How is this script for a short film project?

[harmonica44]

Basically for a short film project, I thought I would shoot and direct just one scene from a larger script, as practice. But how is the scene on it's own, for practice to attract others to want to make as well?


INT. PUB -- DAY

Sheila plays pool with two of the gang members. A WAITRESS comes
over with a tray of drinks, as she hits a ball in the pocket.
But they remain serious while playing.

WAITRESS
Here you go, hon.
She tries to hand a drink to Sheila. She doesn't accept.

SHEILA
I didn't order anything.

WAITRESS
It's just soda. It's from the
genetlemen over there.

The waitress points out Guy, across the room. Sheila sees
him comes over.

She turns away and heads for the bar, before Guy can speak --
He goes after her --

GUY
I just need to get your statement...Please.

Sheila signals to the bartender, but she is busy -- Sheila
walks away, to the exit. He walks ahead of her.

SHEILA
Let me guess... They sent you because
they think that since you rescued me
that I feel like talking to you more?

GUY
Something like that. Look, I know
you don't want to relive what
happened, but you seem to be taking
it better now. It would really help
if you come in and give a statement.

SHEILA
(interrupts)
What do you expect me to do, go on
being traumatized and depressed? I
have nothing to say to you. I told
you people already, I'm not
testifying.

She tries to walk around him but he blocks her.

GUY
Alright, look, if you don't give me
statement, we can subpoena you to
testify before a preliminary hearing.
So you might as well.

The two gang members observe in concern. Gang Member 1 comes
over to her.

GANG MEMBER 1
Why don't you leave her alone. Hasn't
she been through enough?
Guy ignores him and gestures for her to walk outside.

Sheila walks ahead of him, and he follows, unproud... The two gang members look at each other, concerned.



What do you think?

 

[indietalk]

ME
Okay (shrug).

Thanks for proving my point.

Stop coming here and wasting people's time. Your response proves you just wasted everyone's time in this thread.

 

[harmonica44]

Sorry I didn't mean to waist everyone's time. I'll keep trying with them and actors, and keep trying to get better at it.

 

[WalterB]

Waist time?
This is not the corsetry forum

And yes, some of us (me included) told you years ago that a random scene is not interesting to many people. You lack the creativity to make it a story, because you can't leave your elaborate stories behind.

I quote myself:
make short, complete and fun to do and you will find people.
Make it dull, going nowhere and boring and you won't.

 

[indietalk]

We're going in circles again. Counting down till told to film a poem, but them told the poem is not a story.

Welcome to 2011 everybody, happy new year!

 

[harmonica44]

Well I wanted to do just one scene for practice cause I thought I better get better at directing and editing single scene shoots, before I can tell a whole story. but I can try to cast and crew a story script then, if that's better. I am going to try posting another casting call for another script. How long should the shoot dates be after posting the call.

One of my problems before is that I couldn't get enough people to respond before the scheduled shoot dates. So maybe if I put the shoot dates three months ahead, will that be enough time to get enough people? Or is that maybe too long away? I get about one or two responses per week or less, so wondering how much time to schedule a shoot date, at that speed.

 

[indietalk]

All the help you need has been posted before, you either need to read back in this thread, or search your other posts with the same questions.

Maybe this function will help you. Visit your profile page and click on the threads you have created: http://www.indietalk.com/member.php?u=21983
Now click Statistics. Then, Find all threads started by harmonica44

You can also use Advanced Search and enter your username: http://www.indietalk.com/search.php

It is all there.

 

[Sweetie]

Sorry I didn't mean to waist everyone's time.

bull-*******-****. One time, maybe two time's an accident. You've done it hundreds of times. That's your choice. An a**hole choice at that.

every time I ask, they say they are not doing any projects at the time.

Perhaps that's their polite way to say "**** off"

I wasn't able to find actors that were interested in doing the one scene either.

Tell you what. Lets test this. We're about to test some new equipment. To do this, we've decided to do some amateur shooting of micro shorts, exactly what you're attempting. Later today or tomorrow, I'll put out a look for an "expression of interest" for free actors. If you're right, I'll get none. If I get a lot of interest, it's just you. I know which way I'll be betting. I'm estimating a response rate between two or three hundred for a tiny city like mine.

So maybe if I put the shoot dates three months ahead

What's wrong with you? A scene scheduled 3 months out?

What's wrong with a phone call, "Hey, we're shooting an action scene this Sunday. Interested? Free?"

 

[harmonica44]

When you say you can cast actors in that short amount of time, what website do you use? I have been using facebook, and kijiji so maybe I could use a better site, where I would get more responses in a sooner time?

 

[Sweetie]

Basically if I put out the shoot date a week ahead, it hasn't been enough time for enough actors or potential crew members to get back to me. As for a phone call, I have to put out a casting call, cause I do not know enough actors to just pick up the phone.

That puts you in the beggars cannot be choosers category. Are you so inexperienced, so fresh you don't have any contacts you can call upon? Or, if you do have enough experience, are you so in adept, they won't even accept your call?

So, what happened to those two actors per week who contact you? You've been at it for 6 years. That should give you a calling list of 600 or so. Don't tell me you're too dumb to keep their contact details?

When you say you can cast actors in that short amount of time, what website do you use? I have been using facebook

Yep, Facebook. I've also used Star now from time to time. I'd guess it's fallen a little out of favor, but it's amateur for amateur productions.

As for calling someone up and saying we are shooting an action scene this sunday, it's probably unlikely that everyone will be free the same day, so I would have to come up with a day that works for everyone.

So, you're saying you're shooting this weekend. You are unable to get 2 or 3 actors together to act in your film with short notice. Or... are you trying to ensure everyone in your phone book is free and available? You're not available, no worries. Click. Next call. Don't tell me you call the first person, they're not available and you let them try to move your shooting dates? **** them. If they're not free, either they make themselves available quick smart or find someone else. It's not rocket science.

Plus if I schedule for a sunday, or something, and ask them to come out, they wouldn't have had any time to rehearse with other actors

At this point in time of your career, who gives a rats ass? Given your level of expertise, I'd be happy if you're capable of pointing the camera in the right direction. Stop putting the cart before the horse. You have a camera right? You're a sound guy. You maybe need a gaffer. If you cannot get one, use natural light, or no lights. Grab an actor, a few props, dress them up and shoot. Post. Learn. Repeat. Though, if they're not wearing clothes.... hmm...

You're at the village idiot level when it comes to your experience at filmmaking. That being said, you're a pro at excuses. If you were half as good at filmmaking as you are at excuses, you'd be making 9 figure blockbusters. You're stuck in loserville. Do you want to live and retire there?

I've been known to walk into work, declare, "I'm bored" and proceed to form a cast and crew to shoot a film that day... and I'm usually the lazy one at work. None of these are filmmakers, or actors. None of them have a tenth of your experience. Are you telling me, you're so an incapable filmmaker, you cannot make films under any circumstance? No one wants to work with you?

I've seen a wannabe actor, with no experience, not even as an extra, pick up a camera, shoot, learn post and put together a little action film in less than 72 hours. It makes me disgusted that you waste your potential talent in favor of developing your talents for excuses. It's also a shame you get so much attention here.

You're at film school. A film school where people are motivated to do exactly what you need to do. Shoot, post, learn, repeat. If you cannot form a team to shoot a simple scene, it's hopeless. You should give up. It's never going to happen.

 

[Chris Tempel]

Go for it dude. If you can't get students (highly unlikely), use craigslist. I cast half of my first feature that way. Just be clear that the pay is pizza and beer and you'll have no problem getting people.

 

[harmonica44]

Okay thanks. I said I would provide food and drinks but I didn't say 'pizza' or 'beer' specifically. But I can say that, if that's better. So is two weeks enough time to get enough people to respond to the add before a casting call if I say pizza or beer, or is that too short?

 

[Sweetie]

is two weeks enough time to get enough people to respond to the add before a casting call if I say pizza or beer, or is that too short?

There's an unwritten rule. It has to be exactly 15 days if you're offering Pizza or Beer. You have to also offer Pizza AND Beer AND RTFMs to get it down to your 14 day schedule. If you throw in a PEBCAK, you could get it down to 13 days.

You two should get together. I can only imagine the conversations.

 

[indietalk]

You are in film school, the students are there to use, you have to be more convincing with your pitch for help instead of shrugging it off. Period!

I went to film school and we helped each other out when we needed and used dorms and the campus for locations etc. Teachers for adult actors. Free equip and guidance. This is all at your fingertips you just refuse to see it.

Why did you go to film school if you are using IndieTalk and craigslist? Those should be supplemental not your main go-tos.

 

[indietalk]

If your school has a cafeteria or library or common areas all of these are excellent casting areas. Walk around with your casting call on a sheet of a paper and talk some people up that may fit the part. They don't have to be in film school, any students! There's lots of people that want to act (maybe just once even), they don't need to have the acting bug. You are in the practicing stage so just get it done and move on to the next. This type of stuff is expected in school. If you are shy you just have to build up your confidence.

And the film students WILL help you shoot. Again, build up your confidence.

PS. Does school have drama dept?

 

[harmonica44]

No the school has no drama department. Mainly the script calls for much older roles than the age of the students. I am not sure if it would be believable that a 25 year old for example, cast as the CEO of a major government company.

So I feel that the casting is wrong, plus the students didn't really take any acting classes, and only have experience behind the camera. I asked them already if the wanted to do the script and be behind camera but they said they felt the script was too long since it was 14 pages, when they all have their own projects going on that is taking up their time, they said.

So I will have to convince them further. I could say that I am shooting it anyway, so maybe they feel they will jump on it, knowing that it is going to be shot one way or the other. I still need to find a location, once I got that I can start casting, but I don't want to cast and put the shoot dates on the casting call, and still haven't found a location yet.

 

[indietalk]

You missed the part where I said teachers can be cast in adult roles, I have done this myself!
Also you said students didn't want to do it before because it was only a scene, now you say, they don't want to do it because it is too long at 14 pages. You are starting to make no sense, to where we don't even believe you tried.

 

[harmonica44]

Yeah I could ask the teachers, thanks for the idea, I will ask.

As for the students saying that, that is what they said. They felt that 14 pages is too long to shoot for a short film, but they didn't want to to just one scene either. They want to do a whole story, but one that is not as long as 14 pages, they said.

 

[shortboy]

I really want to see you shoot under 48-Hour Film Festivals standards. Get a genre, a line, and a characters, make the scipt, film, and edit it within 48 hours. Deadlines need to be met. Your lack of confidence and sternness to get everything correct the first time around, is what's holding you back.

Your reputation won't be ruined because you don't have any reputation to begin with other than the guy that asks too many questions and doesn't execute.

 

[indietalk]

I can only imagine how confident you were in your own project when they decided it was a few pages that made them say no. Sorry but it was not the pages. It just wasn't. You could have said feature, commercial, short, scene, or whatever. How do I know it was not the pages, and it was you? Because you've been here 7 years and we know you. Basically you gave no effort, and gave up, which is what you do when confronted with any challenge. You also probably lacked focus and obsessed over unnecessary details. That is why. Same as here. Nope, it was not the 2 or 14 pages.

And let me tell you something. It takes a LOT for students to say no to helping you.

But you gave up so here were are. Again.

 

[harmonica44]

Okay then, thanks. I will try to approach them differently when asking for help. I already gave the project to a DP who was on board for shooting it but the DP keeps taking a few days to get back to me, so when it comes to planning out the shots, cinematography and other preproduction duties with him, what approach can I use to get him to communicate with me faster rather than not having to wait more than 3 days at a time, for an email, phone call, or text to be returned, without coming across the wrong way to him?