How much did LoveFest cost you?
- Thread starter jmc
- Start date
abso fuc@ing lutly
What's "tape"? 
jmc
Well-known member
He must have been working on a period piece.What's "tape"?
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I'm reading this thread in disgust... I hope my fellow DVXuser member who lives in STL is reading this... he knew I was broke when he came out to help me and when I went to order a couple pizzas he's like, "no man... you can't do that... you gotta' get people sandwiches or something good if they workin' for free"... then on top of it I had my supporting male actor's girlfriend show up for "production manager duties" and all she did is stop production in the morning to get Starbucks and snacks, 2 hours later to get lunch, which she tried to get $9/head lunch... and then in the afternoon for another Starbucks run!
At lunch the production manager is walking around with a menu of $10+ lunches and people were getting excited about lunch... and thank God the owner of the flower shop stepped in to help me not look like a jerk... stating that we didn't have time to order from that place... sheesh. I can't believe my favorite entries were all so cheap to create.
So my LoveFest entry cost me $150 to feed 7 people! Then another $100 or so in props and GoodWill wardrobe... and it was such a piece of sh*t that there's no way I was submitting it.
Damn... now I'm mad again.
At least there were some really kick-ass entries that have changed my perception of who I'll even bother with in STL. My new motto is "Bring IT... or stay home!"
At lunch the production manager is walking around with a menu of $10+ lunches and people were getting excited about lunch... and thank God the owner of the flower shop stepped in to help me not look like a jerk... stating that we didn't have time to order from that place... sheesh. I can't believe my favorite entries were all so cheap to create.
So my LoveFest entry cost me $150 to feed 7 people! Then another $100 or so in props and GoodWill wardrobe... and it was such a piece of sh*t that there's no way I was submitting it.
Damn... now I'm mad again.
At least there were some really kick-ass entries that have changed my perception of who I'll even bother with in STL. My new motto is "Bring IT... or stay home!"
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
Well it's true you have to have people on board who know what's what. Like I was lucky to have Timur and Jack crew because they understand what it means to make a movie for $200 and have been through the same thing. Same with the cast. I worked with people I knew, who would understand that they are not there to eat, they are there to act.
On this one I was sooooo broke, I just could not spend money on ANYTHING.
And to the guy up there who said we are fudging the numbers...no, it was literally $200. And that includes gas to get to the location a few times, which is out on LI.
Even though I am loathe to be one of those guys who quotes Robert Rodriguez, I did remember one thing he said, which I kept in my head on this shoot: "You have to just absolutely refuse to spend money."
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Luis Caffesse
Admin
I haven't tallied it all up yet, but I know we spent over $500 on ours, not counting expenses for things that we are somewhat reusable (gaff tape, diffusion, some gels, etc).
Mainly it was spent on food - which included not only the shooting days themselves, but also two rehearsal days as well as taking our two leads out to dinner (and our initial meetings with each of them). So, nothing extravagant, but those little expenses add up quickly.
We also had to pay for one of our locations in order to be able to use it after hours (because someone had to be there while we were shooting).
Mainly it was spent on food - which included not only the shooting days themselves, but also two rehearsal days as well as taking our two leads out to dinner (and our initial meetings with each of them). So, nothing extravagant, but those little expenses add up quickly.
We also had to pay for one of our locations in order to be able to use it after hours (because someone had to be there while we were shooting).
Charlie Anderson
Not so clever
Honestly I hate ordering pizza for production. If you get the subway platters it's more cost effective and you can feed a lot more people (plus it looks better to have a tray of food rather than a box of pizza) for $25 of subs as opposed to $25 of pizza.
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
Honest numbers here as well. I fed people... but that was it.
That and the gear rental that I already mentioned.
Honestly, I could remove that from the total since the XLR adapter problems that I discussed in another thread got me a credit for the Mic rental.
My actors knew going in that this was a poor man's production. I offer them a copy on DVD after the fest is over and the promise that it may find its way into other festivals.
Most of them are happy to get the exposure.
Cheers,
Mike
That and the gear rental that I already mentioned.
Honestly, I could remove that from the total since the XLR adapter problems that I discussed in another thread got me a credit for the Mic rental.
My actors knew going in that this was a poor man's production. I offer them a copy on DVD after the fest is over and the promise that it may find its way into other festivals.
Most of them are happy to get the exposure.
Cheers,
Mike
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
Honest numbers here as well. I fed people... but that was it.
That and the gear rental that I already mentioned.
Honestly, I could remove that from the total since the XLR adapter problems that I discussed in another thread got me a credit for the Mic rental.
My actors knew going in that this was a poor man's production. I offer them a copy on DVD after the fest is over and the promise that it may find its way into other festivals.
Most of them are happy to get the exposure.
Cheers,
Mike
That's the other thing with the actors. Working with those I know, I am confident I will get good work, but they are also confident that I will make them look relatively decent. So they are happy to put in the time because they trust it will look good on their reels.
Dustin R. Rogan
Silent Bob's Evil Twin
You should always give your crew and cast a little something.
Doesn't cost much for a case of water and some chips.
If you feed them even more you'll find that they'll be much more eager to show up to any future projects. When I bought everyone pizza the shock on their faces was more than worth it.
:beer:
this is too true. I took everyone to Chili's on the first night, and everyone was thinking they're paying their own way. Then I picked up the check at the end and that surprised everyone lol but worth it I think only 100 bucks for 8 people, its only money right lol
Mark Johnson
The Dude Abides
On these projects with people being asked to put in so much time, effort and inconvenience for no pay, the least you can do is feed them well. As mentioned, that factor alone may determine whether your crew will be willing to work for you again when you call or whether they find an excuse to do something else.
However, the cost of feeding well can really break you and its something that we've really looked at hard because its such a big part of our budgets on our shoots. We are fortunate to have a trained chef (Bullis) who can build a huge pot of pasta cheaply from fresh ingredients. On WTHL our crew was so small that we couldn't afford to have Bullis tied up in the kitchen. Thus, we picked up several family-style dishes from The Olive Garden.
Some time ago Tim called every catering service we could find to get quotes for feeding a crew and it was truly discouraging how much those bids were. Somebody came up with the number for The Olive Garden and we were astonished that we could provide really good food (with salads and breadsticks to boot) for less than $8 a plate. In fact, every time we've used them we've had food left over.
However, the cost of feeding well can really break you and its something that we've really looked at hard because its such a big part of our budgets on our shoots. We are fortunate to have a trained chef (Bullis) who can build a huge pot of pasta cheaply from fresh ingredients. On WTHL our crew was so small that we couldn't afford to have Bullis tied up in the kitchen. Thus, we picked up several family-style dishes from The Olive Garden.
Some time ago Tim called every catering service we could find to get quotes for feeding a crew and it was truly discouraging how much those bids were. Somebody came up with the number for The Olive Garden and we were astonished that we could provide really good food (with salads and breadsticks to boot) for less than $8 a plate. In fact, every time we've used them we've had food left over.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
Yeah Mark, we were lucky too that on the biggest shoot date, one of my actors made a huge tray of ziti and one of sausage and peppers. I had arranged for that for the same reason. He would make better food than we might get elsewhere, for the cost of the ingredients. Then he paid for those himself.
But we also do a lot of trade in labor. Like I am going to help Jack on something he has to do coming up, in exchange for working on this for me.
But we also do a lot of trade in labor. Like I am going to help Jack on something he has to do coming up, in exchange for working on this for me.
Dustin R. Rogan
Silent Bob's Evil Twin
all this talk about food is making me hungry :grin:
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
First thing the UPM I trainer under told me: Feed the cast and crew and they'll go the extra mile.
That has always been so true even on the smaller shoots, but gotta be careful with those expenses, cuz they begin to add up. i've actually found it more expensive to feed 2 crew members than to feed 10 of them, mainly becasue of the mindset that: "hey, there's only two of them, you can spend alittle more, right?" $50 later...
Mark: That is a tip that every independent filmmaker shoudl take to heart. With food costing so little at Olive Garden, it's certainly a better choice than some I myself have made in the past, ranging from the $1 menu at McDonalds, $5 pizzas from little Caesars, and actually cooking for the cast and crew (Costco is a great help there). Without a cook on set to take care of the kitchen, its a little tricky, so somethign like Olive Garden is definitely now on my radar. Thanks for the tip!
That has always been so true even on the smaller shoots, but gotta be careful with those expenses, cuz they begin to add up. i've actually found it more expensive to feed 2 crew members than to feed 10 of them, mainly becasue of the mindset that: "hey, there's only two of them, you can spend alittle more, right?" $50 later...
Mark: That is a tip that every independent filmmaker shoudl take to heart. With food costing so little at Olive Garden, it's certainly a better choice than some I myself have made in the past, ranging from the $1 menu at McDonalds, $5 pizzas from little Caesars, and actually cooking for the cast and crew (Costco is a great help there). Without a cook on set to take care of the kitchen, its a little tricky, so somethign like Olive Garden is definitely now on my radar. Thanks for the tip!
$1,000,000. See I was going to enter, and my research led me to this girl. She kept saying she loved me and all she needed for us to be together forever was some money to set her family up. Anyway, although its been 3 months since I heard from her, Im sure she will coming over any day now.
SEE MY SIGNATURE? VOTE AND GET IT! COURTESY JDS
SEE MY SIGNATURE? VOTE AND GET IT! COURTESY JDS
Rodney V. Smith
DVXFest Promo Guru
oh yeah, and totally honest numbers here. I think we actually are th eopposite of hollywood and we take pride in how little we spent to achieve a certain level of production quality. besides it teaches us what we need to spend more on the next time around....
