The Creative Producer

My New Website!

2009-09-15T15:11:00.003-05:00

Hello Lovelies.

I have finally pieced together a website to host my producing blog and assorted other tidbits. Please join me at forwardMarsh!

Keeping It Real

2009-08-03T17:22:00.003-05:00

My daughter painted her legs blue this afternoon.

Paint table set up, check. Water-based paints in little cups, check. Brushes out, check. Paint smock on, check. Paint away, little toddler child of mine!

Lo, I stepped into the kitchen to get my little Matisse a snack and when I returned to the living room, I was greeted by a big, look-what-I-did grin, and blue legs!

I share this with you all, because I've had a very full day as a parent, and my joy for producing feels very far away right now.

And, it's a Monday, and I don't have any fewer producing tasks beckoning me than usual. I'd like to be 100% ON TOP OF THINGS every minute I want to be, but it's not happening today. Agh.

And, yes, my toddler did look adorably cute (and messy) when I found her like she was. :)

Meet The Producer Noah Harlan

2009-07-26T21:06:00.004-05:00

I'm delighted to present producer Noah Harlan's responses to my creative producing questionnaire. Noah is co-founder of 2.1 Films in NY and maintains a blog, The 401st Blow, which I love to read.

Sustaining the Muse
A Producing Questionnaire

* Please name all the "hats" you wear as a creative producer.

I teach producing at NYU and one thing I reiterate to my students is that, as a producer, you have to know something about everything that is involved with making a film as eventually everyone will have a question for you. That beings said, as a classical 'producer' (ie: not an executive, co-, associate, line or other type of producer) you are a talent scout, a friends/counselor/guide, a collaborator, a financier, a financier-finder, a marketer, and a leader. I think the most important 'hats' are the collaboration and the leadership, but they rest firmly on your taste. Assuming you have taste, your ability to accomplish things is predicated on your capacity to understand the needs of those you work with, support those people and keep a hand on the wheel so you're always moving forward.

* List all of the jobs you've held before or while pursuing a career in producing.

Intern, Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Casting Assistant, Casting Associate, Line Producer, Co-Producer, Field Producer, Producer

* Do you have a Big Dream or career goal as a producer? What inspires you to do what you do?

I love engaging people's imagination, I love creative expression and I love problem solving. There is not a particular film goal that I have beyond trying to make as many films as I can that I believe in. I don't put limits on what type of film I want to make as there are huge blockbusters I love and tiny arthouse projects I love.

I don't know that I can say what inspires me to do what I do. It feels more like a compulsion perhaps. Since I don't see a specific goal to my career, I likely don't have a singular motivation. If there is one thing I do feel, it is that I love to be transported - to forget where I am and get lost - and film and media allows us to bring that sensation to others.

* Please name five essential skills and/or traits a creative producer needs to sustain a career.

(in no particular order)

1) Tenacity: You will hear 'no' more than you can imagine. You will not make a lot of money and when you do, there will be no assurance that you ever will again.

2) Taste: You cannot control whether your films are financially successful. You cannot control whether your films are critically heralded as successes. However you can control the taste-level of the projects you choose. A producer's success if tied, in part, to their ability to get people to respond to their projects and consider them for financing. If you spend your cache on bad projects people will be less inclined to return your calls and read your scripts. If you are always pushing ahead with projects that are admirable then those who pass on one will always be curious about the next.

3) Leadership: If your crew and/or collaborators do not believe you know what you are doing, and you cannot inspire them to keep doing what they are doing then they will abandon you and the work will suffer.

4) An Understanding of Finances: You are asking people for their money, know what you are talking about. Increasingly the notion of a producer who doesn't have to deal with financing is a fallacy. You will have to. Take care of your investor's money, watch the contracts and understand the deals you're offering.

5) Patience: This takes a long time. From concept to script takes at least a year generally. Then you finance. Then you shoot. Then you edit. Then you release. While it can be very short, it generally is a long time in the making and often, if you rush it, the work is half-baked.

* Name a movie, or several, that you wish you had produced. And/or, producer(s) you admire (living or passed on).

The list of films I wished I had produced is probably far too long to reasonably print. I admire the careers of Jon Kilik, Scott Rudin, Marin Karmitz, Marek Rozenbaum, Jean Labadie, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Sarah Green and many, many more.

* How do you define success for yourself?

I'm never satisfied and thus it is hard to define success. Perhaps a time will come when I look back and say, I was successful, but for now, I suppose, it is being able to continue making movies. When I can't do that, I'll have failed.

* What's your motto when it comes to raising money for your project(s)?

It's out there.

* How long did it take to support yourself as a producer?

Given the cyclical nature of our revenue, it's a perpetual question for all indie producers. However I was working for a few years before I could make enough off of producing to not take other jobs.

* Who do you turn to when you need a pep talk?

My fiance and our dog. Mostly our dog.

* If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I'd be a faster reader. I feel like I'm terribly slow, I'm not, but I feel like I am. There's a lot of things on that list I suppose but I try not to think about them...

Dear Indie Producer

2009-06-22T13:33:00.002-05:00

At dinner this weekend, I was asked, "How do you find investors?"

I posted on "how do you find financing?" a year ago, but today, as I'm in the midst of shopping an offering to prospective investors, I have a few things to add.

First off, know what you're selling. Be able to talk about your project in product/genre, scope, market, cash-flow, projected Return On Investment, and sales terms.

Secondly, and more importantly, know what type of investor you believe will "vibe" to your project. Will they be friends and family supporting your Big Dream? Will they be accredited investors who pool their monies in an Angel or Venture Capital group? Will your project lend itself to international co-production/financing partners? Will your ideal investor be someone who's as passionate about the topicality or genre of your project as you are? Will they be folks who thrill to support vanguard/experimental/pushing-boundaries content? Will they be constituents of your website who'll donate monies to your project?

Know what you're asking for, and don't be coy. Be specific.

Some samples:

I'm seeking accredited investors for $500K of an $800K action-adventure movie to be shot on HD in 2011. My minimum investment amount is $50K, and my offering closes in March 2010. The remaining $300K will be/has been secured through an international co-production arrangement.
I'm seeking $500 donations from a minimum of 100 constituents of my website over the next four months for an experimental narrative-with-archival-training-footage on Crime Scene Investigators and the history of their craft.

Once you identify your ideal potential investor(s), develop a contact list:

Start with your writer/director/filmmaker. Is there anyone in their orbit who has said, 'Call me when you're ready...'? Put them on your list.

Same thing goes for you, the producer. If you have any angels in the wings, now's the time to make your "ask."

If you're inspired by a panelist's comments at a conference, approach or contact them for feedback on your project/plan.

I've trolled through many, many film-related web sites reviewing past panels and panelists from the last two-three years. I've read transcripts of panels, watch videocasts, listen to audiocasts. If I've landed upon someone whom I'd love to "pick their brain" about my strategy, I'll seek them out for their feedback. If, then, they think I'm on a good track, I'll ask them if they might be comfortable referring me to someone as an investor, co-producer, financier, etc.

If your film lends itself to a certain field or demographic (archaelogy, Asian-Americans, weepy romances, etc.), brainstorm/research potential entities or nodes of support there, too.

What magazines, associations, organizations, conferences, retreats, websites, etc. exist in support of that field or demographic? Do some homework: look at panelists, boards of directors, editors, event/fundraising coordinators, you name it...

I'm not advising that you contact them for money, per se. But, if they're in the field/group that's pertinent to your project, ask them for feedback, clarification, potential buy-in when it's finished. And, if they're amenable, ask them if they can think of anybody (person or entity) who might be inclined to support the project with resources and/or investment.

Thanks for reading.

More producers? Nope...

2009-06-01T13:51:00.003-05:00

Remember the additional producers I thought we'd seek? Not doing that now. Mostly, because I've managed to finally whittle the final numbers, projections, estimates, and so forth down for the project's lifespan... and, it's just not a compelling enough financial scenario to warrant additional producers. Now, if circumstances lend themselves to a financier(s) coming on board, with credit(s) given for producing, that will be something else to consider. But, for all the work and responsibility that being a producing partner would entail, at this budget level, more producers on board is a luxury we can't afford.

And, that's okay.

AND, I've finished the Fighting Version of the Business Plan. OH MY GOD. Hallelujah!

My completed first draft was 40 pages (including 5 appendices). The Fighting Version is 22 pages (including 3 appendices). The time is nigh to begin soliciting investors... Wheeee!

While in Austin, we confirmed our editor, website designer/developer, and attorney. We had a productive meeting with our Art Director, Ia, who's aiding Jentri in storyboarding the script. We also had promising meetings with several DPs. We'll be making a final decision about that key role by mid-June.

My toddler starts daycare two days a week at the end of this month. I'm really psyched about having more time to tend to this blog!

Thanks for reading.

After The Conference

2009-05-06T13:46:00.004-05:00

I had a great, productive, charged-me-up time at the IFP MN Annual Producers Conference. The greatest result out of it was two-fold: I got good feedback on my revenue sources and projections for Lost In Sunshine, as well as my positioning ideas for it, and one of the panelists expressed interest in coming on board to help the project. If/when I have anything formal to announce about that development, I will. But, at the moment, let's just say I felt like skipping TRA-LA-LA! for the rest of the afternoon! :)

Post conference, I know definitely that we need to make due with less money than I initially thought. What I hoped to do with $700K needs to be done with $500K (or less). Daunting, but good to know.

Very recent developments in the Texas legislature are promising for better-funded film tax benefits, so we're hoping to finalize Texas as our shooting location. I'm flying down to Austin in mid-May to meet with our growing kickass production team: line producer, locations manager, film editor, potential cinematographers, storyboard artist, and more.

My brain's getting fuller and fuller with Things To Do. As if that's possible.

Thanks for reading.

Still Business Planning. God, I'm still business planning.

2009-04-13T22:24:00.004-05:00

Here's the current skinny.

Traditional theatrical release is an aggregate money-loser and has enormous P&A costs for entry. North American cable sales for indies are currently diminished, because cablers are wanting more "sure thing" content with bigger-name talent in them (there goes my ultra-low-budget budget), among other reasons. Foreign sales numbers are down for indies for a bunch of reasons (subscribe to Filmspecific.com - love that site). Traditional home entertainment (DVD) distributors generally offer no advances for acquisitions, spend a lot of necessary money to market your title (if you're lucky), and pay you a smidgeon of any unit sales at the end of a long line of expenses, fees, and percentages owed to other players. Broadband and download scenarios are neat-o in concept, and no doubt will play bigger roles in even a few years, but currently offer close to zero in revenues.

So, where can an indie project make any money, especially make its money back with a return?

Cue Vincent Price laughter. Ha ha ha ha ha aha hahaha!

And, how will I, the producer, ever make a dime either, after investors are repaid? I'm already looking at how I can squeeze out a stipend, really, out of our budget. And, we're talking five figures here. And, that's supposed to tide me over between now and that mythical time that the movie makes enough revenues to have paid back its principal, and the remaining net profits will get split between me and the investor pool. And, right now, I use the term "me" loosely. It's likely that it will be some sort of "us" to share those monies.

Okay, now we've moved on to maniacal laughter. Seriously, someone needs to be locked up. It's scary.

I do this because I love the process. And, I'm motivated to inspire people with stories.

I've been working on projected return-on-investment (ROI) tables for Lost In Sunshine. And, it's hard. In a way. Because I can see how we can/will do it. But, making returns on movies is ALWAYS a nail-biter. But, then again, I'm really psyched about us keeping the reins of this project - from conception and execution through launch and distribution. There just aren't a lot of comparable titles and their numbers to reference. And, my projections include a large percentage of direct sales numbers from our (in-progress/future) website.

I keep thinking about our prospective investors.

On one hand, knowing what we need to do going in, arms us to prepare and work our asses off for that outcome. On the other hand, the Doubt Monster says, 'But, from what you can tell, maybe only one or two films/filmmakers have even reached those levels of revenues in the last two years.'

I'm not one to prop up exceptions as standard operating procedure. I want investors to know what a crap shoot indie film financing is, even if the producer(s) do everything "right." And, I keep wondering if there's more data I'm missing. I'm getting a picture; I just have moments where I wonder if there's a piece or two missing...

So, ALL OF THIS ABOVE, greatly explains my excitement over attending the IFP MN's Annual Producers Conference this coming Saturday in Minny-apple-less. Last year, I was blessed to be invited as a panelist; and, this year, I get to go listen to Peter Broderick talk about distribution! Plus, I'm delighted to be scheduled for a one-on-one mini-session with Matt Dentler of Cinetic Rights Management. He used to program SXSW, and jumping off bridges premiered there in 2006; so, I have a certain fondness for him already. I look forward to picking his brain over some of my digital projections, and all the others, too.

Thanks for reading.

What's Lorie Up To?

2009-03-23T21:36:00.004-05:00

Obviously, I am so behind in posting here. Same old, same old. Still refining business plan for Lost In Sunshine and still parenting my two-year-old.

But, here are some updates:

Have realized I can't do Lost In Sunshine justice as its sole producer while also parenting the aforementioned two-year-old. Jentri and I are now seeking two additional producers to bring Lost In Sunshine to fruition. We're talking with friends in Texas and Minnesota about referrals and prospective partners to move forward with.

To wit, we're looking for a Line Producing maven who'll be on top of all things technical, mechanical, line-producer-y including not only pre-production and the shoot, but post production supervision, distribution deliverables, and website support. Someone who's psyched about our plans to build community around our project and embrace a budding indie distribution paradigm that involves a lot of DIY and nurturing a website.

The other partner we're seeking is someone who likes the "business side" like me. Someone with integrity and gumption who's confident and enthusiastic about soliciting investors and attaching talent. Someone who wants to market and distribute this movie with me and successfully monetize it to pay its investors back, with a return, as well as pay us, its producers!

You producers out there know that this is ambitious. Producers get paid LAST. Isn't that ironic? Without us, would there be a movie? Maybe so, maybe not. But, we're afflicted with this passion for the process, aren't we? Anyway, I still have this dream of getting paid to do what I love so much. I'll get there. I don't need lottery money earnings, just money to put toward my family's expenses. Oh, and toward a personal chef, too. ha ha

Another thing I've finally figured out is a positioning strategy for the story/movie. What will be our "hook?" What will distinguish our movie from all the other well-executed, art house, road trip, ensemble character study movies in the marketplace? We've decided to embrace the spirituality, New Age, metaphysical elements of our story and characters. That's been a big A HA for me. A lot of follow-on dominoes fall into place, based on that decision. Which gets me that much closer to finally completing the business plan.

Oh, if you haven't found/read it already, Jon Reiss has written some great case study stuff for Filmmaker Magazine on his DIY theatrical release of his doc, Bomb It! I really appreciated him posting his estimated and actualized budget(s). Check it out.

Applied to the Sundance Creative Producing Fellowship, the Tribeca All Access Program, and the LA FilmFest/Film Independent's Fast Track Program. I know we weren't selected for Tribeca (but, Kat was! Yay for Kat!), and I haven't heard anything from the other two, yet.

Sigh.

One side of me feels like the kid who nobody wants to pick for their Dodgeball team. The other side of me feels like if we were meant to benefit from being in one of the above programs, we'd be selected. If we're not selected, our path lies outside of them.

I'd still like to be picked, though. Wah.

Okay, what else? Oh the IFP Minnesota's annual Producers Conference in April in Minneapolis is hosting Peter Broderick as one of its panelists this year. I'm super-psyched. I think I'm a groupie of his. On his bulletin, he posted news about a movie called The Age of Stupid, which I was excited to find. I admire what/how they've done with their website strategy and release plan(s) for the film.

I LOVE blogs. All these cool, creative, inspiring people share the insides of their brains in writing, and I get to crib ideas and motivation from all of them!

Okay, haven't seen my husband all day, so off I go.

I know I'm not as consistent with posting here as I'd like. But, I'm going to keep showing up, consistently or not, so I hope you'll keep checking in with me. As my daughter gets older, I imagine I'll be able to return to the productivity level I used to work at. :)

Thanks for reading.

Meet The Producer Christine Kunewa Walker

2009-02-19T13:47:00.004-06:00

Meet Christine Walker, President of Production at Werc Werk Works, a Minneapolis-based production company founded in 2008 with producing partner, Elizabeth Redleaf.

Christine Kunewa Walker is an award-winning producer who recently completed production on FORGIVENESS, written and directed by Todd Solondz. She is Executive Producer on the new Béla Tarr film THE TURIN HORSE (in production) and Producer of the recently completed comedy NOBODY directed by Rob Perez (40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS). Christine also co-wrote and produced OLDER THAN AMERICA starring Adam Beach and Bradley Cooper, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival; produced FACTOTUM starring Matt Dillon and Marisa Tomei, which premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and the 2006 Sundance Film Festival; and along with producer Ted Hope, line produced AMERICAN SPLENDOR which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance film Festival and the International Critics Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Christine’s awards and recognitions include: Producer’s Guild of America Diversity Award, Independent Spirit Award nomination, Sundance Institute’s Producer’s Fellowship, and the Minnesota Blockbuster Film Fund Award.

Sustaining the Muse
A Producing Questionnaire

* Please name all the "hats" you wear as a creative producer.

The most important thing to remember about any 'hat' you wear is that you can't let it sit on your head for too long. Otherwise, you're doing someone else's job and neglecting your oversight responsibilities.

* List all of the jobs you've held before or while pursuing a career in producing.

Prior to producing, I was a publicist, a development fund administrator, and a film programmer. Since I started producing twelve years ago, producing has been my sole job.

* Do you have a Big Dream or career goal as a producer? What inspires you to do what you do?

As long as I continue to produce, I am living my big dream every day. I am inspired by the people I work with from my own producing partners to the writers, directors and the rest of the crew. On a daily basis, they challenge me to work harder and to exceed my own expectations for myself.

* Please name five essential skills and/or traits a creative producer needs to sustain a career.

Stamina. Effective communication skills. Talent. The ability to see the big picture. The ability to evoke pity.

* Name a movie, or several, that you wish you had produced. And/or, producer(s) you admire (living or passed on).

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, The Wrestler, The Motorcycle Diaries, Slum Dog Millionaire, The Lives of Others, Napoleon Dynamite, Once Were Warriors, Far From Heaven, Boys Don't Cry.

I admire Christine Vachon. She's brilliant. She's a fighter. She does not shy away from difficult material. She's an icon.

* How do you define success for yourself?

Getting paid for what I do.

* What's your motto when it comes to raising money for your project(s)?

It's easier to raise money than to make a great movie.

* How long did it take to support yourself as a producer?

Five years. Ten years, if you factor in food and housing.

* Who do you turn to when you need a pep talk?

My husband.

* If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My metabolism.

Tommy Pallotta leaves Facebook

2009-02-19T13:33:00.002-06:00

This is a brief interview from the Filmmaker blog with Tommy Pallotta, producer, director, and animator (think, Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly, and most currently Lance Weiler's HIM). He and Scott Macaulay discuss social networking and Tommy's desires to reach out more directly to his audiences for his projects, than via sites like MySpace or Facebook.

Since I plan to reach out as directly as possible to our audience(s) for Lost In Sunshine, I thought it was a nice little thoughtful piece to digest and nod along with in agreement...

Lost In Sunshine production blog

2009-02-16T14:28:00.001-06:00

Jentri Chancey is the writer/director of Lost In Sunshine, the movie I'm currently producing. Just click on the title of this posting to go to her production blog, where she writes about her creative process, pre-production, and directing her first feature.

Also, here's an excerpt from one of the essay questions I answered in applying for a Creative Producing fellowship offered by the Sundance Institute:

I came on board to produce this project because I admire and respect the talent and determination of its writer-director, Jentri Chancey. Jentri impressed me with her ability to take script feedback and turn it into better-defined characters, a more compelling structure, and a more uniform tone. And, she was quick and focused about it, too! I like the themes she’s working with, and she’s so fueled by an inner creative fire, that it’s infectious. She’s really trying to articulate something meaningful and universal with her characters and their journeys, and that resonates very strongly with me.

My vision of the film is for it to be a tight little drum of an art house indie by a first-time filmmaker. It will be made with the lowest budget that can afford name actors for our two lead roles, one supporting role, and a cameo. It will aspire to Terry Malick’s cinematic vision, Rick Linklater’s characters’ searches for meaning, and Robert Rodriguez’ (and Elizabeth Avellan’s) DIY-and-kick-some-ass-at-it production methods.

Just checking in...

2009-02-02T19:15:00.003-06:00

Hello, hello.

A quick note here to say I'm currently still researching and writing about DIY theatrical distribution, direct sales of DVDs from filmmakers' websites, and indie/art house cinemas across the country in my business plan for Lost In Sunshine.

I'm also working on an application for a producing program at the Sundance Institute, which is due very shortly.

I promise to write many posts about what I've put into our plan for LIS, as soon as I FINISH it. Agh. Agghhh!

I told my husband tonight that it takes so long, because I'm trying to plan out the whole lifespan of the film, refer to hard data where I can, articulate assumptions and projections as clearly as I can, and oh, figure out how to execute on an emerging indie film distribution paradigm while I'm at it. No big thing.

No time for links at the moment, but Google the following:

Stu Pollard

Good Dick, the indie movie, as well as Lance Hammer's Ballast

Thinking out loud...

2009-01-25T19:10:00.006-06:00

Thinking out loud... about my business plan.

My Indie Comedy/Drama

$500K production
$200K (?) Launch Capital

With this money "in," how much money "out" can I project? And, in what time frame(s)?

I've researched comparable titles for LIS and listed which festivals, markets, and territories they've played in. From that info, I derived several tables of sales projections for foreign territory DVD and broadcast rights sales: low, moderate, and exceptional. I've also noted the same for North American DVD and broadcast rights, AND all rights deals in all territories. I used data from Stacey Parks' Film Specific website (I love her website) and from IMDB Pro.

The range between Low and Exceptional sales for foreign territories is $7,500 (or, more accurately, $0 actually) to $400K+. I looked at sales possibilities, again, based on my comparable titles, for two territories, four territories, and seven territories. So, for the sake of figuring out targets for other revenue streams, I'm setting a goal of $100K in foreign territory sales. For now.

North American sales might range from $25K to mid-six figures. So, what if I sketch in $75K as a target...?

What about theatrical? I haven't been planning this project as a Get-Picked-Up-by-Fox-Searchlight hopeful. Though, I'm not opposed to that, for the right price. :) But, I'm not wed to the idea that our film has to have a wide theatrical release for the sake of our own gratification. Or, any theatrical release. That being said, I'm trying to figure out if and how any limited, specialized, and/or DIY screenings should make up part of our distribution plans, so that we can a) make direct sales of our DVD at them, and b) we can pollinate awareness of our film for continued/future direct DVD sales from our website.

Been following, as always, Truly Free Film, the Workbook Project, and just recently, the Sundance Institute's Art House Convergence conference in Park City, the few days before its film fest. The Convergence listed nearly 20 art house cinemas that are partnered in its Art House Project. In a nutshell, they want to share ideas, resources, concerns, etc. together to keep themselves alive and vibrant in the exhibition world of megaplexes. And, there appears to be some sort of loose tie-in with Sundance-screened films playing at many of them.

So, I've been trying to get a handle on --

Should we aim for a Screening Plan/Release/Tour with Sundance AHP cinemas, if possible?

Should we aim for screenings at Landmark Cinemas and/or Regal Cinemas' art house programming?

Should I try to plan for some sort of festival screening(s) adjunct...? For instance, if we played at a film fest in NY state, should I aim to coordinate a(ny) screening(s) at an art house or other cinema within the region within a month of the fest?

Should we aim for a release with a consignment distributor instead? Maybe Magnolia's Truly Indie? Maybe Magic Lantern, Freestyle Releasing, or Indie Direct?

If we screen at say, 20 cinemas during our tour, how many DVD unit sales might I project from them, conservatively? I'd expect to lose money on the actual box office... Given different "how's" above, how much can I project that the different approaches might cost?

Of course, a lot of the above questions/ideas tie into how we position ourselves, marketing-wise, and how (well) we build community around LIS. I'm still working on that, and that's a whole 'nother posting.

Plus, all this cogitating gets me thinking about our post-production process! If we aim to have DVDs ready to sell at/during our festival run, how much longer will our post be? How will this affect our festival submissions goals? Blah, blah, blah...

The To-Theatrical or Not-To-Theatrical is just a potential piece of the revenue stream that I'm obsessed with, at the moment. There's also the ideas I/we have about our website, blogs, and complementary stories/videocasts, podcasts, art work, and the like. I want to spec out some assumptions and projections for those, too, costs-wise and revenue-wise. And, there's the digital platforms release strategy to anticipate, too...

I'm consumed. Fairly happily consumed, but a little impatient with how long it's taking me to figure stuff out. I wish I could spend a day, or afternoon even, with Peter Broderick.

If you have any ideas, pointers, etc. let me know!

Enough On My Plate

2009-01-22T20:26:00.003-06:00

Updates:

I'd been thinking about raising financing for a slate of three films: one "art house" indie, and two low-budget genre movies. My head says it's the smart thing to do - spread the risk over several projects, not just one; and, it is, with caveats. There are NO SURE THINGS. Even genre movies , which generally sell better than other genres, take work, commitment, and most importantly, heart to see them through to any successes they might have.

After a lot of homework on low-budget genre films, and the challenges of balancing my time between nearly-full-time toddler parenting and indie film producing (not to mention, this blog), I've decided to focus singly on my current "heart" project: Lost In Sunshine.

I'm feverishly working on my business plan for it. We're looking at a $500K budget, and another couple hundred thousand additionally, for end-game operating capital: P&A costs, distribution deliverables costs, market attendance expenses, and so on. I'm deeply in the throes of sketching out how the project will be monetized in its varied distribution outlets. I'm looking at the viability of foreign sales for our genre and budget, festival strategy and whether I can coordinate ancillary screenings in a fest's region, direct sales of DVDs (at screenings, off web site, etc.), downloads and VOD windows, and whether/how to execute a DIY theatrical tour of the movie. I'm also looking at existing distributors who might "ping" to our movie.

All this on top of charting potential cast, their costs, their "bankability," their suitability, etc., researching comparable titles, and the fun stuff of pre-production with my filmmaker: storyboards, location scouting, budgeting, crewing up, and so on.

I also continually find myself inspired by Ted Hope's postings and musings at Truly Free Film. I'm trying to incorporate the ideas put forth there into my plans for LIS.

Then, there's my website. It's taking me longer to get it out there in cyber-space (what else is new?), but it's coming. Soon. Really.

If you've seen the solicitations for applicants to the IFP Filmmaker Lab, I recommend it highly. jumping off bridges was one of eight participants during its inaugural year in 2005. It was four days of focus, sharing, learning, collegiality, and digesting. We learned a LOT about the life of our movie after it was "completed." Basically, there was a whole 'nother life after that point. :)

Back to work.

In the weeds...

2009-01-06T14:09:00.004-06:00

That's where I've been. And, things are looking pretty grassy still from where I'm at now, but I can see the view again.

What I've been wrestling with, in a nutshell, what kind of producer I am.

That's all. No big thing, right?

I have a capacious need for creativity, expression, and inspiration. I also have a Big Brain. I'm blessed, indeed. But, I sometimes feel caught in the middle between them. Heart says make movies about Human Moments. Brain says that's all well and good, but a good things-blow-up genre movie would nicely round out your cash flow as an entertainment company. Why not produce both?

I can see how to package one. I can see how to sell one. I can even see lots of good ways, visually and production-wise, of how to make one.

Because a movie, any movie, is like a baby. It needs committed parents. Parents who are in love with it.

What I've figured out in the last couple days is that my rudder for committing to producing a film is simply, I can't NOT do it. It comes down to my heart. It comes down to realizing a story has crept under my skin. My Brain can have all sorts of things, smart things, to say about lots of projects; but, my heart has to unapologetically bond to a story before I know I'm its producer.

I'm currently inspired by producers Vox3 Films. One of its partners, Steven Shainberg, made one of my favorite films, Secretary, with Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader. I like their company's mandate and their taste. And, they're art house, without apology.

Very cool.

I can see the view again.

John Hadity presentation

2008-12-26T13:00:00.004-06:00

Been busy with holiday travel. Had much fun watching grandparents be goofy with my toddler. Had less fun being patted down at Security in the airport, with said toddler and All Things Baby in tow.

Came across an informative link today off the IndiePix blog. Blogger and IndiePix friend, Brian Geldin at The Film Panel Notetaker picks his Top Ten Film Panels of 2008. Here is a link to his transcript of a presentation about independent film financing made by John Hadity at the 2008 IFP No Borders Conference.

Inspiring and zapping at the same time.

Why do I want to do all this to myself? :)

Meet The Producer Jane Kosek

2008-12-15T13:21:00.007-06:00

Meet producer, Jane Kelly Kosek, with whom I've corresponded because I found her blog about independent producing. She's graciously agreed to respond to my version of a Proustian questionnaire for producers, and I hope you enjoy reading her responses.

Thank you, Jane! And, many happy returns on all your projects!

Jane Kelly Kosek is an independent film producer and co-founder of Wonder Entertainment. Jane produced her first feature-length film, STRAIGHT LINE, with writer/director Sean Ackerman. Filmed in eight countries, this drama took two years to make and premiered at the 2005 South by Southwest Film Festival. This production launched Jane’s career as a producer of emotionally charged, character-driven motion pictures.

Originally from Livonia, Michigan, Jane attended University of Michigan—Ann Arbor and Oakland University. She worked for eight years in publishing as a writer and editor, both in Detroit and NY. Realizing that her passion was for the moving image, Jane began working in NY film production as an assistant coordinator. In 2001, Jane relocated to LA where she assisted Academy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Akiva Goldsman for three years at his production company Weed Road Pictures, located on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, CA. With Akiva, she worked on A BEAUTIFUL MIND, CONSTANTINE, STARSKY & HUTCH, and MR. & MRS. SMITH.

Jane is currently developing a biopic on the famous art forger Han Van Meegeren titled ART OF DECEPTION by Brandon Trenz. Dominique Deruddere is attached to direct and Hugh Dancy is attached to star. She is also working on attaching talent and securing financing for THE MAN IN THE WOODS by Russell Schaumburg (dir. Jeff Stephenson), THE DIARY OF PRESTON PLUMMER by Sean Ackerman (dir. Sean Ackerman), and FLOATERS by Ron Freidman and Steve Bencich (dir. Jeff Stephenson). With producer Rene Smallwood, she is developing adaptations of two books, SPOKEN IN DARKNESS by Ann E. Imbrie, and THE WHISPER OF THE RIVER by Ferrol Sams.

Sustaining the Muse

A Producing Questionnaire

Please name all the "hats" you wear as a creative producer.

Every hat you can find, I wear.

List all of the jobs you've held before or while pursuing a career in producing.

Writer, Editor (word not picture), Copy Editor, Proofreader, Assistant, Story Editor

Do you have a Big Dream or career goal as a producer?

To make entertaining films that resonate with an audience.

What inspires you to do what you do?

Good films that change my life, even in a small way.

Please name five essential skills and/or traits a creative producer needs to sustain a career.

Obsessed with movies, persistent, outgoing, confident, creative

Name a movie, or several, that you wish you had produced. And/or, producer(s) you admire (living or passed on).

Say Anything, Good Will Hunting, Forrest Gump, Dead Poets Society, Terms of Endearment, The Notebook.

How do you define success for yourself?

Being able to wake up every day and work on movies.

What's your motto when it comes to raising money for your project(s)?

Offer high quality projects and investors will come.

How long did it (will it) take to support yourself as a producer?

I wouldn’t say a producer is ever supporting him- or herself on a steady, secure basis from film projects. It’s smart to have another skill to help supplement your income during the down periods.

Who do you turn to when you need a pep talk?

My husband.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Be a billionaire so I could fund my own movies!

Brain On Fire

2008-12-12T13:04:00.004-06:00

Last night, I couldn't sit still at my desk, because I had so many things racing through my mind (this is a familiar refrain with me, isn't it?). I had so many ants in my pants that I had to pace at almost hopping speed in my kitchen, rattling off the many ideas, to-do's, worries, etc. to my poor husband. It didn't help that my toddler decided NOT to take a nap yesterday afternoon. I had a lot of mental detritus to unload. :) He was a great sport, although he did say I was driving him crazy.

So, here's a brief rundown. Found another creative producer's blog here. Her name is Jane Kosek. How fun! I look forward to checking her blog frequently to see what sort of issues, ideas, obstacles, triumphs she experiences as she produces her features.

I'm currently reviewing a good friend's business plan. I'm quite excited for him, because I think he's got a really good handle on how to build a business for himself as a musician and online entrepreneur. Plus, he's stupidly talented as a guitarist, musician, music producer, and composer. PLUS, all the research he's done on monetizing his blogs and his current and future assets (written content, as well as music) ties in very strongly with the trends that seem to be surfacing in the indie film community. I am inspired as I read his plan. In return, he's going to help me create my website - which is coming soon!

I have decided that I'm definitely going to pursue financing for a small slate of low-budget films - as opposed to focusing solely on raising funds for Lost In Sunshine, alone. I'm still doing homework to determine whether I'm going to pitch three films over five years, or five films over seven years. But, I'm looking at framing each project at around $1M. That won't be just production budget money, though. The idea is to use approximately $1M for each project's production budget and marketing/distribution/deliverable expenses. I also mostly expect to bypass traditional theatrical distribution. Festival screenings, most likely, yes. And, possibly even some sort of niched DIY theatrical screenings, but not an I-hope-to-get-acquired-by- somebody-when-we're-finished theatrical distribution plan.

Well, crap. The toddler's crying... No nap today either. Agh. More thoughts later.

Oh, and check out this blog Jentri has begun related to Lost In Sunshine. I've been inspired by folks like Lance Weiler and blog postings by Scott Macaulay and Ted Hope about the need/utility of indie filmmakers building community(ies) for their projects. This is one of the ideas we're acting upon. I'll keep you posted - obviously - on other web developments we create in support for the project.

Embracing the Web

2008-12-06T22:08:00.002-06:00

If you haven't checked out the Workbook Project, you should.

The following is a link to a 40-minute panel discussion with Tech and Film venture capitalist, Todd Dagres:

DIY DAYS: An investor’s POV - Todd Dagres

A couple ideas their discussion prompted for me are to again, think of how to build audience/community for the movies I produce as early as I can, and the idea of reaching out to like stories and/or filmmakers before, during, and after shooting one of my projects. Either to possibility present ourselves as a prospective slate for investors and/or a series of screenings trying to reach complementary audiences in our release phases.

Cool stuff.

Head or heart?

2008-12-05T23:18:00.004-06:00

So, I've been spending way too much (unpaid-for) time on this recent consulting gig: the marketing analysis for the horror script.

In a nutshell, I've been impressed with the volume and breadth of this client/writer's work. The horror script, in my opinion, is competent; but, it's not my vibe. But, he's got several other scripts: another couple genre scripts and a couple more "arty" scripts. The impetus: he's got an affluent friend with other affluent friends out West, and they're possibly amenable to investment opportunities. He needs something on paper to present to them.

There are two reasons this has been taking me so long. Well, actually, three reasons.

One: The current market for horror movies, even micro-budgeted ones, is glutted. Unless his potential investors might be game for putting up $4M+ for an indie horror flick without any "name" attachments, yet, with an unrepresented, inexperienced writer - sending them the market analysis write-up I did wasn't going to do him any favors.

Two: I like movies where things blow up as much as the next fan. When I read his other genre script, a crime-action story, I debated whether I was interested enough in producing it. I needed to do some (extra) homework.

Three: I've been doing a lot of soul-searching to figure out how much "heart" I need to have for a script/project before I know in my bones that it's something I've got to be attached to.

I like the writer; I feel there's some sort of synergy there. My brain can evaluate how to break down, produce, and pursue the end-game for his genre scripts. But, my heart's definitely not in one of them, and is ambivalent about the crime-action story (I vibe to action-adventure more than the crime slant).

Have I been trying to talk myself into something, or out of it?

Don't you hate that? Days, weeks, years later, you can look back at something and go, 'Of course, X!' But, in the middle of it, duhhhh... I don't know. Ummm...

So, here's where I'm at: since neither he nor I are in love with the horror script, it's being shelved as a prospect for now. He has another genre script (sci-fi), which needs polishing, but there you have it. The research I've done so far on the crime-action genre seems to indicate that there are currently two points of entry: the $500K-750K budget and the $5M-15M budget. I need to do some research to determine whether that tendency seems to hold the same currently for sci-fi genres, too. If it does, I know how to present an overview for his prospective investors. And, if they might be game to proceed, I'll help the writer take the next steps.

In the meantime, the writer and I will take up some development/workshopping work on his sci-fi and/or "arty" script early next year. It'll be a good chance to work on something together and determine whether we have compatibility...

Re: my assertion about the glut of horror flicks in the marketplace --
Stacey Parks at Filmspecific (I LOVE her site) reported as such from the 2008 American Film Market which just closed a few weeks ago. For a Horror project to have a chance in the next couple years, it seems to me that it'll have to be produced to compete with Hollywood horror (A-list stars, or at least B+ stars, high production values, expensive above-the-line elements overall) projects. That means a little $500K horror budget is gonna have to work REALLY hard to get its audience and its money back. And, that's do-able, if you have a team behind it that really loves the genre and fan-base and prepares for an alternate distribution strategy (grass roots fan-building, word-of-mouth marketing, a web-site, genre-focused film fests, etc.).

So, if you LURVE low-budget horror, it certainly can be done. Just be aware of how hard it'll be to punch through to your audience(s) when it's time.

More fun at the Crazy Farm

2008-11-17T18:58:00.003-06:00

Okay, now I'm also seriously considering producing another consulting-client's work.

Will have final talks tomorrow about going ahead, or not, with that.

For someone who's been unsure of the path ahead, given my beautiful path-changing foray into parenthood, some good things just keep dropping into my orbit.

My heart says it's all good. I'm excited about both. I still have to figure out how to parse my time between parenting and producing. Much less, producing from Minnesota an ultra-low-budget independent film by a Texan writer-director. Ha!

I'm nuts. But, I'm a happy nut.

Oh, and I have to add that I'm currently very inspired by one of Ted Hope's blogs, Truly Free Film. Check it out.

Then again...

2008-11-11T19:59:00.002-06:00

Okay, I've kept saying Horror is not my favorite genre, personally.

But, I'm very seriously considering forming a producing partnership with this writer I've been consulting. He came to me for advice because he has a connection to potential investors. He wanted to know how to approach them, and with what info? I've been reading his scripts and creating a marketing analysis for one of them, a thriller/horror film.

We just met for an update session yesterday. I told him there were basically, three ways to proceed. He could seek to sell his scripts outright to the likely buyers; take the money he can get, and move on to the next thing. He could raise the money to shoot one or more of his scripts for very low budgets and aim to sell it/them as negative pickups. Or, he could raise the money to shoot them and distribute them himself - a la Lance Weiler's Head Trauma or the filmmakers behind Four Eyed Monsters, etc.

As a writer with a day job, who's never made a film, himself, before, I knew he wouldn't have any personal context for what options 2 and 3 would actually entail. Which is, years of effort and work and responsibility.

He needs a producer.

I can see how to do it. And, his other scripts have breadth. And, they're different genres. And, I'd have an opportunity to build a production company around a mini-slate of properties. And, I like his vibe so far.

Then, all the second-guessing comes in.

What about parenting my toddler? How can I tackle this when I still get pole-axed from tending to her every weekday? I've hired a babysitter for Monday afternoons, which is a HUGE help; but, I start thinking about the escalating costs to hire her (if she's even available) for additional days, and it gives me pause. Remember, I'm an independent producer - ha. I'm not currently rolling in dough...

And, what about partnering with someone I've never worked with before? What about partnering, period? I've had partners in the past, in both film and software companies I've founded; and, they were (and are) good people, all. But, I'm not partnered anymore with any of them, and there are reasons for that. I worry that I could be setting myself in an unsustainable position again.

Thanks for reading. I've just wanted to roll this idea around and share some fears.

It felt very natural yesterday at our meeting for me to say, 'I'll do this.' 'Let's move forward and take some more steps together.' I'll work with him to develop his sci-fi script. This will provide us a more in-depth opportunity to work together. In the meantime, I can do the homework on the titles/genres we would pitch for our mini-slate, plus a full business plan.

It's a lot of work. But, it's also in my interest, whether this particular opportunity pans out into something more long-term or not.

I've kept saying I want to build a new production company. So, here I am, looking at forming a new production company. Right?

:)

Horror, the horror

2008-11-09T21:44:00.004-06:00

I have spent the better part of the last three days immersing myself in the production, fan-dom, and distribution worlds of horror-thrillers. Man, am I tired of the mayhem.

I'm meeting with my client tomorrow to review what I've researched and discuss next steps. In a nutshell, he wants to get investors and get his scripts produced. I applaud that. I'm just consumed with how he might/should go about it. ???

On one hand, I can see very clearly how to tackle the goal as a DIY endeavor. Raise the money for the production budget AND for the distribution/marketing efforts. Build audience awareness before you shoot. Build a web/digital presence. Build your niche audience's anticipation for your film. Producer Ted Hope (I so admire him and wish he would adopt me as his "baby producer") has been speaking and writing lately of filmmakers' needs to claim the promises of digital access to their audiences/markets. Peter Broderick, another long-time indie advisor/rep/legal eagle, has also written about the changing independent film marketplace. I'm with them, totally.

On the other hand, that approach calls for COMMITMENT. And, I don't know, yet, if my client fully grasps just how long and likely, arduous that commitment may be. We're talking years. Years to prepare (raise funds, lay groundwork) for the eventual "launch," the production, the post-production, the actual launch and marketing efforts, the babysitting and continued execution of the distribution, and all the fun back-end stuff of having a movie out in the marketplace.

Plus, the world is in a global economic smack down. Industry folks attending this year's American Film Market in Santa Monica are talking about it being one of the hardest, slowest markets in the last 25 years.

He needs a producer.

I wish I loved the genre, myself. But, nope.

The other approach is to identify and pursue production companies/financiers who might be game to acquire his script(s) outright. I've researched those, too.

I have a feeling he's going to prefer the former over the latter.

Which I admire and again, applaud.

I'll keep you posted.

Good To Know...

2008-11-02T20:55:00.003-06:00

So, I'm working a consulting gig these days, putting together a marketing analysis for a horror/thriller/mystery script. It's written in the style of an Italian giallo of the '70s. Lots of sex, blood, red herring suspects, and nudity. It's a well-executed script for its genre. But, I've spent most of the last two days delving into the genre's cinematic history, current titles, fan base, distributors, and so on.

As a producer, it's good to know that this isn't a genre I'd want to personally spend my time on. I recognize it has its fans, and a market. But, being an integral player in making a movie that finds new and cinematically ambitious ways to kill mostly naked women is not on my list of aspirations.

Back to work...

Hello Again

2008-10-31T13:13:00.004-05:00

Okay, so here's the thing. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance career aspirations with parenthood.

At least a million times over the last couple months I've thought about posting to this blog.

Yep, thought about it.

Thought about it as I worked on consulting gigs (thankfully, they've kept coming).

Berated myself for not getting down to business. Questioned my notion of starting it. Wondered if I've tried to bite off more than I can chew.

Yeah, I have a pattern of doing that.

But, you know what? My butt's in the chair today. I've hired a babysitter to help me a bit during the week. And, I'm going to focus on creating a sustainable weekly practice of noting my experiences here in this blog.

Along those lines, I'll share this. I'm finding that with each new consulting gig (script analysis/doctoring or business planning/marketing/fundraising strategies), I wonder if the project/script/writer is crossing my path because I'm supposed to recognize it/her/him as a springboard back into active producing.

I'm conflicted. These folks (have) come to me to help them draw out their ideas, their "voices," and I really like where we're able to go together. I think of the ideas I have for starting my own production company; I think of people I've worked with and/or would like to work with. I start assembling structures, plans in my head. And, then I poop out for a little while, because I still spend most of my time keeping my toddler from emptying an entire box of Cheerios on the kitchen table. And I think, 'it's not time, yet. Stay with the consulting. Hold your horses.'

I think to myself, 'When she's 3 years old, maybe then...' But, then again, I wonder if it'll be 5 years old, or 7 years old, or 25 years old!

Plus, the economy's gone to shit. Money is always a dogged pursuit for filmmakers. The endgame/distribution/exhibition world of movies is in transition... It's harder than ever to get independent movies made and seen and monetized. Blah, blah, blah, etc. I think, 'it's just as well that I'm sidelining myself for the time being.'

Oh, but I want to go to AFM to meet international buyers. I want to go the international producers lab in Rotterdam. I want to be supporting a director on set, seeing that gleam in his/her eye as they execute on a long-held dream. I miss the camaraderie of production folks. The excitement of seeing one's finished film with an audience. The challenges and strategies of getting it out into the world.

I think I'm going to be jumping back into active producing sooner than later. :)

What's Your Movie's Poster?

2008-08-11T13:53:00.005-05:00

Last week, I wrapped up a short consulting gig with a screenwriter who plans to direct the feature script she's written. I worked up a marketing analysis for her script. I wanted to share a few things here from her consultation.

Hers will be an ultra-low-budget HD project, especially given that she plans to direct it and she has no feature directing credits, yet. The question is, should it be a $100K budget, $250K, $500K, or $1M low-budget indie?

The first question we had to address was "what was her movie?"

She had spent the last two years getting her script to the stage it was at. Like most writers, it was hard for her to sum up what the script was about. As I read the script, it seemed to start off as a straight-ahead drama with a female lead, but then it branched off into a quirky-characters, edgy-comedy road trip movie at the top of the second act. I found it competently written, with distinct characters, but confused in its overall tone.

I spent many hours researching comparable titles to hers, based on their budgets, genres, plot elements, and story lines. I sent her that list of 15 titles and asked her to Google them and look at their story lines and especially, posters before our phone discussion. Then, on the phone, I asked her to tell me which posters reminded her the most of her movie.

This was a good place for us to start discussing whether her movie was an art-house drama with a female lead, or an ensemble road trip comedy/drama. Would her poster feature an up-and-coming and/or established actress as the lead -- a prickly screw-up who makes bad choices until she figures out how to love herself? Or, would it feature the lead actress and main supporting actor, plus maybe the road, a car, the motel where she works, etc. with one or two of the supporting characters, too? Would it be SherryBaby or Waitress?

By figuring out that her story was really the former and not the latter, the writer was able to: (a) identify some elements/characters/subplots in her script that were inadvertently leading the reader away from the story she really wanted to tell, and (b) understand a key component of her movie's "sell" -- she'll need to cast her lead with a known actress. What she'll have going for her in her casting efforts is a role that will present an actress an opportunity to play someone unlikable, but ultimately reconciled by the end of the story.

"How much should she make it for?"
This also helped us frame the size of her budget. If she's unable to cast a "name" actress, for whatever reasons, and goes forward with the project, she shouldn't spend more than $100K on its production budget, or even less. This is because of her track record as a first-time feature director and the movie's genre - art house drama with female lead, coming-of-age. The website filmspecific has detailed info/reports for its subscribers on typical sales figures that worldwide territories have paid for films of varied budgets. I gleaned my figure above partly from that website's data and partly from reviewing budget and sales/distribution figures for the comparable titles I researched.

There will also be additional end-game costs to cover like festival submissions, festival/market attendance expenses, publicist(s), deliverable expenses to a distributor (if the movie gets sold), and on and on. Figure that a $100K indie movie may run up $100K in expenses to get out and delivered to paying audiences. If it has no "name" actors in it, and it doesn't become some sort of blessed freak exception/critical darling, it will hard pressed to earn its money back, even at $200K or less, total.

Which does not mean there would be no value in the writer making her $100K movie. She just needs to have an idea what conditions will likely be for her movie's profitability, and plan accordingly (and inform her investors accordingly).

The more known an actress she might cast, and known supporting cast in her movie, the higher she can inch up on the budget scale. If and when the writer-director comes up with a wish list of actresses, I'd be able to do some more specific homework; but, right now, I think $500K is the top of her budget scale...

I know it's anathema for a lot of writers and filmmakers to think of their artfully-crafted stories as a product boiled down to a logline. Your voice is unique, and it's important to be true to yourself. But, by gauging what else is out there BEFORE YOU RAISE MONEY OR SHOOT YOUR MOVIE, you can better articulate your movie, your vision, and be able to enlist others - like sales reps and distributors - to help you reach your audience when it's completed.

Dear Indie Producer

2008-08-04T13:57:00.003-05:00

Dear Indie Producer,

What is the best way to go about finding really good actors for a short or independent film? It seems that so many short and indies have bad acting. I'd like to avoid that. Is it the actors or the directors? Basically, how does one make sure that the acting will be good?

Alison Coffey
Iowa City, IA

Don't cast the wrong actors.

I've been here before. Wrote a short, produced and directed it myself. And, I made a mistake in casting that I won't repeat again. I had a local stage actor in mind for a principal role as I wrote the script. It was someone I had worked with before on theatre productions; someone I'd been really pleased with in that milieu. So, I cast her in my short without auditioning her.

It was a mistake.

I still don't know if it was an incompatibility with the role, or a poor transition from stage to screen work. But, I didn't fully see the gap until we were filming, and then I couldn't do much to change it. I think I kept hanging on to the good impressions of the prior work we'd done together, hoping that good things would translate... I kept hoping we could rehearse ourselves to a performance I wanted. Ultimately, nope.

It was a mistake as a producer, and a failure as a director.

So, a piece of advice for casting your ultra-low-budget short or indie feature film. Hold auditions for everybody. You need to see and feel the dynamic among different combinations of auditioning actors. One actor may read beautifully as Character A; but, when paired with another actor auditioning for Character B, they don't match up somehow. You'll have to make some hard choices.

You've got to be selfish with your movie. If someone looks the role, but can't act themselves out of a box, don't cast them. Worst-case scenario will be that they won't improve during rehearsals/filming, you won't be able to direct them or edit them into an acceptable performance, and your movie will suffer for it. Badly.

Contact local casting directors and/or acting coaches and schools.

If you're making a feature, find the money to work with an established casting director. Casting is their business. They'll know actors you've probably never heard of. They'll know which actors have agents and don't. They'll have an idea who's reliable, and who's a flake. They'll have an idea who's a consistent performer, and who's not. They'll know SAG rules. They'll know politics and etiquette with agents.

If you don't have enough money for their casting fee(s), barter. Figure out how to make the situation a win-win for you and them. Or, hold a fund-raising garage sale, benefit concert, etc. to raise the dough. It will be money well-spent.

If you're casting a short, a casting director will be overkill. Instead, contact local acting coaches and acting schools. Ask them for their help getting the word out about auditions for your movie. Ask them for recommendations of local actors. Cast the net (pun intended) as wide as possible in your community about your upcoming auditions: web sites, college acting departments, local acting schools, community and professional theaters, audition fliers in coffee shops and community bulletin boards, etc.

Plus, each state has a film commission. Check out their website and resources. Do they post an audition announcement page? Get yours on it.

And, don't forget your peers. Ask your fellow filmie friends what they've done and how for casting their short/indie movies.

Be prepared for auditions.

Be sure to choose "sides" (audition scenes from your script) that give actors something to bite into during their auditions. If it's a scene where two characters are brooding silently in a car -- not much to work with there for an auditioning actor, y'know? On the contrary, if it's a scene where two characters are hiding from someone and heatedly discussing their next move, there'll be more subtext and dynamism in the scene for auditioners to work with. And, sides should be no longer than two pages, three max.

Assemble a team for the auditions. A sign-in person, who may or may not be the person who scheduled actors' audition times. The director, the producer, a camera person if you're shooting auditions. And, an extra person who can read lines with an actor, if necessary. Plan for and manage your time so that your team can get actors in and out of auditions on a timely basis. Do your best to create an atmosphere of efficiency and respect, so that actors can give their best auditions.

If the director is inexperienced or uncomfortable with actors, s/he could benefit from auditing or taking an acting class.

To collaborate on a good performance, it helps for both parties to speak the same language. Learn what actors look for in scripts, in their roles. Learn their vernacular. The better to guide them (or get out of their way).

Thanks for the question, Alison!

Intro to Meet The Producer...

2008-07-30T14:10:00.003-05:00

I don't know how many times over the years that I've wished for a producing mentor to guide me, to bounce ideas off of, to even reassure me that I'm doing fine as I keep stumbling along following my Muse.

So, I've come up with this questionnaire, and I plan to ask fellow creative producers to respond to it at this blog for your illumination and hopefully, inspiration:

Sustaining the Muse
A Producing Questionnaire

How did you get started as a producer?

What do you look for in a project, and how do you decide whether to commit to getting it made?

Do you have a Big Dream or career goal? What inspires you to produce movies?

What’s the hardest part of producing, in your opinion?

Name a movie, or several, that you wish you had produced.

How much time tends to pass between projects for you? Is this intentional? What do you do during this downtime?

Do you produce multiple projects simultaneously, all the time, or do you prefer to focus on one at a time? Why?

How do you pay the bills? Do you earn your livelihood from producing, or do/did you have a “day job” or do other income-earning activities?

How long did it (will it) take to support yourself as a producer?

Whose producing career(s) do you respect/admire?

If you have ideas, suggestions for additions or deletions, I'm all ears (and eyeballs)! I'm hoping to post responses from my first guest producer in August.

Downtime and Day Jobs

2008-07-26T13:45:00.007-05:00

Okay, I admit it, I'm a loser. I have so many ideas for this blog that I've been constipated from actually DOING anything about them. I'm disappointed with myself that it's been so long since I've posted.

My excuses: always, baby time with my toddler daughter. Plus, my husband's still doggedly pursuing a full-time job, and in the meantime, he's home with us, and that gets distracting. And, it took a while to get the laptop operational, so that I can leave the baby and husband at home and go off yonder to post to this blog. :)

Okay.

So here I am, let's move forward!

Something I always wonder about fellow indie filmmakers is how they manage to pay the bills while building their careers?

What do they do between projects?
Do they have downtime between projects, or do they always keep 3, 5, 8 plates in the air at all times?
Do they consistently eek out money from their producing work, or do they have to supplement with other income-generating activities?
Was/is there a turning point for them into profitability/revenue stability?

I've been on this journey for over 12 years now. I'd consider at least half that time as a sort of personal grad school for myself. But, in the rest of the time, although I've earned income from my efforts along the way, I'm still not in the black with my filmmaking/producing efforts. And, I haven't made a consistent living at it, yet.

Things I've done for money while trying to build a filmmaking career, so far:

Had a corporate day job as an instructional designer.
Managed a native plant nursery outside of Austin, Texas.
Garden design and maintenance for homeowners (this lasted a couple years, until I got poison ivy for a third and vicious time, ack!@).
Screenplay consulting.
Coaching other filmmakers and screenwriters. Either on creative/writing objectives, or on the marketing/business aspects of developing their scripts into feature films.
Temping. At studios, and not.
Water fitness instructor.
Teaching filmmaking to high school students at an "alternative" high school.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff, too.

I like the coaching, consulting and teaching gigs. I really like that exchange between my client and me. It's very gratifying if/when I can be an effective catalyst for someone's creative process. And, I've been fortunate that those types of gigs are picking up for me since my move to the Great North.

I'm still figuring out some formatting and organizing schema for this blog, but I plan to query other producers on their income-generation habits and efforts. Please stay tuned.

Or, post a comment with your experience(s) paying the bills while pursuing your muse!

New Gate Keepers?

2008-07-15T22:50:00.003-05:00

Another link here, commenting on Mark Gill's "The Sky Is Falling" speech:

http://springboardmedia.blogspot.com/2008/06/gill-gibney-and-numbers.html

The part of the entry where the author, Brian Newman, remarks that new "gatekeepers" are needed in the indie world piqued my attention.

I'd like to be a Gate Keeper. I love putting people together. And, that extends to audiences meeting filmmakers...

Hm.

Food for distribution thought

2008-07-12T20:48:00.004-05:00

Some great, great stuff over on the Filmmaker Magazine blog.

Check out the links below to filmmakers' stories about the state of indie film distribution.

http://johnaugust.com/archives/2008/nines-post-mortem

http://www.wonderlandstream.com/stream_blog.aspx?blog_id=711

At Filmmaker's blog -- check out the entry, "GOING THEATRICAL AND PROJECT 281 ," for Scott Macaulay's addendum to the link above.

http://www.indiewire.com/biz/2008/07/ballast_steadie.html

Lots to think about for a creative producer trying to forecast the endgame of her indie-films-to-be...

There always is.

To Do's

2008-07-07T12:25:00.004-05:00

Figure out budget ranges of indie films I want to produce. For the genres I'm interested in, is the "sweet spot" $1M, $3M, $15M?

Research comparable, recent titles in the genres I like -- figure out their budgets, markets/"windows", and marketing costs.

Spend more time at download-able movie websites -- Hulu, Vudu, Netflix, etc. Figure out who's starting/operating which web-based movie sites (Amazon, Apple, Sony, HD Net, etc.) and what their goals are for expanding their customer bases/services and content offerings.

I don't need theatrical releases to motivate my movie producing. If a project and its economics and the state of the marketplace support a theatrical release for it, totally cool. But, there are plenty of other outlets to target for reaching audiences and consumers/buyers for the movies I want to make. I want to get a better idea of who my buyers can be for my movies...

Horse in front of cart

2008-07-07T11:30:00.008-05:00

Been thinking a lot lately about starting another production company. Researching and writing a business plan for it. Trolling the websites of the AFM and Cannes to glean ideas on the market for film sales. Thinking about writers I know and wondering what they've written lately.

In the past, I've either written stuff myself (shorts) in order to have stuff to produce and direct. Or, I produced a screenplay contest for several years in order to meet more writers. That effort culminated in finding a script I wanted to option (to direct and produce at the time), but ultimately, in short, it wasn't meant to be.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2005, there were two scripts from two different writers that I wanted to option to produce as indie films. There was also a story idea I had for a thriller that I began working on with a screenwriter who was supposed to write the script. I knew I liked the scripts, the ideas, the writers' abilities. I thought if I had cool content in "my basket," I could go out as a producer/merchant and sell my goods in the marketplace. The whole have-good-script-and-produce-it-on-a- shoestring-then-hustle-for-an-acquisition model.

As I did my homework on the projects for their viability to earn enough money in the marketplace, though, I knew that two of them would be hard sells. For the budgets I was looking at doing them (under $3M each) and their genres (indie comedy/drama and international comedy/drama), I'd have a really hard time recouping the investment it would take to make them on spec.

Even though I loved their stories, and I STILL think about how I could get them made, I bowed out of pursuing options on making them when I learned I was pregnant. I didn't think I could do those projects justice while taking on parenting for the first time. No more "film babies" until I got the hang of our human baby. :)

Well, our daughter is now 14 months old, and I'm itching to get busy again. And, now, I want to do things differently. I want to raise money to make three films over five years, to start. Those films will be within a certain budget range, each (TBD), and they'll fall into one of three genres that interest me: sci-fi/fantasy, action-thriller, or indie drama (maybe comedy). I'm not planning to start with content and then try to sell it to pay for having made it. I want to start with money and find content that meets my creative and financial criteria.

Horse in front of cart; not the other way around.

Dear Indie Producer

2008-06-30T14:37:00.004-05:00

A follow-up question from Kat in Austin, Texas:

Dear Indie Producer,

How do you find financing?

Doggedly. Persistently. Tirelessly.

Oh, Readers, we'll be talking about this one A LOT. Forever.

The answer is, it depends. On about a billion factors. But, let's just start with a couple.

Do you anticipate a theatrical release for your film? Whether to aim for a theatrical release for your project is a whole subject in and of itself (there are many, many paths to audiences, and theatrical is WAY expensive and absurdly competitive). But, if so, it further depends on whether you're aiming for a Hollywood indie budget (and their notice/possible acquisition), or a truly outside-the-studios indie budget.

There's a big shakeout happening in Indiewood right now, with studio specialty divisions being shuttered or reabsorbed into the mother ships. In his LA Film Festival June 21, 2008 financing conference speech, The Film Department's Mark Gill offered that to be viable in the marketplace, an indie film's production budget needs to be in the $15-$50M range to stand a chance (more money equals more "name" elements, like actors, director, producer, and/or special effects). In other words, if you've only got $10M to work with, you're looking at sorry chances to recoup enough revenues for your efforts.

Isn't that just nutters?

On the other hand, if you're working outside of the studios, I've read that a $100,000 budget (not including distribution and marketing costs) is the sweet spot for a tiny indie film to possibly recoup its money. Even if your budget is merely $500,000, and you've shot a genre movie (horror, action, sex-comedy, urban), you're still facing a stiff challenge these days to sell your film to distributors and audiences. This info comes from an experienced international film sales rep I know who produced an indie horror feature late last year. Even with his knowledge of the markets and his contacts, by the time his nearly $600K horror film was completed, the market had finally reached its saturation point. Any way he looked at it, his film would likely lose money, given what it could sell for. He wished he'd made it for $250-$300K instead. And, this was his second outing as an indie producer.

ADDENDUM - checked my anecdote above with my friend and he replied, 'What you wrote about our movie was correct in terms of emotion, the numbers were just a little bit off. We spent $2.3 million, and would have been in great shape if we had spent something in the neighborhood of $1.2 (ish).'

So, finding financing depends upon what you anticipate your budget will be, that's a big thing.

For the sake of brevity in the rest of this posting, let's assume you'll be producing a tiny, truly indie project for $200,000. You know who your audience is (and don't say "everybody," because you're not aiming to make Shrek IV, are you?), and you know who will pay to see your movie. You have to have a grasp on the endgame of your production, before you raise a cent, before you shoot a frame/pixel. Since you've done your homework, while you're raising money for your project, you really should be raising at least $400,000, in order to support a small theatrical release yourself (or be able to pay a distributor a service fee to release it, plus provide all the marketing money for its ads, etc. yourself), and/or to pay the deliverable expenses of presenting the finished film to a distributor that acquires it.

So, $400,000 smackeroos.

Got a rich uncle? Got a trust fund?

If not (even if so!), make a list of all the family, friends, and family friends you can think of whom you believe might be game to invest in your film. Identify any grants, endowments, fellowships, etc. that you might qualify for and apply to with your project. Identify all the distributors that might be interested in your finished film, as well as any domestic and international film sales reps, too.

Be sure that you're working with an entertainment attorney who can help you frame your solicitation in proper legalese before asking anyone for money.

Briefly --

Make a spreadsheet of all your contacts and start calling them. Practice your pitch so you sound polished and confident and informed. Tell them you're seeking investors for your project. Ask them if they might consider making your minimum investment (determine this with your attorney), and if they'd like to review your business plan. Make a note in your spreadsheet what their response is. Whether they say 'yes' or 'no,' ask for referrals. Do they know anyone else who might be interested? Would they be comfortable with you mentioning their referral when you contact that new person? Be prepared for 99 out of 100 people to say 'no.'

Set a deadline for yourself to meet your financing goal -- this won't be an open-ended process. You'll have to state in your investment memorandum (among the necessary legalese) what the time frame of your solicitation will be, and what effect on the project's future there'll be if a certain minimum number of funds are not raised within that time frame.

Do as much homework as you can about each contact before contacting him, her, or them. Keep in mind, "what's in it for them?" when you're communicating with them.

Don't give up. Okay, give up for a day. Go have a mocha. Then go back to not giving up.

There's so much more to say about this topic, but I'm going to leave this post at that.

Like I said, we'll talk financing, money, legalese, and more in future postings!

Thanks for the questions, Kat!

Indie Film & The Edge of Doom

2008-06-29T22:31:00.006-05:00

Been reading a lot the last ten days about the demise of independent film.

Check out these links.

Indie Film Is Dying - Unless It Isn't

Yes, The Sky Really Is Falling

Art Houses Are Empty - But, It's Summer

Indie Sector on Shaky Ground

I agree with Dylan Leiner of Sony Pictures Classics who said that the end of indie film is pronounced about every 17 years -- yet, it survives. But, the current teeth-gnashing in the indie film industry is something to track, to be aware of, because when it comes time to raise money for your indie film, you'd better have an idea what you'll be up against.

Finally, here is an article about Paul Mezey, an indie creative producer on the East Coast.

The New American Realism

I like this article a lot, because I think he's representative of what indie producers can be. He's talented, determined, and charismatic, but he's in the same spot we all are: recreating the wheel with every project. Yet, he has to keep doing what he does, because he loves it (that's my interpretation, at least).

Dear Indie Producer Intro

2008-06-29T20:32:00.004-05:00

Dear Readers,

I've been remiss in posting. Forgive me. Summer has sprung here in the Great North (Minneapolis/St. Paul), and I've been playing hooky with my toddler and husband in the glorious weather.

Let's see if I can do some catching up here.

I've had this idea for a format to include in this blog, and it's a feature along the lines of "Dear Abby" for fellow creative producers. I'm not the end-all, be-all of advice for all things indie producing, but it'll give me some structure to work with to get at all the thoughts and experiences I've had (or would like to have) out of my head and here for you to cogitate on. Plus, I'll pose people's questions to fellow producers over time and present their answers, too!

So, our first question is from filmmaker Kat in Austin, Texas:

Dear Indie Producer,

How do you find projects?

Truth be told, Kat is one my former partners in an indie film production company in Austin, Texas, Storie Productions. Together with our fellow partner/producer, Stacy Schoolfield, we produced Kat's feature drama, jumping off bridges, which premiered at the 2005 SXSW film festival.

I got involved with job because I believed in its writer-director, Kat's, directing skills and in her script.

I recognized that our team brought formidable skills to the table, and that we were all hungry and determined to get a small, indie feature made in 2004 - come Hell or high water. I knew we could hustle our asses off to break down the script, create the business plan, secure attorneys, secure equipment, secure investors, cast actors and deal with SAG paperwork, secure locations, crew, and the billion other details it took to pull a film together.

It was a script that could be shot on an ultra-low budget (few locations, no big effects, no cast of thousands) and in our immediate surroundings, Austin. We had a great pool of crew and local acting talent to work with, most of whom had worked with one or more of us before, and who wanted to support Kat's project. There was a lot of goodwill in the local film community for us.

Looking forward, how I seek projects still comes down to the script - it has to grab me. I know when one has me when it gets under my skin and I can't stop thinking about it. Also, scripts that leave me with lots of visual recollections of the story and characters get me excited. If I'm seeing scenes in my head from a script, that's a good sign.

Where do I find them?

I've found them by running a statewide screenplay competition, seeking out filmmakers whose films I've liked (that's how I met Kat), by teaching workshops and coaching filmmakers and writers, by querying screenwriting/filmmaking instructors about their students, and by reading scripts for national screenwriting competitions. I can also contact fellow producers, writers, production friends, and so on and tell them the genre and budget level I'm seeking and ask for their referrals/recommendations.

So, how did this first question and response strike you? Too much, too little?

By all means, send me questions you'd like to see addressed, and I'll add them to future postings. :)

Where things are at...?

2008-06-17T16:45:00.006-05:00

I read a lot of trade press, trying to keep a finger on the pulse of current financing and distribution trends. Like that's possible: but, I try.

Per Jon Taplin's blog, I agree that we appear to be experiencing an interregnum:
"As (he) said before, the notion of an interregnum has classically been tied to those periods when one king has died and there is no clear successor. But for our purposes, the notion of interregnum refers to those hinges in time when the old order is dead, but the new direction has not been determined. Quite often, the general populace and many of its leaders do not understand that the transition is taking place and so a great deal of tumult arises as the birth pangs of a new social and political order."

His entry goes on to discuss the social and political histories and ramifications of this assertion; but, it can also be applied to the movie-making industry. Not only has the standard capture technology evolved from film to digital, but the financing, distribution, and revenue streams for both studio and indie films are convulsing from old paradigms to grasping guesses and bold experiments. Fun and terrifying stuff if you're trying to get a movie made.

One resource I'm excited about recently finding - Wonderland Stream magazine - frequently posts on both business and technical developments in the movie-making world. I liked this posting on it, an interview with Ira Deutchman, "A Strategy For The Little Guys." Check it out to read his take on the status of the distribution market for indie films.

Something from nothing

2008-06-16T11:46:00.007-05:00

The first real job I had out of college was as an Instructional Designer for an industrial training software company. I remember sitting in my office (my own office!) facing my tiny Apple McIntosh box-shaped personal computer and the grey-white expanse of a new document, blank. Blank, blank, blank. I was surrounded by notes, stickies, reference manuals, old training manuals, and piles of technical specs and manuals, and I couldn't think of where to start. I'd get up, go to the bathroom, stop by the kitchen, kibbitz with an office mate for five minutes, then return and sit down. The screen was still blank. I stared at it and felt a sucking panic. They're totally going to fire my ass.

Panic, dread, desperation, futility all knocked up against the knowledge that I had all the info I needed to write something. I knew I had the answers; I was just paralyzed in getting it all out of my head and onto the page.

WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL ABOUT ADDING POSTINGS TO THIS BLOG TODAY.

Finally, I typed a word. Then I backspaced over it and typed a different word. Backspace again. Third try. Okay, that'll work. Jesus, Lorie, just keep typing. Anything, nonsense, just type!

And it worked. I eventually created enough momentum to get into a flow and generate real content.

And, they didn't fire me.

This was a good precedent for creative producing - you gotta make stuff up as you go. :)

What is a creative producer?

2008-06-09T12:11:00.006-05:00

When I was little, I loved playing pretend. My family lived on the edge of a forest preserve, and my young friends and I would race through its foot paths playing "SWAT" or pretending that we were on dangerous quests. Said quests usually required hiding, climbing trees and chain link fences, running across fallen logs straddling small streams, skipping rocks, finding crawdads, and kicking the caps off the giant mushrooms that dotted the forest floor.

I started my first business the summer I was 18. My family had moved into a town-home community in Colorado Springs that was bordered by busy roads and heavy traffic. I didn't have a car, and the closest commercial establishment within walking distance was a Circle K. If I was going to earn any spending money, it was either Circle K or start my own gig. So, I made fliers, got clients in the town-home community, and cleaned houses for the summer.

I didn't know it then, but I was laying the foundation for a future of creative producing in movies. Dream things up; make things happen.

There are all kinds of producers. Presently, I consider myself to be an entrepreneur whose business is independent movies.

It's taken me about 12 years to figure this out, because I didn't know if I was an actor, writer, director, producer, or something else entirely. I had co-founded a software development company in my late 20s, which was the most exciting, ambitious thing I could think to tackle. And, it was. And, then it wasn't. Long story short, making a go of that company (and it still exists, as part of another software development company these days) made me realize it wasn't truly my heart's desire.

My heart's desire was movies.

So, I tried on every artistic hat (except cinematography - I know my technical limits) over the years, while founding and running separate businesses on the side to subsidize my "education:" a gardening/landscape design consultancy, a non-profit screenwriting contest, and finally, an independent film production company with two partners.

I love all of it, especially directing. But, what I've learned I love most of all is the one thing that always came so easily to me -- producing. Making it all happen. Seeing the big picture. Bringing all the pieces and personalities together toward a common goal: a movie that inspires, that entertains, and that hopefully, is timeless, too.

Presently, I'm "on sabbatical" from actively developing any projects. My current full-time production is parenting my year-old baby daughter. But, I teach classes and coach indie filmmakers and screenwriters. And, I can't stop reading about, talking about, and thinking about producing, making movies, finding cool stories, raising money, what's going on in the industry, etc. So, my outlet's going to be this blog.

I hope you'll join me in my obsession and check in and comment occasionally. :)