Making a movie about people talking of the interstellar war.

[Aspiring Mogul]

Happy new year, everyone.

As stated in my recent threads, I am thinking (as always) of doing that film. One low-cost way of doing it is to have actors talking about the interstellar war, as opposed to showing the combat scenes. I have started a background fictional history of the war, with the introduction and the epilogue. The history is by the defeated Enemy General (EG), who writes it while in prison.

As I understand it, the rule of thumb is that, to adapt prose to film, one page of prose would equal one minute of film, but a history can be lengthened or shortened.

I am thinking that the film, to keep it as low as possible, should have one set of scenes where the EG talks to his counterpart, then another set of scenes where a reporter talks to survivors of the war, and so on. And, to splurge a bit, we can always have a dance scene.

The regulars here know film better than me, but many good movies have been done with inexpensive sets - examples are "Same Time, Next Year", and Hitchcock's "Rear Window".

 

[sfoster]

You said that in January 2023, and you just said it. You're like me in that regard - always talking about doing something (ie bowing out) but not doing it.

He was giving you a second chance because you posted this.

I'm bumping this thread, because I need some cost estimates. To cut a long story short, my mentor, also a lawyer, is pressuring me to move on with my life, because I have been going to the AFM and so on but not doing anything - if only he knew how I've been posting here. Anyway, I'm writing him a plan, of which I will discuss later with this forum, and I need to have some firmer idea about costs.

@directorik, can you please advise if you stand by your post above. A non-union shoot would be almost nothing to $80,000, and a union shoot would be $200,000. Is that correct? Everyone else, please feel free to chime in. Thanks.

Obviously you don't listen to anyone here, but it sounded like you were listening to your IRL mentor.
It sounded like you were actually going to do something -- congratulations on successfully tricking everyone.

You did it!

 

[Aspiring Mogul]

Obviously you don't listen to anyone here, but it sounded like you were listening to your IRL mentor.
It sounded like you were actually going to do something -- congratulations on successfully tricking everyone.

You did it!

I've been talking about this for 15 years, so I'm glad I got some results.

 

[AcousticAl]

Acoustic Al and Aspiring Mogul having the same (A) avatar
Makes for a confusing back-and-forth read

This may be the only issue in this thread that can be resolved, but it has been resolved.

 

[AcousticAl]

I've been talking about this for 15 years, so I'm glad I got some results.

15 years of talk, no action. And you mark success by a seemingly-endless thread on a message board?

Have you thought about - and I’ve mentioned this before, even though you may find it a radical idea - actually trying to make a short film? Seriously… make a proof of concept short for this idea. Or make something entirely different. Just.. make something on a small scale. That’s the only way for you truly to get an idea of how any of this works.

A short film can be accomplished on a shoestring budget, but you have to have resources. You need a small crew. You need access to locations you can borrow. You need to be creative in how you assemble props and scene design. You need actors. You need to feed your cast and crew. And don’t just make one short. Make a few. Learn how to budget, how to recruit, how to manage resources.

Then, you might have a clue as to how much your main feature will cost. $20,000? Maybe. $50,000? Possibly. $250,000? Who’s to say right now? Again, there are far too many variables in your idea, and there’s not enough certainty.

But, seriously… stop talking, and do something.

 

[mlesemann]

Three cheers for @AcousticAl 's new avatar! (seriously)

 

[directorik]

Now THAT'S what I like to hear. @directorik, will you be going to the AFM in Las Vegas this November?

No. AFM is a place to potentially sell a completed film. Other than that it is an
expensive place to talk about making movies. I don't spend much time talking
about making movies. I make them.

 

[Aspiring Mogul]

Back in that loop again. It's damn frustrating.

I don't spend much time talking about making movies. I make them.

Hmmm ......

Now I see why we get along so well, and why you want to make movies with me. Your responses remind me of ......

1) Gomer Pyle and his sargeant;
2) Inspector Clouseau and his Chief;
3) Abbott and Costello on who's on first.

You get the idea. One of my favourite scenes in Patton is at the end, where George C. Scott tells the other general to give him a chance and he'll start a war with the Russians, and the other general says "Patton, you're MAD, MAD!"

I'm not mad though, just repetitious.