OLD HOLLYWOOD IS DEAD: The New Hollywood Lives
by Dov S-S Simens on December 20, 2020
MOVIE vs FILM: Old Hollywood is Dying
Hollywood, the movie industry, pre-pandemic was real simple.
(20th Century Fox, now 21st Century Fox, is no longer… Disney bought it… 6 Studios are now 5)
FIRST: Make a Film! Everyone knows how.
SECOND: Make it into a Movie! That’s with the “P&A” (Print & Advertising) money… Only the studios had that ability.
THIRD: Then, cash in from 20-25 IPs (Intellectual Properties),
221 CommentsWant to make a successful independent film?
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MY FIRST FEATURE FILM: One, Two or Three Week Shoot?
by Dov S-S Simens on November 24, 2020
PRODUCE YOUR 1st MOVIE: DON’T BE NAIVE
Everyone has an idea for a movie, and everyone is sure that their idea is absolutely great. Plus, the world is waiting for it, it will inspire humanity while simultaneous having the box office (cinemas will return) explode with revenues.
I know… I was there.
The first thing I needed to learn was (A) “no one owns an idea” and, even if it is great,
482 CommentsSELL YOUR SCRIPT: Part 2: (Think 25%. Not 10%. 18 Boutique Managers)
by Dov S-S Simens on August 20, 2020
THE BIG 6 POWER AGENCIES
Have a script to sell? Want a Literary agent? Think 25% not 10%.
Huh?
Correct when you’re a nobody… A first-timer… No one cares if you’ve written 3, 5, 7 or 109 scripts… All anyone knows is you’ve (A) never had one optioned that (B) has been made, that (C) ,made money, that (D) made you marketable.
So you are a nobody with great ideas and a lot of typing.
343 CommentsSELL YOUR SCRIPT! GET AN AGENT (PART 1: 15 Literary Managers that Accept Unsolicited Manuscripts)
by Dov S-S Simens on August 11, 2020
HOLLYWOOD LITERARY AGENTS
When a first-timer, with no connections, and have written 1-3 scripts (20-25 Page Sitcom, 90-Page Indy & 120-140 Page Studio) in the proper format (Final Draft, WriterDuet, Trelby, Scrivener, Fade In or Celtx), structured properly with great dialogue, that you are sure are great…. Great-not-good…Great!
Always remember, as a first-timer, “good is not good enough”
(There are 6 Big Packaging Agencies…. WME, ICM, CAA,
196 CommentsWRITE THE GREAT SCRIPT (Part I): 6-Weeks, 10 Steps… Step #7 Most Important
by Dov S-S Simens on July 27, 2020
SCREENPLAY: FROM IDEA to TREATMENT (2-Weeks & Save $34,589)
Everyone has a great idea or two… But taking your idea and writing it into not only a screenplay but a great screenplay is quite daunting, if not overwhelming, when you don’t approach it, one step at a time, in a logical process…
However, when approaching it logically via a simple 12 Step process will you, a first-timer, to have a good shot at owning a great Screenplay in less than 2 months…
51 CommentsMOVIE STUDIOS LIE: Paramount Lies. Warner Lies. Disney Lies. Sony Lies…
by Dov S-S Simens on July 18, 2020
HOLLYWOOD FR*CKIN’ LIES.
Let’s talk budgets. Movie Budgets and how they so clearly demonstrate that “Hollywood Lies”… and you should learn to play the game called “My Budget is!”
PS: Hollywood doesn’t lie… It markets… It markets by telling budgets, manipulating the number and creating larger-than-life perceived values… by either inflating the budget or in independent fil;mmaking deflating the budget… And if Hollywood does it, maybe you should too…Welcome to Hollywood.
The Million Dollar Feature Film?
51 CommentsHOLLYWOOD FILM SECRET (Your 1st Feature… 1, 2 or 3-Week Shoot)
by Dov S-S Simens on June 6, 2020
HOLLYWOOD LIES: The Budget Is?
Actually it’s not called lying. It’s called marketing and Hollywood is 70% a marketing industry and 30% a filmmaking industry… with the biggest lie (oops. marketing) existing in the announcement of a film’s budget.
And as they, they being studios, networks and platforms (aka: Hollywood), love telling (marketing) everybody what their budget is or was for the forthcoming project they are trying (marketing) to get you to see whether through purchasing a ticket (pre-Covid-19) or through Streaming or Downloading…
37 CommentsWRITING THE GREAT SCRIPT (8 Steps, 6 Weeks… Key is Step #5)
by Dov S-S Simens on June 5, 2020
THE GREAT SCRIPT (8 Steps)
Writing the great script, based on a great idea, with a great title, with a great story, with great sub-plots, with great characters with great dialogue is absolutely not easy… but it is not expensive to try…
Thus, give it a shot, 500-1000 sheets of 8.5×11 paper is cheap, the proper software is almost free… and the buyers… now with On-Demand platforms like Netflix, Hulu, WarnerMedia, Facebook, Apple,
58 CommentsYOUR FIRST FEATURE FILM (Filmmaker Secret… 1-, 2- or 3-Week Shoots… Pick One.)
by Dov S-S Simens on June 2, 2020
YOUR FIRST SCREENPLAY
It is said that 1-page of script, formatted properly (Final Draft, MovieMagic, Writer Duet, Celtx, etc) becomes 1-minute of running time when shot.
Now everyone knows how long a half-hour sitcom or a one-hour drama is in page count…. Answer is 25 Pages (+/-) and 50 Pages (+/-)
But how long is a movie script that you need if you yourself are going to produce or direct it independently?
52 Comments7 FILM FESTIVAL DEALS…. (I like #7. Possibly #2)
by Dov S-S Simens on April 26, 2020
FILM FESTIVALS and DEAL MAKING
For a filmmaker, with an independent film, the purpose of a Film Festival, other than social validation, is to demonstrate to distributors (assuming their Acquisition Executives are in attendance) that your film is (A) Marketable, (B) Sells Out screenings, (C) Makes Money, (D) most important, has “Buzz”…. so you may get some cash (E) to pay back your investors and (F) launch your career.
Straight. Honest. To-the-Point.
(Enjoy the premiere but make sure the Acquisition Executives are in attendance)
(A) MARKETABLE: You’re accepted to Sundance,
46 Comments