Is $10,000 indie feature possible ?

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Kholi said:
I'm glad we have an authority on this here.

When's the last time a fullblown no-named independent zombie(esque even) horror sold?

Any other rules of engagement from someone who's successfully sold a feature film that we all should know?
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"Colin" is the zombie you are looking for I think... Shown at the 2009 Cannes film festival, Marc Vincent Price who basically wrote, produced, directed and did everything else...

Made the film for an astonishing 45 lbs.

If you want to make a zombie movie and you have a good idea for a zombie movie... Guess what!!?!? MAKE A ZOMBIE MOVIE!
 
subtleinspiration said:
By people who did it as their first movie with a budget of $10,000?

I don't know...you tell me.
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Dollar amount has nothing to do with it. The response is to "Do not do comedy" and "do not do zombies". Has nothing to do with any genre, as a matter of fact. It's just silly-as-hell to declare that any genre or concept should NOT be done.

THE SIGNAL - 60K - Pretty much a zombie movie - Sold for 1.5 Million to Magnolia. My favorite case of recent STFU and do something about it.

Even people with real credentials don't tell others "not to do this".

Pssh.
 
Yeah, don't make another zombie movie because there is already a ton of crappy low-budget ones out there. How do you know that? Oh, wait... it's because there is a ton of them out there. That must mean they got picked up for distribution even though they were low-budget and crappy. Hmm.
 
Kholi said:
THE SIGNAL - 60K - Pretty much a zombie movie - Sold for 1.5 Million to Magnolia. My favorite case of recent STFU and do something about it.
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And it had a budget 6 TIMES the $10,000 we're talking about here. And you may inspire people with your "STFU and do something about it" but how many of them will run out there fueled purely by emotion and get their "zombie epic" funded on credit cards that results in a sh*t-fest that doesn't do diddly squat? That's just irresponsible.
 
subtleinspiration said:
And it had a budget 6 TIMES the $10,000 we're talking about here. And you may inspire people with your "STFU and do something about it" but how many of them will run out there fueled purely by emotion and get their "zombie epic" funded on credit cards that results in a sh*t-fest that doesn't do diddly squat? That's just irresponsible.
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I just gave you an example of a successful and recent zombie movie "Colin" shown at Cannes, and obviously the return was greater than the 45 pound budget but you chose to ignore that example didn't you!?!?
 
subtleinspiration said:
Yes, it made a whopping $800 in the one screen it was released on in the U.K.

Color me shocked.
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Yeah, and now it's on dvd collecting money and is available on Amazon... If you told someone that they wouldn't make much money on their first movie (zombie movie) but the investment would be slim AND it could possibly be shown at CANNES and be distributed on video, I think most people would consider that a successful first outting.

Agree or disagree I don't care, but I think the people that are considering creating a zombie movie or any type of film will ignore your greater wisdom.
 
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And they can end up broke with a crappy film under their belt.

You can fall out of an airplane and live...you gonna tell people they can do that?
 
I'm making a "zombieesque" movie.. they aren't zombies.. but it has zombie tendencies.

The thing is, there are a TON of zombie movies.. and of those.. FEW are good.. so, the idea here is to make a "good" movie therefore making your chances of getting distro alot better than if you chose a genre where your the only one doing it. I can go on netflix right now and watch about 30 different zombie movies just on instant watch.. most of which are terrible. Make a zombie movie thats better than anything else thats out (not all that hard to do considering) and bam.. your a contender.

Colin is a success as far as I am concerned. There are others that have had similar success. It just depends on what your def. of the term is.
 
Don't bother Azmyth... Listen subtleinspiration (fitting name)... You're destined for failure no matter what you do.
 
That's one James Cameron out of 6 Billion People. Not very good odds.

If you want to make a zombie film because you are passionate about the story you want to tell and if you'd entertain yourself just by watching it, then go ahead.

But by no means delude yourself into thinking you'll see up at your local Cineplex or that you'll make millions of dollars (or even thousands of dollars) because that's just not the case.
 
subtleinspiration said:
That's one James Cameron out of 6 Billion People. Not very good odds.

If you want to make a zombie film because you are passionate about the story you want to tell and if you'd entertain yourself just by watching it, then go ahead.

But by no means delude yourself into thinking you'll see up at your local Cineplex or that you'll make millions of dollars (or even thousands of dollars) because that's just not the case.
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Actually, I will be seeing it at the local cineplex. I secured that a month ago, for the premiere. A facebook page with 613 fans, and tons of people who stop me every day in town to ask about it. There's a market for whatever kind of film you want to make.. you just have to find it.

I've also got a meeting with the city officials here, and some potential investors for future films (this one isn't even done yet :) If you treat people right, and do things the right way.. you CAN open up doors for yourself. If you go around with the attitude that "can't never could" thats exactly what you'll end up with.

There are tons of zombie movies, for a reason. Because people like them, if they didn't there wouldn't be tons of them on netflix. Sure, most of them are bad.. but someone thought it was good enough to put it on a dvd to sell.

Make whatever film you want, noone here nor there can tell you whether or not it will succeed or not.
 
Xian Messerschmidt said:
With that attitude, it's not surprising you've never made it past music videos and infomercials.
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Hey, they earn money. Unlike zombie films made for $10,000. And I don't waste anyone's time in the process.

Azmyth said:
Actually, I will be seeing it at the local cineplex. I secured that a month ago, for the premiere.
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Terrific, you paid for it out of your own pocket or called in a favor. Doesn't count.

Azmyth said:
I've also got a meeting with the city officials here, and some potential investors for future films
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There's always potential money, the vast majority of that never turns into real money.

Azmyth said:
If you go around with the attitude that "can't never could" thats exactly what you'll end up with.
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No, I'm not saying no one ever wins the lottery, I'm saying that 99.9999% of the time, it won't be you, especially if you don't educate yourself and learn the craft.

Azmyth said:
There are tons of zombie movies, for a reason. Because people like them
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And only a small handful that people can even remember the title of. Sure, you may get a tick on the rental chart because nice cover art and an enticing blurb suckered someone in who simply didn't know better, but is that what you really want?

Azmyth said:
someone thought it was good enough to put it on a dvd to sell.
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People sell crap every day, so just because someone wants to sell your particular brand of crap does not make it special or successful.

Azmyth said:
Make whatever film you want, noone here nor there can tell you whether or not it will succeed or not.
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Absolutely true. However, if you ignore the advice that has been presented already by several fine and talented individuals, you do so only at your own peril.
 
Re: "Colin"

Saw the teaser when it hit the newsstands. Completely unwatchable shyte. As in, you couldn't pay me to watch more.

Re: "The Signal"

"60K"

Now you're talking! You could actually get something watchable with that, if you're smart.

"Pretty much a zombie movie - Sold for 1.5 Million to Magnolia. My favorite case of recent STFU and do something about it."

Your comment, however, is gibberish. You got $60K to lend me?

I'm actually surprised that the poster child for this discussion hasn't come up: Paranormal Activity. Hook: The scariest movie you've ever seen (way not). Teaser: Audiences of screaming chicks, utter terror.

Stupid plot, fell apart at the end. Confined to one location. Seems they even dreaded going outside once.

If you want to go film Parapsychic Activities, more power to you. Not interested. To each his/her own. (Don't expect to cash in on the end-product though. These are notable exceptions, not the rule.)
 
subtleinspiration said:
Absolutely true. However, if you ignore the advice that has been presented already by several fine and talented individuals, you do so only at your own peril.
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You mean people like James Cameron?!?!? Linked above by Xian? Or do you mean posters here like you with more talent than him(James Cameron)?!?!?!

polfilmblog - no one cares about what you thought of any movie that you've seen. Your opinion about films doesn't raise or lower the "success" of said film(s).
 
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Wow. Lots of bitter people here who are obviously unhappy with the direction their careers have taken. Not everyone produces films because they are out to make a quick buck or boost their own egos. Some artists do it because they have stories in them that need to be told. Just because YOU may not like them doesn't mean someone else won't.

“It is always advisable to be a loser if you cannot become a winner”
- Frank Zappa
 
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Madp said:
You mean people like James Cameron?!?!? Linked above by Xian? Or do you mean posters here like you with more talent than him(James Cameron)?!?!?!
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James Cameron was smart enough not to go the route that is being discussed here.
 
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