EDIT: Project has completely changed (though I do plan to make this movie, eventually). See a few posts below, for the updated plan. 
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Production Diary: In Times of Crisis
- Thread starter Cracker Funk
- Start date
It has begun
And yup, regular updates are always fun to follow.
And yup, regular updates are always fun to follow.
Thanks! Over the next few months, it will probably only be approx one update per month, but stuff will be happening. 
And, bookmarked.
Thanks! Over the next few months, it will probably only be approx one update per month, but stuff will be happening.
Well, that's true, but not in the way I originally meant it.
When I decided to shoot another zero-budget feature, I had actually been going back-and-forth with myself, over the question of whether I should do this or that. This thread is an indication that I decided to do this. Since then, I've been having 2nd thoughts, and I've now officially changed my mind and decided to do that. Sorry for being wishy-washy.
So, what's that? The new plan for this fall is to shoot a series of shorts -- somewhere between 20-30 comedic sketches (30sec-2min), all featuring one of the main characters from a feature that I plan to do a kickstarter or indiegogo campaign for. Obviously, the hope is that people will fall in love with this character, so that when I eventually ask for crowdfunding, 10 bucks won't seem like so much to ask, because hopefully people will want to see this character have their own feature.
I recently talked to my go-to guy, and he's all-in. This web series will be his star vehicle, if you will (or at least our low-budget equivalent of a star-vehicle). Brian Gartland is a stand-up comedian, with a strong background in theater, and is an absolute blast to work with. He's the scruffy-looking nerf-herder in the center of this thumbnail to the "Antihero" trailer.
We're going to shoot the entire series in one week. It's going to be a slice-of-life comedic series. No continuous plotlines, just a bunch of silly gags.
I won't be revealing the plot of the feature until the crowdfunding campaign begins. The character, however, is one that I can reveal right now, because it's not the character that is even slightly original, just what I plan to do with him.
Prepare for my comedy to become a little more grim.
I'm going to keep the production diary in here. "In Times of Crisis" was always a working title, anyway, so whatever. The title of the eventual feature is "A Slow Death", and for the web series, I'm leaning towards "A Day in the Life of Death".
Let me talk to Bernie. He might be able to donate some spare juice-boxes from his last shoot, which was at a kindergarten. No guarantee there's any left.
I'm sure Gartland will knock it out of the park. He was great in Anti-Hero.
Excellent team!
I'm sure Gartland will knock it out of the park. He was great in Anti-Hero.
Excellent team!
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Thanks, Jeff! I've already talked to Bernie. He's agreed to be an Associate Producer!
Very nice! Let me know if I could help
First, I admit I have absolutely Z E R O practical experience in either crowdsourcing or fundraising.
But for the love of all things that could be done, PLEEEEEEEASE extend your active involvement into at least one, if not two or three, other forum(s), preferably with a jovial horrr film site.
https://www.google.com/webhp?source....,cf.osb&fp=50e01a6936966f69&biw=1599&bih=809
Yeah, it's gonna suck up some time. I can't even paint a better picture of that without squirming.
But they don't ask for name brand talent, and if you come up with a character that Todd McFarlane could make a toy of - you'll be gold.
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=i...14.0.12.12.0.42.545.14.14.0...0.0.IthveHav504
Horror fans are a rabid bunch that no other genre can really compete with.
$$$ I really, really want to see you guys do well. $$$
I just don't think that among the hundred IT regulars among the ten thousand monthly visitors that this pool alone can practically fund any project at an effective level.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsBznn8D13zOdHVZN2NOQnV4em5nbTZZU2M3eXg2RGc#gid=1
VA's tax credits are poop, as are NC & MD, and DE has nothing.
However, nearby WV has a nice $25k qualifying minimum for a 27% credit, and PA has no apparent production minimum for a 25% credit.
Just sayin'.
It's something to consider.
Brian Gartland is a hoot!
You two need to chum bigger waters.
Start setting up the social media sites: FB, Twitter, YouTube
Get people involved.
GL!
And shake 2001/Mick's tree.
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=270150#post270150
See WTH he's figured that's had CRIMPS hamstrung.
Try to dodge that sword.
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Wrong thread!
But, by the way, I think it's a good idea if you don't spend much on it.
We're doing the same thing with Avery and Pete, kinda backwards yeah but it'll setup for another feature or a television pitch. That's why we changed the movie's title to The Adventures of Avery and Pete.
Get it done, man.
But, by the way, I think it's a good idea if you don't spend much on it.
We're doing the same thing with Avery and Pete, kinda backwards yeah but it'll setup for another feature or a television pitch. That's why we changed the movie's title to The Adventures of Avery and Pete.
Get it done, man.
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Thanks for the encouragement!
Dima -- you know I will!
Ray -- I agree, wholeheartedly (about diversifying and expanding online presence).
Dima -- you know I will!
Ray -- I agree, wholeheartedly (about diversifying and expanding online presence).
I m-i-i-i-g-h-t have a v-a-a-a-g-u-e interest in attempting a relevant project in the next year or so.
https://www.google.com/webhp?source....,cf.osb&fp=50e01a6936966f69&biw=1599&bih=809
Maybe we could scare up a mutually beneficial "productive" promotional dialog somewheres.
PS, Could be MidKnightly 2012 fodder! Muah-ha-ha-ha!!!!!
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=35405
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Yep. Would love to have that conversation with you. My take on The Reaper is definitely going to be light and playful (and the feature is even going to be life-affirming), but I do want some elements that a horror audience might appreciate. And I think it's great that you're talking about moving forward with your first big project.
Sounds like the beginnings of a beautiful relationship.
Yeah, through my rather intensive review of films over the past couple of years I've come to learn that I like stories that I can just grin through while watching.
Serious (good) films, like HEAT, are fine.
But I'd rather produce something I wouldn't be embarrassed that my kids knew I had been responsible for, ergo PG-13 comedy horror will likely be what I'll artistically shooting for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comedy_horror_films
Looks like our interests will naturally geehaw with one another.
And my palms and feet get kinda sweaty when theoretical principles start becoming "You're an idiot for not following through with it" understandings.
"There's a purty girl looking at me, grinnin', and batting her eyelashes. Think I should just sit here like a lump or go talk to her?" sort of thing.
Uggggghhh... I feel like such a puss.
Hey, so for an update on the update, there's not much for me to update. I guess I don't mind getting personal and admitting that since my last post in this thread, I definitely wallowed around in a bunch of indecisiveness.
The biggest reason for the lack of action on my part was budget. The original story had some elements that just couldn't be shot without a sizable budget ("sizable", by my standards). I have an investor, but he's not in for as much as I had once hoped, and I don't feel comfortable banking on crowdfunding for the amount I needed.
And that's why we have rewrites! I finally thought of a way to re-work the story so that it can be shot on a significantly smaller budget. And besides the budgetary concerns, I like how the rewrite effects the rest of the story (a couple plot-holes just got filled).
It's going to be a few years until this movie is completed. This is my darling, I want it to be done right, and that is going to require some patience. I'd like to shoot next fall, but I'm not married to that timeline. From my first feature, the BIGGEST lesson I learned is to allow time to get the screenplay right. So, we're gonna do that.
Anyway, I'm gonna keep any updates on this project in this thread, but they're going to be fairly infrequent. And grim.
The biggest reason for the lack of action on my part was budget. The original story had some elements that just couldn't be shot without a sizable budget ("sizable", by my standards). I have an investor, but he's not in for as much as I had once hoped, and I don't feel comfortable banking on crowdfunding for the amount I needed.
And that's why we have rewrites! I finally thought of a way to re-work the story so that it can be shot on a significantly smaller budget. And besides the budgetary concerns, I like how the rewrite effects the rest of the story (a couple plot-holes just got filled).
It's going to be a few years until this movie is completed. This is my darling, I want it to be done right, and that is going to require some patience. I'd like to shoot next fall, but I'm not married to that timeline. From my first feature, the BIGGEST lesson I learned is to allow time to get the screenplay right. So, we're gonna do that.
Anyway, I'm gonna keep any updates on this project in this thread, but they're going to be fairly infrequent. And grim.
So have you shelved the web-series idea and moved back to making another movie?
I'm also curious to know what sort of budget you're looking to raise. I've got some experience crowdfunding and raising investment and I'd be interested in playing an executive producer role if you were still needing someone to help you try and put together the budget.
I'm also curious to know what sort of budget you're looking to raise. I've got some experience crowdfunding and raising investment and I'd be interested in playing an executive producer role if you were still needing someone to help you try and put together the budget.
Just out of curiousity: do you mind sharing how much you think the budget would have needed to be as originally envisioned, and how much you think that you can cut that down, with the current re-write?
No prob if you prefer not to say!
No, I don't mind at all. Before I answer the question, I'm gonna go off on a little bit of a tangent, though I think it's meaningful. To be honest, I've never really got how the majority of filmmakers could honestly say that they need such-and-such amount to make their movie. A couple years ago, I would've told you that I needed $100,000. But that was only because a couple years ago, I thought I could find a way to secure that kind of budget. Because with the exact same story, I would much prefer a $1mil budget. $10mil would be even better, and it would still be the exact same story.
Same logic applies in reverse. It's still the same story. Locations will have to change. Crew size will have to shrink, drastically. We can't have that scene with the car crash. Just got to get creative and find different ways to tell the same story. Point being -- it's not a question of how much I think I need, but a question of how much I think I can raise.
$15K is the current projected production budget. I haven't completely fleshed-out the post budget, but I think it will reach @ $10K, mostly going to colorist, audio post, and music.
The web-series is for this feature. According to my original plan, I was going to shoot the web-series this last month. Because of my indecisiveness (on whether or not this story would in fact be my next feature), the web-series didn't necessarily get shelved, but at least pushed-back. One reason why the web-series might actually get shelved is because of your crowdfunding experiences, to be honest.
So, the reason for the web-series was to create an audience, let people fall in love with this character. And then at the conclusion of the web-series, begin the crowdfunding, with the sales-pitch, "Hey, you like this character? Wouldn't you like to see him in a full-length movie?.
Anyway, you mentioned that the vast majority of your crowdfunding came from people whom you simply asked, person-to-person. That makes me wonder how effective a web-series would be. A web-series might gain a little bit of an audience of total strangers, but those strangers probably wouldn't contribute to the crowdfunding.
Ultimately, though, I think a web-series would probably be beneficial in gaining interest, even if it only gains interest in people who are already friends and family. So, at the moment, I'm inclined to follow-through with the web-series.
And yes, I'd love it if you joined the fundraising team!