Film Strategy

Jeff Orgill of https://filmbudgeteers.com A decade or so ago, two of my filmmaker friends and I formed a production company. The goal of the company was to produce two feature films back-to-back; one written and directed by one of my two friends, and one written and directed by me. The third friend had a line on $10,000 seed money and wanted to produce his first feature, after producing several short films and being involved in the Sundance community for several years. We kept it simple, at first. We met at a Denny’s and set up an office in my 2-bedroom Los Feliz apartment with the main goal of getting name talent attached to our two scripts. We decided to work on two films at once to put us ahead of the game in two key ways: 1) If we were known to be setting up a slate of films and a production company, rather than just setting up a single film, we'd be able to differentiate our company and our films from the scores of other filmmakers out there hoofi

Today's case study is written by Brian O'Malley from https://www.screenplayreaders.com on how the use of script reading services like his can make your script more enticing and intriguing to A-list actors. As we all know, one of the best strategies for getting your film financed and made is having top-notch name brands starring and guest-starring in your film. Hope you enjoy. ~~ Danny Image credit: Rafael Leonardo Re via Flickr Creative Commons Script coverage. We all know that for agents and producers, it's a great tool because a script reader can wade through a pile of scripts and find the good writers and good stories, then write up a brief script coverage and let her boss know, in a page or two, what's worth reading, and what's not. And it's a great tool for screenwriters as well. A well-written script coverage can help pinpoint how to improve story and character, plot and conflict, and so many other categories, making it a lot easier for th

The gift of overwhelming information to read on the internet burdens us to actually read it. One article that I came across that I found personally engaging was Peter Darling's Best Way to Run a Business. I think it is aimed at solo attorneys and budding entrepreneurs and small businesspeople. I think it is also useful for filmmakers. (To read the entire short article, click here .)  The part that stood out for me and which I find relevant for filmmakers is this one:  There are people all around you excelling at what you’re trying to learn. Start paying close attention to how they do it... Every day I am surprised when I ask clients and filmmakers if they know how "X director" or "Y producer" made "Z film" and the answer is "no." I am surprised because anyone who has been in the trenches long enough will tell you how hard it is to make a film. The difficulty comes in 7 stages, each getting progressively harder: It's hard to c

Giovanna Aguilar is a multimedia content producer and a good friend. She recently wrote an article on LinkedIn with tips for people, like filmmakers, who are seeking and applying for grants. Her article is very informative, helpful and encouraging so I wanted to share it with you. Show that you like it by sharing it and liking her original LinkedIn post , as well. ******* So, you are considering grants to fund your dream project or program. Perhaps you are a nonprofit, filmmaker or public school program in need of financial support.  How do you begin the grant writing process?  How do you bring to fruition your thoroughly researched idea? January is not only for setting new year’s resolutions but also for planning your grant submission calendar.  It is important for you to know that this is when most grantors restart their funding cycles.This represents an opportunity for you, but it must   begin with a mix of preparation, patience and perseverance.   Trust me, these three P