HitTheMark Entertainment said:
I am working on a film project, my first real long feature film. I have worked on shorts and what not, but this one will be my ultimate. My master piece. The script is still in the works, but I have shown the idea to many and they have in turn loved it. Not liked it, loved it. It's a great film, though I am not really content on sharing it because my ideas have been stolen and profited on before.
Finish the script and register it. The script is the most important part of your film. Finish it. Register it. If its as good as you say it is and people really love it and aren't just waxing your car, then it deserves to be made. That last line is a good idea - I'd stick with going over your script with your immediate family for now until its registered.
HitTheMark Entertainment said:
I have no equipment, though I do have some hook ups because my family owns tv stations up and down CA. I know owners of many clubs [club scenes] hotel establishments, restaurants. Etc. So a budget to rent out these places are easy. I'm going to use Non-union actors and follow a method my Uncle did for his own movie.
And that sounds fantastic. You're very lucky to have access like that.
HitTheMark Entertainment said:
This is my only problem: I have no money. If I were to put 150 from each paycheck, I wouldn't be able to do it still. I got a lot of people with experience who will work for free so it will be easy, though i do need money. And I have never seeked money before.
Do I take out a loan? I have no idea and I need ways to get that money. I'm not looking for investors, just, what have you done to fund your film? Thank you.
A.J.
OK A.J. lets talk reality and practicality.
For simplicity sake I will assume you understand how budgets for film work - if you haven't seen how to do a budget there are several places on the net and a few good books that will show you.
You need to make a decision now -
1 - Am I going to make this film for 1k - 5k? You can probably save that. If you tailor the script to fit your budget, you can probably finish the whole thing including a little bit of marketing for $5k to $10k. But I can almost guarantee it won't be on film, it will be on DV because film is expensive to shoot.
2 - If there is no hope of making it on 1k - 5k, you need OPM, other people's money, and you are no different than 98% of the productions out there. But that shouldn't diffuse you. You just need to put together a package. I won't go into detail on how to do that, there are books that will (I constantly recommend Gregory Goodell's Independent Feature Film Production). But essentially, get your shorts on DVD or at least VHS (Did they win any awards? that would help), make your package with: script, budget, shot descriptions, shot schedule, casting needs, crew needs, equipment needs, location needs, storyboards or conceptual art, plot summary that sells the script, a query letter that entices whoever reads the package that they will want to read the summary, and then the summary should make them want to read the script. Make it clear and concise and complete and professional. Properly bind the script, make sure to figure meals into the budget, etc.
3 - It sounds like your family knows people whom have money. You can either hit them with the package and offer them producer credits and a percentage of the profits. Or, you need to get the package to an entertainment lawyer whom is willing to entertain you and can find money for you.
4 - If you go after OPM you can shoot on 16mm but you better know wtf you're doing or the people you're hiring better otherwise its going to get very expensive very fast.
There's the gist. If you wa nt OPM you either need to sell them directly and offer them something in return r you need to give the lawyer the authority to find it for you. Overall, the package has to be sellable enough in my opinion that it sells itself and anyone who steps within five feet of it is sucked into it.