editing system and/or DDR may make sense. But if you're a producer, buying gadgets usually doesn't make sense, and here's why:
* Unless your business model includes working for hire and bringing the gear along (for a fee), or renting the camera out to other people, then your gadget will never make back its cost. When I bought a Mac to edit my first film with, I also used it as my main computer for four years; between web programming gigs, line producing and the occasional editing spot, I'm sure I was able to pay back the cost of the machine. Can you say the same thing?
* If you rent something and it breaks down, you call the rental house and they replace it - on their dime. If you buy something and it breaks down, it's your responsibility to fix it. As a computer geek, buying a computer (vs. leasing) made sense because I could fix most problems myself. But if you're on set and your camera dies, you'd better have a backup unit or a good relationship with a rental house.
* Are you looking at the real cost of ownership, or just the basic model price? If you're buying a camera, did you include the tripod, carrying case, cables, spare batteries, and additional cards?
* Today's gadget is tomorrow's doorstop. Make sure you aren't buying something that's going to be outdated in a year when the next model comes along - then you won't even be able to rent it out as frequently.
It's often more cost-effective in the long run to rent gear when you need it. An important exception to this is documentaries, where you may have to pick up and go on a moment's notice, or if you're shooting somewhere way far away from a rental house for months on end (then you might as well buy, and just take really good care of your gear).
Take The Cost of Living Into Account
The cost of living - due to real or artificial inflation - goes up roughly 3% or more per year. It's hard to measure exactly, because some goods stay the same in price while others rise.
But most people don't take this into account. If you have a savings account that's earning below the cost of living increase, you're essentially losing money every year (less than if you put the money under your mattress, but still). Likewise if you go without a raise for a couple of years at your day job, you're effectively taking a pay cut. This is also why you can't use a budget from a film made more than a few years ago as the basis for your own (which you shouldn't be doing anyway). El Mariachi and Blair Witch would still cost more if made today, even if NOTHING in the way they were filmed changed.
Credit Card Debt Vs. Savings
Most of the time, saving is better than spending. HOWEVER, there are exceptions. Right now, CDs are offering less interest than the rate of inflation (see above). Credit card interest, on the other hand, has not come down as much, and credit card companies are constantly finding new ways to stick it to us - late fees, interest rate jumps, new ways of calculating interest, membership fees, "rewards program" or "fraud protection" fees, etc...
If you're putting money into a savings account (or IRA or 401K) but are also carrying credit card debt, STOP saving and pay down your debt first. Start with the highest-interest cards first, and "snowball" your payments (as you pay one card off, apply the payment to the next card).
Don't pay your taxes on your credit card. The IRS will take monthly payments, and the interest and penalties charged are usually far less than the credit card companies will charge you in interest.
Don't put staple goods on your credit card - food, gas, etc. - unless you can pay it off every month or you're using a debit card. If you can't pay for your food in cash, that's a sign that you're living above your means.
Don't buy into fraud protection insurance or any of the other crappy insurance programs offered by credit cards. They add very little value to the protection built into your account (and enforced by law). Likewise, be wary of rewards programs - they tend to encourage spending.
I'm all for having a little rainy-day fund in case you get laid off. But nothing will eat into that fund faster than debt, so I still think it's better to pay the debt off first and save later.
Get Organized
If your car ashtray or shoebox is your bookkeeping system, you need to upgrade to something better. If you have investors, they will sometimes ask you how things are going with their money, and you'd better be able to answer.
I recommend learning QuickBooks. It's hard to get a reliable, good bookkeeper for what you can probably afford to pay (which is usually next to nothing). It's not an easy program to learn, but once you do you'll be working with the industry standard. You can budget and track expenses, add credit cards as well as bank accounts, and generate statements and invoices.
Keep Your Money Separate...
... from your investors'. It's VERY tempting to use investor money for personal use. Maybe you think you deserved a dinner on the company's dime because you worked late. Or you think you should lease a car. Or have the company pay part of the rent on your apartment (since it's the production office anyway).
There is a legitimate case to be made for each situation. If you're in preproduction and you're saving money because you didn't have to hire a PA to collate all those scripts, then having dinner makes sense. If you're in production and your shitbox isn't big or reliable enough to transport your actors and crew, you should rent a vehicle. If your production office is your apartment, you may need to reimburse yourself a little (at least to cover bumps in utilities, furniture breakage, and/or spousal irritation).
But if you're in development or postproduction, these arguments don't really hold up as well. If you're in development you should be saving as much money as possible; if you're in post you're probably coming close to running out of it. Your investors may or may not scrutinize these expenses. If they think you're using their money as a "free ride" they may not be as generous the next time around. Or they might want some of it back.
Auto Pay Is The Way
Especially when you're in production, you really don't have time to keep track of your personal finances. Many of us (myself included) hate doing it in the first place. So I get the bank to some of it for me - I have my bank account automatically pay all my bills. I have an overdraft on the checking account so I'm not worried about a bounced check. Since doing this my late payment fees have dropped to about $15 per year; also, my interest rate increases (due to late payments) have disappeared. The few times I've had a shortfall - when a payment has come out of the overdraft because my paycheck hadn't cleared - the charge was nominal. At the very least, turn this option on during production.
Don't Let Out Of Pocket Expenses Accumulate
Your first instinct will probably be to let the crew pay for their expenses, then reimburse them after they submit receipts. After all, there's always the chance that if you hand them their money, they'll just walk away with it, right?
The truth is that most people won't do that. They want to work again. The short-term gain is too small. They have pride in their work.
The solutions are to give them floats, give them credit cards with specific limits, and/or pay for certain expenses directly. Review their spending on a weekly basis and stay on top of things (or hire a line producer to do it).
If you give your department heads piles of cash and say "that's all you're getting," they will spend that pile. If you tell them you'll reimburse them later, they'll spend more than that pile, and be upset if you say that you won't reimburse them for everything. This is not evil on their part - they're just trying to help you make your movie, and are often going above and beyond to do that. But people don't tend to keep as close track of their own spending, or they just assume that you'll cover it anyway, or maybe they're a little pissed because they're going out of pocket... for a variety of reasons, you'll end up spending more.
Think Opposite The Herd
When everyone sells, that's when it's time to buy. When everyone's buying, that's when it's time to sell. That's the best way to survive in the world of investing.
This principle applies to filmmaking in general, however. Make a film in the winter (when no one is working), shoot in a town where no one else goes, pick atypical locations, cast under-utilized actors... you get the idea. If everyone is shooting a romantic comedy, maybe you should put yours on the shelf and take down that horror film - otherwise, you'll end up with just one more low budget romantic comedy, aiming for the same jackpot your competitors are.
Student Loan Consolidation? Think Carefully...
Consolidating your student loans may lower your immediate overhead, but it will usually cost you more in the long run. The consolidated interest rate can often be higher than at least some of the individual loans. And of course you'll end up paying more in interest over the long haul (sometimes three times as much). Some of your loans (particularly certain types of Federal loans) aren't "consolidatable" in any case.
Hire Good Professionals
You'll need a good lawyer and a good tax accountant (unless you're skilled in either of these areas). Build their services into the film's budget. I've seen far too many people get into trouble because they wrote their own (badly worded) contract, or filed the wrong LLC forms at tax time or when forming the corporation.
Pay Yourself Last
Yes, everyone says "pay yourself first," but if you're making a low-budget film, your crew really aren't going to understand why they're working deferred or at a low rate if you're getting a better deal. If you want people to be loyal to you, it's better to forgo some perks (a fancier desk, a better salary, early-day Fridays) and work your ass off.
People Are Your Best Resource
You don't have to suck up or even be particularly nice to the people working for you, but you do have to publicly acknowledge that their contribution is valuable. This doesn't always mean spending a lot of money - sometimes a sincere "thank you" or a drink, or hiring them on your next better-paying job, are sufficient. You can't buy people's loyalty and trust, you have to earn it through your deeds.
Well, that's it - really truly. Time to get back to rewriting.
4/28/2010
Thinking About Time
Time is very much on my mind these days. What follows is a set of observations about it. It's a bit of a departure for me from the lecture/how-to format. Think of it as a window into my brain (aka "this is your brain on a rewrite").
Every day brings me closer to the start of production of the film. Every hour I spend working on other projects is one less that I can apply towards prep. Every minute that passes between my last film and this one my directing wheels get that much rustier. And so on.
Time is also a big theme in the script. Our hero keeps moving forwards and backwards in his experience of time. Much of this idea came out of watching films like Persona and Memento; reading books like Catch-22, Ubik, and Three Roads to Quantum Gravity; and looking at my own experience of time.
On the one hand, I feel I that talking about time is like being a fish trying to describe water. Water has properties, it can be measured, it can be understood chemically, but the very "wateriness" of the water, the experience of it, is impossible to separate from from a fishes' being. Fish are designed to swim in water; we are designed to exist in time. Whenever you try to get at the essence of time you end up talking about yourself.
The obsession with timekeeping and quantification of time is much-lamented, as is our apparent inability to keep focused on more than one thing for very long. Endless cliches are trotted out about how we're losing out on the beauty of life by endlessly trying to cram more stuff into the available time; how time-saving devices ultimately don't translate into more leisure, just more cramming; and how we've become slaves to an impersonal, mechanical version of time.
I suspect, however, that our time obsession is nothing new. While hunter-gatherers may appear to be more "relaxed" than us about when things happen, or farmers' lives a little "slower," their brains are wired just like ours are. I think they count the seconds just as much as we do. The main difference is in their expectation of what time will yield is probably different.
One day for a hunter-gatherer might mean preparing ones' tools, eating something; catching one big animal, or collecting a bundle of plantains; bringing the food back to the base camp; and cooking it. Counting is usually done by ratios, rather than absolute numbers; this is also how we tend to think (without training in number theory) and how our bodies themselves work.
This would suggest that time is indeed something akin to a volume or dimension. Physicists treat it as such. Non-physicists graph time along an axis (usually the x axis) of a chart.
But by and large, the equations of physics run equally well whether the flow of time is backwards or forwards, whereas a chart of the S&P 500 does not. So why does time only appear to run in one direction? Here physicists seem to be rather dumbfounded. Some philosophers (and physicists) have argued that time is a solid "block" like a volume of space. We move through it, it doesn't flow past us. This means that the moments past and future already exist, we just can't see them. Why not?
If I were to stand still in time, all my momentum would be transferred to space (this is what Einstein says; this is why less time passes for you when you travel at relativistic speeds). Does a photon, which travels at the speed of light, experience time? Would we, if we were to travel that fast? When we have gaps in our consciousness (from epilepsy, blackouts, drugs, etc.) some part of us is still in "record mode." Another part of us manages to edit our experience of time together so that there's no gap, no apparent discrepancy between what the different parts of us experienced (though it's obviously not a flawless system).
Does the universe perform a similar function at the quantum level? Some string and quantum loop gravity theorists feel that there's an atomic structure to space-time - a Planck-scale "smallest discrete unit" of space and time. If this is true, then events can't take less than a certain (VERY VERY VERY small) period of time to occur. The appearance of a seamless progression of events could really be the universe's equivalent of going through a flipbook - or projecting frames of film or video - at a high enough speed.
Perhaps time IS just an artifact, a feature like persistence of vision. Sadly, I don't find this comforting. I rather feel more as though I'm really just a big hunk of stuff that's being shuffled through a really, really fine deli slicer.
Perhaps I can show a little bit of this onscreen - by picking the right cut points, moving the story in just the right direction, I can make the audience aware of the water around them, without throwing it in their faces. Here's hoping.
4/11/2010
Script Analysis/Acting Resources
So in the last post, I promised that I'd tell you about some of the resources that have proven invaluable for me in the area of script analysis. So without further ado, here's a combination of techniques, books and films that will help you get to the heart of your script and be able to communicate it better to your cast and crew.
There's a lot of pressure to get it all right on set. The clock is ticking and the money is leaking out of your pocket faster than you can think. So take time NOW, when things are relatively calm, and get down to it. And DON'T expect all the answers to come right away. It's taken me years for some of the things I've learned to really soak in, and the biggest thing I've learned about film making is how much more I have to learn.
Go to Adrienne Weiss' Directing Actors website. She's a really good director, and taught me a hell of a lot about how to talk to actors. Adrienne is bi-coastal, but if you can't get to her, find an acting group, play, or something going on in your town.
Get some experience, however you can. Even just watching rehearsals helps.
No matter what an actor's training is, I think that the best way to boost a performance is to give them something to do. This doesn't have to be an "action" in the running-away-from-an-explosion sense. Look at Ozu's Tokyo Story (or frankly, almost any of his work). There's not a whole lot of action going on - no one's getting shot or stabbed, or thrown around. There's a lot of dialog. But the performances are incredibly dynamic, at least in part because the actors are always DOING something. They're packing to go on a trip, eating dinner, fanning themselves, cleaning up... I don't know what Ozu's directions to his actors were. But by getting your actors to move around, do things, play, walk, or anything aside from sitting down, you get their energy focused on something outside of their heads.
Judith Weston has written two really good books about directing actors. Of the two, I think Directing Actors is the most accessible.
I found The Film Director's Intuition very slow going. I'm not sure why - it may be because of the mood I was in when I read it. But once she gets into script analysis techniques - and illustrates them with three really good examples - the book takes off and all the material in the earlier chapters comes together.
William Ball's Sense of Direction is a nice, slim volume that really gets to the heart of directing actors pretty fast. There are some skippable chapters (it was written for stage directing), but it's worth picking up.
Cathy Haase's Acting For Film is geared towards actors more than directors - and for this reason it's actually a valuable resource for you. It's very practical, written very clearly, and is also very brief.
I'm still reading Tony Barr's Acting For the Camera, but so far it's a very clear guide to how to act for film; again, a very good book for you to read.
Finally, pick up a copy of Michael Shurtleff's Audition. It's aimed at actors who have to audition. They have to analyze a play based on a small scene and find a way to the heart of both the scene and their performance, all in a very short period of time. Sounds a lot like film acting, right? Yup. As a writer, I found the "12 guideposts" Shurtleff posits to be absolutely essential to figuring out why a scene works or doesn't work. Similarly, I use the same guideposts to help me figure out the subtext of the scene, or prepare some playable direction to give actors.
Watch films with an eye towards editing and performance. Look past cinematography and production value/design as much as possible. It's not that that those elements aren't important - they very much are - it's just that in many ways those decisions are made by you AND others (the director of photography, mixer, production designer, costume designer, etc.). The part that's really YOURS on set has to do with working with the actors. The results usually manifest themselves later in the editing room as the editor (with your input) tries to build the drama from the different takes.
Some people have said it's good to watch a film without the sound on - so you don't get too sucked into the story. Others have suggested watching films in black and white (either watching a movie shot in black and white or turning the saturation down so that the picture is effectively monochrome). I don't know if I buy either of those techniques whole-heartedly, but they're there, and maybe they'll work for you.
It wasn't until I was storyboarding Caleb's Door that I realized that I could cut big chunks of dialog out of certain scenes. The reaction shots would communicate plenty. Something about working with my hands, drawing my silly stick figures (I'm not a really good illustrator), made connections in my brain that I wouldn't have made otherwise. During the reshoots I adopted a looser style without storyboarding but my DP and I went over the script and I did make notes on it that resulted in a shotlist and a floorplan.
Some people will argue that a floorplan done while on the shooting location is more useful than a storyboard done months before. I say whatever works for you is good. Just don't skip this step. Anything you can do to pull the script out of two dimensions and into three in your head is a good thing. It will also help you figure out where the camera should be, what should be in front of it, and what's important to hear - all those things that your crew needs to know too.
Okay, that's it for now. Actual real news about the film is coming soon, I swear! In the meantime, I'm chugging away on a rewrite.
If you like this blog, visit the IndieGogo page, and express your thanks via a donation - every contribution, no matter what size, helps the film come to life.
Breathe
There's a lot of pressure to get it all right on set. The clock is ticking and the money is leaking out of your pocket faster than you can think. So take time NOW, when things are relatively calm, and get down to it. And DON'T expect all the answers to come right away. It's taken me years for some of the things I've learned to really soak in, and the biggest thing I've learned about film making is how much more I have to learn.
Take Some Acting Classes
Go to Adrienne Weiss' Directing Actors website. She's a really good director, and taught me a hell of a lot about how to talk to actors. Adrienne is bi-coastal, but if you can't get to her, find an acting group, play, or something going on in your town.
Get some experience, however you can. Even just watching rehearsals helps.
Get Physical
No matter what an actor's training is, I think that the best way to boost a performance is to give them something to do. This doesn't have to be an "action" in the running-away-from-an-explosion sense. Look at Ozu's Tokyo Story (or frankly, almost any of his work). There's not a whole lot of action going on - no one's getting shot or stabbed, or thrown around. There's a lot of dialog. But the performances are incredibly dynamic, at least in part because the actors are always DOING something. They're packing to go on a trip, eating dinner, fanning themselves, cleaning up... I don't know what Ozu's directions to his actors were. But by getting your actors to move around, do things, play, walk, or anything aside from sitting down, you get their energy focused on something outside of their heads.
Reading
Judith Weston has written two really good books about directing actors. Of the two, I think Directing Actors is the most accessible.
I found The Film Director's Intuition very slow going. I'm not sure why - it may be because of the mood I was in when I read it. But once she gets into script analysis techniques - and illustrates them with three really good examples - the book takes off and all the material in the earlier chapters comes together.
William Ball's Sense of Direction is a nice, slim volume that really gets to the heart of directing actors pretty fast. There are some skippable chapters (it was written for stage directing), but it's worth picking up.
Cathy Haase's Acting For Film is geared towards actors more than directors - and for this reason it's actually a valuable resource for you. It's very practical, written very clearly, and is also very brief.
I'm still reading Tony Barr's Acting For the Camera, but so far it's a very clear guide to how to act for film; again, a very good book for you to read.
Finally, pick up a copy of Michael Shurtleff's Audition. It's aimed at actors who have to audition. They have to analyze a play based on a small scene and find a way to the heart of both the scene and their performance, all in a very short period of time. Sounds a lot like film acting, right? Yup. As a writer, I found the "12 guideposts" Shurtleff posits to be absolutely essential to figuring out why a scene works or doesn't work. Similarly, I use the same guideposts to help me figure out the subtext of the scene, or prepare some playable direction to give actors.
Watch Films
Watch films with an eye towards editing and performance. Look past cinematography and production value/design as much as possible. It's not that that those elements aren't important - they very much are - it's just that in many ways those decisions are made by you AND others (the director of photography, mixer, production designer, costume designer, etc.). The part that's really YOURS on set has to do with working with the actors. The results usually manifest themselves later in the editing room as the editor (with your input) tries to build the drama from the different takes.
Some people have said it's good to watch a film without the sound on - so you don't get too sucked into the story. Others have suggested watching films in black and white (either watching a movie shot in black and white or turning the saturation down so that the picture is effectively monochrome). I don't know if I buy either of those techniques whole-heartedly, but they're there, and maybe they'll work for you.
Floorplans, Shotlists, Storyboards, etc.
It wasn't until I was storyboarding Caleb's Door that I realized that I could cut big chunks of dialog out of certain scenes. The reaction shots would communicate plenty. Something about working with my hands, drawing my silly stick figures (I'm not a really good illustrator), made connections in my brain that I wouldn't have made otherwise. During the reshoots I adopted a looser style without storyboarding but my DP and I went over the script and I did make notes on it that resulted in a shotlist and a floorplan.
Some people will argue that a floorplan done while on the shooting location is more useful than a storyboard done months before. I say whatever works for you is good. Just don't skip this step. Anything you can do to pull the script out of two dimensions and into three in your head is a good thing. It will also help you figure out where the camera should be, what should be in front of it, and what's important to hear - all those things that your crew needs to know too.
Okay, that's it for now. Actual real news about the film is coming soon, I swear! In the meantime, I'm chugging away on a rewrite.
If you like this blog, visit the IndieGogo page, and express your thanks via a donation - every contribution, no matter what size, helps the film come to life.
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