Need Writer

A

Andrew McCarrick

Carbonite Member
I'm in need of a writer, to write a straight-forward, character-driven feature film screenplay. We really have no easy access to anything as far as locations go; so it would be ideal to keep filming outside as much as possible. Total budget will be under $20,000.00.
 
Your budget is tiny, so a writer would also need to know what other resources you have, e.g. descriptions/photos of actors, outside locations, vehicles etc - that way a script can be written around those resources. How were you planning on compensating the writer?
 
'Filming outside as much as possible' without permits can run you into trouble unless you're filming in a rural area. But, yeah, what clang said--how much is going to the writer?
 
To be honest, we practically have access to no resources what so ever. We have no easy access to any location, equipment, actors, really anything. I live just outside Atlantic City, and the Ocean City Boardwalk and the beach.

$20,000 would probably break down like this:

$1,500.00 for writer
$10,000.00 for equipment (including $2400 for Adobe CS5 Master Collection)
$3,000.00 for actors
$1,500 for insurance
And the $4000 left over for food and contingency fund.
 
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Andrew McCarrick said:
To be honest, we practically have access to no resources what so ever. We have no easy access to any location, equipment, actors, really anything. I live just outside Atlantic City, and the Ocean City Boardwalk and the beach.

$20,000 would probably break down like this:

$1,500.00 for writer
$10,000.00 for equipment (including $2400 for Adobe CS5 Master Collection)
$3,000.00 for actors
$1,500 for insurance
And the $4000 left over for food and contingency fund.
Click to expand...

Going by your sig--is this a horror project you're looking to do? Because I was actually working on a story idea 6 months ago that involved a team of paranormal investigators.
 
vcassel said:
Going by your sig--is this a horror project you're looking to do? Because I was actually working on a story idea 6 months ago that involved a team of paranormal investigators.
Click to expand...

Nope, that's actually another project I'm working on, that I'm basically trying to use this project to attract investors to. So I can say I've done this feature, I know what I'm doing; put money into this other one.
 
Alright, I got an idea and started working on it, but I need a little help to determine which way to take it.

PM and I can email a copy of what I have so far.
 
Andrew McCarrick said:
To be honest, we practically have access to no resources what so ever. We have no easy access to any location, equipment, actors, really anything. I live just outside Atlantic City, and the Ocean City Boardwalk and the beach.

$20,000 would probably break down like this:

$1,500.00 for writer
$10,000.00 for equipment (including $2400 for Adobe CS5 Master Collection)
$3,000.00 for actors
$1,500 for insurance
And the $4000 left over for food and contingency fund.
Click to expand...

Well after starting to write this myself (still working with other writers). I've realized the above budget won't cover this... Looking like it'll be $35k - $40k... ideas on how to raise the rest?

Current budget breakdown estimate:

$9,000.00 for 1 month rental of AF100 Cine Package from Zacuto
$1,600.00 for Audio equipment rentals from Indie Rentals/Division Camera (1 month)
$3,750.00 for Two Red Zooms from Indie Rentals/Division Camera (1 month)
$4,000.00 for Insurance
$5,000.00 for Actors
$2,000.00 for Contingency Fund
$2,000.00 for Food
$1,500.00 for writer
$2,500.00 for any hotel costs
$5,000.00 for Locations and Permits
$5,000.00 for Dolly and Crane/Jib for 1 week from Arri CSC
 
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Simple - if that's all you have to spend, look at the things in your budget that are obviously luxuries and eliminate them. Dolly? Gone. Jib Arm? Gone. AF100? Nice, but you'll have to make do on a lesser camera. Actors? Generally speaking on a non-SAG indie you can get away without paying them if the script is good. I just cut at least $15k from your budget.

What I don't see anywhere above is paying for the crew? Pretty serious oversight, I'd say. Maybe they'll work for free? Are they experienced professional crew people? Maybe you'd be better off paying better crew who might be willing to bring their own equipment to the project at a greatly reduced rate. What about gas money? We spent well over a grand just on gas on the feature we just wrapped. What about props and production design? Makeup? You may find that $15k just got added right back in.

Well, anyway. This isn't the producing forum. Good luck to you!
 
Then what do I shoot with? I want something with a 35mm depth of field. Any package with a 35mm adapter is going to cost more than the AF100 package; as will a DSLR package.
 
You could buy a whole 7D package for less than $9k. Zacuto is not exactly the most budget-conscious choice either.

But the real point I'm making here is... you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need. Forget where I heard that. :)
 
Well... without 35mm depth of field, I'm not interested in shooting it. To me, not worth my time.

Nor do I want to deal with the short record times, hot pixels, and limited audio of a DSLR.
 
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Yeah, and I don't want to deal with not having George Clooney in my movie, either. Yet somehow me and lots of other people are doing it.

There's a whole lot of excellent movies being made that were shot on DSLRs, or don't have 35mm depth of field. I guess you have to ask yourself if you're interested in making a feature film – or a really long DP's reel.

Anyway, none of this has even the slightest lick to do with WRITING – except to reinforce that if you have an awesome script, most of the above issues absolutely do not matter a damn bit.
 
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