Chris Adler
Veteran
And you added nothing to the discussion either.
FEATURE: Magic - A Matt Sconce Film
- Thread starter Matt Sconce
- Start date
El Director
Veteran
troll perhaps?
In all seriousness though, I think it's great you guys are going 3D. Way to pave the way for other indies!
In all seriousness though, I think it's great you guys are going 3D. Way to pave the way for other indies!
Matt Sconce
Veteran
One of the reasons to go 3D is funding. If I have a 2D movie and a 3D movie for a 30% more budget, but...that 3D addition gets me the investor backing to acquire the budget (from American or Chinese funding sources), then it is good news for me. If the some foreign territories are not keen on 3D then we go 2D there. Still easy due to the large names we will have. We plan on a much higher budget for Magic than we had for Stricken. One reason is, we are targeting some names that will help us get theatrical distribution. 3D is just a way to sweeten the deal for distribution companies.
Killer story, plus 3D capability, plus big names and the budget to get them = the attention of distribution agencies who want to make money off the package and see the capability to make massive amounts in theatrical release. It is all about telling the best story AND having the ability to make profit afterward on that story. You have to make your movie package look as profitable as possible so you can hit theatrical and justify the budget we are looking at which is in the millions.
If you are shooting for dvd distribution and have no stars, then the word in the sales realm is shoot for as little as possible so you can make a profit. If your budget starts to go above 1.5 million, then you really should aim for large scale theatrical to recoup costs quickly. How do you do that? You approach big distribution companies (through connections you have acquired through networking) with your extremely sweet looking project package. You ask them what they would want differently in order to lock in a theatrical deal with them. They make suggestions, you implement them and get the greenlight from the company. That way, you are shooting, knowing you are going to release theatrical. That is the suggested way to do all films now in this tough market.
We are still unsure whether or not we will shoot our next two films in 3D. The meeting on the 9th we are attending with ILM, Pixar, Disney, Kerner, etc about the 3D process of filmmaking "do's don'ts and ups and downs" will help us make the decision, as well as what our potential investors think on the issue.
UPDATE: More feedback has come in recently from people who have read MAGIC. One producer in LA told me that they had received 100 pitches in the last several weeks for scripts and future projects and that none of them had them as excited as MAGIC. They told me they have been looking for THE script to bring to their investors and that they believe MAGIC is that script. We will see where that goes. :thumbsup:
Killer story, plus 3D capability, plus big names and the budget to get them = the attention of distribution agencies who want to make money off the package and see the capability to make massive amounts in theatrical release. It is all about telling the best story AND having the ability to make profit afterward on that story. You have to make your movie package look as profitable as possible so you can hit theatrical and justify the budget we are looking at which is in the millions.
If you are shooting for dvd distribution and have no stars, then the word in the sales realm is shoot for as little as possible so you can make a profit. If your budget starts to go above 1.5 million, then you really should aim for large scale theatrical to recoup costs quickly. How do you do that? You approach big distribution companies (through connections you have acquired through networking) with your extremely sweet looking project package. You ask them what they would want differently in order to lock in a theatrical deal with them. They make suggestions, you implement them and get the greenlight from the company. That way, you are shooting, knowing you are going to release theatrical. That is the suggested way to do all films now in this tough market.
We are still unsure whether or not we will shoot our next two films in 3D. The meeting on the 9th we are attending with ILM, Pixar, Disney, Kerner, etc about the 3D process of filmmaking "do's don'ts and ups and downs" will help us make the decision, as well as what our potential investors think on the issue.
UPDATE: More feedback has come in recently from people who have read MAGIC. One producer in LA told me that they had received 100 pitches in the last several weeks for scripts and future projects and that none of them had them as excited as MAGIC. They told me they have been looking for THE script to bring to their investors and that they believe MAGIC is that script. We will see where that goes. :thumbsup:
Chris Adler
Veteran
That's great news. Hope things go as planned for your project.
Hey Matt that is fantastic news, please remember, when funding comes in that I can make the best low-fat skim latte in Fresno!
Regarding the negativity of 3D from the pseudonym named poster, AVATAR was the best use of 3D i've seen to date. We should actually have federal legistionat that 3D can ONLY be used for action scenes, as it adds an amazing amount of depth and realism to the story.
Having watch other 3D movies, most are a waste of $ but used well it will be amazing.
Regarding the negativity of 3D from the pseudonym named poster, AVATAR was the best use of 3D i've seen to date. We should actually have federal legistionat that 3D can ONLY be used for action scenes, as it adds an amazing amount of depth and realism to the story.
Having watch other 3D movies, most are a waste of $ but used well it will be amazing.
Chris Adler
Veteran
Wow, pretty hostile people here. I think 3D is a gimmick, but maybe that's just me. Avatar 3D did nothing for me that Avatar 2D didn't.
And you're just being silly if you think fast motion @ 24 frames a second IN 3D is visually better than 2D, or you have perfect vision.
And you're just being silly if you think fast motion @ 24 frames a second IN 3D is visually better than 2D, or you have perfect vision.
Matt Sconce
Veteran
I do not see 3D as a gimmick and MUCH preferred Avatar 3D to Avatar 2D.....MUCH PREFERRED, but that is my personal opinion. ( on a side note, some studies have seen that people who don't get 3D at all may have undiagnosed depth perception issues. The people I refer to, at the least, feel eye strain and then others feel dizzy or sick after watching a 3D movie. The worst cases receive massive headaches and have to leave the theater. Interesting tidbit I learned from Kerner (formerly part of ILM) at the AIFF in the 3D info seminar)
I have listed my reasons for 3D in my above posts and think they explain our reasoning. Now onward and upward to MAGIC discussion.
UPDATE: Talked to some people today about MAGIC and I should be setting up some video conferencing soon to discuss moving forward. Through this process, it appears I may also be finding funding for our comedy "The Park" and also my Scifi thriller tentatively named "White". I have heard back from almost everyone of the bigwigs who have received MAGIC to read and the result is a ton of interest so things will definitely be moving forward, it is now just an issue of when and with whom.
I have listed my reasons for 3D in my above posts and think they explain our reasoning. Now onward and upward to MAGIC discussion.
UPDATE: Talked to some people today about MAGIC and I should be setting up some video conferencing soon to discuss moving forward. Through this process, it appears I may also be finding funding for our comedy "The Park" and also my Scifi thriller tentatively named "White". I have heard back from almost everyone of the bigwigs who have received MAGIC to read and the result is a ton of interest so things will definitely be moving forward, it is now just an issue of when and with whom.
Chris Adler
Veteran
Break a leg! Getting one film financed is hard enough, but getting everything on your plate financed sounds like a dream come true! Recently rubbed a lamp or something?
Matt Sconce
Veteran
Well, it would be great to get everything financed, but that would be about 8 films. No lamp...I wish there was a lamp (complete with Robin Williams!)...As it is, I credit our potential progress to the age old mantra, "it is all about who you know." The networking at the Action on Film Festival and the American International Film Festival has led to relationships that will end up allowing my films to live. There are some great people at those events. I would highly recommend submitting your films next year and going to every even, party etc, meeting people and moving forward. :beer:
Gary Sconce
Veteran
Nope... No lamp. We have been hard at work. I am so very excited about our next two projects. Really, what I want now is two RED Epics and a 3D rig for them.
Here are some examples of 3d rigs using just RED Ones:
I have corresponded with the guy who built the mount rig for the cameras here. He is a very nice guy. Here is the rig on a tripod. For me, too much loose wiring here, but that can be cleaned up. You have to adjust to the 3d rig size...
Even though it looks scary, an HVX 3D rig will go on a steady... Amazing! I hear that two RED Epics are the best set up for this.
It's doable! Now to work on getting the funding. :thumbsup:
Here are some examples of 3d rigs using just RED Ones:
I have corresponded with the guy who built the mount rig for the cameras here. He is a very nice guy. Here is the rig on a tripod. For me, too much loose wiring here, but that can be cleaned up. You have to adjust to the 3d rig size...
Even though it looks scary, an HVX 3D rig will go on a steady... Amazing! I hear that two RED Epics are the best set up for this.
It's doable! Now to work on getting the funding. :thumbsup:
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Matt Sconce
Veteran
We went to the 3D seminar at Kerner Studios Saturday (former home of ILM) and it was awesome. I made some in roads hopefully leading to working with Kerner to film "Magic" in 3D. They now have the project and we will see if they want to be involved.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
When you shoot in 3-D, can you easily get a 2-D version out of it down the road? When 3-D dies out again, it would be sad to think your movie's life is over along with it. Is that easy?
Matt Sconce
Veteran
Yes indeed! When you shoot on most beam splitter rigs (90) facing rigs, you have a consistent non moving camera that records everything in 2D. You take the "right eye" away and you have your standard 2d movie. Also, you edit most 3d movies as 2d and incorporate the right eye after the cut is complete. That is when you start to fix interoccular (distance between cameras) and convergence (eye target screen/plane) issues. So at the end of the lock cut, you already have your 2d movie. Shooting 3d adds about 30 % to your cost if you shoot in 3d during production and do not have to make a 2d movie 3d in post( which raises post time and decreases the power of the tool that is 3d) I think 3d is here to stay but I think people wil learn to better use it as they have done with all cinematic tools. Hope that helps!
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Matt Sconce
Veteran
UPDATE: I have been doing some camera research and I believe I will shoot "Magic" mainly with a Sony F23 CineAlta 3D Kerner rig or a Red Epic 3D setup on the same rig. The F23 has 12 stops of dynamic range and records 444 to an hdcam sr deck and supports undercranking and overcranking. For the mobile shots it will be a dual Sony p1 setup on the rig. Each p1 weighs 4 pounds and has 10 stops of dynamic range and intercuts well with f23 footage and theoretically, the epic.
Homunculus
Carbonite Member
how much does the cinealta f23 cost to rent?
Matt Sconce
Veteran
Don't know. I know the P1 3D rig with cameras is about 15k per day. Funding is a must!
Brandon Rice
Distributed Producer
Good stuff Matt, looking forward to continue hearing about this as it progresses 
Brandon Rice
Distributed Producer
Speaking of 3D. Two recent movies abandoned that type of release. Underword 4, and HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Something to be aware of.
Matt Sconce
Veteran
The only reason they did was post deadlines. They did not budget enough post time and were not going to pull a clash of the titans, so they opted to not release 3D. You need to shoot in 3D to avoid the massive amount of post time and money needed to convert 2d to 3d.
Brandon Rice
Distributed Producer
Where did you see that? I only saw they pulled them.
Edit.
Ah... found it.
Edit.
Ah... found it.