Limitedoffer
Well-known member
Do you feel better with having three cameras?
Or does it get to crowded some times having so many people?
Or does it get to crowded some times having so many people?
Robert Rodriguez $7000 film.
- Thread starter Limitedoffer
- Start date
yommytacoe
Well-known member
where the hell were you working?
I worked for 3 months and funded my first feature. I spent about 5000 total, most of which was on my XHA1 + accessories.
jls4
Veteran
the power of credit cards for me.
rogar-BigGrin(DBG) $14K worth. Luckily I never had really abused/used my credit before that time.the power of credit cards for me.
For me it was more like 60k on credit cards... DOH! But I have no regrets (just a lot of bills). I pretty much financed my entire film via plastic (it was mostly equipment costs and legal).
Todd
I have to add this note: Before you ever go this route, make sure you can deal with sleepless nights and you better d*mn well be sure you are ready to make that risk.
jls4
Veteran
Agreed. While I didn't push to $60K at the time $14K was a pressure. We didn't have any money to cover the Bill - so I went into Wedding Videography to pay it back. It worked out okay.
At this point though, with all I've learned, I'd have to problem (If I had it) to put $50K or more into a feature, but this comes with knowledge - not something you just do - unless you're a genius like Todd. And I really do mean that - the man's movie looks so dang blasted good. I want to hate him so much, but I can't. :2vrolijk_08:
Limitedoffer
Well-known member
First off who is TODD?
Second i need to move out of ohio cause Wedding here suck.
I have done 6 weddings all being for higher then $400 people here are cheap.
It sucks to get money so......You work at a factory job for a couple of years and buy all your equipment and go to alot of film festivals to get some connections thats what i have been doing..
Damn if that plastic can solve all my problem then maybe..???
Anyways If i dont make a film that i can be proud of and be able to sell and at least make my money back I will film my suicide and post it on here as user films..LOL
Maybe then I would have at least got a real film out there..LOL
jls4
Veteran
DCP is Todd. The poster above my last thread. Todd is an actor turned filmmaker. He's read me brag on him several times. Simply put, he's done more in what I've seen of his trailer than I've seen in other people's 1st, 2nd, sometimes even 3rd movies. Heck even my own 3 movies! He seems to have a feel for it.
Yeah, maybe you do need to leave. I was originally from Tennessee and I left for Atlanta because I wanted to be in an area that movies were being made. and while Atlanta has dropped down, it still has the key elements needed to make quality movies. Be careful with the plastic, but I say use it. But take your time - check out my 24 diary and make a plan to make 3 movies and learn on each one, the likely hood that your first movie will be a runaway success is about the chances of you winning the lottery.
Learn, be safe - don't kill yourself! :kali: Let other people do it for you :2vrolijk_08:through unkind critisizm. LOL
rogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Limitedoffer
Well-known member
Yea i know it will be almost impossible but I'm making a religious film and i have alot of back up..
So who knows
Fireproof did well
Facing the giants did well
ETC
So who knows
Fireproof did well
Facing the giants did well
ETC
Nathyn
Low Budget Ninja
If you're going to do a straight religious film you should get a PR crew the knows how to market that kind of film. You'll need an "action crew". I personally don't like marketing to the Church but that's how it's done. All those movies you named have action crews behind them too. There's a place called One Way Films you'll want to check them out.
-Nate
-Nate
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Limitedoffer
Well-known member
Yeah i know plus there budget where in the ranges of $500,000
so yea.
I'm thinking that if they do sponsor me that they are going to want to do changes to the way i film it,edit it,et.
I like to have control of my film but i guess it's not mine if they put the money down for it to be made.Right?
so yea.
I'm thinking that if they do sponsor me that they are going to want to do changes to the way i film it,edit it,et.
I like to have control of my film but i guess it's not mine if they put the money down for it to be made.Right?
Nathyn
Low Budget Ninja
Depends. If you own your own equipment the best thing to do it make it yourself if you can. If you can make something great on a small budget then you can do even better on a large budget. If you're making something that specifically for the Christian market then you can find a few places that will be interested if it's reasonable decent.
-Nate
-Nate
DCP is Todd. The poster above my last thread. Todd is an actor turned filmmaker. He's read me brag on him several times. Simply put, he's done more in what I've seen of his trailer than I've seen in other people's 1st, 2nd, sometimes even 3rd movies. Heck even my own 3 movies! He seems to have a feel for it.
Yeah, maybe you do need to leave. I was originally from Tennessee and I left for Atlanta because I wanted to be in an area that movies were being made. and while Atlanta has dropped down, it still has the key elements needed to make quality movies. Be careful with the plastic, but I say use it. But take your time - check out my 24 diary and make a plan to make 3 movies and learn on each one, the likely hood that your first movie will be a runaway success is about the chances of you winning the lottery.
Learn, be safe - don't kill yourself! :kali: Let other people do it for you :2vrolijk_08:through unkind critisizm. LOL
jls4,
Thanks again for your comments.:dankk2: I also did the wedding/events route but I stopped because the money just wasn't there. Granted, I was getting $2000 and up for a wedding (I live in the most expensive county in the US), but that barely covered expo costs, insurance costs, additional camera operators, etc. Once I broke it down, I was barely making $15.00 an hour after all was said and done (I make 3 times that as a waiter). Finding money is tough (especially in this economy), and it seems that selling the film is even tougher. As many have said, if you're in it to make money, do a genre film (action or horror) and attach some kind of name. Then design an amazing poster/dvd cover and you'll get someone to buy it. If you really just want to make a great dramatic film (and I'm not saying that an action/horror film can't be great), then do it but keep a perspective on the financial returns (or lack of returns).
As far as Christian films, there is a 'built in' market for it (many on this board would be better informed on this than me). Listen to people's advice but follow your own heart.
As a first time filmmaker myself I had visions of making that great film, getting into Sundance, and becoming the next big 'Brother's McMullen'. I think those days are over and it takes much more than just making a great film. I wish you luck and enjoy the process.
Todd
jls4
Veteran
no prob... as for the wedding thing... you guys must not be that good at it.
When I started out I was an average of $300 per wedding, but I quickly expanded to $1000 a wedding with 1 video camera. It'd take the wedding day 7 hours + another 24 or so to get everything done. But I could do it after my 9 to 5, and it was a great way to put the money back on my own terms. I guess I was doing about $32 a hour, not too bad. I only needed 1 wedd a month to more than pay back the credit card bill (approx $450. $15K at 18% is $375 a month.)Hey while I'm here. The true cost of making movies with Credit Cards Assuming you can pay them back in 2 years (24 months). Assuming 18%, if you have good credit you'll probably spend more like 10 to 12% bad credit 24 to 30%.
Budget .......Avg Monthly .....Approx Interest Paid
$15,000 .....$375 ................$4,835
$30,000 .....$750 ................$9,670
$60,000 .....$1,500 .............$19,920
$120,000 ...$3,000 .............$38,648
If you did an equity line of Credit (2nd mortgage) Assuming you've been in your house at least 5 years, you might be able to pull $30K to $50K (I'm thinking home ownership for 5 to 10 years, approx $130K to $220K home) Todays rate's are well below 6%
$30,000 .....$750 ................$2880
$60,000 .....$1500 ..............$5760
no prob... as for the wedding thing... you guys must not be that good at it.
Hey while I'm here. The true cost of making movies with Credit Cards Assuming you can pay them back in 2 years (24 months). Assuming 18%, if you have good credit you'll probably spend more like 10 to 12% bad credit 24 to 30%.
Budget .......Avg Monthly .....Approx Interest Paid
$15,000 .....$375 ................$4,835
$30,000 .....$750 ................$9,670
$60,000 .....$1,500 .............$19,920
$120,000 ...$3,000 .............$38,648
If you did an equity line of Credit (2nd mortgage) Assuming you've been in your house at least 5 years, you might be able to pull $30K to $50K (I'm thinking home ownership for 5 to 10 years, approx $130K to $220K home) Todays rate's are well below 6%
$30,000 .....$750 ................$2880
$60,000 .....$1500 ..............$5760
Yeah, I have to admit I'm a pretty bad businessman! The reason I was only netting $15.00 is because I was only booking 2 to 3 weddings a year (most people in the area wanted to get videos for under $500.00 and my operating costs in this area are too much). I would pay out my additional camera operator (we used a 3 camera shoot) about $300 a day for a 10 hour day, I spent about 60-100 hours editing (did I say I'm a perfectionsist?), expos average about $1300 each, advertising is about $500 each, insurance ran about $1000 year, promo materials averaged about $500.00 and the problems where there were many videographers offering services way below what I charged. At the expos, my videos stood out and I got a lot of attention. However, in this area people didn't want to pay for talent, they wanted cheap. The most I ever received from one shoot was $4000.00 and they loved the video. I guess I could have changed my business plan, but as I said, I'm a terrible businessman.
As far as credit cards, we are looking to consolidate since the interest rates are so low, so at least I can manage the debt. Like I said before, if it came down to having zero debt and no film, I'd still go with the film and the debt.
Todd
jls4
Veteran
I think you'll be fine. It's how I made my second movie and you've got a better product than my 2nd and I sold it, so you can too. Don't give up.
As for the wedding thing, you can always go back into it or travel a little bit. Luckily for me in Atlanta most of the videographers are bad. I think the avg price was about $800 at the time for a 1 videographer shoot, but I still was able to push for $1K because my stuff was so much better. After being in business 6 months, we had booked over 15 weddings. We quickly moved into photography and my wife still works it.
Limitedoffer
Well-known member
Well i though I'd keep it going by bringing up another film I saw and I bet a few of you have seen.
BROKEN the 17Min Short Film that had a $8000 budget.
WOW I dont get it.Thats not no Indie Film.
I thought Indie was Work with what you got.
Not Hire a Director of Photography,VFX,Composer,Crew.????
I plan to do everything in my movie. That's why it's great to learn all fields.
But I Specify in VFX.
BROKEN the 17Min Short Film that had a $8000 budget.
WOW I dont get it.Thats not no Indie Film.
I thought Indie was Work with what you got.
Not Hire a Director of Photography,VFX,Composer,Crew.????
I plan to do everything in my movie. That's why it's great to learn all fields.
But I Specify in VFX.
Nathyn
Low Budget Ninja
"Indie" encompasses a lot, but it really only means the film isn't backed by a major studio and many times the term has nothing to do with the amount of money that's spent, that's based mainly on the production company and their resources. Some of Hollywood's "indies" cost over eight million bucks.
-Nate
-Nate
Limitedoffer
Well-known member
WOW ok, so where does the little guy have in these festivals for strictly low low budget films with no big name or recognizable actors and such?
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jls4
Veteran
I think it's possible to make great movies and sell them. But you have to have a strategy against the major players. I know those who are senior members look at me like a broken thread on an old record player - constantly repeating myself - but Limited you need to go read the 24 Diary - especially the first 2 chapters. It talks about plans and why they are important and what you must no as a no-budget indie to compete.