Is it possible to write this script idea to fit this budget?

[harmonica44]

I wrote a rough draft of a script, and I was told by some people that I showed it to, and talked about it with, that it was a really good premise for a movie, and I should consider producing and directing it as well.

If I had to use my own money, I was wondering if I could shoot it for maybe $20,000, and I do some of the post production and set duties myself to save on cost, such editing, color grading, which I had a lot more practice with lately, etc.

However, the movie is a Santa Clause type movie that would take place in that universe. So we are talking about a North pole Santa Clause type setting, and I am not sure I could cover that in that type of budget. I mean movies like Paranormal Activity were shot for a similar low budget, but not sure about a santa claus movie.

I mean I suppose I could opt for a more realistic Santa Clause universe setting and have it take place in some real cabins, and shakes and industrial buildings, and then just cut to the inside, where I would shoot in a real toy factory maybe, and not show so much of the toys close up, since most toy factories, probably do not produce a lot of everything. But it's not just toys though, since Santa would give gifts to adults as well I guess, and I could shoot in other factories, and warehouses.

It could look like a much more realistic industrial factory and warehouse setting, rather than the one people are use to watching in Christmas movies. And I live in Canada, so there is already plenty of snow around for exterior shots. And I would just have to get a really good costume designer for Santa and the elves. The elves would probably be the hardest part, besides getting reindeer. I don't know if I would need to actually show the reindeer and the sled, but audiences are probably expecting to see it at some point?

What do you think?

 

[alex ma whitmer]

I have bike paths, no dead trees yet, until more into the fall. I have alleys. Not sure if the one actor I might be able to get has any limits, but I think it would all depend on the script and the context of it. It's kind of like me. I don't object to doing a nude scene, but it depends on the context of the script. So I don't know if I can establish his limits without a script first.

As for underage actors, I don't know any yet. As for locations, I have pretty much all the outdoor ones you mentioned. I have a house for an indoor location, but no cafes, or bars or anything like that.

There is no pool in the house and the fence is not rusty though. There should be a creek nearby outside the city perhaps. I sent you a PM before .

Is this your list? Can't you write it like a LIST?

Trees that lose leaves in the fall are not dead trees. I mean dead! A rusty fence can be anywhere. And just an example of the kinds of details you need to be looking for, no matter how uninteresting it may seem.

Just walk down your street and LOOK at what's there. Nice lawns? Big trees? Any picket fences? Anyone have an old truck parked in the drive? Sofas on the porch? A kid's shoe in the gutter?

A kid's shoe in the gutter may seen ridiculous, but check out the short film made from - yup - shoes in the gutter ...

Spike Jonze' 'How They Get There'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO1zCydsJUg&nohtml5=False

What's on the next street? Any empty lots around? Is there a street nearby that has some abandoned buildings?


LIST (so far)

House for interior shots.
Bike Path
Alley



Some actors will not do nude scenes no matter the script, and some refuse to swear, or at least use the F bomb. Some don't want to flash panty no matter the story, some don't want to get into on-set combat or physical violence, simulated attacks, etc. Not their thing. You should ask 'Do you have any limits, or things that you are not comfortable with?' Or, creat a questionaire.

You also need to know their availability. Weekdays, weekends, nights, holidays, etc.

Make a few files, one with locations, one with actors, one with crew. keep notes.

Give me a proper list. My list was just 'for example'.

a

 

[Filman]

Write him a short script about a guy out on the field who freaks out because nothing is happening. That's how you get noticed. It's not more complicated than that.

 

[WalterB]

.............

Give me a proper list. My list was just 'for example'.

Sometimes....

 

[indietalk]

This thread is a film. GOLD!

 

[alex ma whitmer]

Write him a short script about a guy out on the field who freaks out because nothing is happening. That's how you get noticed. It's not more complicated than that.

Simplicity is highly underated.

This film has such a simple premise, but it works so well ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjkNlmsYwFo&nohtml5=False


I especially love the 'message', that even we need to find our right place. And of course the editing really nails the whole. Lots of little details that support the story/character. Love this film!


As for dead trees, this trailer ...

http://giftshortfilm.com/trailers/

There was no dead tree in the screenplay, nor a beach for that matter. The screenplay called for a creek. But the producer/director lived by the ocean, and this tree just happened to be there. So, he took advantage of it. It didn't change the story, but certainly added some powerful imagery. it plays out a little more in the full short.

Actually the shell wasn't in the script either. This is the beauty of collaboration, and having a screenplay that lets production run with it.

This is why Harmonicca needs to take a tally of the things around him. Once the cameras get rolling, a dead tree just make make a scene a little more striking, or add to the films overall metaphors (like the guy coming down the escalator in 'Right Place'. Everyone else is going up. He is moving against the current. Sweet one-second shot that screams volumes. And so freakin' simple).

a

 

[harmonica44]

Okay thanks. I can make a list of some things near me:

House
Backyard
Train Tracks
River (this might be hard to shoot at depending on what day and what time)
Parks
Self Storage Facility

If I think of anymore I will add them to the list as they come to me. This is what I have so far, and can keep looking.

 

[alex ma whitmer]

I need photos.

What kind of house is this? Old house, new house? Brick or adobe or wood? One or two stories? Well kempt or a dump?


How about inside? Modern furniture? Antiques? Lots of photos on the wall? A crappy Thomas Kinkade? Are there stairs? Any kids bedrooms with posters and such? Master bedroom? Does the decorator need to be fired?

Is this a messy house?

What your locations look like matter as much as what your actors look like. The locations are part of the story.


Big back yard? Small back yard? What's in the periphery?

If the river is a maybe, don't put it on the list.

What kinds of parks? Hiking? Playgrounds? Frisbee dogs?

What about the train tracks? Is there a trestle around? Do they run through a warehouse district or open fields?

Self storage. Do you have access to a space?

I need pics! Decide on one location, and send pics. Two locations if ya jus' gotta.

alex

 

[mpimentel]

This thread, has taught me a lot, because it's easy to see when someone else does something, it is not as easy when you do it.

We have a person, that keeps making excuses and obstacles for themselves and a community willing to help... However, the person can't see this help, instead just makes more obstacles.. and does nothing.

"dude just do this, stop making excuses" <--- that's help. That's the community.

"but, it's not that easy, I can't get help, plus it's hard because ___" <--- excuse.

Either you want to do it or not...
Either you are willing to go into something knowing there will be setbacks or not...

I hear lots of great advice... The more you do, the more people will see you are serious and want to work with you or help you. I've worked with free cast and crew plenty of times... And whatever I have not been able to get for free I've learned to do it myself...

By learning that makes me more valuable, to the point where people want to work with me now because I add value to THEM.

Stop worrying about YOUR problems and focus on what's going to make the project work... Forget about how hard or difficult it is for you, instead think of what you need to do to make this project work, all while moving forward even if it's blindly... You might go somewhere even better than what yu originally had intended... Or not... You might fail... Keep moving.

 

[indietalk]

Great post.

Excuse on the way.

It gets very tiring, every post is "Okay thanks, but..."

5 years of it. I almost believe he is trolling our members and having a good laugh at the awesome 5 year troll...

It's a waste of member talent here. They get exhausted and even leave this place because of it. Honestly I'm not putting up with it much longer.

 

[AcousticAl]

It's a waste of member talent here. They get exhausted and even leave this place because of it. Honestly I'm not putting up with it much longer.

The fact that I had to explain why a YouTube makeup tutorial is not the same as a short film...

I'm still not 100% sure whether or not we're being trolled, but at this point is there much of a difference?

 

[Chris Tempel]

Off topic, but thanks for the link to some short screenplays by Alex. I've always written my own scripts, but some of my early work was based on short stories my sister wrote. I had nearly forgotten how much fun it can be to read someone else's story and picture what you might do with it. Alex, I'll probably be getting in contact with you soon to option/purchase a script.

 

[alex ma whitmer]

I suppose as long as some of us are getting mileage out of the thread, then it's still valid.


As per the house, Harmonica, the kind of house one picks for their films will say a lot about the character/s who live there. If, for example, you walk into a house, and the first thing you see is a giant, fake leather sofa facing the biggest flat screen TV money can buy, along with lots of home entertainment gadgets, you can guess that at least one of the characters living here is really into home entertainment, has money to spend, and/or is in debt up to his or her ears. It will only take one second of screen time to give all that information.

Or, the same room can have a few big easy chairs and walls lined with books. You don't need to have your character say 'Hi, I'm Janine, and I like to read.' Books on the shelf (and floor and tables) will do the talking for Janine.

You can add more information about Janine by having certian kinds of books (romance trash, travel, mystery, old books), books in perfect order, or in disaray. These are character traits you want to communicate to an audience.


What if you have a medium-sized flat screen and lots of music CDs? Same room, different character backgrounds, all of which can be revealed with even a one second shot of your character walking through the room to maybe the kitchen.

This is what locations do - and why production and set designers make the big bucks. Sometimes.


If you have ever seen the film 'Lawn Dogs' (Mischa Barton's first film, 1997), just the differerence in the main character's locations (houses) screams that this is an unlikely friendship (the film's premise) - not to mention the age differences and family backgrounds - but the locations alone say a lot. As Sam Rockwell's character, Trent, said, 'There are two kinds of people. Those who own lawns, and those who mow them.'

This is where Trent lives ... (note the RUSTY FENCE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVkmb1kTfOk

This is where Mischa Barton's character, Devon, lives ...

Note the grey on grey on beige (sterile and static), and everything in its exact and symmetrical place (rigidity, conformity, rules) - compared to Trent's house (color, texture, disaray - a rebel without rules). This is not random or by accident! This is INFORMATION about your characters that needs no words to explain. This is absolutley a film about an unlikely friendship, and 'Those who own lawns, and those who mow them.' sets up the conflict.

So, long story short, I need a photo of this house you have available, inside and out - and where it is located (neighborhood).

alex

 

[alex ma whitmer]

Off topic, but thanks for the link to some short screenplays by Alex. I've always written my own scripts, but some of my early work was based on short stories my sister wrote. I had nearly forgotten how much fun it can be to read someone else's story and picture what you might do with it. Alex, I'll probably be getting in contact with you soon to option/purchase a script.

I do appreciate your taking the time to read the work. Thanx. If you see something that interests you, I can always tweak and edit where needed.

Cheers and thanx again.

alex

 

[mad_hatter]

Off topic, but I feel it’s relevant...

H44 is a member of another forum I frequent. It is a writing forum where the focus is writing prose – novels, short stories, etc. – although they do have a section for screenplays. Ryan has been a member there for 18 months and has 1,437 posts, having started 179 threads. Every one of his threads there is like this one. Thing is, he always talks about his “story”; he never mentions that it’s a screenplay. His posts are never in the screenplay section. I imagine some of the members there are the “readers” he refers to here. I’ve asked him about this here a few times (including earlier in this thread), and he always ignores it. Why he’s trying to mislead the members of that forum, I have no idea...

I think it's time to stop trying to help H44...

 

[harmonica44]

Sorry I honestly don't mean to troll. Most of the reasons why I haven't been able to attract cast and crew is cause I am not good at writing, so I poor most of my filmmaking concentration in the script writing process. That is why most of my threads are questions on writing. Sorry for not answering the question before. The readers are people I know, or people who have given me input on other sites. When I get input from people on here, I usually talk to them directly about a script problem, on the thread here.

When I call it a story, I don't mean to imply anything particular about it, I just call it that, cause it's a story, that's all.

 

[WalterB]

Sorry I honestly don't mean to troll. Most of the reasons why I haven't been able to attract cast and crew is cause I am not good at writing, ............

Not good at writing casting calls.
Probably not good at writing proper emails that make sense.

It's not just your writing skills.

Man, I could cast a total stranger for a video about painting an easter egg only to have is smashed by someone else.
Why?
Because I had an idea I 'sold' with enthousiasm, I had a location and a date AND I could show finished projects.

In the mean time you are trying for 5 years and never really finished anything.
You could and should have finished something between 5 and 20 videos by now.

But you ask, get replies and don't follow through.
That is why you never learn: the real learning is not in the reading of advice, but in doing things yourself.
Just like the makeup tutorial:
you ask about a problem and then you don't fix it, because of some other so called problem. By the time you fixed that, you don't remember where to find the solution. Instead you should have fixed the pink stuff, so you have 1 thing less on your list.
You are you own greatest obstacle, because you don't DO.
You only appear to be busy, but you don't get anywhere, because you are unfocused or focussing on the wrong things.

I'm still waiting for the homework I gave you.
It should take you 30 minutes to do it.

 

[alex ma whitmer]

A final word on the the two locations ...

Lighting


Trent's trailer is poorly lit. Why might that be? Is he not overly proud of where he is in life right now? Wants a place to come and hide? Somewhat reclusive?

Devon's house - or at least the room pictured - is quite the opposite. This is an expensive room, and I doubt the owners picked the furniture and accessories themselves. An interior designer has been there. Designers cost money, and they don't flinch at overcharging for these kinds of items.

The owners want to spotlight and flaunt their wealth. They want the astronauts to see it, and they want to be able to say 'Our designer this and our designer that ...'

This room is lit up!


So, here is a little exercise for you ... (after you tend to Walter's homework)

In this picture below (locations) what comes to mind about this space? What is in the room, and equally important, what is NOT in the room, and what does that say about the people (characters) who live here?

Lastly, what might be to the right, on the wall that we cannot see?

Keep this quote in mind as you mull this over ...

“All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible.”

― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

If you are a writer - or aspire to be one - this should be one of your mantras.


alex

 

[film_autre]

Great post.

Excuse on the way.

It gets very tiring, every post is "Okay thanks, but..."

5 years of it. I almost believe he is trolling our members and having a good laugh at the awesome 5 year troll...

It's a waste of member talent here. They get exhausted and even leave this place because of it. Honestly I'm not putting up with it much longer.

if its taken you 5 years... im wondering if your trolling us

 

[harmonica44]

Not good at writing casting calls.
Probably not good at writing proper emails that make sense.

It's not just your writing skills.

Man, I could cast a total stranger for a video about painting an easter egg only to have is smashed by someone else.
Why?
Because I had an idea I 'sold' with enthousiasm, I had a location and a date AND I could show finished projects.

In the mean time you are trying for 5 years and never really finished anything.
You could and should have finished something between 5 and 20 videos by now.

But you ask, get replies and don't follow through.
That is why you never learn: the real learning is not in the reading of advice, but in doing things yourself.
Just like the makeup tutorial:
you ask about a problem and then you don't fix it, because of some other so called problem. By the time you fixed that, you don't remember where to find the solution. Instead you should have fixed the pink stuff, so you have 1 thing less on your list.
You are you own greatest obstacle, because you don't DO.
You only appear to be busy, but you don't get anywhere, because you are unfocused or focussing on the wrong things.

I'm still waiting for the homework I gave you.
It should take you 30 minutes to do it.

Yes I think I concentrate too much on the writing process and need to concentrate on finishing something, since I had only finished one short film before, and now the make up tutorial in progress. I removed the pink problem and am working on the key frames now.

I will have another look at the homework assignment and do it. I don't mean to say 'okay thanks' as a bother. I am actually sincerely thanking people for their advice.

 

[indietalk]

I found an older post by h44 as to why he has issues with repetition and focus. I know he doesn't want us to treat him differently but it helped me understand his posts. I just wanted to say if there is anything I or we can do to help you keep on track let me know, in PM or here. Helping others is why I built this place. But if we have better tools, then we all benefit.

We're all in this together!