For Production Value Or Profit

Following an interesting few points raised in the chat room last night towards Marielle, I thought that it was about time the discussion point of why people make films be raised, well specifically mine, because I would not be presumptuous as to speak for others. Although I can speak for friends of mine that range from small independent producers through to mainstream producers.

Does a producer sit down having found a script or written a script and say I am going to make this film because it will make me a shit load of money ?

Well everyone in my world and I speak for a Hollywood producer here as well, because I asked him in the small hours of this morning, he said absolutely no way. As creative minds we have this belief and it is called the belief in ones own craft. Dare I say obsession, yes I dare, because making a film is an obsession. Cant mention his name here but he has made a lot of films and very successful ones.

During the course of developing this movie, which I worked out last night, has been in development for nearly two and a half years since conception of the idea. It has not earned one cent thus far. Why because development is not paid for by anyone. Yes there are grants etc for script developments and producers can all approach governing bodies and organizations, in the UK like PACT for support, help and guidance, but on the whole projects are self funded at this stage.

Whilst developing a budget, in order to get the film made, calls are made to hundreds of people to see if they will dedicate their time, effort and assistance on the film. Again because there is not a Hollywood budget on the film, a producer needs to keep the budget as low as possible and so have the chance of getting the film made. From cast to crew if someone is willing to help by dedicating time and effort for a bacon sandwich then thats is fantastic.

Talking about budgets once the final amount has been decided upon, which is made up of all sorts of contingencies, cast, crew, equipment, food, transportation, travel, hire, and postproduction services to name but a few, you then have whats called in the industry as a top sheet, your final figure with each departments breakdowns and the contingency of 40% added on for the unknown. Then the begging begins again, can you get locations for nothing and can you borrow cameras, can you, can you, can you, a producers second name, can you and for free.

So with a script upon the desk and a budget for your film, question being now is how does it get made.

Money, so now a producer has to spend hours talking to banks, financial institutions, friends, family, I once found my self talking to a lone dog at three o clock one morning whilst sat on the wall of my house, he did offer his dog bowl.

Then the construction of each individual deal at a business level all can work with, making sure the deal is set with the right payment returns to investors, tax incentives that as a production you can offer.

Hundreds of calls begin all over again selling the idea and concept, hours spent on the internet, but still no money is coming in, so you continue to do the work that earns you bread and butter to feed yourself and the wife and the kids. In my case what do I do, hours of editing for others, shooting film projects like commercial adverts, bands, script writing and royalties that come in from previous projects. But it is hardly the lap of luxury and the Monaco jet set life.

The next stage amongst doing all your paying work is to cast the film, again the begging bowel is out, but most would want airfares paying, which I have budgeted for, but obviously if someone can be persuaded to pay their own flight thats great. Oh and now of course you need more equipment to make a pilot so people can see what film you are talking about and what the film is going to look like on the screen so they can put their money in. Pressure is now really on, out goings out stripping the non-existent income stream and yet all us producers continue to do this for the love of seeing the movie made.

I worked it out the other day. To date it has cost us personally £120,000 sterling to develop this film to this stage. That does not include what it is going to cost to make, which has been spent on simple developments and equipment buying for the film. Some would say you could buy a house with that, yes you could, but even if I did not have a house I would still be putting that money into this project, why because it is a belief.

Barbra Streisand took over 12 years to make Yental, which was not exactly the best selling picture of all time, but at the end of the day, Barbara Streisand still says to this day that its one of her best pictures and loved every second she worked on it, the love and belief of a good producer as she produced that film. Kevin Costner lost millions with Waterworld, but still went on to make, Dances With Wolves a hugely popular film and has produced many others since. We are a crazy lot.

So once the film funding is in place there is now the creation of the film, hundreds of man hours, problems to deal with, accidents, illness, making sure the script is kept to, changes on location that have to be made and so it goes on until finally you have what you want in the can and hope that you dont have to reshoot anything.

With hours in the can and a suitcase of media thats has been shot, the dark room of the edit suite calls, and the endless hours of looking at a Mac cinema screen as they are still the best screen to work with in my opinion, I have another screen to view footage on so that it is in real color. I still work with Final Cut Pro 7, in my mind the best. With the edit under way, and gallons of coffee in the system, the stress of impending promotions and scheduling begins. So it is a lunge from edit suite to Internet to respond to all the emails and try and get your film into the film festivals around the world.

Then the music to film needs to be done, again because you dont have the big Hollywood production budget it is down to working with artists and getting them to dedicate their time, fortunately I have managed a few well known artists in my time and so have some good contacts in the music industry.

Oh and by the way, just before I forget, whilst filming and developing the film, right back to day one on conception there is of course the behind the scenes footage, thats goes to make the DVD extras, documentary of the making of and thats totally different side project that has to be managed, in addition to what you are shooting and editing and producing.

For my film The Closed Case I have been lucky I have a great business partner Andrew Ross that handles all our IT side so I dont have to worry about the net at all, I have a great supporter and believer in Marielle, who juggles a house, two kids, 2 and 3 and a half years old, shooting for Pure Wet and Messy and then sits to the small hours functioning on very little sleep tidying pics up, planning shoots for Pure Wet & Messy and making sure that all the food is ready for the meals we as a family need and keeping the house clean. Oh yes and of course helping to produce this film by finding wardrobe, makeup artists, cast, reviewing budgets with me to make sure I have not missed something, taking calls when I am editing or setting up for a shoot

No more than any other house wife I hear you say ? Well may be, but it is long hours and very demanding.

Do we complain, Hell no its called hard work for what one hopes satisfaction of leaving something behind, an achievement.

And now we have built up a network of people that are easing the pressure and making this is all-possible and not one person wants paying at this stage.

So what do we do once this film is made..

We have been accepted in various Erotica Film Festivals around the world. This is where the work i.e. film is showcased and screened to audiences, do we get paid no. There is hundreds of magazine interviews and publicity that has to be done, a good publicist will cost between £4,000 and £6,000 per month, if you are looking at the top ones £15,000 plus and with out them the project does not get known, much like how radio pluggers promote records.

Then the Internet marketing begins, supporters of the Website www.theclosedcase.com come into their own right.

Even before the film has begun first day of principle photography we have the chance of screening a mini documentary on MTV New Media.

Now here is the question ? How much does it earn.

For sure if the film became a global success then yes a vast amount of money could be made, much to the pleasure of investors after all it is a business we are in. One independent film recently was made for 60,000 dollars and made at box office well over four million net.

Yes it would be delightful if we made money, but to me it is not about the money, it is about watching the faces of your audience smile when they watch your film and the chatter after the film of how much everyone enjoyed it, we hope.

Financially it is about making enough to break even, pay the investors, and the showcasing of your work so that you can make the next film. In the past few years there has been a massive explosion of youtube producers, they started with nothing, kept producing because they loved what they were doing, accessed a platform to showcase their work and in the early days they never believed that Youtube could make them millionaires, but it has and still they punch in sixteen hours a day to make what they truly love doing Films.

If we break even then I am happy, if we make a little profit I will be delighted, if we have a runaway success, like I did with one other project wow it is the best feeling in the world. Not for the money but to think so many have enjoyed my film, and of course you dont have to worry about raising the funds for the next one, which is already written and is called Split Deceit.

Very soon you will be able to see the first part of the documentary in the making of the film so you can see for your selves what is involved. I hope his has given an insight into the producing aspects of the film The Closed Case and how much passion and dedication is going in.

Are we still on schedule, yes we are, we still have 25,000 dollars to raise to complete the project. But we will be starting filming on schedule regardless, and the film will get made.

So what will the viewer get .

A two hour feature, of sensuality erotica cinema, NOT PORN. Although there will be some very erotic scenes, does this film incorporate WAM, yes it does but it is the cinematic art form of the use of food as art in film. As much as the spectacular erotic delights some of the wet sequences have to offer.

Where will you be able to get the film

Preordered DVDs will be available on the films web site. We have already taken an order from a wholeselller for 5,000 copies of the DVD so a good start there.

Itunes of course, the perfect place to sell films. We are in discussions with a number of other net-based distributors.

Global distribution through various chains of retail outlets. One UK high street retailer has in principle agreed to stock the film already.

So by the time release date is here, we should have a good distribution arm for the film.

Thank you for reading this blog and for those that follow youtube to use a well known youtubers catch phrase..

My name is Chris Karlman and I approved this blog. Anyone want my job !