Trying to come up with a budget.

H

harmonica44

I am wanting to a make a feature film, possibly next year. I have a budget of $50000-75000, at the most, but would like to spend the least amount that I can, and certainly not go over. I was thinking of making a list of sets and action scenes I will need, and the experienced ones on her can tell me how much I can make that for the least amount more likely. Or can that not be hypothesized, simply by discussing it? If it can here is the list of settings of action scenes.

1. About half the movie takes place in different parts of a police station and/or government criminal investigation buildings, depending on when I'm done the script.

2. A courtroom for a couple of scenes.

3. A bar for one scene.

4. Two houses and an apartment building, but I could probably get those sets from friends for free.

5. Outdoor city settings for media and news coverage scenes.

6. Two buildings of some sort for the plot but haven't decided what kind of buildings yet. One will be used for the shootout below.

The Action scenes.

1. The freeway and highway streets for a car chase. Possibly the city too, but not sure yet. The chase involves a few cars, and a speeding fire engine, for the plot specifically.

2. A building of some sort that I haven't decided on yet. Gunshots will be fired to and from the building towards several police cars, as well as several shots fired into the building. Doors will be kicked down and walls possibly broken into. Significant damage.

3. The villains cause a car to crash to kidnap someone inside, followed by the driver trying to run them over as he frees himself from being stuck.

4. A chase and attack sequence throughout a house, involving fists and blunt objects.

Thanks.
 
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The daunting thing isn't that your first movie and second movie, short or feature will likely be a trainwreck, what gets me is that Hollywood, with all it's resources and access to the best of everything, misfires so often. And I'm not one of these people that thinks the people who run Hollywood are stupid, quite the opposite from what I know. The odds are against everybody, not just the 18 y/o noob with a 60d and a torrented copy of Premiere.
 
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Okay thanks guys. Yes I will do a lot practicing and testing footage before just jumping right in. It's hard finding people to work with where I live though, since everyone has to come in from out of town and no one will work with no contract or money. No one wants to get together to work on their craft so I have to do everything myself. I have one friend who is willing to help but she is just one person, who doesn't know the equipment, but that's fair since I don't know either. I have shot some scenes with her so far, and next I will get her to ADR her own voice over, and I will sinc it with the scenes. It would be nice to not have to practice with ADR and actually record her speech, but I only have been able to find one person who wants to work for free so far. But I'll keep looking.
 
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harmonica44 said:
Okay thanks guys. Yes I will do a lot practicing and testing footage before just jumping right in. It's hard finding people to work with where I live though, since everyone has to come in from out of town and no one will work with no contract or money. No one wants to get together to work on their craft so I have to do everything myself. I have one friend who is willing to help but she is just one person, who doesn't know the equipment, but that's fair since I don't know either. I have shot some scenes with her so far, and next I will get her to ADR her own voice over, and I will sinc it with the scenes. It would be nice to not have to practice with ADR and actually record her speech, but I only have been able to find one person who wants to work for free so far. But I'll keep looking.
Click to expand...

If you do some no/very low budget shorts by yourself, you'll have a much better chance of finding people to work for free on your feature. I'm quite happy to work for free/expenses only if the project's interesting, but (putting my DoP hat on) you've got to remember that for heads of department they've got to do much more work with a first time director - doing everything they normally do while holding your hand through the process.
 
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harmonica44 said:
Okay thanks guys. Yes I will do a lot practicing and testing footage before just jumping right in. It's hard finding people to work with where I live though, since everyone has to come in from out of town and no one will work with no contract or money. No one wants to get together to work on their craft so I have to do everything myself.
Click to expand...
I know this has been said over and over and over on just
about every one of your threads; but I'm going to say it
one more time.

You do not need to practice and test alone. You are the
director - you do not need to know how to light or what
camera to use or what lens or filter to use. You are the
director - you do not need to know what mic to use or how
to hold a boom or which mixer or recorder is best. You are
the director - you do not need to know what make up to
use or how to apply it. You need to know how to direct
these people.

You are in a different position than most of us - you do not
have anyone willing to make short films with you without
being paid. I can't imagine how frustrating that must be
because I have always found people - even when I was 16.
But you can't find these people so you have to learn in a
different way than most of us here.

So despite all the very good and wise advice to make several
short films before you shoot a feature I think you should jump
right into the feature. Do not buy equipment, do not practice
shooting footage or recording audio or lighting. Hire people who
have some experience.

Hire a dedicated producer, an experienced AD and scripty and a
skilled DP and recordist. They will guide you through the process.
Make the best movie you can. The greatest skill a director can
learn is how to direct skilled people to achieve their vision.
 
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"The greatest skill a director can learn is how to direct skilled people to achieve their vision. "

and... amen.

My current film will be the first one where I actually know how to turn on the camera we are using. I couldn't tell you the difference between a time line and a fishing line, and fundamentally, I don't really need to know.
 
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directorik said:
I know this has been said over and over and over on just
about every one of your threads; but I'm going to say it
one more time.

You do not need to practice and test alone. You are the
director - you do not need to know how to light or what
camera to use or what lens or filter to use. You are the
director - you do not need to know what mic to use or how
to hold a boom or which mixer or recorder is best. You are
the director - you do not need to know what make up to
use or how to apply it. You need to know how to direct
these people.

You are in a different position than most of us - you do not
have anyone willing to make short films with you without
being paid. I can't imagine how frustrating that must be
because I have always found people - even when I was 16.
But you can't find these people so you have to learn in a
different way than most of us here.

So despite all the very good and wise advice to make several
short films before you shoot a feature I think you should jump
right into the feature. Do not buy equipment, do not practice
shooting footage or recording audio or lighting. Hire people who
have some experience.

Hire a dedicated producer, an experienced AD and scripty and a
skilled DP and recordist. They will guide you through the process.
Make the best movie you can. The greatest skill a director can
learn is how to direct skilled people to achieve their vision.
Click to expand...

Yes I know I am the director but since I have had a hard time finding people, I feel I need to practice shorts myself. Really, you guys think I should just hire people and just go for it, if I have enough money that is? It's a hard decision. I feel that the equipment I bought was for nothing though, if I just hire people who already have it. Oh well I guess I could sell it, if I end up hiring. The question is, is it worth practicing alone or with the average friend, just get experience, when I can hire more experienced people anyway.

If I do make the feature without any previous experience, how will that look when wanting to hire a producer, when I tell him that the reason I have none is because of impossible access to people wanting to work for free?
 
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Business 101, you have the product, sell it. Don't tell them you have problems getting folks to work for free, it's irrelevant to the hiring process. You've weighed the information here and should then have your focus redoubled. Your confidence is what will drive your next year or two of production... no one else's. Pull up your stockings and march forward... ever forward. Once you start the ball rolling, there's no stopping it, the project will take on a life of its own - so long as you stay confident with it no matter what.

Your indecision and self-doubt should now move into private. Have someone you trust to listen to all of your self-loathing that will come up as challenges hit you... and blow it off. You will get frustrated, but your actors and crew should never see you un-confident.

GO GO GO!
 
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harmonica44 said:
Yes I know I am the director but since I have had a hard time finding people, I feel I need to practice shorts myself.
Click to expand...
So practice by yourself. As I said, what you need to learn as
the director isn't something you can practice by yourself. But
if that's your chosen path - take it!

harmonica44 said:
Really, you guys think I should just hire people and just go for it, if I have enough money that is? It's a hard decision.
Click to expand...
It not the first hard decision you will face and it won't be the
last. But having ready everyone of your dozens of threads and
based on my experience your best way is to be the director and
hire good people to direct.

harmonica44 said:
I feel that the equipment I bought was for nothing though, if I just hire people who already have it.
Click to expand...
I, too feel that way. I told you as much months ago. The director
does not need to own a camera or audio gear. You should hire
people who specialize. You didn't go out and buy a make up kit.
You didn't buy a dolly or a dozen c-stands. You don't need to because
you are the director.
harmonica44 said:
Oh well I guess I could sell it, if I end up hiring. The question is, is it worth practicing alone or with the average friend, just get experience, when I can hire more experienced people anyway.
Click to expand...
The advice people keep giving you that you keep saying you can't do
is make some short films with the "average" friend. Not practice films;
make real, short films. But you keep telling us, "everyone has to come
in from out of town and no one will work with no contract or money."
And that it's impossible to access people who will work for free. So hire
them - give them a contract and pay them and make your movie.

harmonica44 said:
If I do make the feature without any previous experience, how will that look when wanting to hire a producer, when I tell him that the reason I have none is because of impossible access to people wanting to work for free?
Click to expand...
That will look just fine. There are plenty of producers who will jump at
the chance to work with a first time writer/director who understands
the real need to surround himself with skilled, experienced people.

Maybe you could drop the "I can't find people to practice with." mantra
that you keep telling us. Tell a potential producer you understand how
essential it is to have the top five creative people with some experience.

And then make your movie.
 
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directorik said:
So practice by yourself. As I said, what you need to learn as
the director isn't something you can practice by yourself. But
if that's your chosen path - take it!


It not the first hard decision you will face and it won't be the
last. But having ready everyone of your dozens of threads and
based on my experience your best way is to be the director and
hire good people to direct.


I, too feel that way. I told you as much months ago. The director
does not need to own a camera or audio gear. You should hire
people who specialize. You didn't go out and buy a make up kit.
You didn't buy a dolly or a dozen c-stands. You don't need to because
you are the director.

The advice people keep giving you that you keep saying you can't do
is make some short films with the "average" friend. Not practice films;
make real, short films. But you keep telling us, "everyone has to come
in from out of town and no one will work with no contract or money."
And that it's impossible to access people who will work for free. So hire
them - give them a contract and pay them and make your movie.


That will look just fine. There are plenty of producers who will jump at
the chance to work with a first time writer/director who understands
the real need to surround himself with skilled, experienced people.

Maybe you could drop the "I can't find people to practice with." mantra
that you keep telling us. Tell a potential producer you understand how
essential it is to have the top five creative people with some experience.

And then make your movie.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know I was told not to get my own equipment, but I didn't know what to do since, no one was around who had any to work with. I should have listened. I thought it was good to practice on the idea that people want to work on their craft. I could sell it though. Should I tell the producer that I want the top five, cause I don't know if any of the people I could afford would be in the top five. I'm just so nervous about it lol. But yeah, I will keep looking for people at least until I get the script I wanna make my first, done. If I can't get anyone to work for free with me by then, then I could look at hiring.

So the only reason to practice making shorts then, is if you can get those people to work with you for free on a feature later? Practicing by myself doesn't do any good if I wanna direct well, then why do so many directors practice at first? To build a crew?
 
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harmonica44 said:
Should I tell the producer that I want the top five, cause I don't know if any of the people I could afford would be in the top five. I'm just so nervous about it lol.
Click to expand...
Of course you're nervous. Since you have no other option, then
that's what you have to do. When you are ready to start hiring
you will set the rate and find people willing to work for that
rate. That way you can afford them. People who will not work
for the rate you can afford you will not hire.



harmonica44 said:
So the only reason to practice making shorts then, is if you can get those people to work with you for free on a feature later? Practicing by myself doesn't do any good if I wanna direct well, then why do so many directors practice at first? To build a crew?
Click to expand...
Over the three months - since you first asked about casting - you seem
to have an unusual understand of what "practice" means. At least
unusual to me.

If you want to be a director you do not need to practice lighting,
capturing audio, production design, fight choreography, using
lenses or operating a camera. Certainly not all alone with no one
else. You need to practice by directing.

They way directors practice is by finding people to do all those
things - or at least some of them. Then the director will make
several short films - not "practice" films, but actual short films. I
don't know where you get the idea that directors buy audio
equipment and practice capturing excellent audio. Or buy cameras
and lenses and lights and practice cinematography. All alone, with
no one else.

That's just not the way directors practice directing. They gather
a small crew of regular people who are interested and they make
movies. You can't do that - you tell us that over and over and over.
So your path is going to have to be different than most directors.
Since it is impossible for you to access people who will work for free
then you will have to pay people. That sucks. And makes learning
much more difficult. But you have no other choice, right?
 
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I guess. I felt that it was good to learn camera, lights and sound stuff, so that if the crew asked me what I wanted I would know what to tell them. But I guess they can show me how it will turn out if a scene is lit or recorded a certain way. Well I'll keep looking till I finish the script for sure, but will hire if still cannot find anyone in town for free. I just hope I don't screw up the feature.
 
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