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,

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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.

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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,

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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…

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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?

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Performance

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…

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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,

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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?

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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,

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WANT TO BE SPIELBERG? START WITH CORMAN!

Anyone can direct… Yes, that includes you… Once you know the Directing basics.

Making a Movie is like building a building. After the Blueprint (aka: script) build the floor & walls… how you design the floor & walls is what’s called “style” or “art” and I can’t teach “art” or “style” but pour the foundation, get the floor and then put up the walls.

Now, let’s talk film making and directing.

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