*HELP* What's Next?: Production Advice

jackmarsh

jackmarsh

Hey Everyone,

(NOTE: If you're going to tell me I can't shoot a film like this, please don't comment. I want people's advice who can help with the situation I am in right now. Thank you. )

So I've finished my script, done with storyboarding, and I've have picked out all my shooting locations.
My equipment includes: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (no lenses...)


What I want to know is what do y'all think is the best way to go about casting people and putting together a team online?
SPECIFICS: I don't have an agent just yet, and basically don't have a budget either... I'm broke. However, this script is gold. I'm from Atlanta, so I know there's a lot of untapped talent around here. Essentially, what I'm trying to do is create a team of people to work together to deliver an exceptional production. Furthermore, my chief selling point right now to those people is that this is going to be an excellent project, that will look stellar on their resumes. This really is true if things can go the way I want them.

What do you do in my shoes? How do you go about putting your team together with little to no money, and limited resources?

Really appreciate all the help. Thanks so much!


PS: If their are any actors in the Atlanta area reading this, please hit me up! :)
 
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With a camera body and no lenses, and I assume no sound or lighting/grip gear either, you have a lot of resources you need to secure beyond just actors. It does not matter how good your script is; if the lighting and sound suck, the story will not compensate. Of course, a camera body is no good without glass.

jackmarsh said:
However, this script is gold. ...my chief selling point right now to those people is that this is going to be an excellent project, that will look stellar on their resumes. This really is true if things can go the way I want them.
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That cannot be your chief selling point. In fact, you need to abandon that as a selling point at all.

I haven't seen the script, so I can't make a judgement call, and the folks you're trying to recruit also will not have seen the script just yet. The thingh is that you'll end up sounding like every other yahoo on Craigslist who is trying to get something for nothing. "Seriously, you'll get tons of exposure from the project! I promise it's the best screenplay written in the history of ever!" That kind of blind trust is asking way too much of people.

So your first goal here is not to sound like that.

You're in ATL, so you have a nice cluster of colleges and universities closeby (and don't forget Chattanooga, which isn't far away). You might start by looking for production communities on those campuses. Students are often willing to jump into a project for the experience, and you might find some good talent in those pools both for casting and for crew.

Do you have any kind of reel? Anything you can show of what you've done before? If not, your claim of "this script is gold and will look stellar on your resumé" is worth even less since you have nothing but your word to back it up. In that case, it's even more important that you shift your sales pitch.

Focus on the project itself, and not what you claim it will do for the people involved. You have a script that you are very happy with. You want to see this thing happen. It's a labor of love. You are committed to seeing it through, and you've already nailed down locations. These are things that can help you gather a cast and crew.

The other place to try and network is the local indie community. I would start with the Atlanta 48 Hour Film Project. The festival is done for 2016, but the community is still out there.

Sell them on your passion and energy, not on hypothetical promises of exposure.
 
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As someone who often volunteers on movies what I'm mostly interested
in are the filming dates. Please do not take this as a dismissal; all film
makers think their script is gold and it will help my career so that
doesn't often come into my decision. When does it shoot and am I available
on those dates is what allows me to make a decision.
jackmarsh said:
What do you do in my shoes? How do you go about putting your team together with little to no money, and limited resources?
Click to expand...
Far too many film makers with a great script and no budget and limited
resources try putting together a cast and crew on line without a start date
and then never make the movie. I know you can't really set a shoot date
so how about this:

Volunteer to work on other peoples projects. Make several short films.
In both cases you will meet like-minded people. You will show YOUR
willingness to help others with little to no money and limited resources.
Build your reputation in Atlanta and then this time next year you will
have plenty of people to draw from to help you.
 
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Online, eh?

You do like this. You film your storyboard with your Blackberry, reading out loud your dialogue, edit it together with music, if that's what you have planned. Show it to people. When they say "the script is gold", the script is good. You buy these guys beer to shoot your opening scene and use this to find investors. When they say "the script is gold" and want to finance you, the script is gold.

Now, if you say that you couldn't convince people with your storyboard video, start rewriting your script.
 
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jackmarsh said:
.........

(NOTE: If you're going to tell me I can't shoot a film like this, please don't comment. I want people's advice who can help with the situation I am in right now. Thank you. )

............
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You can't shoot a film like this without glass ;)

IT is a pretty positive community, but don't expect us to be yay-saying sheep :P

How did you make your previous projects?
What do you want to be different this time?
 
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Quality said:
No lens? really? Then how do you expect to shoot?
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I didn't ask for impertinent remarks and belittling responses. Please, unless you have something productive to say just leave this forum. How do you expect to shoot a film without actors? You get actors. How do you expect to shoot a film without a lens? You get a lense. The Black Magic Cinema Camera has a very common micro four thirds lens mount, which means you can use native MFT lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, Leica and more, or use commonly available adapters for Canon EF™, Nikon F™, ARRI PL™ or 16mm cine mount lenses. I'm sure there are plenty of people with some of those lenses. My question, what's a good way to build a team, and get everything I need on low budget.
 
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Filman said:
Online, eh?

You do like this. You film your storyboard with your Blackberry, reading out loud your dialogue, edit it together with music, if that's what you have planned. Show it to people. When they say "the script is gold", the script is good. You buy these guys beer to shoot your opening scene and use this to find investors. When they say "the script is gold" and want to finance you, the script is gold.

Now, if you say that you couldn't convince people with your storyboard video, start rewriting your script.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. That makes a lot of sense.
 
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Filman said:
Online, eh?

You do like this. You film your storyboard with your Blackberry, reading out loud your dialogue, edit it together with music, if that's what you have planned. Show it to people. When they say "the script is gold", the script is good. You buy these guys beer to shoot your opening scene and use this to find investors. When they say "the script is gold" and want to finance you, the script is gold.

Now, if you say that you couldn't convince people with your storyboard video, start rewriting your script.
Click to expand...

Do you have an example of what a scored storyboard video would look like? Link would be awesome.
 
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This wonderful site and @indietalk recommended backstage. Its been a gem. I put a piece of the script on and women were applying, i got my male lead from Craigslist. Like a commentator mentioned you have to have a shooting date and location. Actors aren't versed on the gear but have something of quality for them to see is suffice. Work on your camera first. Get that squared away and just shoot. A nice character will give you an abundance of people to choose from.
 
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-You can't shoot a film like this. ( :-) ) Sorry, I have to hit low hanging fruit.

jackmarsh said:
I didn't ask for impertinent remarks and belittling responses. Please, unless you have something productive to say just leave this forum
Click to expand...
-We were here first. Why antagonize a whole bunch of people who might be able to help you if you can just get past yourself. Why is it that almost every new person to a forum thinks they are God's gift and just wnat everyone else to acknowlege that? (yes I did see your join date was Jan 2016)

-That being said, and though I should just say screw this and put you on ignore, I will try to productively help

jackmarsh said:
So I've finished my script, done with storyboarding, and I've have picked out all my shooting locations.
My equipment includes: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (no lenses...)
Click to expand...
A camera with no lense at all? How did you get there? (BTW, what happened to the Canon 50mm 1.8 II Lens and a Fotodiox EOS-m4/3 adapter that came with your camera back in January?) Looks like you are going to have to find someone with lenses, lights, audio for starters. Kool with finishing your script. Kool with storyboarding. Kool with securing your location. Well I assume you have secured your locations. But that is an aside, you are wanting actors.

jackmarsh said:
What I want to know is what do y'all think is the best way to go about casting people and putting together a team online?
SPECIFICS: I don't have an agent just yet, and basically don't have a budget either... I'm broke. However, this script is gold. I'm from Atlanta, so I know there's a lot of untapped talent around here. Essentially, what I'm trying to do is create a team of people to work together to deliver an exceptional production. Furthermore, my chief selling point right now to those people is that this is going to be an excellent project, that will look stellar on their resumes. This really is true if things can go the way I want them.
Click to expand...
-First... what do you want an agent for? If you are not an actor or top crew on a major set why do you need an agent?
-Being broke sux but is not the end all.
-Every single script I have ever done is PURE GOLD. No disputing that. As others have mentioned, everyone thinks their script is gold. Does not matter what the writer thinks. It matters what someone other than the writer is willing to do to make that script come to life.
-Frankly you really have no selling point at this point in my opinion. You have a script you think is gold. Maybe, maybe not. Do you have any track record or your own, or working on other peoples projects? Experiance is a selling point.
-Almost every filmmaker will tell people that working for them will be stellar on their resume. Most of those projects are not worth being on a resume. Who knows about yours. It is all supposition at this point.


jackmarsh said:
What do you do in my shoes? How do you go about putting your team together with little to no money, and limited resources?

Really appreciate all the help. Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
To get your team together you FIRST have to be part of someone else's team. You have to be dependable and prove you can work well with other crew members. By doing that you make contacts with talent who may also have gear you could use on your shoot. You can also meet (and scrutinize) acting talent on those sets. See if they are any good.

jackmarsh said:
PS: If their are any actors in the Atlanta area reading this, please hit me up! :)
Click to expand...
There are people on the various forums I am on that are in the Atlanta area. Many of them have made multiple movies. (and not youtube crap, but some decent quality movies) You have to interact with them. You have facebook right? In the Dallas/Fort worth area I am member of 10+ facebook groups related to production and acting. I am sure there are facebook groups in the Altanta area also. Join them and that could help. When I work on projects invariably several of the crew and talent facebook request me. Then their industry friends requuest. You have to connect to those people and not be that guy that thinks they are the shit. That does nothing but turn people off.

Regardless, good luck on your project.
 
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