Film Strategy

With news that Neal Baer (showrunner of Under the Dome, Law & Order: SVU, ER) just signed a POD deal with 20th Century Fox , I thought it was worth looking at the holy grail for television writers/producers: the POD deal aka the production overall deal.  Now we don't often talk about television productions but with the quality of television productions meeting and oftentimes exceeding the quality of films, it's time to reconsider. I'm a big believer in aiming high and learning from successful people so the article below will give you something to aim for (POD deals) and give you examples of people with POD deals to learn from. A Look at Some of TV’s Most Successful PODs  Originally published by Film Escape April 5, 2015 and written by Charlie Sierra It’s every TV writer/producer’s dream to get a POD deal at a studio. To be paid handsomely and respected for the work that you create is something that everyone strives for.  A POD (production overall deal is ba

RIP to the legendary Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kiarostami . I can only think of two ways to honor the man; by watching his films and studying his filmmaking philosophy and methods. Here are some of his movies that I recommend: Taste of Cherry , Close-up , and The Wind Will Carry Us . In the meantime, here's a quick glimpse into Kiarostami's filmmaking philosophy and methods courtesy of Martin Snyders' article, " Here’s What It’s Like to Make A Short Film with Abbas Kiarostami in 10 Days ": After graduating from Columbia University and toiling for years as a screenwriter, I finally made my feature film debut in 2013 with an independent, romantic comedy called "Missed Connections." The film won multiple audience awards at festivals, reached number one on iTunes’ independent sales charts and The Playlist  even suggested  me as a "filmmaker to keep an eye on." Things were looking up. I went to Hollywood, represented by a major talent a

Film is an artform. But it is also a business. If you want to keep making your art, you have to treat it like a business ( I am talking about the logistics of making film, I am NOT talking about the cinematic parts; please don't substitute artistic elements and creativity with financial ratios and marketing buzzwords ). Running a business well means asking the right questions. Here's an article meant for small to midsized business (which is what most film production companies are) about 5 questions they should ask regarding their intellectual property. Substitute "IP" or "intellectual property" or "copyright" with "film" or "pilot" or "media project" and it will make sense and be relevant to you.  So enjoy: Five IP Lessons for Small to Medium–sized Businesses Originally published on 6/29/2016 by Joseph Walsh, Jr. | Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLC Intellectual property plays an increasingly significant

Here's a guest post I did for Script Reader Pro entitled " How to Copyright a Script and Other Legal Tips for Screenwriters ." Of course, this advice also pertains to filmmakers, in general, since so many of you wear multiple hats in your productions and are aspiring Tarantino-types.  I know I am biased but it's a really good article. Check it out. ~~Danny Jiminian, Esq  I am an entertainment lawyer at www.djimlaw.com . For help in getting permission from musicians and other copyright owners to use their stuff without getting sued, as well as, clearing the script, negotiating life story rights, researching public domain works, registering your script with the US Copyright Office, drafting collaborator’s agreements and dealing with copyright infringement/entertainment litigation matters, you can contact me at danny@djimlaw.com

The good people at  Script Reader Pro  have just made your life easier.  Why is that you say?  Because they've made your filmmaking life easier to manage this year with their  calendar of  all the major upcoming screenwriting contests  (orange) , awards   (blue) , festivals  (green) , fellowships and labs  (yellow)  in 2016. Like Yogi Berra says, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”  Thursday, June 30   Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest Deadline(TBC)   The Sitcom Mission - Comedy Writing Competition Deadline (TBC) Friday, July 1   Screencraft - Horror Screenplay Contest Deadline (TBC) Sunday, July 24   AFI Film Festival Submissions Deadline (TBC) Sunday, July 31   Shore Scripts Competition Regular Deadline (Feature, Short, TV Pilot)