Help with Feature Film

[MarcusBonnick]

Right, We have a project in development which should be around an hour in length we have a basic script and most of the equipment we already have...

We dont have a budget because the locations, crew and actors are all agreeing to work for free ...


to any film makers here who have worked on features before what do you recommend thinking about next and what advice would you give on what direction to take?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zensteve]

we have a basic script (...) what do you recommend thinking about next

Polishing that script 'til it shines, before anything else.

 

[Cracker Funk]

Polishing that script 'til it shines, before anything else.

Agreed.

One question for you -- what's your shooting schedule gonna look like? 15 days straight? Weekend-warriors for the next few months?

 

[chilipie]

Polishing that script 'til it shines, before anything else.

Thirded. You only have time to lose and not money, but the readier you are the less can go wrong - and losing morale and team members is much worse than losing money at this level.

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

Even if everybody is working for free I'd budget a couple thousand bucks just to feed people and buy small needed items (somebody has to pay for the gaffer tape, etc...).

You will also be well served to go totally nuts on pre-production as suggested above. I mean Schedule EVERYTHING, plan EVERYTHING, I'd have what time I was going to take a crap on day 11 in a spreadsheet somewhere.

 

[polfilmblog]

An hour is not a feature. Eighty minutes minimum. First red flag.

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

An hour is not a feature. Eighty minutes minimum. First red flag.

Yeah, noticed that too.

 

[Kholi]

An hour is not a feature. Eighty minutes minimum. First red flag.

72 Minutes+ is a theatrical length feature film. Eighty is common.

 

[NickClapper]

72 Minutes+ is a theatrical length feature film. Eighty is common.

Acceptable, yes. Common, no.

I'd feel slightly cheated at 72 minutes. See Jonah Hex for further details.

 

[Kholi]

Acceptable, yes. Common, no.

I'd feel slightly cheated at 72 minutes. See Jonah Hex for further details.

Well, what individuals think about the time limit has little bearing on what gets purchased and sold, domestic and overseas. Feature Length is 72 minutes baseline, up to 180 minutes(ish).

At 72 minutes, it can be programmed for television overseas pretty easily, and theatrical venues. Not to mention Netflix and Hulu's interest in short feature length content is expanding due to the decreasing attention span of world wide web audiences.

I'd say to pad it with another fifteen, to the OP, but a feature should only be as long as it needs to be... Jonah Hex, for example.

 

[NickClapper]

I'd say to pad it with another fifteen, to the OP, but a feature should only be as long as it needs to be... Jonah Hex, for example.

Jonah Hex was 81 minutes too long actually.

 

[Kholi]

Jonah Hex was 81 minutes too long actually.

Accurate! hahaahhaha