"Corrado" - A production blog

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I agree with the person who said Sizemore is no Tom Cruise..and I think when Adam was giving details and explaining things, I in no WAY thought he was relating these things to secure anyone of Tom Cruise's level. As Adam stated, this is a business..you approach it as such, not a pipe dream. I highly doubt that anyone with the resources of grabbing Tom Cruise for a role in their "indy" film is scouting this board for help on how to do it. Hell any movie with Tom Cruise in it, probably isn't "indy" even if the company is unheard of.

What I got from adam is get the Tom Cruise of YOUR budget..realistically..if you're doing a low budget indy film then your goal is to get distribution then get the Tom Cruise you can for the amount of money you have.

Adam had 120k for casting...he got what he could, if he had 1million for casting, he probably would have a completely different cast...well of course he would..who wouldn't. However, Corrado, being a likely straight to DVD film (I seriously think it will play in ATLEAST 2 theaters though..mainly LA and NY just off Johnny Messner and Tom Sizemore)...but even if it doesn't the likelihood of distribution is VERY high. Following this model, means, if you get your hands on 100,000, and it's at all possible..higher atleast ONE name actor..even for a small role..because it shows 2 things.

1. You're serious about this and you're not just some shmuck with a camera.

2. Your film is likely watchable, because the "names" in it were willing to risk their career to be in it.

Maybe the agent didn't feel the project you presented for his client was guarantee'd to make it's money back, or...for that matter didn't think enough people would invest in it to get the film completed. Also, I hear that alot of new film makers have to consider that pay or play deal when trying to get name stars in their films. Again, it's a good risk, if you have a film you're making for 200k, to give a C-lister 20k pay or play..and then they turn around and guarantee you distribution in 20 territories (even if it's only 20k per territory that's double your investment).

Again, what I took from this whole thread...all 178 or so pages...APPROACH THIS LIKE A BUSINESS..and you more than likely, will succeed. Which is what I'm doing with my project. I also gather that when you start working with about 200 or so thousand you start positioning yourself to make your money back. If you..hire the right talent...hire the right name...know your target audience..oh..and make a good film, in about that order lol
 
Adam, i am curios. You stated earlier that on Hanger 14 you will work very differently, as in not take care of the production, editing, equipment.... basically work in a more classic way. Why not just take the model you used for Corado and expand on it, i mean you know what you are doing, you clearly like to make pictures that make money, you could have a 50/50 deal + and this is more important you have tremendous freedom. And you become like your own studio, as in you create your own project than bring it to the marked place. Why not just on the next one raise some more money, hire a capable line producer, casing guy....all to work under you, paid from the production money???

I read somewhere that Cubrick essentially produced his films from his country house in England. Yes there is a executive producer, but there is also one on Corado i suppose. The guy that put down the hard cash? But it just seems to be the future both in music production and in film that we all bake our own loaf of bread and than bring it to the global market place.

Don't misunderstand, i see the downside to it, the extra work load, the drawn out production process... I am just curios, once you put 100% of the risk on the investors and you can "walk away" if it bombs, how much freedom you will have. It is inherent, although not exclusive to them that low budget investors, often first time film investors, don't know dick about movies and than, above some coniaqu glass in the lobby of some swank hotel someone will tell them that being a producer is this. The day after you have some barbarian sausage fingered executive of a toothbrush company breathing down your neck screaming mooooore, i want mooooooore!!! More exsplosions! Moooore guns!! Mooore ass! I definitely want to see the girl more (his girlfriend from Ukraine) !!!!!

I mean, just waking up in the morning and only having have to roll your ass on set sounds nice to everyone, but it also sounds so last generation.

Basically what I'm trying to say as you seem to be inclined to to genera mowies and your owns scripts why not just do them in house?

This does not exclude you being offered to do the next Bond movie.

Just seems to make more since to me especially since Hanger 14 is not vastly bigger in monetary terms.

And i would not be saying this if you where offered to make Oceans 15 tomorrow, but since you are doing your own script it might be something worth considering.
 
If you have a small movie and say $100,000, are you telling me you can't get Gary Buesy? C'mon. If not, I'm sure his son (Jake I believe) will readily do it. There's so many faces and names you can get if you play your cards right and know where to look. Don't go to CAA if you can't pay, look for the smaller agents.

-Nate
 
Hey and please read again, i never suggested Tom to be in a indy picture. It was just a rhetorical example about how the big boys go about evaluating risk and allocating funding accordingly. Adam said he does not believe in a business plan which is fine, it is a little like not believing in story boards which fine also, but there are definitely many, many,many reasons why to use both can have a significant positive impact on your film.

Already earlier someone mentioned that the AFM was not looking for Horror flicks, i think knowing this, or knowing that action thrillers with name talent "always" sell is not a bad angel to present to an investor.
 
If I don't have close to the same level of control on Hangar 14 I simply won't do it. It will be very much an expanded version of Corrado, only with a few more department heads and a UPM. There will be no big movie BS about it at all, I simply won't tolerate that attitude.
 
HVX2006 said:
Hey and please read again, i never suggested Tom to be in a indy picture. It was just a rhetorical example about how the big boys go about evaluating risk and allocating funding accordingly. Adam said he does not believe in a business plan which is fine, it is a little like not believing in story boards which fine also, but there are definitely many, many,many reasons why to use both can have a significant positive impact on your film.

Already earlier someone mentioned that the AFM was not looking for Horror flicks, i think knowing this, or knowing that action thrillers with name talent "always" sell is not a bad angel to present to an investor.
Click to expand...

I was just giving some critical wisdom to people who may have been interested. Filmman was talking about pay or play and having a lot of money. I was simply saying there's so many people you can get to sale a film and it's not as hard as one may think if you know the right people. I knew an agent that handled low level celebrities and reality stars. They were decently cheap. The reality stars may not be all that big anymore but the other celebs were big enough to get a film on the DVD shelf and get overseas sales.

-Nate
 
Hi everyone, my first post here. Just want to say to Adam, well done, this has been a very interesting read. It has taken me about 4 days to read whilst at work...woops.

Anyway, i have found this very interesting, especially from my perspective as i live in England and i was quite intrigued as to how indie film making went on in America.
HVX2006 said:
I read somewhere that Kubrick essentially produced his films from his country house in England.
Click to expand...

In fact, i live fairly close to his house, and my mates cousin lived next door to him and still lives next door to his widow....but i digress

Adam, i was just wondering, how did you first 'enter the realm' of filmmaking, as in what was your first project and how did you 'break into the biz', as i know you are/were a salsemen and wondering what things you shot before Corrado to change your career into being a filmmaker. I am 18 and hoping to start making films fairly shortly as i have just left school so knowing your path early on in your life will be helpful to me (if you don't mind to share that is).

Coraddo sounds like an amazing feat and i wish you all the best of luck (i know you don't believe in luck:thumbup:) with your future productions and your life. I will be sure to grab a copy of the DVD when it is available to me :)

Thank you very much for your time to post on this thread.

-Andrew
 
From the site rep:

"I’m happy to say that aside from the issue of the Navy releasing the building in time, approval has been granted by the Great Park for use to film “Hangar 14” in the southwest hangar bay of Hangar 297. "


The navy thing is minor, they're packing up as we speak, but in the mean time, it looks like I've scored an 8000 foot runway, miscellaneous abandoned buildings, and my beloved Hangar 297 complete with office complex for the filming of Hangar 14.

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is mine!!!!! (Evil laugh)
 
Well thanks!

Hangar 14 is the movie I wanted to make before Corrado but didn't have the budget to do it properly. Plus the Navy has been reaaalllly slow in cleaning up El Toro, so it just didn't work out a year ago when I tried to get permission.

Hangar 14 relies on a single location for about 85% of the movie. I don't know who was giving Prodigi **** about his single location movie, but they really don't know ****.

Some of the most successful films are single location flicks: Die Hard, Titanic, Dawn of the Dead, Assault on Precint 13, etc.

Single location flicks hinge on the location more than other movies. In Titanic, the boat is a character in the movie! Could you imagine the story without the boat? Or McClane not being trapped in the sky scraper? It adds so much tension.

That's why I feel like Ive hired a big celebrity today....the Hangar really is what will define the movie production value wise. And it's not your average hangar, which I could've gotten anywhere.....it is a 300,000 sq ft. hangar with a three story high office complex inside one side of it.

The office complex has been abandoned since the base closed in 1999 - it is sooooo dilapidated and looks totally post apocalyptic and forlorn (even though Hangar 14 is set in the present day).
 
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