WANT TO DIRECT? (7 Traditional Trends vs 10 Alternative Truths)
by Dov S-S Simens on November 8, 2018
WANT TO DIRECT?
Don’t make it difficult…
Get a script, then a Shooter with a Digital (4K) Camera and cast your actors as you secure a Location and have the Shooter bring 5 of his/her crew friends.
Now, use a Wide-Angle Lens, hit the On-Button… Say “Talk” (OK: say “Action”)… Wait 90-minutes. Say “Shaddup” (OK: say “Cut”).
Voilla. You directed a movie…
Of course there is more…
1 CommentWant to make a successful independent film?
Join my email list and get my free weekly advice on screenwriting, financing, shooting, producing, and much more!
GOT $3,000? PRODUCE A FEATURE FILM (Learn the Tricks)
by Dov S-S Simens on November 8, 2018
THE $3,000 FEATURE FILM:
Producing and directing a feature film today is so affordable I always ask myself “Why aren’t more doing it?”
Why?
50, 40, 30 even 20 years ago the only format available to make a film was to buy, shoot and expose film stock, 35mm or 16mm, from Kodak, Fuji or Agva and rent a Panavision or Arriflex film camera package and the minimum cost for film stock and lab alone was $50-100K for a low-budget film.
10 CommentsSCREENWRITING: YOUR 1st JOB WRITING & SAMPLE SCRIPT
by Dov S-S Simens on October 25, 2018
WRITING YOUR SAMPLE SCRIPT
Writing & Selling Screenplays is not difficult… once inside the industry.
(TIP: Write a sample spec script of a present running series)
Securing a TV staff writing gig is not difficult… once inside the industry.
Pitching and Selling new ideas is not difficult… once inside the industry.
Now, how does one get… “inside the industry”?
1 CommentWANT AN AGENT? SURPRISINGLY EASY WITH A MANAGER (Top 10 Literary Managers Are…)
by Dov S-S Simens on August 5, 2018
WANT AN AGENT? GET A MANAGER OR…
Attn Writers & Actors with Ideas/Treatments:
Yes, you want an agent, a Literary Agent, however, as you know, it is difficult to get one especially when they hide behind the mantra of “We don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts”.
It is as hard to even get past their secretary (Oops, no one in Hollywood is a secretary…it’s something like “Associate VP of Development”) who proclaims “Who is your referral”
No CommentsWANT AN AGENT (Top 12 Power Agents for Millennials with Contact Info)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 31, 2018
MILLENNIAL POWER AGENTS
Want an agent? Got an Idea. Got a Script. Need Financing?
Want Money from the new Power 5 Tech companies called “FAANG” (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) who are replacing the 6 Major Studios for financing.
Of course you do.
Then the below list of Power Agents (Millennials who know FAANG), twelve in all who are so young they have no idea how a rotary dial telephone works but can tap the Multi-Multi-Billions of production dollars by the above digital network/platforms,
5 Comments2018 PRODUCING & DIRECTING (The Odds for Independent Filmmakers)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 26, 2018
WANT TO PRODUCE OR DIRECT? (Be Realistic)
Want to Produce or Direct a profitable Feature Film?
I’m sure the answer is “Yes”.
Then here are the odds-of-success with either a No-Budget, Micro-Budget, Ultra Low-Budget, Low-Budget, Medium-Budget or Mega-Budget Feature Film.
However, to succeed, you must be “realistic” and select a “realistic budget” that you can “realistically-finance” with a script that is “realistic-to-make” for money that you “realistically”
No CommentsWANT A LITERARY OR TALENT AGENT? (Read & Dial)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 25, 2018
THE “BIG 6” HOLLYWOOD AGENCIES:
Yes you need an agent…an agent that gets phone calls returned, that believes in you, loves your ideas and specializes in the craft that you or your projects are in, such as… Talent, Literary, Packaging, Movie, TV, Non-Scripted, Music, Culinary, Sport, Speaker, Comics, Lectures, Commercials, VOs, Editing, Cinematography, Visual Effects, etc.
(The “Big 6” agencies, totaling over 1,500 agents, are WME, ICM, CAA, APA,
No CommentsSELL YOUR SCREENPLAY (Know Who Buys Scripts. How To Contact. Get an Offer. Get an Agent.)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 22, 2018
SELL YOUR SCRIPT… BUT TO WHO?
Want to Produce a Movie, Sell your Script or Finance your Idea/Treatment?
Then, stop calling Movie Studios. Stop pitching bullsh*tters at cocktail parties. Stop thinking you’re about to get an agent-who-believes-in-you.
Stop hustling Bankers and Venture Capitalists. Stop buying $25 tickets for 10-minute pitches at pitchathons to secretaries.
Stop spending hard earned money fantasizing Crowd Funding with Kickstarter or IndieGoGo..
Stop.
4 CommentsINDEPENDENT FILMMAKING: THE 7 MOVIE BUDGETS (Can You Name Them?)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 19, 2018
THE 7 MOVIE BUDGETS
Want to Produce, Write or Direct a Feature Film that actually gets made?
If “Yes” then you must realize, once having the screenplay, that when preparing a budget, what is realistic and what is unrealistic… that is…for you… as a first-timer.
By unrealistic I mean you can believe you are doing proper method by hiring a Production Manager (PM) or an Assistant Director (AD) to prepare a budget the “right way”
3 CommentsMOVIE MONEY ($1 Billion in Rebates, Refunds & Credits are…Apply)
by Dov S-S Simens on July 16, 2018
MOVIE MONEY: RUNAWAY PRODUCTIONS
In 1997 Canada, specifically Toronto (which doubles for USA cities), opted to compete for Hollywood Money by offering 25% rebates/refunds to any production that was to-be-shot in cities like New York, Chicago, or Boston, or Philadelphia, or Baltimore, etc.
And, if a production company instead of shooting in an East Coast USA city opts to (A) shoot in Toronto, (B) take the 25% rebate ($10M production is a $2,500,000 refund),
4 Comments