Notes on Producing

Jetrefilm

Jetrefilm

A film is made or marooned in the pre-production phase, specifically in the strength or weakness of its producers.

A producer who is not an alpha-minded, aggressive problem solver who cannot professionally and dispassionately project manage something as daring as even a small film project has no business being a part of your production.

Producers have a bad rap as the kill-joys and bean counters of a production who are always saying “no.”

That’s hyperbole, but its points to an underlying truth – you need someone with a cold, calculating perspective that can ensure the production is completed.

Find a good producer – and not some thief who wants to be in charge of the budget so he or she can siphon off 40% of your budget to subsidize their unjustifiably lavish lifestyle. That’s not happened to me yet, but even the big studio have plunderers just hoping someone is stupid enough to put them in charge of a huge escrow account.

• Make a rational list of milestones, then hit them.
• Keep your lines of communication open at all times. Weekly if not daily updates.
• Know where your money is going.
• Cut losses and personnel who cannot or will not perform up to your expectations.
• Make a great film, regardless of how much money you have.

Have fun.

David Jetre
Writer | Producer | Director
 
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directorik said:
In my experience this attitude is essential<snip>Is that culture-bound?
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Point taken. Culture-bound? Ham-fisted, playing hard ball, kicking head because you can? This may not be you, but if there are others out there like that, it might work for them, but not for me. I am at the point in my life, where I know what works for me, and what doesn't, whom I can work with, and whom I can not.

IF this same attitude encompasses an expectation that I (or anyone else) will work up to an 18 hour day, with the _possibility_ that I (they)_may_ be fed and provided suitable and sufficient liquid replenishments, as WDP did, then I am unable to state directly in a public forum such as this my thoughts for any who condones and/or employs such behaviour.



In relation to WDP, he has shown a serious character flaw, based on the attributes I have mentioned. In essence, I believe WDP to be slightly delusional. I think WDP is a bullshit artist, misleading everyone and no-one, and perhaps doesn't really believe his own PR. But WDP persists in using most any selling point he can to simply rope people in to fulfill his 'artistic vision', for what ultimately amounts to a vanity product, in much the same way as vanity publishing. It is going to go nowhere, and is unsaleable. There is really very little in it for anyone else. Something akin to this view has been independently confirmed by another party whom I know.

If you consider my view excessive, then what do you think of the this same person --WDP, a Westerner and first-time indie filmmaker-- who gets commitment by having people "buy" their role in his film? And the money raised in his fund-raising games nights (as entre to participation in his film) seemingly used to reimburse himself for his expenditure on his equipment?


directorik said:
I cannot speak for David, but I can tell you with some level of
experience and understanding that we ALL are culture-bound in our
way of working. We cannot be any other way. I'm sure that if I were
producing in Asia I would have to change my methods based on
culture. But David isn't and I'm not. Your attack on David because he
doesn't share YOUR culture was uncalled for.
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I would like to correct a misinterpretation. I am a Westerner--a Caucasian male, who has lived in Asia for many years.I explained earlier what I took exception to, and the circumstances surrounding it. If some here perceive me to have reacted excessively, then I think they might now know why.I did not want David's views to be misinterpreted and abused by such an example as I provided. He might very well be reading in this forum.

directorik said:
You commented on one of David's points. I would love to hear your
comments on the other four <snip> based on your culture. A
culture that is very different than mine.
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As our cultures are very similar ie. both of us are westerners, I think I am unable to comment as someone from another culture.
 
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"IF this same attitude encompasses an expectation that I will work up to an 18 hour day, with the _possibility_ that I _may_ be fed and provided suitable and sufficient liquid replenishments, as he did, then I am unable to state directly in a public forum such as this my thoughts for any who condones such behaviour."

He really didn't feed you for 18 hours? What is suitable and sufficient liquid replenishments?

If this view is considered insufficient, or excessive, then what do you think of the (same) Western indie filmmaker who gets commitment by having people "buy" their role in his film? And the money raised in his fund-raising games nights (as entre to participation in his film) seemingly used to reimburse himself for his expenditure on his equipment?

David - Is this really how you spent the money you raised? People really didn't buy into their role did they?
 
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A Clarification

ATP:

To whom are you referring:

"In relation to this chap, he has shown a serious character flaw, based on the attributes I have mentioned. In essence, I believe him to be slightly delusional. I think he is a bullshit artist, misleading everyone and no-one, and perhaps doesn't really believe his own PR. But he persists in using most any selling point he can to simply rope people in to fulfill his 'artistic vision', for what ultimately amounts to a vanity product, in much the same way as vanity publishing. It is going to go nowhere, and is unsaleable. There is really very little in it for anyone else. Something akin to this view has been independently confirmed by another party whom I know."

Jetrefilm
 
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Please ne Specific

Guys, you must be MORE SPECIFIC if you are addressing a point I've made.

TO BROOSKY:

Are you referring me when you ask:

"David - Is this really how you spent the money you raised? People really didn't buy into their role did they?"

Because you are not citing my opinions, but ATP's.

So clarity?

David
 
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Jetrefilm said:
ATP:

To whom are you referring:

"In relation to this chap, he has shown a serious character flaw, based on the attributes I have mentioned. In essence, I believe him to be slightly delusional. I think he is a bullshit artist, misleading everyone and no-one, and perhaps doesn't really believe his own PR. But he persists in using most any selling point he can to simply rope people in to fulfill his 'artistic vision', for what ultimately amounts to a vanity product, in much the same way as vanity publishing. It is going to go nowhere, and is unsaleable. There is really very little in it for anyone else. Something akin to this view has been independently confirmed by another party whom I know."

Jetrefilm
Click to expand...

Hmmm. For all concerned, my references are to Writer-Producer-Director (WPD for short) to whom I referred in post #2. NOT David.
 
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Brooksy said:
"IF this same attitude encompasses an expectation that I will work up to an 18 hour day, with the _possibility_ that I _may_ be fed and provided suitable and sufficient liquid replenishments, as he did, then I am unable to state directly in a public forum such as this my thoughts for any who condones such behaviour."

He really didn't feed you for 18 hours? What is suitable and sufficient liquid replenishments?

If this view is considered insufficient, or excessive, then what do you think of the (same) Western indie filmmaker who gets commitment by having people "buy" their role in his film? And the money raised in his fund-raising games nights (as entre to participation in his film) seemingly used to reimburse himself for his expenditure on his equipment?

David - Is this really how you spent the money you raised? People really didn't buy into their role did they?
Click to expand...

Please kindly re-read post #2.
 
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Oh... sorry. My bad. I was confused obviously. I thought because ATP talked about a writer-director-producer and then David called himself a writer-director-producer that I thought... well nevermind. I apologize for my previous posts. I get it now I think...
 
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I have been a producer, first, followed by Actor, Director, and writer as well as the C.E.O. of my own production company. On my web site, which I admit could and will become better, as I learn more about making a web page. I have been in show business since I was in diapers more and I do mean a whole lot more than fifty years ago. I have made money and I have lost a lot of money making my own films and other productions. I have ghost produced (did their paper work without screen credit) on more than 4815 productions. I give this information as a basis for the next few statements. As a producer that has been in charge of investor's money, dipping into the escrow account can lead to a lot of legal problems including violations of several SEC rules. Secondly, the film industry is a very small world and word about that kind of dishonesty will kill your chances of working on very many more, if any, productions. When i worked for studio, I was paid a Producer's fee that amounted to 5% of the total budget, but even that is misleading because a lot of the residuals for actors actually came out of my end. I spend a lot of hours on any film I do. I make the budget, the schedules, approve the script, deal with the unions and their insane contracts, deal with vendors, actors, and crew, secure locations, rent or buy equipment, arrange paychecks, negotiate distribution contracts, meet the various fringe requirements and the labor requirement set by the various government agencies that we have to do to make a movie, acquire insurances, work out publicity campaigns and advertising, attend film festival, industry conferences, and try to convince the director that using a camera on a jib will give them a better artistic shot than the helicopter, that costs a lot more money, and anything else that comes up during development, preproduction, production,post production, and after release. My least favorite job is firing someone that needs to leave. I do not like to do it but if my film is going out of whack because someone, then I will cut out the poison. I do it because I have learned from being to nice in this respect that it cost the production more money, and in a few cases, actually cause the shoot to collapse and that is not fair to the people who worked their tails off to make something wonderful. The good news is that it happens a very rarely. After reading your posts, I agree with your assessment of what a producer is and what he or she does. Keep up the good work.

In addition, on a lighter side of things, one of the posts asked if any producer is going up to Astoria, Oregon give him a call. Well, I have been there (Kindergarten Cop) and found it quite lovely but you have a group of Sea Lions at your marina and one of them took my Rolex. If I come up there again, I want a SEA Lion Guard :)
 
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Hey, wow, Amburlesk! I've been off the board for a while (editing, y'know) so I hadn't seen your post. You were up here for KG Cop, eh? I probably saw you (I hung around the set a bit).

I'm dying to know how the sea lion got your Rolex!!! Tell me you didn't try to pet him! :D
 
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Amburlesk said:
I have been in show business since I was in diapers more and I do mean a whole lot more than fifty years ago. I have made money and I have lost a lot of money making my own films and other productions. I have ghost produced (did their paper work without screen credit) on more than 4815 productions. I give this information as a basis for the next few statements.:)
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I’m sorry I didn’t see this post back in September. But I just MUST
comment on it.

Amburlesk has “ghost produced” 4,815 productions and he mentioned
in another post that he started in production in the 1970’s. If he
started in exactly 1970 that’s 123 productions a year - 10 productions
a month - for 39 years. In it’s heyday MGM produced 50 film per year.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Screen Actors Guild
and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees appx.
1,000 (963 average) movies are produced in the US each year - this
includes non-union but not “amateur” productions. So using his number
he has consistently been involved in 12.7% of all movies produced in
the US for the last 40 years.

His production output rivals that of MGM, Warner Bros. and Disney
from 1930 until 1970 (40 years). Those studios produced a
combined total of just over 5,000 films in the same time period
he produced just under 5,000.

I know he hasn’t posted since September, but I just had to point
this out.
 
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His website says he own a burlesque company, perhaps he is counting those nightly "other productions".
 
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Ok I imagine this would be the appropiate place to ask this question. I'm on a film school and as our class final project we have to make a short. I was assigned producer but am having problems with the director (the director is also the writer). I recieved his script and I noticed some errors in the overall flow of the story. The first act is 4 1/2 pages long and the 2nd and 3rd are diluded in the next 41/2 pages. I told him that he should make the first act shorter seing that its basically half the movie. The problem I have is that the Director (writer) threw a fit saying that its his story etc etc....

The question I have is: As a producer, do I have say in the story? I mean in the overall structure of it? Also he is filming it "blairwitch, cloverfield, etc" style and he has 2 pieces of 4 uninterrupted minutes and I find that its too much for a 10 minute short being as it would be 80% of it 2 continous shots.

Any other input about producing would be greatly appreciated. (Just started obviously)
 
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f.torres.5 said:
Ok I imagine this would be the appropiate place to ask this question. I'm on a film school and as our class final project we have to make a short. I was assigned producer but am having problems with the director (the director is also the writer).
The question I have is: As a producer, do I have say in the story? I mean in the overall structure of it?
Click to expand...

In school and non union filmmaking where there are no
written contracts, there are no rules. You, as the producer,
have no say in the script at all. If the director/writer gives
you no say there is nothing at all you can do. You cannot
force him to do what YOU want. If you and the director
cannot come to an agreement then what he says, goes.

Sucks, doesn't it?

This is why there are written contracts in the professional
world. Because not everyone can get along with everyone.
So rules and guidelines are written down and followed. In
most cases in the professional world the producer would
have final say. You do not.

And that makes working with a guy like that director much
harder. In the non union world of independent filmmaking
you could walk away from the director and the project. You
can't do that with a school assignment.

But there still is hope. You can use this as a learning experience.
Work with this difficult writer/director the best you can. Who
knows? He may discover that you were right. Or you may discover
that he was right. Wouldn't it be something if the writer/director
actually got it right?

School is about learning. You should learn something as you go
through this, no matter what.

Right?
 
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Yeah it would be actually interesting to find out that he was right all along. I'll just have to weather it then hehehe. Just make sure I do my job correctly and I gave him my advice, if he goes for it fine, if he doesnt, well, its his story.
 
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