The campaign has reaches it goal of 900 dollars, but you can still donate..
Keep in mind that crowd funding campaigns are tricky. You should always aim for more than your goal. Even if you reach it with a day or two left you want to continue to push through to the end. There have been campaigns at kickstarter that hit their goal and then ended up falling short because someone backed out after the fact.
Visit kickstarter and indiegogo. Check out campaigns and if you see one that you really like then get involved.
That will be it for today. Good luck and have a nice day.
Indiegogo and Kickstarter have become huge parts of the indie film making landscape. Develop a kickass concept and trailer and you could be well on your way to getting the funds needed to complete your film.
Most of us have read the stories about films like the Veronica Mars’s movie raising millions of dollars. Many of us believed that the world did not need to have another moment of the Veronica Mars universe inflicted upon us, but what we believe does not matter if there were, and since it pulled in around five million dollars from its fans, thousands of people willing to donate their money to the cause.
The pool of money out there to be dipped into is limited not by who ever else is at the pool at that time, but by our ability to find our core audience and convince them to become engaged with our projects.
Crowdfunding is the best thing to ever happen to those of us who have zero interest in dealing with the Hollywood system. Hollywood had three things to hold over the indie film maker. Its distribution network. With the growth of VOD and theaters being equipped with digital projectors we can get our films out to the public without them. The second thing was money. Movies cost millions of dollars to make.
Now they can be done for thousands. Special effects cost millions and now you can do most of them yourself. With crowd funding the money problem can be met and overcome. The last part is stars. They have access to quality actors while if your were a micro budget film maker you had access to retired clowns and sock puppets. I got news for Hollywood, there are some fantastic actors out here and they are starving for work.
Before I get to the campaigns I would like to do a bit of a follow up to one of the crowdfunding interviews that I did last year. It was perhaps my favorite interview and strangely the least read of all of them. Also it was the most successful campaign of them all. The interview was Me + You. If you would like to read the complete interview you can find it in my film making book. Available at the right side of this page.
Now lets get to the campaigns. Some are ending soon so please jump in if you wish to help. Taking five minutes to share a campaign is the best thing you can do. You reach a few hundred people with your social media and in turn they reach a few thousand. Somewhere down the line someone hears about a campaign and they will donate. This is powerful where campaigns are only seeking a few thousand dollars.
The first campaign is also a preview of my next interview. It is an Anthology shot by four French film makers in Japan. They are looking for money to help finish the film. Check out Tokyo Grand Guignol.
Next is one of my favorite topics being tackled as a live action film. The genre is Anime.
Next up is an actual horror anthology. Yeah, I know, two in one post. I have to admit that I wish that anthology was as popular as Found Footage. This one is titled THE MORTUARY COLLECTION and can be found at kickstarter .
The next is a sort of throwback to tradition kind of horror. The movie is titled
The Uncanny Alley.
The last film is sort of a Viking Epic that will be shot in Norway. I may have to interview these guys. I have to know how this kind of medieval film making is done. The movie is titled From Ashes To Embers.
Okay that will be it for today. My next post will be my interview with the film makers behind Tokyo Grand
Guignol. Good luck with you film making and remember to share this post and the films mentioned in this post. If any of you have a crowdfunding campaign leave me a message as a comment or on google plus and I will see if I can highlight it here.
Film maker Tom Ford (not that Tom Ford) has responded to my interview request. Keep in mind that this project is nearing the end of a crowdfunding campaign so if you can please take a moment to visit their indiegogo page and donate what you can. Remember at Indiegogo your film get what ever is donated toward the goal. While at Kickstarter it is usually an all or you get nothing proposition.
First, Tom Ford on the writing of the film.
I'll start with the obvious (you've heard it 100 times) "it's all
about the story"... because it's true.
Start there. If you're past that point already and have a so - so story,
go back to step 1. Story. 50,000 features made each year, most of those
don't have a great story. If you start with a great story that people will
want to watch, you move to the head of that pack and your chances for
success get a lot better. And THAT'S the way to begin.
You also have a very good chance of gathering a better team, better actors
and crew, that will actually show-up when you need them, because they believe
in the project too. Did I just refer to a great story again, I think I did.
I wrote The Stray. I like horror films but always felt they needed
to be more. I believe The Stray is. It is more appropriately a psychological
Horror and it has a real love story woven within the complicated layers.
Great characters that we follow through generations in the reincarnate
drams, with great suspense and action. Only thing missing is Zombies
and I want to make it clear, I have nothing against the dead walking
around and making movies it is simply that I wanted something different
and they are already in every other movie!
On Making the Movie.
We are making The Stray for less than most features spend on Craft Services, and it is challenging but that is where Crowd-Funding and Indie become so powerful together. Indie Film Making has always been a crowd funded model because it is customary for everyone to put so much of themselves and their own resources into the project. It's because they really believe in what they are doing, love the work (endless hours) and they keep their eyes focused on the potential of the finished product. They certainly are not in it for the money.
On paying the Cast and Crew:
Those who will work for free…
Pay them something. Be open and honest about what you have and then pay them at least a token, even if it hurts, especially if it hurts. Pay out with the right attitude and I believe it will all come back to you. Karma, pay it forward, whatever. Believe and others will believe. And make it very clear that you know it's not even close to what they deserve, but at least pay for their gas.
This will go along way.
It's about respect. Respect yourself, the project and the team and it will be appreciated in ways that you can actually see. They want this too, it's a stepping stone for everyone involved. Keep that in mind, remind your cast and crew of this and treat your project like you believe it. Do a good
job. Every scene either increases in value from the previous scene or is
compromised by it. Every scene counts. Scenes that don't count don't
belong in (you've got it) a great story.
On Preparation:
Prepare.
Lack of money requires more preparation on your part for everything you
do. Ducks in a row cost a lot less than mayhem. Don't count on good luck
but rather, prepare for Murphy's law. Preparation. Think through and
prepare for as much as possible and then, be flexible enough to go where
the situations you encounter take you. It's digital media. If everything
goes wrong shoot that too. You may get something extraordinary.
Don't lose sight of the story and maybe you have to write-off a "bad day" but at
least you don't have to pay for film and processing. Se what you got, use
what you can, be true to the story, yourself and the team and move on.
You are what you do.
The day is made by what you do. Nothing is realized by what you say or
could have done. Bad days are the perfect blue-print for what not to do the
next day. That's suddenly a very valuable tool.
Good effort inspires good people.
You are the inspiration for the team. They will, in turn, rise to the occasion and become your inspiration. So, keep your eyes and mind open to them. None of us can be great all the time. But the beauty of making a great film is that it takes more than you. It takes a team. If you've got a good team and you stay alert and open to their flashes of genius, welcome that into the production. If you shut everyone else out of "your vision" then all your moments of "less than genius" have nothing to cover them. Combine all the great, creative, cooperative efforts of the team and everyone suddenly looks better and the production will benefit substantially.
Valuable Tools:
I did interviews with cast and crew members once they became familiar with the story. Then I edited these and they became a valuable tool for attracting Investors (fund-raising) and they also strengthen the confidence of your cast and crew. But most of all, they really helped me. I learned from "their" take on everything. I learned a lot. You can watch my cast and crew interviews on the Indiegogo page for The Stray (near the bottom) here:
http://igg.me/at/TheStrayTheMovie/x/1065093
Trailers and teasers, today, are a cart before the horse scenario. We make
them first, before we film the actual movie because we need them to help
attract financing. THEY are a valuable tool, treat them like it as you create
them. They are also a story, make it a good one. I don't like to give
away the feature's story in a trailer but I want to convey the feel of the
story. I write my trailers to say the same or similar thing in a different
way. Write out your trailer stories and make certain they are what you
want. Trailers that "just happen" look like it.
I kill two birds with one stone sometimes. When I think I have the right
actor for any role, I like to shoot a screen test. The proof, after all,
is in the doing. So I choose a scene that I will want for a trailer. I
prepare and ask and expect my actors to prepare and learn their parts
(Their preparation speaks volumes about how they will work for you in the production.)
Then I shoot it as best I can, understanding the limitations. I find out who can actually
do the part and, if I've done a good job, I have a scene for my trailer.
No money for sets, make-up or crew? Think it through. Extract the best
parts of what you want to shoot. Move in, because a closer shot requires
less set design. Cull the best parts and concentrate on those. Trailers
are commonly clips of very short duration in rapid succession and you can
use that to your advantage.
Edit, edit, edit. Cut the trailer well. It is going to speak for you on and make that "First Impression" you don't get a second chance on. And they need to address every level to people who know nothing about you. The story your Trailer tells about your ability to bring a production together is an unforgiving one. Never underestimate the trailer. Make it great on its own because that is the way it will be seen and considered.
Okay that I it for part one of this two part interview. Part Two will be posted tomorrow. Please take a moment to share this post with a friend and to stumble us on Stumbleupon.
I promised that I would try to get an interview with the maker of a fan film and
Alek Gearhart the writer/ director of the fan film Joker Rising has agreed to answer a few
questions about his film. Before the interview begins I would again like to remind you guys
that Alek is running two crowd funding campaigns for this movie. One at Indiegogo and the other at Kickstarter. So please take a moment to visit kickstarter at
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/834459535/joker-origins-film-dc-batman-universe and or the indiegogo campaign at http://igg.me/p/399595
In the world of crowd funding every dollar counts and as little as a dollar can make you part of a special project. If indie film makers do not support each other then we will always be at the mercy of the big studios. If you can not donate money, then share a campaign through what
ever social media that you use. Stumble it, post it on your google plus, use twitter. Telling a few
friends about a crowd funding campaign can help more sometimes than making a donation yourself. You never know. Okay, lets get to the interview.
Thank you for your time Alek. This will be basic question and answer style.
Most of the fan films from the Batman universe seem to be based upon
Batman or Darkwing with an occasional Cat Woman short thrown in, but you
decided to go back to the beginning with the Joker. Was this a choice because he has
been over looked or because he is the character that you are most interested in?
-The idea for this Joker film came from looking at the sadness that seemed to be in the Joker's eyes, especially in Heath Ledger's version. Like there was something horrible that happened to him to make him go the way he did. In this we are elaborating on that. Another idea that inspired this was the idea that he might not have been funny in the first place but was driven to it somehow. Also you hit the nail on the head. The Joker has been overlooked as a lead character and even in The Killing Joke we don't really get to know much about him. Every villain should have his day.
You also decided to included the very popular character of Harley Quin in the film.
How big a part does this character play in the film?
-She is very much the glue of the story. The both of them are societies outcasts so really they only have each other. She is a prostitute in this working for a pimp named "Riddles". She is easily the most important supporting character in the film. Another important character not seen in the teaser is Black Mask who also provides a very important piece to the puzzle of the Joker's origins.
There are the comic books, the graphic novels, the movies and the animated series to
look to draw from. When writing the script did you use them as a guideline or is this
going to be something new?
-No, I drew mostly from other films and books like Drive, The Departed, Blood Meridian and Shame. This is from a criminal's point of view so we want it to really feel like you are in the underbelly of Gotham.
Since the reader of this blog are interested in the film making process let’s talk about the
making of the movie.
The first question that comes up from other film makers is what kind of camera did you
use on the trailer and will you be using it to shoot the feature?
-We used a Sony Nex 100 UK for the trailer and will use it for the film as well. Great for anything at night and looks a bit more like film.
The sound is great, what did you use to record it?
-The sound is recorded with the mic that came with the camera. No boom was used for that teaser. The only alteration was that a high pass filter was added in final cut.
I have read comments about your cast and how great they are. One of the hardest parts of indie film making is finding actors who can handle the basics yet alone lift your production to another level. How did you find your cast?
-The cast was really a pleasant surprise. My partner on this project, Manuel Eduardo Ramirez and I had a one day casting call and almost immediatly great talent started to come in. Katie Young, who plays Harley, blew us away as soon as she walked in. At the end of the day tho we didn't think we we're going to find a guy who could pull off Joker and him before he turns into the Joker but right at the end Dylan Hobbs walked in and stole the show. A few other actors have come aboard later who we knew or heard about through friends. Ski Carr will play Black Mask, Dominic Marsell will play Riddles and Manuel Ramirez, who is also the guy who got gunned down in the street in the teaser will play Killer Croc or just Croc in this. God was looking out for us.
Last film making question before we get to crowd funding. Who inspires you? For me
it is Takashi Miike who does every kind of movie under the sun and does them well.
Who is it that you hope to be compared to or mentioned in the same breath with someday?
I am inspired by filmmakers like Terrance Malick, Chuan Lu (for City of Life and Death a film that everyone should watch), Steven Spielberg, Nicolas Winding Refn, and Alfonso Cuaron. Mainly Terrance Malick. Also inspired greatly by the 2004-2009 show Battlestar Galactica for taking something that is usually campy and grounding it in reality.
You are crowdfunding on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Do you have links to these campaigns?
-We are doing both at the moment.
Indie go go is
http://igg.me/p/399595
Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/834459535/joker-origins-film-dc-batman-universe
Are you determined to make this film whether you reach your goals or not?
-
The film will be made, it will just be a bit harder without help. But once it is done regardless of how we got there it will be something to behold.
When is production going to start and how many days do you plan to shoot?
- We start in June and plan on going for 2 weeks.
Any final words?
-We hope that this movie will usher in a new era of fan films and even comic book films that will surpass just action or sci-fi and enter into the realm of character pieces and hard dramas like the Place Beyond the Pines and Crash.
Most of your know what crowd funding is. For those of you who do not it is basically raising money through donations from fans and followers by using sites such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter. These sites have helped thousands of independent artist and film makers to get funds to help with their projects. Some times it is for money to start a production and others it is to cover post productions and or distribution.
I question whether or not that it was indented for what has recently happened. The producers of the cancelled series Veronica Mars, in order to make a feature length film from the series, went on kickstarter with the goal of getting a full production budget of two million dollars. Yeah, can you hear doctor Evil saying “Two Million dollars”? Most are using these sites to get anywhere between a thousand dollars up to a high end of one hundred thousand dollars. In other words well with in the budget of the average low to micro budget digital film. They gave themselves a thirty day window to hit the two million dollar mark and within three days they are well over three and a half million dollars.
This could end up being something that benefits all of us in the micro budget world or it could be a disaster. It could benefit those who use the site by the simple fact that this massive event has gotten kickstarter and indiegogo like sites a great deal of attention and those who donated to the big project may be willing to donate to other projects in the future.
Then again it could mean the start of a flood of Hollywood types who do not need this venue, but look at it as a way of funding their over blown vanity projects. Well I am one of those people that believe there is no level to low for the Hollywood elite to sink to and I see this more as a negative than a positive.
You doubt that huh?
Have you watched the independent Spirit Awards lately? It use to be a venue where little films got recognition. Where film makers made their bones. Lately it is the place where Bruce Willis hangs out to pick up chicks and free drinks.
I doubt that any of us will be able to fight this trend once it gets rolling, but we can survive it.
How do we as digital film makers manage to use Crowd funding to our advantage?
Look first to how Veronica Mars managed to pull this off.
It was a cancelled tv series with a loyal following. (If it was Babylon 5 or Andromeda or even Heroes, I would not have written this post.) The producers of the show used this following to get the word out and then to get the cash to pour in.
The loyal following is something that has to be considered. If you are going to do well with crowd funding then you are going to need either a great product with a great trailer in hand or you are going to need a loyal and focused fan base for the project you are looking to have funded. Not all of us can have two seasons of a network series to generate press for our future crowd funding project, but we can have a active web series to generate a loyal following. We could have a series of short projects behind us that have introduced us to the world. If your work is good people will talk about it. Fans of your work will want to support you in the future if your feature length project appeals to them.
I am not much for constantly being on facebook and twitter (social media) to grow my brand name. This is very time consuming and I have always believed that if you do great work others will do the social marketing for you. I have not decided about Google Plus yet. The circles that it provides could come in handy when you have a project or wish to start a conversation with those who follow you. It may be a great place to do some branding and I get a lot of information from followers on Google plus about their projects and in return I tend to write about them and or post them on one of my blogs.
If you have a blog it is good to reserve a page for crowdfunding notices. Not just for your own, but for others who you believe in. This can be a way of giving back to the digital film making community. I admit that I have not done this, but I am going to add a page to this blog for Crowdfunding announcements. If most of us who have Blogs and websites with a decent following did this we could create an atmosphere where it would be possible for someone like me or you to launch a campaign with a fresh new project that could pull a million dollars in donations. Some of the best film makers on earth are making web series and digital shorts with no budgets. They are out there and if given the chance they could and would make amazing features. Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi and Christopher Nolan were low budget film makers who were given big breaks by the big studios. It would be great in the next great film maker was given a big break by a crowd of fans.
Please take a moment to share this post with someone. To stumble us on stumbleupon and to add me to your google plus. The next post will be part two of my interview with Travis Bain the maker of Throwback. I am a writer by nature which means that I fall into the category of being a creative type, so I have always loved learning from those who are technical in nature. Ask me about writing a script or working with actors or even the financing of a project and I am your guy, but the behind the camera aspects of film making and or editing and I am still a novice. I am learning as I go. Mr. Bain has given a great deal of insight into an area of film making where I am by no means an expert.