KRANZ RANTZ – 4-09 Since we are in the business of selling movies which are often referred to as filmmakers’ “babies” or “first borns”, I thought it would be fun to explore the anatomy of a film. Whether it be a big or small movie – it all basically evolves in similar ways. Everything MUST start with a great script – period end of story. If the story and script are not iron clad and stellar, chances are the end result will be lackluster or mediocre at best. Not to say that good scripts don’t get botched in the process or that fair screenplays become magic on the set, but the “pages” that go into production really become the “bible” and the blueprint for success or failure. This either starts with an original idea, or some other source material such as a: book, a play, a previous documentary, an essay, a piece of journalism, a news event, someone’s life story, etc. This work, is either commissioned or as we say “developed” by a producer/production company but must be legally secured usually by contract or “option” (negotiated exclusive rights to produce or release for a period of time), or via other financial or creative means. Once the concept/story is clean to develop, it must be registered or protected in some way. This can be done via the Writers Guild of America (WGA) as member or none member and or copyrighted with the U.S. Government. FYI – one can copyright a body of written work, Trademark a company, product name or logo and apply for a Patent for an invention or unique concept for practical use. These all offer some sort of protection, but a safer way is to get the work into circulation amongst and throughout the filmmaking industry via agents, producers, directors, potential cast members and various other management. Before any movie can be registered or copyrighted it must be on paper in the form of a fleshed out idea. This can be done in the form of a one page premise, a treatment - which is further developed and may be up to as many as a dozen or so pages – or of course a finished script draft. This process is an entire craft in and of itself! Once a script draft which the creators are happy with, is finished, it must plug into the New York, Los Angeles or other internationally based agencies/talent agents such as: WILLIAM MORRIS, CAA, ICM, THE FIRM, PARADIGM or others. These power brokers are constantly changing players and status as their key agents and big name talent ebbs and flows. The single biggest challenge at this stage is getting it read! But once, a good, emotionally invested agent gets behind a project, it must then be packaged if it is to become a reality. This means first attaching a good, prominent director and then top name cast members, other producers and credible/bankable creative personnel. But again – they must first pull it out of the pile on their desks and READ IT! Once the movie is strongly packaged it then strives for getting “set up” at a major, mini major or independent studio for financing, further development and monetization. Fortunately there are good, smaller alternatives these days other than the big studios. These include: Overture (LAST CHANCE HARVEY, THE VISITOR), Summit (TWILIGHT, SEX DRIVE, BROTHERS BLOOM) , Lions Gate, Magnolia, Samuel Goldwyn, Roadside Attractions, Senator and Capitol. Although a lot of the smaller indie studios try only to acquire films already made and seen at festivals, they do produce some of there own properties. If a movie does not get set-up at a studio then it must be independently financed, produced and then shown at distributor screenings and or major festivals such as Sundance & Toronto to be considered to be “picked-up” by a distributor/studio. Either way, once the film is budgeted, financed and cast/crew is fully secured, the film goes into pre-production. Pre-production or “pre-pro” is the process whereby the script is broken down into its physical elements such as: shooting days, locations, cast scheduling, and into various other production requirements such as: cars, night shoots, sets, permitting, cameras, lighting, etc, etc – all in the long list of credits at the end of every movie! The next stage is “principle photography” which strives to be completed on time and within budget. This sometimes gets hairy if people get sick, sick of each other, unexpected weather, unsettling events in the world or people quit or get fired! Once the shoot “wraps” there is usually a wrap party. The editing process has usually already started with a director’s trusted editor, all the while, assembling a rough cut as the film is being shot; and “dailies” or “rushes” are being viewed every night/day to monitor how the storytelling chemistry is working. It is better to adjust during principle photography than have to re-shoot or fix things by other means afterwards! Once the editor, director, producers, sometimes key cast and the studio are happy with a final cut- the film either begins its indie festival journey hoping to find a distributor or if already “set up” at a studio, begins being positioned for release. The studio marketing department then begins creating and positioning how the project will be brought to market, (i.e. key art posters, trailers, publicity, release strategy and dates, competition, etc.) Then the movie goes into the hands of film sales and distribution. This means negotiating a deal, securing screens /screen time, booking theaters, including major & independent theater chains such as AMC, REGAL, EDWARDS, CARMIKE, NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS, LANDMARK, ART HOUSES, etc. Once an opening date jockeys for competitive position and is finally secured it then means: Press junkets, festivals, broadcast appearances, trailering, release ads and then the most anticipated OPENING DAY REVIEWS – ugh. This sometimes allows a movie to soar or often be panned and killed. These are very important to everyone – including the moviegoing public! Everyone then monitors opening weekend box office and the ongoing trend to decide its fate. Once that entire cycle transpires – DVD & BLU-RAY comes into play! Yaye! That means more strategizing by studio home entertainment divisions, marketing, screeners, artwork – well you know the rest… The ancillary revenue streams are also
planned and begin to transpire. This means: Hotels, PPV, Airlines,
Worldwide
Theatrical and Home Entertainment,
Cable TV, Broadcast TV, ad infinitum. The monetary post mortem is finally
evaluated and usually lives on paper in the form of a studio “Green
Sheet”. Short for green lit and probably the color of the benjamins! Gaffer Best Boy Grip Key Grip ADR - Automatic Dialogue Replacement Editing Macguffin Abby Singer Martini Shot All The Best, Marquee. 1-10
|