WOMEN WANT TO DIRECT?… (Learn the 4 Secrets to Being a Female Director)
by Dov S-S Simens on February 28, 2019
HOLLYWOOD GLASS CEILING: 1st PBS IS DOABLE
Yes, with respect to women, Hollywood is a Glass Ceiling and the way to break through is to approach it not as an Art Form, not as a Cultural Entity, not as a Social Entitlement but for what it is… a business … after all, it’s called “Show Business”.
However, PBS (Public Broadcasting System), which is not Hollywood but a government funded program, supported via under writings,
1 CommentWant to make a successful independent film?
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GET AN AGENT: THE SECRET (Power Agents come from Power Attorneys… Top 25 are)
by Dov S-S Simens on February 19, 2019
HOLLYWOOD
MOVIE AGENTS
Yes you need an agent.
Further you need a Hollywood agent powerful enough to get calls answered and, of course, knows how to sell scripts, create packages, attach names, take meetings with deal-makers and help with pre-sell financing.
And the secret to securing a powerful Hollywood agent is to retain a powerful Hollywood attorney and literally buy your way into the system.
However, to succeed,
2 CommentsWANT TO DIRECT? (The Secret: Hire a DP… DPs are Directors without Egos)
by Dov S-S Simens on February 16, 2019
WANT TO DIRECT…WANT TO DIRECT GREAT? Then Hire A DP.
Confused about shot selection? Where to put the camera? What lens to use? How to dolly? How to frame shots? When to get a Master, a Medium, or a Closeup? When to use a Dutch Angle? When to do the cool Zoom-In Dolly-Out shot? How to make sure your setups cut together?
How? How? How?
Well, stop being confused. Why? Cause that’s not your job…
3 CommentsHOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST LIE (“The Budget Is? What it Costs to Make a Movie.”)
by Dov S-S Simens on February 6, 2019
HOLLYWOOD FR*CKIN’ LIES.
Let’s talk budgets. Movie Budgets to be specific… and how they so clearly demonstrate that “Hollywood Lies”.
The Million Dollar Feature Film? The $2-3M, $5-7M, $7-10M, $10-12M, $12-15M Feature? The $15-20 Million Budget? The $50-70 Million Studio Feature? The $200 Million Mega-Budget Franchise.
The budget. Why is everyone so obsessed with the budget.
Everybody wants to know “What’s the budget of your movie” and on the other side of the coin everyone wants to say “My budget is….
No CommentsMOVIE PROFITS (What is Best Budget for Profits? The Filmmaker Odds for Success are?)
by Dov S-S Simens on January 27, 2019
FEATURE FILM SUCCESS ODDS:
Filmmaking success is not based on revenues and profits. It is, with respect to a first-timer, based 100% “Did you actually get financing”, “Did you actually get it made” and “Did you get an Opening Title Credit”.
Again, stop thinking how much money can you make with your 1st feature film; for you, for success with your 1st feature film, it comes down to (A) did you get the financing,
No CommentsTHE SCREENWRITING FORMULA (10-Steps in 6-Weeks to the Great Script)
by Dov S-S Simens on January 13, 2019
Five Characteristics of a Good Scene, and Eight Signs of a Bad One
There are probably many more features that could be listed to describe scenes that “work” or “don’t work,” but here are some essentials as written by “Sreenwriters University” at the site (www.WritersStore.com) which is the best resource for Screenwriters as well as Writers, Poets, Journalists and Lyricists.
(“Always remember, “Nothing is Written… It’s Re-Written.”)
FIRST: 5 GOOD SCENE TRAITS
- The scene connects to the main character’s problem/goal for that story.
NO-BUDGET FILM MAKING (The $10,000 MOVIE, The 1-Week Shoot & 1 Hot Tip)
by Dov S-S Simens on January 1, 2019
NO-BUDGET FILM MAKING: The Budget, Script, Shoot, Crew & 1 Hot Tip.
Got $10,000 to $30,000? Can you get $10,000 to $30,000? Then don’t make a short… make a movie.
Last month’s and last week’s posts were about producing a Low-Budget (3-Week Shoot) feature film for $200-300K and a Micro-Budget (2-Week Shoot) feature film for $50-$100K…
Now, being realistic and assuming you will only have $10-30K to make your first feature film and understanding Do’s &
4 CommentsTHE MICRO BUDGET MOVIE MAKING ($100,000 Feature Film & 1 Hot Tip)
by Dov S-S Simens on December 20, 2018
MICRO-BUDGET FILM MAKING (Budget, Money, Script, Shoot, Crew & 1 Hot Tip)
(1) THE BUDGET: $50,000 to $100,000
(“With $50-100K and proper prep, you can produce and direct a quality 2-week shoot.”)
The previous post I outlined No-Budget Filmmaking (1-Week Shoot) when all you have is $5,000-$20,000.
Now, assuming you have $50,000 to $100,000, the topic is no longer “No-Budget Filmmaking”
1 CommentHOT TIP: “HOLLYWOOD LIES” (THE LOW-BUDGET $1 MILLION FEATURE FILM)
by Dov S-S Simens on December 15, 2018
INDEPENDENT (LOW-BUDGET) FILM MAKING: The Budget, Script, Shoot, Crew & 1 Hot Tip
(1) BUDGET: $200,000-$300,000 or $300,000-$500,000
(“For $200,000-300,000 you can produce a $1,000,000 movie and sign with only 1 guild.”)
Want to make a “Million Dollar Feature”?
However (Shh! Secret coming), you do not need $1,000,000 to make a “Million Dollar Feature”… all you need is $200,000-$300,000 (Shh!
1 CommentMOVIE MONEY (Apply): 8 Top (USA/Canada) & 4 Foreign Film Funding Programs
by Dov S-S Simens on November 23, 2018
MOVIE MONEY: RUNAWAY PRODUCTIONS
In 1997 Canada, specifically Toronto (doubles for USA cities), opted to attract Hollywood $10-20M shoots by offering 25% rebates/refunds to all productions that were to-be-shot in USA cities like New York, or Boston, or Philadelphia, or Baltimore but opted to shoot in Toronto, which looks like them, take the 25% rebate, which is $2.5-$5.0M, bring 2 American actors, shoot 98% of the scenes in Toronto, hire Canadians, rent Canadian equipment, eat Canadian food,
2 Comments
