Come On...Anyone?

Ok, Here's The Deal, If You've Read My Profile You'll Understand My Problem.
So Here It Is, I Want My Films I've Written To Be Made...If they Can't Be Hollywood blockbusters i don't care just as long as they're made...I've Finished Writing One Called HAWK, and i don't know how the world's gonna take it since it's got a scene in it which pretty much, is 9/11 but it fits in with the story line, it's your basic action hero storyline and it's basically about one guy (Hawk Anderson) who stands up against a terrorist gang. (lead by a man who goes by the name of Hassan) and it's not for the good of all mankind and all that, it's firstly about getting revenge because his fiancee was killed in the twin towers crash, and being a bulky guy and all he pretty much thinks he can do it, only he's an ex criminal, he's paid his dues but the law still keeps a close eye on him, and when they find out what he's up to, they try and stop him, only to find out that in the end he's doing what's right, he also falls in love with his fiancee's (now EX) secretary along the way, and you know how it goes, happy ending and all that...all i need is a team who reckon they can make this story into a filmed reality so to speak...i mean, i don't really want this to go to waste, everyone who's read the story so far thinks it's great (although in that brief story i just gave you it sounds a little thin!) so come on....anyone interested?
can anyone help me?




------- this is years old... man I wish I could see the delete button???

huh?

Wecome!

That sounds a little like Collateral Damage meets True Lies.... Arnie's not making movies anymore.

It just doesn't seem like an independant movie... if you really want it made, contact an agent in the entertainment business and find out how to send your script in to a studio. If they use it they'll pay you. The alternative is to get it together yourself with friends and film the sucker.

-Logan-

Yeah that's certainly one the high end of expense. Especially if you have an explosion or two hollywood style.

you're talking a lot of stunts and VFX there... you're looking at a serious budget...

Are you looking for money for an option on the script? or a Share in the profit? do you need any thing or just the movie to be made? Like to do you want to direct it, or be on some crew position?

Hi Sean

This may not sound like help, but actually it is.

Here are two contradicatory but true facts about the film industry:

1) There is a global shortage of good scripts (Any producer will tell you this)

2) Everyone thinks that they can write a movie (Particularly true of indie filmakers) (They also believe that they can direct as well)

if you really want to get these films made you basically have two routes:

1) Sell your script to a production company
2) Learn how to direct, produce and edit and do it yourself

Option two takes years and years of work for very little in return and a massive investment of both time and money.

Option one means taking the time to understand how the industry works.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that your script is written to industry standards. This means taking out all your pieces of direction from the script (that's the director's job and is a sign to any producer that you don't understand the rules - the kind of thing that means the script is instant bin fodder)
Secondly, you have to layout the script properly (there are loads of websites that will show you how that works).
Next, identify the production companies that make the kind of film you are pitching. (So, for instance even though I'm the senior producer of a film production company based less than fifty miles from where you live, there is no point sending me your movie because I don't make this kind of film)
With this kind of product you are really talking about the American market (Oh, by the way, there isn't an American studio in the world who would touch a 9/11 piece, seriously, especially for an action movie) However, that said, the only way to pitch an action film for that kind of money (big money for your outline) would be via a well established agent. Again, you do your research and find the right people to pitch to. You send them a letter telling them you are looking for representation, you given them a three sentence synopsis and unless you've got a kick ass CV (In which case they already know who you are) you send them the first thirty pages.

If your script is fantastic, your concept is what the market is looking for and you really do know how to write, then after about 120 rejections you'll find someone willing to pitch it for you, which may or may not work.

Bottom line, is that there is no easy way to get this done.

So, it's your call, do you REALLY want to make these films happen and as such are you prepared to put the next eight years of your life into hard work and rejection, or not. There a lot of people here who can help and guide you through that process.

OK....wow...

Sean, that enthusiasm is going to get you along way, as is your ability to just ask for help.

The trick to pitching is understanding what a particular producer wants. The best way to do that is via research.

So, let's use me as an example. If you wanted to pitch to me then the first thing to do is find out what kind of films I make and what I'm interested in.

For anyone on indietalk that's a piece of cake, because all you'd need to do is a visit my company website, via my signature, where you'll see the synopsis of my last feature film. As I wrote that synopsis, you'd learn that like most producers I like my synopsis to read like info on the back of a DVD cover. You'd also learn that my last film was a gritty drama shot on HD, with a £400,000 budget. If you know your films you'd see the influences of both Ken Loach and Mike Leigh in my work and that would tell you a lot about what kind of films I make.

Then if you look at my profile you can check my recent postings and you'd see that I like European directors, that I prefer films like Diva, The Bicycle Thief and Stalker to hollywood movies. Then you'd also see the synopsis of a film that I really am interested in, in another thread in this forum. (Big Clue)

With that information you'd have a pretty good idea about how to pitch to me and what to pitch. This basic research is what you need to do for anyone you send stuff out to.

So, here to save you the effort is what you would have learnt from that research

How to pitch to Clive -

1) You'd need to write a short synopsis of the film, of no more than five sentences, which captures the essence of the movie and would be the back DVD cover of the film when released. (Further research would have told you I used to work as a copywriter and the ability to explain things clearly in very few words is a talent I admire in writers and is a yardstick I use to judge their ability)

2) The film needs to be the kind of film that you'd see at Cannes rather than a Hollywood production and it would need to have real arthouse credibility.

3) It would need to be feature lenght (90 minutes plus)

4) It would have to be the kind of film where the landscape is one of the central characters and have very specific locations attached.

5) It would need to be under $1 million in budget

6) It would have to have enough potential to attract a $1 million budget and to have potential for a global cinema release

7) It would need to have the potential to make a profit


The truth is, that it is highly unlikely that you've got a film for me. That's not because you haven't the ability to get into films or even make a sucess of it, it's just I've been writing professionally for nearly twenty years now and the other writers and directors I work with tend to be even older than me. This is because the kind of stories that interest me need to be written by people with massive amounts of life experience.

Now, the advantage you have is that younger people make up the vast majority of the audience of mainstream films. The whole system is set up to encourage and support young talent. So, I suggest that you contact your local arts funding body (research again) and find out what schemes they have for developing young talent. In the North East, where I am based, they have a short film fund called "Stingers" where every year they make ten films by first time writers. This is a great place to start. Not only that Leeds has a thriving indie film scene, you'll find them by contacting the local arts funding body (It will be something like Yorkshire Arts or Yorkshire Film and Media).

The other thing is although enthusiasm will take you along way, what people are really looking for in the industry are people who are professional in their attitudes and skills. This knowledge and attitude can be acquired, but it takes time and hard work. Part of how you get it is by doing the stuff I've mentioned in this posting and also in the last one.

Just one last thing. I've just invested forty minutes of my life in your career and passed on information that it's taken me years to acquire. There is a charge for that and it is two things:

1) Do at least one constructive thing with the information that I've given you (Find and call Yorkshire Arts)
2) You now owe some other filmmaker 45 minutes of your time, when you you're in a position to help them.

The last part is important, this is an industry where even a rejection letter is a welcome suprise, because generally in this industry you are more likely to be ignored than even rejected.

ok...hows about this...

I've thought about what you said, and basically here's what i'm responding with, This Story, "Elle" is about an Ex girlfriend of mine, years ago we were 14 ish and the relationship was fantastic, then it ends because she believes some kind of rumour that's going round in our school and believes that i started it. this gets me very upset so i do something terrible which i would rather not post on this website i'd prefer it in an email and basically the police get involved with this and there's a whole feud between mine and her families and all i've done to make this TRUE story a film script is written an ending, because after 4 years (or there abouts) we still haven't had closure...and i just basically wrote a happy ending...or so it seems.
now i know once again this doesn't sound too appealing but this is one major lesson i've learnt if i haven't learnt anything in the last 18 years of my life, and it means so much to me, making this story into a visual memory would Be the closure i need from this relationship, i've obsessed about this girl for years, ok... i've never officially gotten over her and i've gone to the trouble of changing everybody involved's name and i would like to Co-Direct this and it would mean a lot to me if it could be shot pretty much where it all happened...i've gone through it and it would Definately be over 90 mins worth of stuff, it's a deeply emotional romantic drama and it's all about one girl and the short-lived relationship i had with her... ok i've pitched you it in the wrong way but i don't know something tells me that it's gotta get done, and i'm sure it'll be a low budget film too, very little or NO special FX, iv'e got the soundtrack sorted...i've got bands who are willing to record for it and i've composed some scores on Cubase at home and in college that suit this film. i also have a friend of mine who is willing to play the part of Elle, and i think she should since she looks almost identical to her anyway...and it would mean a lot to me if i could even play myself.
This is not a hollywood hit movie it's not just a dream that i want to become a reality, it's a reality that i want to re-live and share with anyone who'll take it on board, and you're more local than anyone else i've ever even thought of contacting...come on think about it...Please....i'll even send you part of the script if i have to (i've written it like you suggested in a previous post-i found it easier to write it like a book)
Please....This is My Shot at Getting This Done, and then i'd have an acheivement to show for my slacking over the last two to three years.

Sean.

You're in this for the right reasons man- keep it up!
I wish I could help you, but I'm a little too far to be of any help!
Good luck with your project man! Seriously.


-Logan-

Well Thanks Dude

I'd love to help you with your projects.
Send me scripts via E-mail, and I'll sit down and edit them (in which you may or may not use to your liking) and I'll do whatever I can to help you get on your way.
god_of_wine007@hotmail.com


-Logan-

Too close to home for me!
WAY! Too close to home for me!

-HAWKEYE

Sean, go back and reread clive's posts. I mean really read them good. What I wouldn't have given for someone like clive to lay things out for me like that at a young age. The man is paying you a huge favor, collect on it.

Too often we get trapped in this idea that if we just hit that one big score, get that one guy with power to look at our ideas, we'll become the next big thing in film. I know, I used to think that way, still do from time to time. But reality tells us that the only way to be successful in any endeavor is to work hard and grow from every possible learning experience. Whether it be listening to someone sharing knowledge or making mistakes and figuring out why, learn from it.

Making it in film is hard, I don't think there is one member of this board that is a movie mogul, so that would lead me to believe that no one here has made it to the top. We have our varying degrees of success, but we are each still trying to figure out how we're going to get our next project done. Don't let the idea of overnight success blind you to the fact that you have to put a lot of work into this business to "make it."

It'll be hard from time to time, but try to remember the passion that you feel right now. Try to bottle that up and hide it away. On a rainy day in the future, take out that HAWK script and read it. Remember how you felt writing it. To make it in film, you have to dream big and work hard, but if you keep a hold of your passion nothing can stop you.

Poke

k spatula

ok spatula man, u've got urself part of CALIFornia on it's way...i'll send u the email either tonight or tomorrow...thanks dude

poke....

poke i don't want to "make it" and i don't wan overnight success....all i want at the moment is for Elle to get made...and if Spatula edits CALIFornia i can sort that out and maybe get that kicked off too....i know you have to work for things i'm not expecting anyone to do me favours i just want my scripts read and people tell me how to make them better and then possibly get Elle done...it's close to my heart.
and i'm willing to do what it takes to get it done