FEATURE: Survival - The Feature, based on our Timefest Entry...
- Thread starter majikfraug
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majikfraug
Well-known member
We have too many legal obligations to go that route. We're stuck in the system until everyone who has signed contracts decides they don't want to be involved anymore. With the level of interest we have so far, that's not likely. So we have to wait until they give up before we would be "allowed" to shoot it on our own. Honestly, I'm not worried about that happening -and doing it this way has opened up a lot of doors that would have been much more difficult if we had attempted to do it on our own from the start.
It may take a while, but it will get done. Just be warned: if you decide to go the "Hollywood" route and work with experienced professional's who do things the "proper" way, you can't change your mind half-way through :tongue:
It may take a while, but it will get done. Just be warned: if you decide to go the "Hollywood" route and work with experienced professional's who do things the "proper" way, you can't change your mind half-way through :tongue:
That sucks. I'm still new to features, but otherwise we generally aren't contracted to do anything unless there's money on the table already.
Good luck going back out to find more money, of course! It's an uphill battle but hopefully you guys make it.
majikfraug
Well-known member
Oh there's money on the table: $80,000 spent on development so far.
Got it now! Yeah, once you're in on someone's dollar or your own, no turning back. That's quite a bit of capital already dropped!
majikfraug
Well-known member
SYNOPSIS:
Survival is a dramatic action-packed thriller set in the primeval redwood forests of the Pacific Northwest. Intense, visceral and highly realistic, Survival explores the notions of losing oneself (physically, mentally, and even spiritually) and finding new strength and purpose through terrifying tribulation.
Survival is the story of floundering artist MICHELLE on the run from the simultaneous failures of both her marriage and career. She finds escape in a small coastal town in northern California where she hopes to find a new beginning and a simpler way of life. Before she has a chance to fully settle in however, she finds her life once again in upheaval as a flat tire leads to her forcible abduction on the way home from her new job at the local cafe.
Her kidnapper is a fatalistic wilderness survival expert known only as THE SURVIVALIST. While she is bound and gagged in his secret retreat in the deep woods, the Survivalist explains his plan to reduce the world to a Darwinistic survival-of-the- fittest scenario where only the strong -and smart have any hope of making it through. Before she can be fully indoctrinated into his cultish plan however, Michelle manages a frantic escape, injuring the Survivalist in the process.
Armed only with a worn copy of a survival manual and the few other items she has managed to make off with during her escape, Michelle must rely on her wits, her faith, and her ingenuity to evade the wounded and enraged Survivalist. Through a series of tasks that test her mettle and stretch her will to live, she struggles to find her way back to civilization while evading the Survivalist's manic pursuit. The days wear on into weeks and she slowly succumbs to hunger, fatigue, and a series of increasingly surreal dreams that begin to break her fragile sense of reality. Meanwhile, the Survivalist follows on, slowly coming to appreciate the girl whom he has begun to think of as his finest “pupil”.
Survival is a sometimes horrific, sometimes beautiful, look at the struggle to survive. It is a captivating thriller that challenges the notions of what it means to be a human animal in a modern world. It is the inspiring story of one woman's journey from victim running from the world to victor charging it head on.
Survival is a dramatic action-packed thriller set in the primeval redwood forests of the Pacific Northwest. Intense, visceral and highly realistic, Survival explores the notions of losing oneself (physically, mentally, and even spiritually) and finding new strength and purpose through terrifying tribulation.
Survival is the story of floundering artist MICHELLE on the run from the simultaneous failures of both her marriage and career. She finds escape in a small coastal town in northern California where she hopes to find a new beginning and a simpler way of life. Before she has a chance to fully settle in however, she finds her life once again in upheaval as a flat tire leads to her forcible abduction on the way home from her new job at the local cafe.
Her kidnapper is a fatalistic wilderness survival expert known only as THE SURVIVALIST. While she is bound and gagged in his secret retreat in the deep woods, the Survivalist explains his plan to reduce the world to a Darwinistic survival-of-the- fittest scenario where only the strong -and smart have any hope of making it through. Before she can be fully indoctrinated into his cultish plan however, Michelle manages a frantic escape, injuring the Survivalist in the process.
Armed only with a worn copy of a survival manual and the few other items she has managed to make off with during her escape, Michelle must rely on her wits, her faith, and her ingenuity to evade the wounded and enraged Survivalist. Through a series of tasks that test her mettle and stretch her will to live, she struggles to find her way back to civilization while evading the Survivalist's manic pursuit. The days wear on into weeks and she slowly succumbs to hunger, fatigue, and a series of increasingly surreal dreams that begin to break her fragile sense of reality. Meanwhile, the Survivalist follows on, slowly coming to appreciate the girl whom he has begun to think of as his finest “pupil”.
Survival is a sometimes horrific, sometimes beautiful, look at the struggle to survive. It is a captivating thriller that challenges the notions of what it means to be a human animal in a modern world. It is the inspiring story of one woman's journey from victim running from the world to victor charging it head on.
majikfraug
Well-known member
It's been quite the journey, and it ain't over yet :thumbsup:
majikfraug
Well-known member
It is! That's why we're glued to the current path. However, despite the trials and tribulations so far, I'm glad we decided to walk this path (most of the time). It has been a lesson in patience though, for sure
It is! That's why we're glued to the current path. However, despite the trials and tribulations so far, I'm glad we decided to walk this path (most of the time). It has been a lesson in patience though, for sure
Definitely following your progress. Are you allowed to share what the eighty-thousand was for?
majikfraug
Well-known member
Probably, but I should probably ask first to make sure. I'll get back to you on that one...
majikfraug
Well-known member
How to spend $80,000 before pre-production
How to spend $80,000 before pre-production
I got the okay to let you know where the initial $80,000 investment went. So here goes:
Basically we paid for a bunch of paper with words typed on it and the privilege of talking with people who know more than we do :2vrolijk_08:
Or, if you want to be less literal, we paid to protect our butts from devious types and to lay the groundwork so that people with lots of money feel comfortable giving it to us -so that we can all make lots more of it. The benefit of that is that people whose faces you know and names you recognize feel comfortable working on a film with a "nobody" writing and directing it. Also, we now have a distribution deal -and that's nothing to honk your nose at.
How to spend $80,000 before pre-production
I got the okay to let you know where the initial $80,000 investment went. So here goes:
- Professional assessment of project materials (basically, finding out what we had already prepared, and what we still needed in order to proceed)
- Script review and revision
- Revenue projections
- Evaluation of funding opportunities
- Detailed financing memorandum
- Project plan
- Private Placement Memorandum (PPM)
- Full Production Budget for approx. $3M (a 29 page document!)
- Preparation of strips and schedule
- Finance structuring
- Soft money consultation
- Integrated Business, Risk & Succession Modeling
- Full business plan (almost 40 pages!)
- Creation and review of assorted contracts
- Distribution negotiations
- Hourly council
- And other miscellaneous retainer fees that professionals expect.
Basically we paid for a bunch of paper with words typed on it and the privilege of talking with people who know more than we do :2vrolijk_08:
Or, if you want to be less literal, we paid to protect our butts from devious types and to lay the groundwork so that people with lots of money feel comfortable giving it to us -so that we can all make lots more of it. The benefit of that is that people whose faces you know and names you recognize feel comfortable working on a film with a "nobody" writing and directing it. Also, we now have a distribution deal -and that's nothing to honk your nose at.
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This is interesting. I'm not sure if you're a part of Film Specific, but it costs about 24.99 a month and there's a lot of very good info from people who are doing, have done, the exact same thing as you. Adam Cultaro (Taormina here on DVXuser) just interviewed with Stacey Parks and he talks abou the 1M movie and how to spend.
This is one of the first things he mentions, pre-production funds or something like that, and how you shouldn't be using ANY money for pre-production funds under a 5M tent. It's how 10+M and Studio projects work, but not for the likes of us.
You've probably sniffed around FS, but if not, check it out. it may help you guys out a lot.
This is one of the first things he mentions, pre-production funds or something like that, and how you shouldn't be using ANY money for pre-production funds under a 5M tent. It's how 10+M and Studio projects work, but not for the likes of us.
You've probably sniffed around FS, but if not, check it out. it may help you guys out a lot.
majikfraug
Well-known member
I haven't visited the site more than once or twice. Having to pay a monthly subscription fee for information on the internet never seems worth it to me :undecided Especially since the target audience is supposed to be low budget filmmakers who are trying to save as much money as possible. I'm not saying they don't present great information there -but then I wouldn't really know because I haven't been willing to gamble that it's worth $25/month. The stuff that is free seems as good as anything else on the web, but not any better. Again, I'm not saying it isn't worth the $25, I'm just saying I don't see myself ever being willing to pay to find out. I mean, even World of Warcraft gives you 10 days free to decide if it's worth it (and it's only $15/month). I have read (most of) the Corrado threads here on DVXuser though and Adam's story is a very interesting read. I just don't think I'd pay $25 for it :beer:
I'm not saying that ours is the path for anyone else to take. Every project is different. However, I do believe it was the right path for us to take.
EDIT: I hope I'm not coming across as a stuck-up jerk. I'm really not trying to say we've done anything right so far. I'm just happy with the results we have at the moment and where we seem to be heading as a result. If I had known it would take this long to get where we are when we first started, I would have probably told the producers that the money would be better spent just shooting the movie on our own. I don't even know if they would have listened. But would we have the same opportunities that we do now? Hard to say without being able to glance into alternate timelines -and see the future of this one
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dougspice
Veteran
I have to agree that I have been deterred by FS's pricing. I don't mind the idea of paying a monthly fee in principal, and I'm sure I'd find it worth it just for the info consolidated, but $25/month seems really steep. Like, equivalent to my actual internet bill steep. If it was $10 or $15 I'd do it in a second, but at $25 I feel like they've crossed some threshold that I never feel compelled to follow. The psychology of pricing is very interesting to me.
Back on topic, (sorry if this has been covered already – I haven't read the whole thread yet) but where are you actually planning to shoot?
Back on topic, (sorry if this has been covered already – I haven't read the whole thread yet) but where are you actually planning to shoot?
majikfraug
Well-known member
Isn't that weird? I feel the same way.
That's one of my favorite parts
Aside from a week in LA, we will be shooting entirely on location outside of Blue Lake California (in Humboldt County), on 1200 acres of private property. We went scouting up there a little over a year ago and it is gorgeous! Also, the land owner is a wonderful person, very excited about the project and an absolute dear. And if that werten't enough, it is perfect for the screenplay. Actually, some of the scenes I had written thinking I might have to rewrite them if we couldn't find a place that had the necessary look, but this place was exactly what I had pictured in my mind when we wrote the script.
majikfraug
Well-known member
Here's some photos that I just uploaded of our prospective shooting locations:
And a link to the entire album with lots more pics:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.140255142670253.23525.140254626003638
And a link to the entire album with lots more pics:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.140255142670253.23525.140254626003638
pauly_the_hitman
Veteran
You would think by now we could have found someone willing to actually cough up money on such an awesome project considering all the crap that gets made every year. We are pretty much on the "Hurry up and wait" train. I think as Jeremiah put it, "Too late to go back now" but who would want to at this point. I know I have learned a lot through all of this and hopefully we can capitalize on other options that we will have after we finally get this one done.
pauly_the_hitman
Veteran
Ya know just looking at the scouting photos is making me really fired up. I wish we could film while the kids are on summer break that would be super cool to let them just run around all that nature for a couple weeks. Man I am so excited. Can't wait to get this done. =)
majikfraug
Well-known member
I feel your sentiments, but keep in mind, we have only put it in front of two potential investors. One of them wanted to add nudity, so we turned him down. The other group just didn't have the money -but they are trying to raise more. So really, we haven't had anyone willingly turn down the project so far. I've got a meeting soon to discuss the final elements that need to be polished before the package can go out, and at that point we'll see how we do with a much larger pool of potential investors