"Corrado" - A production blog

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Hey Adam, truly loving this thread!

Im am curious though, you started off saying the budget was 150k but you told the mansion guy it was 300k :) Was that you bluffing or has the budget gone up, because you also said you can't use the less than 200k SAG contract?

Thanks again for all this great and inspiring info!
 
Geez Kubrick, that is confusing, isn't it? I can't believe I forgot to explain how I arrived at that figure. Sorry to all who were following and were stumped by this. I left out a pretty crucial part early on.


OK, here goes.

Originally the budget was to be $150K. This was predicated on the exact same script, but only included regular SAG actors at the $100 per day rate. I was more or less nursing this idea for months, and I came to the following conclusion:

If there is no name talent in this movie there won't be a whole lot to differentiate it from a slew of other HD low budget indie films.

I really struggled with this because there is another key point that I believe is true with low budget films. Disclaimer: This may be offensive to others on this board, but it is my belief only. Apologies to anyone who is pissed at this comment:

I believe that a movie with no name talent will have an incredibly difficult time getting distribution, acclaim, or buzz regardless of how good the story is or how strong the visual style is.

Now before everyone starts naming examples like Blair Witch and others that have broken through, recognize that those films are the exception.

So I thought to myself - why start at a disadvantage. To many in Hollywood, even shooting HD is a disadvantage. So why intermingle that with no name people?

So this is what I did. I increased the budget by $150K, the bulk of which is spent on cast. My budget is now $300K. It is essentially the same movie using the same equipment, more or less. The additional figure comes from the name cast within the movie.

I see it this way - the two or three names I will have in my first feature will go a long way to helping the film get distribution, and even some buzz or notoriety.

And hiring these name people is resulting in some fortuitous, unplanned events:
  • Gained representation
  • Made dozens of new contacts that I never would have met with no names.
  • Bestowed a sense of legitimacy to the film, which has motivated the crew.
  • I was given Sizemore's contact info in case I need to call him. This will result in a relationship that could not be obtained in any other way.
I could go on and on, but you get the point. This whole name actor thing has had tons of free bonuses that i had no idea about going into.

Kubrick raised an interesting point about bluffing the budget. I suppose because I am a salesman I had already thought of this, but it bears mentioning.

I have two budget figures I speak of.

1. The true out of pocket cost for the film - $300K
2. The public budget figure that will be displayed on websites, in printed material or periodicals: $750K.

Guess which number will be the only one anyone talks about six months after post? Yes, #2.

Here's why. I truly have a low budget and all of my costs are predicated on the budget. Everyone's day rate is tied to this number, my locations are also tied to this number. If I had $500K to spend, everyone would bump up their rates and i would produce essentially the same movie, only pay people more. This does have it's limits, obviously if i had $10M to spend I would get tons more production value.

But to any distributors or buyers out there following the production via IMDb, Film Finders, or any other industry type site, I've listed the budget as $750K.

I'm not going to negotiate with myself.

Let them think the budget is that high. Hell, the movie has Tom Sizemore in it, it's perfectly plausible the budget could be that high (another reason to get name talent). And when the movie is done and I show it to distributors, their offers will be based on my $750K number.

Which means they'll probably offer me less than half of that number!!!!!!

So why set up for failure. My goal is to get the bulk of the budget back in the form of an advance. I don't need to financially, but that's my goal. Let's see if i can pull it off.
 
Still a bit confused on the 300-750k budget thing. Are you truly keeping the fact it cost 300k a secret? If so, it seems a bit risky to post that so openly on a message board.
 
HBlack said:
Still a bit confused on the 300-750k budget thing. Are you truly keeping the fact it cost 300k a secret? If so, it seems a bit risky to post that so openly on a message board.
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Not really. Its not like distributers are constantly checking the message boards. He is just telling the distributers that it cost $750k so he can get a better offer on it when it is ready for distribution...its not illegal or anything.
 
Nick took the words right out of my mouth.

If there are buyers for a 300K film trolling this board I'd be shocked and amazed. Besides, it's an industry standard.

Hell,even Dov Simens recommends calling a movie like this a "just under a million" budget film. But I didn't do it because of him, it's just par for the course in sales.
 
Wow...just WOW! I'm going to use a lot of this info for my small $20k feature in the summer, but wow man this is great stuff! really an inspiration to us all :)

It fits so perfectly and it should seem common sense but sometimes it just takes someone like you to give us all the need and desire to be great at filmmaking.
 
this thread is giving me something to look forward to everyday!


wouldnt a distributer want to see legal documentation of costing 750 grand?
 
yeahfilms said:
this thread is giving me something to look forward to everyday!


wouldnt a distributer want to see legal documentation of costing 750 grand?
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The sales price of a given commodity has nothing to do with the cost it was manufactured for.

Just like you asking a car manufacturer what it cost them to build the car and then making them an offer. The price is the price.

The main difference with that analogy is that distributors have a keen eye for inherently knowing what a picture cost to make. Their offers usually hinge on this number. I'm not saying my flick cots $20 Million. That would be very easy to see through.

At this budget range, things are more nebulous.
 
yeahfilms said:
wouldnt a distributer want to see legal documentation of costing 750 grand?
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Would they WANT to? Of course. Should you show them? Not a chance. As Adam says, it doesn't matter what it cost to make it -- the only thing that matters is what they'll pay for it, and that number should have no correlation to what it cost to produce. The Haxan guys got a million dollars cash for "Blair Witch" and everyone KNOWS that didn't cost a million dollars to make.

What it costs to make the film is irrelevant. Its worth to a distributor is not based on how expensive it was to produce, its worth is in how many ticket sales and DVD sales they think it can generate.

But if you were dumb enough to tell them what it cost to make the film, you can pretty much guarantee yourself that you won't ever see a penny more than that, in the best case. So why tell 'em?
 
Couldn't have said it better myself, Barry.

Some exciting developments on my end. Will be able to tell you all tomorrow.
 
Oh yeah, there's news!

First - the mundane and annoying.

Locations are a pain in the ass. I thought I was pretty swift the other day when I found my own mansion. I went to see it yesterday and let me tell you, the place was built as if I had seen it when I wrote the story.

It had the large stairwell that Corrado pads up to access a large hallway. It had the room where Paolo and Tommaso talk and drink while Corrado sneaks past, breaking into Vittorio's room and attempting to murder him. Vittorio's room was an exact facsimile of what I had imagined - large four poster bed, swing out windows so that Corrado could escape....

The grounds were huge and just as I had imagined.

So I tell the owner - Great - I'll take it. Write you a check right now for the whole amount.

Owner: "There's a bit of a problem"

Me: What's the problem?

Owner: A reality show called this morning. They want the house for two months starting April and May.

Me: Well that's not a problem - I called first, and here I am with the money. Have they seen the place?

Owner: No, but they'll be here next week to check it out. And as much as I'd like to take you rmoney, they're offering me $125K to use the house.

F$uck me. I was blow away. Now I have to wait a week or two until the "reality show" plays out.

I have encountered this probably a dozen times when looking for locations. It's very common.

Location owners are all opportunists. That's why I never do a location scout without bringing my check book. Always be ready to pay for the location on the spot since these owners are all waiting for a better deal. I would have gladly prepaid to secure the spot, but such is life. Now I am faced with looking elsewhere or hurry up and wait. I think I'll stand down for a week and go from there.

Update at gunfire terrace:

My location scout is a nickel and dimer. You've met people like this. They are the kind of people that always try and price in a little upcharge every time they speak. It's not enough to break your budget, but just enough to annoy you.

Our saga on machine gun apartments left off where I needed to make each apartment holder a better offer to use their apartments. So I made the following offer:

$5000 for two days to use the building, int and ext.
$1500 commission for the scout (unavoidable)
$1000 for both apartments, usage of 4 hours each

so $7500 total. This is a fair rate for such an extreme use of a building including automatic gunfire, displacing residents, bullet hits, etc. Our other choice was to build a set and that was going to cost waaaaay more.

So she calls me back, and says this:

Angela: Everything's good except for the apartment owners want $600 ech for a total of $1200. Oh, and you also need to use a site rep for $250 per day. The landlord insists. I have a guy you can use.

I snap. I lose it. She always does the bullshit upcharge thing.

Me: I'm not doing it. My offer stands, take it or leave it. You tell him it's $500 per day on the apartments or I walk, and as for the site rep, I want to see that request in writing, at which point I will hire my own site rep and plant him there!


She sulked, she gave me the silent treatment for a day, and in the end she e-mailed back and said she would cover the $200 extra off of her commission. Good. I was tired of her nickel and diming me.
 
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Latest news:

So I'm talking with my de facto agent (I say de facto because although I have a contract from them I haven't gotten around to signing it yet), and he asks me if any roles still need to be filled.

I rattle all of them off, and he pauses.

Agent: Fat Frankie D'Onofrio.....

Me: Yeah. I need someone for that role as well.

Agent: Hmmmmm. Let me make a call and I'll call you back.

About fifteen minutes pass and I get a call from this guy Greg. He mentions that he is Joe Gannascoli's manager, and that he thinks Joe should have the part of Fat Frankie.

For those of you who didn't watch the show (me included), Joe Gannascoli played the character of Vito Spatafore on the HBO hit "The Sopranos"

In fact, he played Vito for something like 40 episdodes over a five year time span. Pretty cool!!!!!

So a little talk here and there, and boom, we've got this Soprano's guy to act in the film. His isn't a huge role, 4 days I think, but still, we are slowly filling these roles with more known actors.

Plus, I got him for a great rate.

It just came to me. This is why a director has an agent. To make these kinds of phone calls. I have just leveraged the power of Hollywood.....one call and 15 minutes later we had a pretty serious actor sign on yet again. I'm amazed.

It had nothing to do with me at all - this is "who you know" squared, man. This is what hollywood relationships are all about - the people you know.

Interesting side note: Almost all of the roles in this movie are pretty much cast or in talks. We haven't held a single audition! There is no need to hold a meeting of the unwashed masses - we are casting based on calling people we like, people who work all the time. Most of them have extensive credits, even though you may not know them. Previously, I had big casting sessions for my stuff. There really isn't a need for that here.

I told me wife - that's why you never see anything good on Actor's Access. The good roles are all gone by the time the remainder trickles down to you. All these agents get with the director, cast who they know and want, and then do an open call to get "Waitress #2", "Thug #4", etc. The director isn't even present for those auditions - it's so unimportant!

And you should see the other two we might be getting, that I can't speak about yet because the deals aren't done.

Corrado is quickly turning into a movie with an ensemble cast of actors who are known for something.

Because of this, my agency is pushing pretty hard for at least a limited theatrical run. Let's wait and see....

Here's a pic of Joe. He's the one seated in blue.
 

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Wow. Congratulations. This is great news. The actor was brilliant in Sopranos. He really threw himself into a role that hadn't ever been done before (a closeted mobster). He's really great.

And limited theatrical run? Wow. Every day is Christmas for you. Keep the news coming!
 
I missed this thread when it was originally posted. As I got to the end of the thread, I realized that I loved reading about other's successes and work...but it's time to get started on the movie that I've wanted to make for a while.

Adam, you definitely inspired me, among many other readers and I wish you the best of luck. As for your post on how you're like every other person - that's what hit me the most that there really is nothing stopping me from making the film that I want to.

Time to get to work,

Kegan
 
Kegan - Good on ya man.

Just remember, nothing good comes from Toronto.

(Joke, I was born in Toronto - East York, St. Michael's hospital )
 
taormina said:
Kegan - Good on ya man.

Just remember, nothing good comes from Toronto.

(Joke, I was born in Toronto - East York, St. Michael's hospital )
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Hahahaha I was gonna say yeah your right about Toronto but you were born there so that kinda killed it.
 
Hahaha, serves you right:) I've already started brainstorming about a movie I've been attempting to do for 6 years and now I'm starting fresh again!

If nothing else, Toronto (Adam) produces good advice!

-Kegan
 
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