David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
You also have to understand that failure at the box office is only part of the overall profitability equation -- most movies make far more from DVD sales/rentals, pay cable, etc. than they do from theatrical release. And those figures seem to be very closely guarded secrets, rather hard to find reliable sources for.
I disagree that "there are no shortcuts in this process". Robert Rodriguez found as many shortcuts as he could in the making of 'El Mariachi', even to the point of using the same guitar case for two different characters, rather than digging up a second one.
It could be argued that Mike Figgis implemented a 'shortcut' in his unique feature 'Time Code'. Not Oscar-worthy by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly got distribution. Yes, it did have name actors. But we can't just not try something out of the fear that it will ONLY work if it has name actors.
We also can't worry that it might not make billions of dollars. The important thing, from a business standpoint, is that it make a decent profit for the investors. It doesn't have to blow the doors off Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, it just has to earn enough to keep the investors happy, so they'll give you even more money to make the next one.
Every movie we, as beginners, make doesn't have to be 'Citizen Kane' or 'Gone With The Wind'. We'll get to that point, but first we have to prove we can 1. tell a good story, and 2. make it worthwhile for the people putting up the money. If we can do that, then we stand a good chance of getting to do it again and again -- and each time getting to make a bigger and better movie.
I equate it with an actor just starting out. What actor trying to break into the business is going to say, "I only want to do really great, big-budget studio projects"? In the beginning, you do what you get an opportunity to do, and you use it to build your resume and make a name for yourself so you'll get bigger and better opportunities. You try not to do crap, of course. But you recognize that there's a ladder to climb to achieve that pinnacle you're striving for, and you have your foot on the bottom rung. You do the very best work you can do, and you learn and grow and network with each and every project.
At least, that's my game plan.
I disagree that "there are no shortcuts in this process". Robert Rodriguez found as many shortcuts as he could in the making of 'El Mariachi', even to the point of using the same guitar case for two different characters, rather than digging up a second one.
It could be argued that Mike Figgis implemented a 'shortcut' in his unique feature 'Time Code'. Not Oscar-worthy by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly got distribution. Yes, it did have name actors. But we can't just not try something out of the fear that it will ONLY work if it has name actors.
We also can't worry that it might not make billions of dollars. The important thing, from a business standpoint, is that it make a decent profit for the investors. It doesn't have to blow the doors off Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, it just has to earn enough to keep the investors happy, so they'll give you even more money to make the next one.
Every movie we, as beginners, make doesn't have to be 'Citizen Kane' or 'Gone With The Wind'. We'll get to that point, but first we have to prove we can 1. tell a good story, and 2. make it worthwhile for the people putting up the money. If we can do that, then we stand a good chance of getting to do it again and again -- and each time getting to make a bigger and better movie.
I equate it with an actor just starting out. What actor trying to break into the business is going to say, "I only want to do really great, big-budget studio projects"? In the beginning, you do what you get an opportunity to do, and you use it to build your resume and make a name for yourself so you'll get bigger and better opportunities. You try not to do crap, of course. But you recognize that there's a ladder to climb to achieve that pinnacle you're striving for, and you have your foot on the bottom rung. You do the very best work you can do, and you learn and grow and network with each and every project.
At least, that's my game plan.
