tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14832998849636798282024-03-14T00:27:02.083-07:00Low, Ultra-Low and NoMusings and thought collections of a low budget, ultra-low budget and no budget filmmaker -- independent film production in a new economy.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-65033467192278348942017-03-11T10:39:00.001-08:002017-11-13T12:54:57.841-08:00How to become the youngest Best Director Oscar winner of all-time (or, in other words, how to be Damien Chazelle) in five easy stepsDamien Chazelle is the youngest person ever to win a Best Director award in the history of the Oscars. Good for him. He deserves it. While my favorite two films of 2017 were MOONLIGHT and SING STREET, Chazelle's career really should be examined and studied by aspiring filmmakers.<br />
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The first thing to realize is that Chazelle didn't come from nowhere, and his path to his current success is one you could chart for yourself.<br />
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The first thing Chazelle did to put him on this path was to make a movie. That's the first step. I often have the opportunity to get young students and aspiring filmmakers in front of more accomplished filmmakers, and we always ask what their advice is... it's ALWAYS "Make stuff." You are not a filmmaker unless you are making films, and no one is going to give you opportunities to make films unless you've taken that opportunity to do it on your own first.<br />
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Chazelle's first feature film was GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH. It's a micro-budget film with non-professional actors improvising a lot of their dialogue. In the midst of these mumblecore principles are musical numbers, both polished jazz improvisations from the film's lead actor (trumpet player Jason Palmer playing Guy) and lo-fi full-on musical numbers. In many ways this film's feels like other low-budget filmmaking that was happening at the time: Adrew Bujalski's MUTUAL APPRECIATION had come out a few years earlier and had a similar musical vibe (albeit an indie rock vibe); Barry Jenkins's MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY had come out the year before... and (a shameless plug) Dave Boyle's SURROGATE VALENTINE hadn't yet come out, but it has a similar feel and should be watched.<br />
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But here's the thing... even though it's similar to a lot of films, it's also totally unique. Within the first few shots of GUY AND MADELINE I thought, "Oh, French New Wave." And it really feels like it... heavily. Especially Goddard. It also feels like documentary films of Bob Dylan and Miles Davis... and then it has these musical numbers. They feel strangely spontaneous and introspective. The first few songs, simply feel like people singing to themselves when they're alone - which is expressly different from typical musical theater. They're playful and sort of silly, and feel like they really shouldn't work... but they do. They're a strange afterthought, because the film doesn't introduce that it's a musical right away - it reveals it slowly. And it doesn't end as a musical at all... there's no big final musical number. It's brave, fun, experimental, and unpretentious. It seems to be made by a guy who loves movies, has studied movies, and is very, very smart.<br />
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And mixed throughout are some moments of sheer brilliance... such as the subway seduction scene.<br />
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GUY AND MADELINE got into the Tribeca film festival, and eventually got a small theatrical release from which it got great reviews from critics who understood and appreciated it.<br />
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<b>Lesson #1</b>: Make a feature film... but don't just make any feature film: Make a good one. Be fearless and bold. Be inventive. Look, if you're only spending your own money, time, blood and tears, then what can you lose? If it doesn't work and no one sees it, well that's a good thing. Make another one that does work. My partner in crime, Dave Boyle, made a horrible feature film that no one will ever see before he made his "first" feature film, BIG DREAMS LITTLE TOKYO, which launched his career (sort of - hahaha) - he learned a lot of hard lessons on that first one (such as: use Duane as a producer, not a cinematographer).<br />
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<b>Lesson #2: </b>Know movies. How can you expect to be an innovator in a hundred year old industry if you don't know (and love) the history and work of your predecessors. Think of your favorite director, picture them in your brain (got him or her stuck in there?), now find out every movie and filmmaker that influenced them and go and study their work... then find out what influenced those people. A lot of aspiring filmmakers are happy to stand on someone's shoulders... without ever looking down to see whose shoulders they're standing on. Note that two of the three Chazelle trailers on this post have shots of the female protagonist stopping to glance at a mural of Chaplin.<br />
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GUY AND MADELINE was the tree from which the acorn of LA LA LAND fell. Chazelle wrote LA LA LAND and made a big effort to get someone to make it. But with limited resources, no one could see how they could do it (it did open with a big scene on a closed freeway, after all).<br />
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During his frustration from trying to get LA LA LAND off the ground he worked on other people's films and wrote some other things... including a script called WHIPLASH - which he couldn't get off the ground either, even with some experienced producers on board. With their help, however, he made a short film from the script as a "proof-of-concept" which (low and behold) got into Sundance.<br />
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On the strength of its Sundance showings the funding came in for the feature... four million. It was shot over eighteen days (!!!) in Los Angeles (by the way). And was, of course, the best film of 2014 (in my opinion) and was nominated for five Oscars - winning three. Whiplash is brilliant, personal, intense, and totally unexpected.<br />
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<b>Lesson #3</b>: Make a short film. I have spoken with people trying to raise money for a feature and have made a "teaser/trailer" to promote it, often at great expense. In my opinion this is a mistake. That teaser's life depends entirely on if they will make the feature. A short, on the other hand, has a life of its own. It can get into festivals and inspire people to want to support the feature film version (some examples: Jared Hess's NAPOLEON DYNAMITE; Jennifer Phang's ADVANTAGEOUS; Wes Anderson's BOTTLE ROCKET; and there's many, many more), or it will exist as a great short film you made. If you're spending money on something, make sure it will have a life of it's own.<br />
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<b>Lesson #4: </b>Somewhere between GUY AND MADELINE and WHIPLASH (the short), Chazelle moved to Los Angeles. He would never have been the youngest person to win an Oscar for directing if he had stayed in Boston. It never would have happened. Do you want a career trajectory that could end you up in his shoes? You have to be in Los Angeles? You HAVE TO BE IN LOS ANGELES. Otherwise it's like saying you want to play for the Dodgers, but you're unwilling to live in LA. Can you have a successful film career and never live in Los Angeles? Yes, kind of maybe. Many successful filmmakers live in New York, Austin and... well there's some sprinkled throughout the country - but they didn't just become the youngest person ever to win Best Director. I have never lived in Los Angeles, but my career is probably not what you're aspiring to (unless you're insane). I was never nominated for an Oscar in my early thirties - because I didn't even start in the film industry until my early thirties (and for many other reasons that are too painful to discuss). The point is, if you choose to live wherever you currently live (which isn't Los Angeles), you're choosing not to be the next Damien Chazelle. Period.<br />
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Finally the door was wide open for his pet project, LA LA LAND. After Whiplash you'd think he'd be given carte blanche in Hollywood - but he wasn't. LA LA LAND had a relatively small budget at $30 million. It's the rare writer/director driven project supported by a studio... which in and of itself is exciting. With LA LA LAND Chazelle shows what he can do with money and a big brush, but his directing and intelligence isn't really as flashy or impressive as it is in his previous two films. We're washed over by design, color, song, and the good looks of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling... and of course that great music. Which brings us to...<br />
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<b>Lesson #5</b>: Recognize great talent when you find it, stick with it, and fight for it. Did you notice how many people at the Oscars said, "Damien Chazelle, I'm so glad I met you." Several of the key players on Chazelle's team have been with him since GUY AND MADELINE, including composer Justin Hurwitz who wrote the music for all three of Chazelle's films. Where would each of these films be without Justin Hurwitz? Part of Chazelle's brilliance, then, is his ability to recognize talent and potential in people and to stick with them and give them opportunity. Be a good friend and collaborator. Be loyal.<br />
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There you have it. How to be the next Damien Chazelle in five simple steps... just mix in a ridiculous amount of talent and ambition, and you should be fine.<br />
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One last thing, don't forget to be humble. I have never met Mr. Chazelle, but people seem to like to work with him. It's hard to go far in this industry without being humble, generous and courteous. Never forget that.duanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08243340596832708968noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-66324933203708203642017-01-30T06:46:00.000-08:002017-01-30T06:46:38.407-08:00Understanding per diem rates for SAG and IATSEWhen your cast and crew are traveling and shooting away from their home - whether it's Los Angeles or New York or anywhere else - it is appropriate to offer them a per diem.<br />
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A per diem is daily pay so that they will not have to dip into their own pocket for their living expenses while they travel. It is different from salary. To learn about SAG salary rates see previous posts. Micro-budget filmmakers frequently have questions about what they should offer for per diem. If you are operating under a SAG contract you are required to offer SAG's standard per diem. Also, if you are using one of IATSE's low budget tiers, you will need to use IATSE's per diem rates. It doesn't matter the level of your contract (from the SAG Ultra-Low budget contract or the Standard Contract) the price of the minimum per diem is the same. People can negotiate for a higher per diem, but you are under no requirement to pay anything but the minimum.<br />
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If you are neither SAG or IATSE, I would still recommend using these rates for your cast and crew. It will improve your relationship with your team and is just the right thing to do.<br />
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Per diem is determined by <b>meals not provided.</b> In other words, if you provide breakfast and lunch on set, you are only required to provide per diem for the dinner. I calculate it this way: Each day worked I provide just dinner per diem (because I provide breakfast and lunch on set). On days off and travel days I provide the full daily amount. When I budget, I budget for the full day for each person - this allows some cushion in my budget and allows me a place I know I will be over... it also leaves space for extra days or changes in schedule.<br />
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The SAG per diem rates are:<br />
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Breakfast: $12.00<br />
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Lunch: $18.00<br />
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Dinner: $30.00<br />
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The total SAG per diem daily rate is $60.<br />
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The IATSE per diem rate is:<br />
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Breakfast: $10.00<br />
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Lunch: $15.00<br />
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Dinner: $29.00<br />
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The total daily IATSE per diem rate is: $49.00<br />
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Distributing per diem is handled in different ways by different companies. Some payroll companies will pay per diem through bi-weekly paychecks. I prefer to hand it out as cash on the person's arrival on set. This way they have it to spend and don't have to dip into their own money. However, this brings up some tax issues. I have historically not reported per diem payments to taxes, which is probably not cool with the IRS. I recommend consulting with your payroll company for their advice.<br />
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<br />Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-60086121034568091422017-01-30T06:02:00.000-08:002017-01-30T06:10:57.032-08:00Hanging out with your favorite stars... and not realizing itFor the third year I have had an opportunity to Volunteer as an usher at Sundance. As a film professor at Utah Valley University I oversee a large number of students who volunteer. We try not to hold "official" classes during the festival and encourage our students to take full advantage of the festival being so close.<br />
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I will give a brief summary of my festival experience in a later post, but first I will start with a frustrating story that I just want to vent, and it starts with one of last year's most buzzed about films, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3544112/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">SING STREET</a>. I didn't get to see SING STREET at Sundance last year, but I saw it the weekend it came out in theaters, and it quickly became my favorite film of the year - with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">MOONLIGHT</a> just behind by a hair. Each year I write out my list of Duane's Favs - not what I think will or even should win Oscars - just what were my personal favorites. SING STREET wins this year for "Favest" Picture, Original Screenplay and Supporting Actress for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2377903/?ref_=tt_cl_t14" target="_blank">Lucy Boynton</a>. I felt Lucy's performance as Raphina the aspiring model was a revelation. She is able to convey so much with great subtly. The scene where she talks about her relationship with her dad is particularly tragic and beautiful. Before the festival started this year I had watched the film again with my son and his girlfriend, and sent it to my siblings for birthday presents (it is dedicated to "Brothers everywhere").<br />
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As an usher at the festival I often get to interact with the directors and the talent. I try to stay professional but I honestly really enjoy the thrill of being around them. Screening your film at Sundance is such a big deal, and there's a huge amount of excitement and energy that exudes from them that I find contagious. I normally have the chance to at least shake hands and congratulate the directors. This year I also got to interact with the cast and crew of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5462602/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">THE BIG SICK</a>: Ray Romano, Holly Hunter, Jadd Apatow, Barry Mendell, Michael Showalter and Kumail Nanjiani.<br />
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Unexpectedly the people I ended up interacting the most with was <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0834960/?ref_=tt_ov_dr" target="_blank">Danny Strong</a> (writer and director of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4986134/?ref_=pro_tt_visitcons" target="_blank">REBEL IN THE RYE</a> - as well as GAME CHANGE, THE BUTLER and the creator of EMPIRE), and his parents and his fiancé. After the screening of his film it was my opportunity to be his "Handler" as we brought him to an area off the theater for a special Q&A with the audience (we had a short turn-around and we had to clear the theater quickly). While Danny very generously entertained the gathering, I worked out some details with his fiancé about their car, where Uber would pick them up, and a few other details. I recognized his fiancé as a character in the film and I congratulated her on her performance. She was definitely traveling incognito as she didn't come up on the stage for the Q&A and was happy to stand back and let the attention all go to Danny. When I got home I imdb'ed the film, and noticed that her name was highlighted... meaning I'd recently looked her up. To my complete shock and frustration it was Lucy Boynton, my "Fav" supporting Actress from Sing Street. I am completely more upset than I should be about not recognizing her, but I sure would have loved to have been able to tell her how much I loved her performance in SING STREET to her face. The fact that not only did I see her and not recognize her, but I talked to her, and hung out with her a bit is even more frustrating. She is the celebrity encounter that was not to be. Oh well. Some other time I guess.<br />
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Rebel in the Rye is a very good film and well worth seeing. It seems almost like a film that needs to have been made, though it's pretty standard as far as presentation goes. It certainly brings up some interesting concepts - commitment to art being the most compelling to me. I imagine there will continue to be other biopics about Salinger that will push the form a bit more - a la <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368794/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">I'm Not There</a> or another one of my "Favs" this year, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790770/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Miles Ahead</a> - but that none of those could come to pass without this first excellent film biopic paving the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFF_EKFeeN14UCPDyipHs1fgwWw6WVB6ejsPuanSuLL7F9Pz-UnzJi7jw8E039ZikbxuN6HE_hIMbjRPgoza_d8W06v2SH3bdKCgWZh0GS-LfViBxnHonsIsNZFa2W4_PCGP9Egqqtgeu/s1600/lucy+boynton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFF_EKFeeN14UCPDyipHs1fgwWw6WVB6ejsPuanSuLL7F9Pz-UnzJi7jw8E039ZikbxuN6HE_hIMbjRPgoza_d8W06v2SH3bdKCgWZh0GS-LfViBxnHonsIsNZFa2W4_PCGP9Egqqtgeu/s400/lucy+boynton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy Boynton as Raphina in SING STREET</td></tr>
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-21454082941055593622016-10-04T13:25:00.000-07:002016-10-23T09:22:15.507-07:00Director's statements: how to write them, what they're forIn many stages along your film's path you will be asked to write a "Director's Statement." This article will hopefully help as you navigate these waters.<br />
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First off, there are different reasons that you will be asked to write a Director's Statement, and each of them will have different needs and requirements. The main two circumstances, generally, will be before the movie is made (development) and after the film is made (distribution).<br />
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Before the film is made, your purpose is to describe why the film should actually be made. You may write your Director's Statement for a grant application or maybe in a business plan. Your purpose is to get funded, or maybe to get a job making the film. You're selling your vision of the film - and you're making people see that your vision is the only way the film should be told.<br />
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Andrew Mack, editor for <a href="http://screenanarchy.com/" target="_blank">Screen Anarchy</a>, says: "A director's statement is about what inspires someone to make a movie and what they desire to convey with their audience... The director wants to, in this statement, express their inspirations and ambitions - generate some excitement about this potential project."
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<u>Development</u><br />
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In development the key things you should consider including are:<br />
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• The genesis of the project (where the idea came from; its circumstances and history)<br />
• Why the project is important (will it have social impact; will it make people laugh)<br />
• Why you're the only one who can tell this story (what do you bring to the table that is unique and especially pertinent to this project)<br />
• Your cinematic inspiration and influences (this helps the reader see the vision of the film)<br />
• Visual and technical approaches you intend to take that will make the film unique and successful<br />
• Your hopes for the audience's response (what will the audience get out of it)<br />
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You don't have to include all of these things, but they all should be alluded to in some way. Remember, you're a storyteller, so this is just another form of storytelling. Make it entertaining. Bring the reader along with you.<br />
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<u>Marketing</u><br />
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For marketing (once the film is done), you will include a Director's Statement in application material for festivals, or in press material for the film's marketing. It's important to remember that no one will choose to program your movie in a festival, review it in their paper, or distribute it because of your winning Director's Statement. If you're film doesn't appeal to them, they're not going to change your mind because of your Statement. However, once they decide to program/review/distribute your film they will look at the Director's Statement to help them market it. From a journalist's/film critic's stand point, a good Director's Statement saves them the hassle of having to interview you.<br />
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In marketing the key things you should consider including are:<br />
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• The genesis of the project<br />
• Why the project is important<br />
• Why you're the only one who could have told this story<br />
• Your cinematic inspiration and influences<br />
• Production and Post-production discoveries (what happened during the process of making the film that shaped the film's final state)<br />
• Your hopes for the audience's response<br />
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Thus, the two types of Director's Statements are very similar, except in one you're discussing what you hope will happen, and in the other you're explaining what did happen.<br />
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Remember: Your Director's Statement needs to exist outside of the film they're discussing, in other words, don't assume the reader will have already seen your film, or even has any intention of seeing it. It needs to make them want to see it, just like a development Director's Statement should make them want to see it made.<br />
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Do people read them? My film Superpowerless was recently reviewed by <a href="http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/superpowerless-review-1201827160/" target="_blank">Variety</a>. I know the reviewer had come to the screening (at my invitation), and had given me a smile on his way out during the credits, but he had also told me that he would see about thirty films at the festival and review around five, so I wasn't holding my breath... at all. When the review came out he concluded it with some information that he would have got only by reading the Director's Statement included in the press material.<br />
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My friend Maggie Mackay, executive director of <a href="http://vidiotsfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Vidiots</a>, says "When I was programming festivals, Director Statements and other supplemental materials didn't play into my programming process. Once we programmed a film, those materials were useful, but they didn't have any influence on my selection process. On the other hand, when I was the Director of Nominations at the Spirit Awards, and we required Director Statements for the grant awards, not only did they get read, but they were a HUGE part of the submission. My biggest recommendation to filmmakers submitting required statements is that they really read and stick to the instructions from each organization or festival."<br />
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<u>Length</u><br />
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You will be given instructions in regards to length. Do not go over, and do not be too brief. Make it quick and easy to read no matter its assigned length. This is not the time to write a scholarly paper.<br />
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<u>Attitude</u><br />
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This is always the same, no matter what aspect of your filmmaking career you're in; or no matter what stage of the filmmaking process you're in:<br />
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• Be grateful / humble (don't come off as pompous or like God's-Gift to the filmmaking world)<br />
• Take your movie seriously, but don't take yourself seriously (you've made an important, awesome movie, but you're grateful for the opportunity and for all the people who helped you along the way).<br />
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These two attitudes, which are intertwined, will help you in all stages of your career. And, by the way, if you are sincere about these two attitudes, and apply them to the rest of your life, you'll be happier.<br />
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-4905859900622412622016-08-22T13:24:00.002-07:002016-08-22T13:26:42.460-07:00Tom DiCillo's Drunk Film SchoolIn an earlier post I shared a Google Hangout that I had with director/writer Tom DiCillo after a screening of Living in Oblivion. Tom, being Tom, took the youtube version of the interview and made it into something so much more... <a href="http://www.tomdicillo.com/blog/drunk-film-school/" target="_blank">The Drunk Film School</a>. In it Tom really give great advice to aspiring filmmakers about everything from working with actors and cinematographers to launching projects and working in TV. It's really worth watching, and there's no guru quite as fun as Tom.<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/178280214">Drunk Film School Trailer</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/tomdicillo">Tom DiCillo</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-69644485706001206302016-04-11T11:52:00.000-07:002016-04-11T11:55:53.305-07:00The ultimate in film geekery apparel (Tees by Duane)I would never consider myself a great designer, but over the years there have been a few T-shirts that I wish I could find elsewhere that don't seem to exist. So, I created my own T-shirt venture "Tees by Duane." I set it up at a site called Teepublic.com. However, it turns out that the good folks at Teepublic don't like my designs (What??), so you can't find my shirts if you Google them, or even if you search in their website search bar. Well, so I'm posting them here to promote them out to the world (in my massively read blog - hahahaha). Follow the links to order. Honestly, the shirts are really cool. They super comfortable. They come large but shrink to the appropriate size.<br />
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<u>Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin T-Shirt</u><br />
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This is my favorite of all the shirts. It has the iconic image of the woman watching the baby carriage roll down the steps. It's a dazzling image - but you don't need to be a fan of Eisenstein to appreciate this shot. My skateboarder son thought it was a cool shirt without knowing anything about it. If you're looking for a shirt that expresses your love of film history, <u style="font-weight: bold;">and</u> makes you look punk rock... this is it. Order it at this link: <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386478-eisenstein-battleship-potemkin">https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386478-eisenstein-battleship-potemkin</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRZbZtI9XfoysHy-i3gc8csfO06OOegInWdBnL2A6ri9BzITYYzLbUnD08pJ7m4439dM5o-rqJGe3qFF9DFNLne1LB7YLXADamTbgvHlZEBU9-u2Cc1rJ0r8bOq_C2LbY-5GLqmu4n7_E/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.11.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eisenstein Battleship Potemkin T-Shirt" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRZbZtI9XfoysHy-i3gc8csfO06OOegInWdBnL2A6ri9BzITYYzLbUnD08pJ7m4439dM5o-rqJGe3qFF9DFNLne1LB7YLXADamTbgvHlZEBU9-u2Cc1rJ0r8bOq_C2LbY-5GLqmu4n7_E/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.11.11+PM.png" title="Eisenstein Battleship Potemkin T-Shirt from Tees by Duane" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eisenstein Battleship Potemkin T-Shirt (from Tees by Duane)</td></tr>
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<u>Walter Murch T-Shirt</u><br />
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Nothing shows off your true movie geek to your fellow movie geeks as well as this shirt of famous editor, sound designer and philosopher king, Walter Murch. Get your Murch Merch here: <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386246-walter-murch">https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386246-walter-murch</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQUP5cT8a9Ggd1r3ur8NB85pGbAwPW9fE37ySvG-HCfWPHECBBnu1t-d67_R21v_Ib_9iIK6XKmU592M1_2Kt9fCiA-t6u-4amd3HHt8Im5Pm-CztIDb8NMJv0d_aXh0iMXrel7gNa4Ms/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.11.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Walter Murch T-shirt by Tees by Duane" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQUP5cT8a9Ggd1r3ur8NB85pGbAwPW9fE37ySvG-HCfWPHECBBnu1t-d67_R21v_Ib_9iIK6XKmU592M1_2Kt9fCiA-t6u-4amd3HHt8Im5Pm-CztIDb8NMJv0d_aXh0iMXrel7gNa4Ms/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.11.46+PM.png" title="Walter Murch T-shirt by Tees by Duane" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walter Murch T-Shirt (from Tees by Duane)</td></tr>
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<u>Classically Trained Editor T-Shirt (Moviola)</u><br />
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Let the other editors know that you can edit digitally and on film with this T-shirt featuring a Moviola film editing system. You learned to edit on film, you're awesome. Let the world know. Order it at this link: <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386231-classically-trained-film-editor">https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386231-classically-trained-film-editor</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpgizwvsaJ6lR5hZXmHNumZQVzWsWfUibBMZxh3t2P8Uypl9H6zAgVIZ3OR6oHQ-jhgOGS8052ukC532zBpzFjw0uzAC1ElO7c74coOrbRjIi8-vk8HzONhlzk0BSfuDvmLORvKbPX2-p/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="classically trained film editor t-shirt" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpgizwvsaJ6lR5hZXmHNumZQVzWsWfUibBMZxh3t2P8Uypl9H6zAgVIZ3OR6oHQ-jhgOGS8052ukC532zBpzFjw0uzAC1ElO7c74coOrbRjIi8-vk8HzONhlzk0BSfuDvmLORvKbPX2-p/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.08+PM.png" title="classically trained film editor t-shirt" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classically trained film editor t-shirt (from Tees by Duane)</td></tr>
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<u>Free Jafar Panahi T-shirt</u><br />
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I recently wore this at the Aspen Shortsfest and got a lot of comments from film geeks from around the world. Jafar Panahi, of course, is the amazing filmmaker from Iran who has been under house arrest in his native country for publicly supporting the Green Movement which demanded the removal of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office. All these shirts can be purchased in any color, but I felt, in this case, green was the most appropriate. Get it here: <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386201-free-jafar-panahi">https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386201-free-jafar-panahi</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkGoG50vS60bme5B6RQYqUHSE7tmKuAnV4Iceaeo0Kmq9-OK4_fvFmFAO7DTdefYj6KP2qTOt_KWdMMYG_aIb7WK1eRl8tKPQhQ0x_Zfq2ZeGRJM0UK6J7FmYojZFD6v11OM7QJ_GVZNm/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt=""Free Jafar Panahi" T-shirt from Tees by Duane" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkGoG50vS60bme5B6RQYqUHSE7tmKuAnV4Iceaeo0Kmq9-OK4_fvFmFAO7DTdefYj6KP2qTOt_KWdMMYG_aIb7WK1eRl8tKPQhQ0x_Zfq2ZeGRJM0UK6J7FmYojZFD6v11OM7QJ_GVZNm/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.23+PM.png" title=""Free Jafar Panahi" T-shirt from Tees by Duane" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Free Jafar Panahi" T-shirt (from Tees by Duane)</td></tr>
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<u>Pulp Fiction Screenplay T-shirt</u><br />
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This T-Shirt features the first page of one of the greatest screenplays ever written... Pulp Fiction, by Quentin Tarantino. In this scene Pumpkin and Hunny Bunny begin to plot to rob restaurants, eventually leading Jules to become a shepherd. Make it yours today: <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386185-int.-coffee-shop-pulp-fiction-page-one">https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/386185-int.-coffee-shop-pulp-fiction-page-one</a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGE8ek7vgVLqWx9itoYIcRtwu32l7jXLZK7rvuXxC_WGa7zoWtTZoCbnsiCqXAgR5NC7JP20RJVJW-i2x_e4pN1lAL5mmZu0gPAqeXABWjDnwQoKuGdjjGAa60aIxlZbS-CHvKjnGRL4B/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="INT. COFFEE SHOP (Pulp Fiction Page 1) Screenplay T-shirt" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGE8ek7vgVLqWx9itoYIcRtwu32l7jXLZK7rvuXxC_WGa7zoWtTZoCbnsiCqXAgR5NC7JP20RJVJW-i2x_e4pN1lAL5mmZu0gPAqeXABWjDnwQoKuGdjjGAa60aIxlZbS-CHvKjnGRL4B/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-11+at+12.12.39+PM.png" title="INT. COFFEE SHOP (Pulp Fiction Page 1) Screenplay T-shirt" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">INT. COFFEE SHOP (Pulp Fiction Page 1) Screenplay T-shirt (from Tees by Duane)</td></tr>
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-37529770731518230562016-03-25T12:28:00.000-07:002016-03-25T12:28:09.465-07:00An interview with Jennifer Prediger (Apartment Troubles)Jennifer Prediger and Jess Weixler's "Apartment Troubles" is a great low-budget comedy that is both funny and emotional. It's well worth the watch, and for aspiring micro-budget filmmakers, worth the study. A bi-coastal film, they stretched their dollars on two coasts, and were able to recruit some great name actors. I recently had the opportunity to host a discussion with co-writer/director/star Jennifer Prediger with students from Utah Valley University's Digital Cinema program. Jennifer shared insights into collaborating, appealing to audiences (or not), and recruiting name actors, among many other things.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JqhUpFzPziY" width="560"></iframe>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-58755463607880765172016-02-17T21:33:00.000-08:002016-03-25T12:15:49.496-07:00Interview with Tom Donahue, director of "Casting By"The documentary film "Casting By" is a great watch for anyone interested in films and the filmmaking process. On micro-budget films I have seldom had the opportunity to work with casting directors, as it is often a role that I end up doing myself, but watching this doc makes me eager to work with Casting Directors who know their stuff and who can bring their own sensibility to a project.<br />
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This interview with Tom Donahue, the film's director, is part of a monthly series I host at Utah Valley University, called CineSkype, where we show a film, then Skype with the filmmaker.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WLm4LgryubQ" width="560"></iframe>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-55703460179360900852016-02-13T16:22:00.000-08:002016-03-25T12:17:48.980-07:00The importance of the 1st Assistant DirectorI cannot over emphasize the importance of a good First Assistant Director when you're making your micro-budget movie. If you are just starting out, and don't know anyone in the industry, it is worthwhile to search for someone with more experience than you to be your 1st AD. If you hope to have a successful shoot that doesn't turn into less of a dream-come-true, and more of a nightmare, you need a good 1st.<br />
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I would say that the three people on your set who should have the most experience are your 1st AD, your cinematographer and your makeup artist. These are not roles you want to cheap out on. Fortunately there are always people who are looking for experience who can step into these roles and do a good job at a reasonable rate. When hiring a First AD you can look for people who have been a Second AD on multiple projects. You can reach out to people who have been First AD's and, if they're not willing to First your small project, see if they would recommend someone they've used as a Second to First your film.<br />
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Overall, you want an AD who is a great leader, but who is also a good person. Some AD's feel like they need to shout and make everyone unhappy. Only an AD who has poorly planned needs to do a whole lot of shouting. If you've planned your shoot, then an AD should be able to keep things under control. I find that New York based AD's tend to shout more than I like. I'm very much a West Coast guy, so I think it's just a matter of taste. I like my AD's to say please and thank you, and always to be courteous and respectful. I like having a happy set, and no one is happy if they are being consistently yelled at.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNv9pwrG2coIjFxaIaKdck9aigiebtEwptEbUKHh5y3p1W-K7EUe63KH6AMh_JOobyo1QxG9p9cwlx5zoeqSZNFybRWlOjBQc7nyuZszkxYBOR_r4T-HIQebyYSmPTHprXWG88PY7pOkM/s1600/IMG_2374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Left to right: Alun Lee (1st AD), actor Natalie Lander, Director Duane Andersen" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNv9pwrG2coIjFxaIaKdck9aigiebtEwptEbUKHh5y3p1W-K7EUe63KH6AMh_JOobyo1QxG9p9cwlx5zoeqSZNFybRWlOjBQc7nyuZszkxYBOR_r4T-HIQebyYSmPTHprXWG88PY7pOkM/s400/IMG_2374.JPG" title="Alun Lee and Duane Andersen on the set of Superpowerless." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the set of Superpowerless with 1st Assistant Director Alun Lee (left), Natalie Lander (center) and director Duane Andersen (right).</td></tr>
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So what does an AD do? They essentially do all the work that a director has to have done, but doesn't want to worry about themselves. They're responsibilities include:<br />
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1) Creating the shooting schedule and making sure the crew sticks to it. They are the "general" on set, making sure the schedule is being followed, and coming up with alternative plans when needed. Often a director shows up, asks what is being shot, and goes to it. It's nice for the director to not have to worry about the schedule.<br />
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2) Making sure the cast is where they're supposed to be when they're supposed to be. The AD manages call-times and wrap times. They also create the call sheet which tells everyone what is being shot and when on a daily basis.<br />
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3) Directing "background players." The AD makes sure the extras are doing what they should be doing. If the director spent time "directing" the extras, they wouldn't be considered "extras" but "cast." Thus, is the policy of the film world, and the Screen Actors Guild.<br />
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4) Crew safety. The AD is the person who keeps her head in a situation when the director become too focused on her vision that something might injure cast or crew. After <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/midnight-rider-accident-sarah-jones-death-gregg-allman-685976" target="_blank">Sarah Jones's death</a> three people were indicted for involuntary manslaughter: the director, the producer, and the 1st AD. She should have said, "No."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKG8MWkFWz0nlU8GlIT1xM9mLJ68mjdQ1F6V248vMvkpZvbv4rH4FecBXdzyt7rhlEzbmthwIhSie_3fkqcRfMaIDZUaOYdIzeSZtDFewgflQ9TfZTtZMrD7G1O86ozQFwGrOM0j4esHo/s1600/betsy+magruder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="On the set of "A Serious Man," Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Betsy Magruder, Roger Deakins from Duane Andersen's blog" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKG8MWkFWz0nlU8GlIT1xM9mLJ68mjdQ1F6V248vMvkpZvbv4rH4FecBXdzyt7rhlEzbmthwIhSie_3fkqcRfMaIDZUaOYdIzeSZtDFewgflQ9TfZTtZMrD7G1O86ozQFwGrOM0j4esHo/s400/betsy+magruder.jpg" title="On the set of "A Serious Man," Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Betsy Magruder, Roger Deakins from Duane Andersen's blog" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the set of "A Serious Man," Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Betsy Magruder, Roger Deakins.</td></tr>
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I had the great opportunity to interview Betsy Magruder who has been the 1st AD for all of the Coen Brothers movies since O Brother Where Art Thou. She was nice enough to have me to her home and allow me to film our interview. This is a great video to watch if you are interested in performing the tasks of an AD, or if you're interested in hiring one.<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/135778906">PICTURE'S UP: Scheduling and Shooting the Siren Scene from O Brother Where Art Thou with 1st AD Betsy Magruder</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/brainwavefilms">Duane Andersen</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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At Utah Valley University's Digital Cinema program we have a female filmmaker's club called FEMME (Females Empowered by Movie Making Experiences) which brought Betsy in for a Skype discussion. I am very grateful to Betsy for her willingness to spend time with and mentor our students.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/we-sq9BArro" width="560"></iframe>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-42204737570737050292016-02-09T21:30:00.000-08:002016-03-25T12:19:47.508-07:00Sundance - The other days (Meet the Filmmakers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="After one of our events held at the Utah Film Commission Hub filmmakers (L to R) Kerem Sanga (First Girl I Loved), Mario Campos (Christine), Clay Tweel (Gleason), Andrew Neel (Goat), Jeff Feuerzeig) and Steven Kajak (We are X) pose in the Utah Postcard set." border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxl4lSKHiBjGw3bAXUQ0ZD0Yxsbh4RmiKyTEAcxEOQTf8oe_lVvPE8QOUnZ6ZG-5sYxFMEIO_CGlPZIPhiw3X_xJPK9_iGVyjUuO2ToPRl7f3qr23sTA_xbaZhzEV2bHSXbograiY5FGX/s640/12628459_10153834659098070_3805235646798989467_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="After one of our events held at the Utah Film Commission Hub filmmakers (L to R) Kerem Sanga (First Girl I Loved), Mario Campos (Christine), Clay Tweel (Gleason), Andrew Neel (Goat), Jeff Feuerzeig) and Steven Kajak (We are X) pose in the Utah Postcard set." width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After one of our events held at the Utah Film Commission Headquarters in Park City, filmmakers (L to R) Kerem Sanga (First Girl I Loved), Mario Campos (Christine), Clay Tweel (Gleason), Andrew Neel (Goat), Jeff Feuerzeig (Author: the JT LeRoy Story), and Steven Kijak (We are X), have fun in the Utah Postcard set. </span></td></tr>
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OK, it's hard to keep posting consistently, so it was a bad idea to try to keep a digital journal type thing for Sundance this year. But now that the dust has settled I can report on the other films I got to see and some of the other experiences.<br />
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As far as films go, in addition to what I already reported, I got to see Nuts (Penny Lane), Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker), The Fits (Anna Rose Holmer), Author: The JT LeRoy Story (Jeff Feuerzeig), and First Girl I Loved (Kerem Sanga) They were all fabulous. I learned a lot as a filmmaker from each film I saw, and will make better films myself for having seen them.<br />
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Each year I host several Meet-the-Filmmakers events for my students at Utah Valley University. These events are a highlight of the festival for me. We get to sit down with these awesome filmmakers and pick their brains and hear their advice for young filmmakers. This year was the second year we did it, and it's definitely becoming a thing. Last year I had four friends who had films in the festival, so I just called each of them and invited them to participate. This year I didn't know anyone, so I had to reach out through publicists, agents, and Facebook. In spite of the cold calls, we had a great response. We had nineteen different filmmakers participate this year - including all the filmmakers of the films that I got to see.<br />
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It was especially cool to have Mr. Parker there. Less than forty-eight hours before he had just sold his film for the highest amount of any film sale in Sundance (and all of film festival) history, but he very willingly and humbly came to sit with our students and answer their questions. I think all of the filmmakers who participated have already had some kind of sale, and several of them had super buzzed about films.<br />
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If I were to sum up what we learned from these filmmakers I would say: just make stuff. That's what we hear time and time again. Don't wait for permission or approval. Just go out and make stuff. It doesn't even have to be good. You can make stuff that you never show anyone - stuff that is horrible. It's the work and the learning that happens through work that matters. As you make things, you hone your craft and eventually you will make better and better things. This is a universal truth that I hear in one form or another from every filmmaker I interview.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ-hc8Etie7_Q1jW_AxGigDotyHPTcgrVTijHnYC85FMrHKKw8k8Xlx9pGvkhKezAkHJxSMdQd2In04N2XV9wjr2FCh_iy6Z45OV5KVC2zF6Z8npTceRJJADKeMxLG-CmwknMF7OQKfKG/s1600/12651225_10208296785915487_1233654544690523215_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Utah Valley University Film Students pose with (L to R) Andrew Hyland (The 4th), Nate Parker (Birth of a Nation), Aaron Brookner (Uncle Howard), and Rokhserah Ghaemmaghami (Sonita)" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ-hc8Etie7_Q1jW_AxGigDotyHPTcgrVTijHnYC85FMrHKKw8k8Xlx9pGvkhKezAkHJxSMdQd2In04N2XV9wjr2FCh_iy6Z45OV5KVC2zF6Z8npTceRJJADKeMxLG-CmwknMF7OQKfKG/s640/12651225_10208296785915487_1233654544690523215_n.jpg" title="Utah Valley University Film Students pose with (L to R) Andrew Hyland (The 4th), Nate Parker (Birth of a Nation), Aaron Brookner (Uncle Howard), and Rokhserah Ghaemmaghami (Sonita)" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After another of our Meet-the-Filmmaker sessions Utah Valley University Film Students pose with (L to R) Andrew Hyland (The 4th), Nate Parker (Birth of a Nation), Aaron Brookner (Uncle Howard), and Rokhserah Ghaemmaghami (Sonita).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KVFbec2rpaUezEpKRngOVsX8lg8aez8uOIm2_9WMRvkLgr14SEKBC5uQ5bjarXCx1xjynwv2EMDaqUTwkUR71owiSZ5QtS1Mr7A9LvaQoTcFaA13YZC7_6hHrx5wpMXY4O7vIXnyV4nH/s1600/IMG_4595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Writer/director Rebecca Daly (Mammal), producer Mel Eslyn (The Intervention), producer Kim Leadford (Joshy, Yoga Hosers, Too Legit) talk to film students from UVU." border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KVFbec2rpaUezEpKRngOVsX8lg8aez8uOIm2_9WMRvkLgr14SEKBC5uQ5bjarXCx1xjynwv2EMDaqUTwkUR71owiSZ5QtS1Mr7A9LvaQoTcFaA13YZC7_6hHrx5wpMXY4O7vIXnyV4nH/s640/IMG_4595.JPG" title="Writer/director Rebecca Daly (Mammal), producer Mel Eslyn (The Intervention), producer Kim Leadford (Joshy, Yoga Hosers, Too Legit) talk to film students from UVU." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Writer/director Rebecca Daly (Mammal), producer Mel Eslyn (The Intervention), producer Kim Leadford (Joshy, Yoga Hosers, Too Legit) talk to film students from UVU.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygWDUUgIJ9UD3KdtoIG8NRC0gWczPCf0Nxrvi06LswMM5n1N6QUeqOU-mXDbCwHDdHQcd88PC4B_vWJT7H0LHrFBDMWXX3oeYWkev9psaB0al49ctJia8LGdXkDJkFHBTe2LSuriSdFiA/s1600/IMG_4606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Writer/Director/Actor Jennifer Prediger talks with students from Utah Valley University's film program." border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygWDUUgIJ9UD3KdtoIG8NRC0gWczPCf0Nxrvi06LswMM5n1N6QUeqOU-mXDbCwHDdHQcd88PC4B_vWJT7H0LHrFBDMWXX3oeYWkev9psaB0al49ctJia8LGdXkDJkFHBTe2LSuriSdFiA/s640/IMG_4606.JPG" title="Writer/Director/Actor Jennifer Prediger talks with students from Utah Valley University's film program." width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Writer/Director/Actor Jennifer Prediger (left) talks with students from Utah Valley University's film program.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-77098632210454181572016-01-24T18:54:00.001-08:002016-03-25T12:17:03.997-07:00At Sundance - Days two to fiveAs I've continued my assignment as a volunteer at Sundance for my second year, I've had the chance to see several great movies. I've enjoyed all the movies I've seen, but want to give particular shout-outs, observations and predictions about a few of them.<br />
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<u>Jesse Plemons is going to be a star</u><br />
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I've seen Jesse Plemons in three movies in the past couple of months: <i>Black Mass</i>, <i>Bridge of Spies</i>, and now Chris Kelly's touching film <i>Other People </i>which premiered this weekend at Sundance. Plemons reminds me a lot of the late-great Philip Seymour Hoffman. In each of the films I've seen him he plays very different characters, and he's spot on with each. He's quickly becoming one of these actors that everyone wants to work with.<br />
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Kelly's film is very well done. If I could ask him a question it would be: what were your thoughts when you were making your film, and you saw <i>James White</i>? Because <i>Other People</i> and <i>James White</i> are ridiculously similar... however, their tone is extremely different. From personal experience, I am sure Kelly freaked out and felt like he was ruined, for a moment. Then I bet he realized that it's all about tone. And the tone of these two films are light years apart. I'm sure the programmers at Sundance would agree, otherwise, they wouldn't have scheduled these two films in back-to-back years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3MraCu7z-oV2HnghjaWoBuKt0M_MUSUjYhgqLCHoPad9FTjgcDEq99Xrwbm-VQOBO-fnc6QrGSeMhCh3HN5zS2ZtkPsdtuBSXMhp9F3kH5Qeu8imSSkE4yeR_15VtHcx3Cj7n2-s9lQe/s1600/OtherPeople_still1_JessePlemons_MollyShannon__byBrianBurgoyneDP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3MraCu7z-oV2HnghjaWoBuKt0M_MUSUjYhgqLCHoPad9FTjgcDEq99Xrwbm-VQOBO-fnc6QrGSeMhCh3HN5zS2ZtkPsdtuBSXMhp9F3kH5Qeu8imSSkE4yeR_15VtHcx3Cj7n2-s9lQe/s400/OtherPeople_still1_JessePlemons_MollyShannon__byBrianBurgoyneDP.jpg" title="Utah Valley University Film School" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesse Plemons and Molly Shannon star in Chris Kelly's <i>Other People</i></td></tr>
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<u>Molly Shannon is very smart</u><br />
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Recently I've fallen in love with Molly Shannon. She was always great in her SNL days, but now she has embraced the role of being an Indie Darling. She has consistently done great work, and it won't be long before she starts doing bigger and bigger roles. By seeking out great directors, and not shying away from small budgets or first-time directors, she has amassed an impressive body of work. In fact, I feel her work has been better than just about any SNL alumni as far as quality and authenticity (except for Bill Murray - but she's definitely followed his model). On top of that, friends of mine who have worked with her, say that she is just an amazing person to work with as well. Hopefully for everyone involved, <i>Other People</i>, will help to get her the mainstream praise she deserves (though may not be interested in).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp4nEUDeDGV8boXZ_1nd_IRznTGyz2vz9HHdCynZtiGdwhugK0jRQdhZhVz2HxQGuxPbsuFhQZxajpRBGFbxflBETrylGhWxvbTZRW1qJ9MAU8Xwvh7kHKvb1hi89mMx72ji9bvo-yzqL/s1600/ct-sundance-film-festival-other-people-2016012-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp4nEUDeDGV8boXZ_1nd_IRznTGyz2vz9HHdCynZtiGdwhugK0jRQdhZhVz2HxQGuxPbsuFhQZxajpRBGFbxflBETrylGhWxvbTZRW1qJ9MAU8Xwvh7kHKvb1hi89mMx72ji9bvo-yzqL/s400/ct-sundance-film-festival-other-people-2016012-001.jpg" title="Utah Valley University Film School" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Shannon at the premiere of Other People</td></tr>
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<u>Everyone involved in the movie The Free World is awesome</u><br />
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I hope this movie gets to rise above the indie-scope and gets some people out to see it. It's an amazingly tight, well executed, poetic, and intense thriller with great performances from Boyd Holbrook and Elisabeth Moss. Jason Lew, the film's writer/director, is headed for great things. The filmmaking world would be better with more films like this.<br />
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<u>I</u><u>t's cool to just be able to stand near Paul Dano</u><br />
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I was very happy that Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe fought their way through a blizzard to come to the Grand Theater in Salt Lake City for the Q&A following their screening of <i>Swiss Army Man</i>. The film is unlike any other and is a whole lot of fun. There was all of this silly scandal because some people walked out. People walk out of movies at Sundance all the time. There's a lot of people who just get tickets, but are sensitive about what they watch; so they roll the dice, and if it's not to their liking they leave. That's cool. I think a movie like Swiss Army Man has a particular audience, however, and I think that audience will eat this up. I thought the film was very entertaining and visually inventive.<br />
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At the Grand it's an almost all local crowd. Seldom will you find many industry people there. So, it's great when directors come to do the Q&A (and most of them do the first weekend), but it's seldom that actors make the journey... even more rare for actors of the profile of Dano and Radcliffe.<br />
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Mr. Dano is my favorite actor right now, so I was excited to just stand a few feet from him after the screening. It made my night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAxSVAK9DYJqrdeHAx6IOgfBXkcWK6_7x4TvgnY2y877FITRwh4Y7sb_Qf095JQaQ1qAPPODgA5FhWQIDW-zg1X69uJNr7J7OMMlheD5fQH7Lhhayl8qGASdgNsBQzmxumx9unHRoKQ6-/s1600/swiss-army-man-paul-dano-600x251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAxSVAK9DYJqrdeHAx6IOgfBXkcWK6_7x4TvgnY2y877FITRwh4Y7sb_Qf095JQaQ1qAPPODgA5FhWQIDW-zg1X69uJNr7J7OMMlheD5fQH7Lhhayl8qGASdgNsBQzmxumx9unHRoKQ6-/s640/swiss-army-man-paul-dano-600x251.jpg" title="Paul Dano Utah Valley University Film School" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Dano in Swiss Army Man</td></tr>
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<br />Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-85347813600678063992016-01-20T15:26:00.002-08:002016-01-24T19:02:29.372-08:00Sundance 2016 - day oneOne of the highlights of the year for me, and for most independent filmmakers is the Sundance Film Festival. This year my film, Superpowerless, didn't get selected to the festival. So, I am like the thousands of other filmmakers who are still waiting to find a premiere for their film. However, as I watch the films at the festival I am happy to say that while I don't respond to them all equally, I am still inspired and excited by what I see. It's going to be a great festival and I can't wait to get the most out of it.<br />
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First, this is the second year I supervise a group of volunteers from the Utah Valley University's Digital Cinema program. We get to work as ushers at the Grand Theater in Salt Lake City, and it's a great assignment. As ushers we get to make sure people are in their seats, and then watch films. Not a bad gig at all.<br />
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I have also arranged for some great Meet-the-Filmmakers events for the students - more on that later.<br />
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In my newly reawakened blog I will post a brief diary about my thoughts and impressions of this year's festival.<br />
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<u>Day One (Tuesday January 19)</u><br />
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As a volunteer we get to enjoy volunteer screenings and the first two films I saw were among the best films I've seen at Sundance in any year.<br />
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<u><a href="http://www.lifeanimateddoc.com/" target="_blank">Life, Animated</a></u> - A beautiful film by Roger Ross Williams about autism and the wonder of the human spirit, movies, and family. This film had me smiling throughout. It's a great documentary and I'm excited to have Ross at one of our Meet-the-Filmmaker events. Definitely watch this film.<br />
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<u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/undertheshadowfilm" target="_blank">Under the Shadow</a></u> - This film scared me to death. I'm not good at scary films, but I did sit through it, unlike a lot of my fellow volunteers who scampered out. This is seriously one of the most terrifying movies I've ever seen, and one of the coolest. Another must see.<br />
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Congratulations two these two great films and their impressive filmmaking teams, and thanks for letting them screen for volunteers. If these two films are an indicator of what the festival is going to be like this year, it's going to be an amazing festival.<br />
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<br />Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-24591523549828409822016-01-18T11:25:00.004-08:002016-01-18T11:27:13.696-08:00Interview with Tom DiCillo (Living in Oblivion)It's been a long time since I've posted, but I'm back (and I'm going hard). I haven't been posting lately because I was hired a year and a half ago to teach film production at Utah Valley University. Now I have even more content to share, but much less time. I will try to keep at it though.<br />
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One of the coolest things I get to do at UVU is a program I call CineSkype. We watch a film, then Skype with the filmmaker. We've had a lot of great filmmakers talk to us over the past few semesters, and most of the interviews are available online. One of the most engaging we've had was with Tom DiCillo recently, who shared a wide range of insights with us. I highly recommend watching this interview for anyone interested in independent film... and of course, I also highly recommend his film "Living in Oblivion" to anyone interested in independent film. It is a classic that does for micro-budget filmmaking what Spinal Tap does for heavy metal.<br />
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-6195799991580019982015-03-06T08:46:00.000-08:002015-03-06T08:51:06.019-08:00Project of the Week, Please vote for Superpowerless<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Please go to IndieWire and vote for my film <b>Superpowerless</b> as the project of the week. This requires voting, entering your email, then going to your email and confirming your vote (my confirmation email went to Spam, so you may have to check it). Being project of the week is Super for publicity, and street cred. Plus we get a distribution consultation from SnagFilms. Please do this now and share with all of your friends. Please spread the word!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.indiewire.com/article/vote-for-project-of-the-week-will-it-be-cecil-superpowerless-the-pamoja-project-or-zunn-showgirls-of-pakistan-20150306" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.indiewire.com/<wbr></wbr>article/vote-for-project-of-<wbr></wbr>the-week-will-it-be-cecil-<wbr></wbr>superpowerless-the-pamoja-<wbr></wbr>project-or-zunn-showgirls-of-<wbr></wbr>pakistan-20150306</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josiah Polhemus stars in Superpowerless, directed by Duane Andersen</td></tr>
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I know it's been a long time since I wrote, and I've seen several people have sent me some messages on my Facebook page which I haven't been keeping up with. I apologize. I have been busy with things. Since my last post I shot my first film as a director and have been hired to teach film production at Utah Valley University. So, needless to say, things have been crazy. </div>
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I am excited to post again though, seeing how this blog has stayed alive and active without me.<br />
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-12385280077680264712014-06-25T22:52:00.000-07:002014-06-25T22:54:12.146-07:00Today's Tip: SAG Weekly and Daily Contracts and Consecutive EmploymentOne way to save a little money on any SAG project is to sign your actors to a weekly contract as opposed to a daily contract.... Wait! Not ANY project, as there is no Weekly Performer option for Ultra Low Budget projects.<br />
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For all other contracts the cost of scale for a Weekly Performer is slightly less than the cost of paying a daily performer for four days of work. Therefore, unless a performer is working three consecutive days or less, it makes sense to sign them to a weekly contract. This gives you some freedom as well. If someone is being paid weekly, it won't be a problem to bring them in for a shot where they are just in the background, or a scene that they are in only a moment. If you're paying them a daily, and you are like me, you will stress about spending the money for such a small moment and try to squeeze them into a different day when they're already doing something else. It also creates flexibility (and saves money) for when you miss a day and have to throw another day onto a performer's schedule.<br />
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It will also save you as you work with Consecutive Employment. On the standard SAG Contract and Low Budget Contract ($500,000 to $2,000,000) a performer must be paid for down days between their work day. So if I hire an actor to work Monday and Friday I have to pay them for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well. While it would be preferred to shoot them out in two consecutive days, it is frequently impossible. Therefore, hiring the actor as a Weekly Performer will save you about a day and a half's worth of pay.<br />
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SAG's Ultra Low ($0-$200,000) and Low Budget Modified ($200,000 - $500,000) contracts do not require Consecutive Employment payments.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-79908344538272718952014-02-22T08:35:00.000-08:002016-08-22T13:41:26.800-07:00Understanding SAG residuals (part 1) -- SAG Final Cast List, Time and Salary UnitsResiduals are income due to SAG performers (or other union members such as the DGA or WGA) as your film makes money in its various ancillary markets. I will now attempt to explain the residual process over a series of blogs.<br />
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I'll breakdown from what you pay residuals on in another blog. We'll start now with how SAG calculates what percentage of the total residual payment each actor gets. We'll do this because it's the first thing you have to deal with because it's calculated on the SAG Final Cast List that you turn in at the end of production. Your payroll company may fill this out. A recent company told me they'd charge an additional $100 to fill it out, so to save a few bucks I took the opportunity to learn how it works and do it myself.<br />
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In calculating who gets what we work with what's called "SALARY UNITS" and "TIME UNITS." These units measure the distribution of residuals based on the amount of money they made and time they spent on your project.<br />
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They are calculated differently for performers on a weekly or daily contract. SAG sets a different rate for weekly or daily performer, with a weekly performer rate being slightly less than the total of five days worked on a daily contract. Unless a performer is only working a few consecutive days they should always be scheduled as weekly performer. Unless, you're shooting with the SAG Ultra Low Budget contract, in which case there is no option for weekly performers.<br />
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<u>Weekly Contracts </u>(See the chart below for examples).<br />
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<b>Weekly Salary Units:</b> For each week worked a performer working for the weekly scale rate receives one Salary Unit. Weeks are calculated by five days, so if they worked six days, it's one week plus one day. Each day is equal to .2 units, so a person on a weekly contract who works six days will receive 1.2 salary units, and so on.<br />
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If, however, the person makes any more than scale, due to a higher rate, or even over time, then the weekly scale is divided into their total salary to determine units.<br />
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To find out what their total Salary Units would be you'd divide the performer's gross salary received by SAG's designated scale for whatever particular contract you are working with.<br />
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For instance, if someone in a low budget modified project (which has a $933.00 scale for weekly performers) received a flat guarantee of $5,000 the equation would be:<br />
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<i>5,000 ÷ 933 = 5.36</i><br />
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Or, in other words: <i>salary units = total gross ÷ weekly scale</i><br />
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So the performer would receive 5.35 Salary Units. However, to prevent uneven payment among performers, Salary Units max out at ten (10). So, in the example below (see the chart), the top performer received a flat guarantee of $20,000 for twelve days worked. Applying the formula results in this:<br />
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<i>20,000 ÷ 933 = 21.44 </i><br />
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But, since Salary Units max at ten, this performer receives 10 Salary Units.<br />
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<b>Weekly Time Units:</b> Each week worked is equal to one Time Unit. Because each day is worth .2 units, the performer working six days would receive 1.2 Time units. This will stay the same whether they're working scale or being paid a million dollars a day. For instance, in the chart below, the person on the first line is working for a high flat rate, but their time units still reflect the amount of days they actually worked.<br />
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<u>Daily Contracts</u><br />
<u><br /></u><b>Daily Time Units</b>: Daily time units were laid out above: .2 units for each day. So an actor who works four days receives .8 units and an actor who works fifteen days receives 3 units.<br />
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<b>Daily Salary Units:</b> Daily Salary Units are, like their weekly counterparts, a bit more complicated. You take the performer's TOTAL GROSS SALARY divide that by scale, then multiply that by .2. The equation looks like this:<br />
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<i>salary unit=total gross ÷ daily scale x .2</i><br />
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Consequently, a player who works one day at scale without overtime will always have a total salary unit of .2, because (using the SAG Low Budget Modified contract) $268 (total gross) ÷ $268 (scale) = 1 x .2 = .2.<br />
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If a player is making more than scale, then this formula will remain the same and work fine. As in: $1000 ÷ $268 = 3.73 x .2 = .75.<br />
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Once you've calculated the Time and Salary Units you simply add them up to get the Total Units. You then add up the Total Units for the Total Cast Units and then calculate what total percentage each performer has of the total, which will show you how to divvy up those residuals when it's time to pay them out.<br />
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For an example look at this copy of a Final Cast List from a Low Budget Modified film that I produced. The Weekly players are above the middle black line, and the daily players are below the middle black line.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP7lZ6nrMQh5-2dEVNFehQCTM-3HRCFVqyGqzSax47zristFkFtq5pkncgRN3qPXmbcT4LM1v2BZ6lyjw1_y_VEzNImmu5ro0IbaPyo74dmEsUUjNT0Tf0Rbfs2R9oFaAt7LGHKmWV6Qt/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-12-05+at+9.01.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP7lZ6nrMQh5-2dEVNFehQCTM-3HRCFVqyGqzSax47zristFkFtq5pkncgRN3qPXmbcT4LM1v2BZ6lyjw1_y_VEzNImmu5ro0IbaPyo74dmEsUUjNT0Tf0Rbfs2R9oFaAt7LGHKmWV6Qt/s640/Screen+shot+2013-12-05+at+9.01.49+PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An screenshot from an actual Final Cast List for a Low Budget Modified project (scale = $268)</td></tr>
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We'll get to how to calculate what needs to be paid from what income in a later post. So, stay tuned for that and happy shooting.<br />
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In the meantime: </div>
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I've worked with several payroll companies in Hollywood and elsewhere, but not many of them will also handle Residuals. <a href="https://www.entertainmentpartners.com/home/" target="_blank">Entertainment Partners</a> are one of the largest that does, and my experience with them has been great. They have my recommendation.</div>
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<u><br /></u>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-11542210430297529552013-09-18T10:51:00.000-07:002016-02-20T13:12:11.644-08:00How to be a great production assistantYou've been hired as a Production Assistant (or more likely you've volunteered your services). Great. Welcome to the wonderful, grueling, demanding world that is the bottom-of-the-ladder on a film set. You will learn a lot. You will meet some awesome people. You will work very, very hard.<br />
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I've often said that some people show up on set their first day and just seem to get it. Instinctively they seem to know what needs to get done, and the best way to do it. They are immediately wanted by every department to be part of their team, and are hired back again and again. Others, just don't seem to have a clue. They are in the way, they have to be explained things over and over. The production moves slower because they are involved. I was one of the latter. I just didn't get it. In fact I had to stop doing movies, and come back making my own in order to learn what was needed, and WHY it was needed. I had to view things from the top down to get it.<br />
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I've often wondered what the difference between these two types are, and while I think it's mostly innate, there are a few philosophies you can espouse that will help you.<br />
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1) Remember, you are not there to be creative. That is not your function EVER. You are there to serve the creative people who have been hired to be creative. It's not that you're not creative, or that people don't think you are. It's just not your job to be creative... yet. When telling this to someone recently, he asked if he made just one suggestion a day, would it be out of line (he meant to the director on our super micro set)? I said one suggestion a month would be out of line. You think that your director, who has directed five feature films, is going to want to be given ideas from some kid on his very first shoot? Don't ever, EVER think of yourself as a creative.<br />
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Yet there will be important ways to be creative: How to creatively get six coffee cups in a container that holds four; how to get your car from point A to point B the fastest without getting a ticket; how to get pedestrians to walk around the set in a way that won't make them upset or disrupt the crew. These are your creative concerns. If you do your job creatively you'll be well liked, if you try to suggest thoughts or opinions about what the Creative team is doing you will be fired.<br />
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2) You are there to WORK. Don't ever forget that your job is to kick butt. Don't ever feel like you're being ill used for being told to work... even if the work seems pointless. Don't ever allow yourself to be standing around with no purpose. A lot of times you will find yourself with nothing to do. Do something. Ask someone if you can help them. Ask people if they need anything. Bring your immediate supervisor a water. Pick up garbage in the street. Get a wet-wipe and clean cables. NEVER stand and watch. When you're told to hold up pedestrians, face the directions the pedestrians are coming, don't face the production. You will not see someone coming and they will slip past you. Do YOUR job well.<br />
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3) Some crews require PAs to be standing up always. I don't make that a requirement. BUT if I see a PA sitting I wonder why they're sitting. Don't sit. Stand. Expect to stand for 12 hours. If your AD or Production Manager says you can sit while doing something, then you can do it. If you don't like that, get a job in post (you'll be dying to stand).<br />
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4) Don't worry that you don't know what a Half Apple or a C-47 are. You'll learn. Tell people, this is my first movie, so I don't know what that means. Once you are told, NEVER forget. You don't want to have to be told twice. Be sure to ask questions, to the people that you are working with directly. Buy the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strike-Baby-Kill-Blonde-Insiders/dp/1400097592/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379437444&sr=1-1&keywords=kill+the+blonde" target="_blank">STRIKE THE BABY AND KILL THE BLONDE</a>, an imperfect reference book of film terms. It will get you started. When I was on my first shoot the DP told me to "86 that rug." I sat there blinking, trying with all my might to figure out what 86 means. He simply said, "It means move it." I quickly moved it saying, "Sorry, first movie." No worries. I never had to be told what it meant again.<br />
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5) You will work 12-16 hour days. Expect it. Anything less is a gift. Don't check your watch and let it eat you up. Don't tell your friends you'll meet them at 8, then worry about having to cancel. Just face the fact you will have no family or social life during the duration of the production. If you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, you might want to just break up before a long shoot. You might meet someone on set anyway. A great movie to watch for many reasons is Truffaut's<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Day-Night-Jacqueline-Bisset/dp/B003VA3JTA/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1379525735&sr=1-1&keywords=day+for+night" target="_blank"> Day For Night</a>. There's a great line it: I would leave a boy for a movie, but I'd never leave a movie for a boy.<br />
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Follow these simple directions and you should do fine. You may not have the innate skill that some of the Naturals have, but you should make it through without getting fired, and may even be asked to come back again.<br />
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One of the naturals I've had the pleasure to work with was Drew Sugimoto. Drew showed up to work for free on the set of our film <i>Surrogate Valentine</i> in 2010, invited by his friend and fellow PA Minore Nishime. Drew only worked a few days, but he was clearly a smart guy and a hard worker, and someone I wanted to keep hanging out with.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tw3z-p_z1Wff6IPY8k7XexcARBjj39PkUnx63-XIaEzxw7DmcCbLgViHZA4Oz8BQkqJ0p9cFXxHi0zIVCbBGGrcXXne45dLsP1MDu0ogte9bM3O6Z03F1YFibEu8EA6C2RGa7WuU9Vdb/s1600/Drew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Drew Sugimoto (left), lead actor of Surrogate Valentine Goh Nakamura (center), Minore Nishime (right) in 2010" border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tw3z-p_z1Wff6IPY8k7XexcARBjj39PkUnx63-XIaEzxw7DmcCbLgViHZA4Oz8BQkqJ0p9cFXxHi0zIVCbBGGrcXXne45dLsP1MDu0ogte9bM3O6Z03F1YFibEu8EA6C2RGa7WuU9Vdb/s400/Drew.jpg" title="Drew Sugimoto (left), lead actor of Surrogate Valentine Goh Nakamura (center), Minore Nishime (right) in 2010" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew Sugimoto (left), lead actor of Surrogate Valentine Goh Nakamura (center), Minore Nishime (right) in 2010</td></tr>
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Three years, and six films later, in three different states, I'm still hiring him whenever I can - for more and more challenging duties. So what can you learn from Drew? Work hard and be a good person, and you'll be the sort of person people want to have back.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZEMzTlEL5kVS_hsYkiAAW8udMuyq_1jI_GbpTRn3K7T3p7TJs2vx_DGxbN8YMh3EMkq2eKS-1-VrsTKfKFKgaF6LIFvtK66b3JrpJnJFA_K8KwPuNlBhC8c8_g399fKwWyhl2q5StPNw/s1600/BILL+NYE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="On the set of An Honest Liar, Drew Sugimoto (left), Bill Nye the Science Guy (center), Duane Andersen (right)" border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZEMzTlEL5kVS_hsYkiAAW8udMuyq_1jI_GbpTRn3K7T3p7TJs2vx_DGxbN8YMh3EMkq2eKS-1-VrsTKfKFKgaF6LIFvtK66b3JrpJnJFA_K8KwPuNlBhC8c8_g399fKwWyhl2q5StPNw/s400/BILL+NYE.jpg" title="On the set of An Honest Liar, Drew Sugimoto (left), Bill Nye the Science Guy (center), Duane Andersen (right)" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the set of An Honest Liar, Drew Sugimoto (left), Bill Nye the Science Guy (center), Duane Andersen (right) in 2013</td></tr>
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-65457281021111873352013-07-21T21:50:00.002-07:002013-07-21T21:50:32.993-07:00Jennifer Lawrence doesn't want to be in your movie (a post worth sharing)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
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Jennifer Lawrence Does Not Want To Be In Your Movie: Lessons Learned Casting Our Microbudget Feature</h1>
<div class="tags" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/wp-content/themes/punchcut/images/tags.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 1px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 24px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/casting" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">casting</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/guest-post" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Guest Post</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/guest-posts" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Guest Posts</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/jennifer-lawrence" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jennifer Lawrence</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/josh-rosenberg" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Josh Rosenberg</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/packaging" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">packaging</a>, <a href="http://trulyfreefilm.hopeforfilm.com/tag/scott-k-foley" rel="tag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scott K. Foley</a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: red; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By Scott K. Foley and Josh Rosenberg</em></span></div>
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<img alt="Maya and DP Joe Fitz" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9856" height="169" src="http://hopeforfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Maya-and-DP-Joe-Fitz-300x169.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #efefef; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; font-size: 13px; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></div>
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When we set out to cast our microbudget feature, Jessica, we were certain we’d be able to quickly find an up-and-coming actress to star. I mean we’d written a script about a complicated and conflicted character, the kind of breakout-caliber role that actors dream about, and one that with a bit of luck would propel their careers, all of our careers, to the next level. What we didn’t know was how, as first time and microbudget filmmakers, we’d be expending an enormous amount of time and energy trying to get past the gatekeepers and how some much appreciated tough-love advice from an unexpected source would finally allow us to move forward and start making our movie.<span id="more-9853" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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Our journey started by making a list of actors we were interested in. We worked hard to remain realistic, and so we set our targets on people who had impressed us in smaller supporting roles. People who might be looking to advance to leading-lady status and who could help provide our little indie with some much needed name recognition. We quickly signed up for IMDBPro, where for less than $20 a month we knew we could get contact information for the agents and managers of all the actors on our list. How amazing is that!</div>
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Okay, we’ll be honest; those first few calls were terrifying. These were REAL agents of REAL actors, and we were, well, struggling filmmakers. “But,” we rationalized, “surely they would recognize this as an amazing opportunity for their clients, right?” Wrong. Instead of a series of hard-won yesses, we were quickly met with questions like, “What are your dates?” “Does filming have to be in Chicago?” and “What’s the rate?”</div>
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One thing we rarely heard was no. Instead we were asked to submit the script with a written offer, an offer that, if the actor liked the material, meant we’d be attaching her without an audition or even having had spoken. So we submitted, one by one, down our list. And one by one, the offers expired. We always followed up, but what we quickly learned was that NOT hearing no, still most often meant NO.</div>
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Frustrated, we began thinking we’d made a mistake in not hiring a casting agent, so we asked ourselves what was the best cast independent film in the last few years. Our answer, Martha Marcy May Marlene. Bound and determined to get whoever cast that film to cast ours, we reached out to casting director Susan Shopmaker. Susan warned us up front that our budget was too low for her company, but somehow we managed to convince her to read the script, and shortly thereafter received an email that read simply, “You were right. A very well written script. Let’s talk soon.”</div>
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You can’t imagine our excitement. We anticipated her saying, “I want to cast your movie, and I have the next Elizabeth Olsen for you. Let’s do this!” In case you’re wondering, that’s not how the conversation went. Instead Susan was honest – painfully honest. She told us that as untested filmmakers it was going to be very difficult for us to get the script past an agent’s desk, especially at our microbudget rates. She also told us we were still aiming too high, that we were targeting working actors who had carved out nice careers for themselves. Lastly she told us that our lead actress would not be the reason someone would come see our movie. People would come see it because we’d made a great movie. This was a real light bulb moment that allowed us to stop looking at casting as a way to ensure the success of our film, and to refocus our attention on making the best film possible.</div>
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Susan suggested we reach out to local casting agents, so the next day we contacted Chicago based, Paskal Rudnicke Casting (Public Enemies, The Break-Up, etc.). We found that the staff there was not only happy to work with us but also happy to show us the wealth of talent that existed right under our noses. We saw 50 talented, passionate, hungry, actresses for the lead role. They each came in with a unique take on the character, showing us things we hadn’t thought of, challenging us to answer some tough questions, and bringing the character to life for us for the very first time!</div>
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From that session we cast an amazing local actress who was even willing to let us shoot a teaser trailer with her for our Kickstarter campaign. The video can be checked out here: http://kck.st/1aqn68b. The campaign has done really well so far, but we’ve still got a ways to go, and it ends at 7pm (CST) on July 18th! We’d be very grateful if you’d be willing to take a look and consider supporting our campaign.</div>
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<strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SOME LESSSONS WE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY:</strong></div>
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<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jennifer Lawrence Doesn’t Want to Be in Your Microbudget Movie</strong>: To be honest we never thought she did. But who was Jennifer Lawrence before Winter’s Bone? A super-talented actor hungry to find a great role. So although Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t want to be in your movie, the next Jennifer Lawrence just might.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Importance of Casting Directors</strong>: These are people who have been doing this for years. They have connections to agents, to talent, and they know their way around all the rules and regulations that you might not. They’ll save you time and frustration.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Whenever Possible Call Managers, Not Agents</strong>: Within 30 seconds an agent will ask about money. This is not the direction you want the call to go. But managers often ask you what the project’s about. Who knows, you might be offering exactly the type of thing that actor is looking for.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You Don’t Have to be in New York or L.A. to Find Talented Actors</strong>: Most cities have a pool of talented actors, chomping at the bit to find a juicy role. Check with your local casting directors; they can help you connect.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Build Relationships</strong>: Everyone who agrees to read your script represents an opportunity to become part of a larger network of people who are actively making movies. As a young filmmaker, it’s incredibly important to foster these relationships. The best way to do that is by always being respectful and genuine and trying to give back in any way that you can. Remember these people gave you the time of day when very few people would.</li>
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Jessica Kickstarter: <a href="http://kck.st/1aqn68b" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #214469; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://kck.st/1aqn68b</a><br /><a href="http:// www.foldedroseproductions.com" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #214469; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">www.foldedroseproductions.com</a><br />Twitter @FoldedRose</div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: red; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Scott K. Foley and Josh Rosenberg have over a dozen years of experience in film and television production. They have completed projects with ABC, Discovery, TLC, Comedy Central, Oprah Winfrey Network and A&E, to name a few. Not only skilled filmmakers, Scott and Josh are also producers as well. In 2008 Scott line-produced a scripted television pilot for Spike TV, and Josh currently works in production management at Harpo Studios in Chicago.</em></span></div>
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Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-48872167298567978242013-07-12T18:50:00.000-07:002013-07-16T12:20:35.894-07:00Advice for film actors: How to either be despised or adored by your crewYou've been cast in a film! Congratulations! It's taken a lot to get this far... and yet, there's always more.<br />
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Film crews love actors. We look forward to working with them and are always quick to give them the benefit of the doubt. We are happy to give you space to prepare and to make sure that everything is just right, so you can focus on your job. After all, the reason we got into movies in the first place was to work with great actors, not so much just to move lights around. A cinematographer friend says, "Great cinematography is 80% about performance." In other words, even if it's a bit out of focus and bumpy, great acting can often make up for it.<br />
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That said, however, there are certain things that performers do that can really drive a film crew nuts. I tend to see these things enough that I figure maybe actors just don't realize the affect it has on crews. To all those actors I've worked with in the past who think this post is about them, don't worry about it. Everyone has bad days. Hopefully this post will make your up coming shoot an even better experience.<br />
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<b><u>How to be despised by your crew</u></b><br />
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• <b>Team Player</b>. First remember that you are part of the team. Everyone on that team is working toward the same goal, and that goal is to make a good movie,<i> in the least amount of time as possible</i>.<br />
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• <b>Ticking Clock</b>. Every movie you watch is more exciting when a "ticking clock" is introduced (a time-bomb strapped to the bottom of the bus which will go off in ten minutes, or whatever). Well, film crews are always working against a ticking clock. The most critical thing for a film crew is speed and making their day (combined with quality and safety). This means that the worst things a crew member can do is hold up production (not have a prop ready when it's needed, show up late with key equipment, take too long building a rig, etc), AND the quickest way an actor can make her crew not like her is to slow down production.<br />
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• <b>Not Prepared. </b>The biggest mistake an actor can make is to not come prepared. When an actor shows up on set and doesn't have her lines memorized, she will become an immediate antagonist to the crew. This doesn't mean someone can't slip up every now and then, or struggle over some sections, that's no big deal. But the crew will know immediately when an actor just flat out hasn't taken the time to prepare to learn their lines (they've seen it too many times before). You have to understand, in most cases the crew has already been working several weeks, twelve to sixteen hours a day, before you've arrived. They know their job, and it's physically demanding, and if they don't do it right, they're let go. Then imagine their feelings as an actor comes in and is cavalier and unprepared and slows down production as the script supervisor is constantly feeding her the lines. It's insulting. Come prepared. Know your lines.<br />
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• <b>Performing for Crew. </b>Another thing that will make you unpopular is to continue performing after "Cut" is called. You may be a great improv artist and may have the crew in stitches during your take and when the director calls "Cut" the whole room bursts into a laugh that they have painfully been holding in. Great. Some actors, however, feel they now have a captive audience and keep their show going. Not great. Don't do it. In between "Action" and "Cut" you do your job, after "Cut" the crew does theirs. If you continue to perform, inevitably some grip, electrician or PA will stop what they're supposed to be doing and pay attention to you. <i>You're there to work, not to entertain.</i> Instead, once "Cut" is called, be quiet and listen to what the director is saying, listen to what the DP is saying to her lighting team. You will need to know what adjustments the lights or camera are making. You may think that you're just talking among your fellow actors, but if you're talking, that means everyone working has to talk louder. (as an aside, worry about playing to the camera, not to the crew. My experience is that things that either make the crew laugh or make the crew cry seldom work in the final edit). Be a professional actor when the camera is rolling AND a professional actor when it stops.<br />
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• <b>Forget the Gag Reel. </b>Don't try to make the blooper reel by laughing, swearing, or being silly during a take. I see this time and again. If you mess up, just start again, say, "Going again," and go for it. Hiroshi Watanabe, the lead actor in our film <i>White on Rice, </i>is a great example of the right way to do this. Though one of the funniest actors I ever worked with, I only saw him break character and laugh once during our entire 25 day shoot. That's because he wasn't performing to make people laugh, he was playing a character, and the humor came from the character. Hiroshi is a pro and was adored on set.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiroshi Watanabe and Justin Kwong in <i>White on Rice: </i>two pros.</td></tr>
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• <b>Not there to hang out. </b>You've come to work, be there to work. Being leisurely will not win you any friends. If you know you have a scene coming up, be on hand, ready to work. Don't be in the makeup trailer flirting with the makeup artist or hanging out at craft service. Generally your second AD will always have a place where they want you, make sure you're there. And if you need to slip away, be sure to ask permission. Remember you're part of the team, and the team has a goal. Don't feel like you're being bossed around by this and don't get freaked out when a PA follows you everywhere you go. That's their job. Help them do their job and don't wander off. The Marx Brothers were so notorious about wandering off (they'd wander all the way off the studio lot for a card game) that someone eventually made cages that they would lock them in.<br />
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• I won't even comment on actors who need to go into their trailer to pout and need to be ego stroked out. The resulting opinion of the crew should be obvious. Again, you're part of a team.<br />
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• <b>No one's complained so far? </b>If you do any of the above things, you will probably never hear any complaints about it. That's because the crew is being careful to make you comfortable and happy, so that you can do your best when you're performing. You may never hear it, but it is being discussed.<br />
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• <b>When you're working do your best work. </b>After I've said the above, don't be afraid to ask your director questions, or ask for another take, or ask to try it another way. Whatever your method of prep, don't worry about it... even if it requires some peculiarities. The crew will not be upset if you're passionate about your work and want the film to be as good as it can be, especially if you deliver the goods when it's time... however, there are limits. Don't be unreasonable. Also, if you need something, feel free to ask for it. Ask a PA to bring you water or coffee, so that you can stay where you're supposed to be, or stay focused on what you're supposed to do. It's what they're supposed to do and what they're there for.<br />
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• <b>Paid to wait. </b>Also remember this: an actor friend, Jimmy Chunga, got to meet James Cameron and asked what advice he'd give an aspiring actor. Cameron said "You're not paid to act. You love acting, acting is fun, you'd do it for free. You're paid to wait." Good advice. Follow that and you will be on your way to being adored.<br />
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<b><u>How to be adored by your crew</u></b><br />
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• <b>You are. </b>First, know that you already are. The crew wants to adore you. The crew automatically hopes that all the actors are super cool. Very small gestures on your part, therefore, will guarantee your belovedness.<br />
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• <b>Equality. </b>Treat the crew like equals. Many of them have been doing their jobs much longer than you. Actress Amy Stewart surprised me by asking for a crew list as soon as she arrived on set. She kept it with her and would pull it out and ask people things like, "So you're Joe and you're the gaffer, right?" Within a few days she knew everyone's names. She'd arrive on set and say, "Hi Joe." Wow, what an impact that had. She was beloved.<br />
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• <b>Eat with the crew</b>. Most of the time the cast bonds quickly and eats together, which is totally fine. If however, you sometimes sit and eat with the crew you'll be appreciated and admired... and obviously, the more successful you become, the truer this becomes.<br />
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• <b>Be generous.</b> If you're heading over to the craft service table grab some things to bring around to the crew. Ask people if they want a water bottle, a soda, or a carrot stick. Actors do have to wait around on a film set a lot. Take a moment to help the crew out (just don't get in their way if they're moving stuff). It's easy and goes a long way. One of the best actors I have ever worked with was the incomparable Debra Jo Rupp. One day, on our very low budget shoot, she treated everyone to a Starbucks run. Took orders and sent a PA off with her credit card. Just did it to be nice. Just made herself beloved, is what she did. Notice how there are chairs for actors to sit in, but not for the crew, that you are always brought through the lunch line first, etc. Film crews do all we can to make sure you're comfortable... you have a hard job, and have to really mine your emotions and be very vulnerable, and we respect that. If you just show us a nod back, it goes a long way. (Note that while you might feel it's good to insist that crew people go through lunch lines before you, or that they sit down instead of you, remember that many people are simply not allowed to do it. If you coax a PA into a chair, it might be the last time you see that PA on set).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debra Jo Rupp and Abby Miller in <i>Congratulations, </i>adored.</td></tr>
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• <b>Know your trade.</b> You're a professional film actor. No one expects someone in their first movie to be a total pro, but work at learning to hit your mark every time, knowing when you're in the light or have stepped out of it, knowing when someone is blocking you from camera, knowing about eye-lines, crossing lines, and stepping on lines. Know what you're not supposed to touch. Also, know about the tools your crew is working with. Get familiar with lenses, cameras, lights, etc. That way when your single is being shot on an 85 you naturally have a sense of your framing. You're working with a team of professionals, be one and be adored.<br />
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• <b>Be low maintenance. </b>Understand the type of film you're working on. I've been on small shoots where actors showed up requesting specially made breakfasts each morning (when breakfast is bagels and fruit, don't ask for a tofu scramble and strawberry smoothie). On the other hand, on a recent shoot I was on, one actor showed up with his own chair. He didn't make a big deal about it, didn't care if others sat in it or anything, he just didn't want production to have to worry about him, so every day he pulled his chair out of his car and set it up and brought it home with him at night. Now that's low maintenance, folks.<br />
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• <b>Hang with the boys. </b>Finally, every so often, if you hear the crew is doing something after wrap, show up. On <i>Last Kind Words</i> (shot in the backwoods of Kentucky) iconic actor Brad Dourif showed up one night for barbecue and moonshine (it was a dry county) at the crew motel. He hung out for a few hours regaling the crew with stories about working with Werner Herzog, David Lynch, John Huston and Peter Jackson. I'm sure it didn't hurt Brad's ego, and it certainly increased his legend status with our young crew. Normally it's just heading over to the local pub for a beer or something... go for it, you will be adored and coming to work with people who adore you is really more than anyone could hope for.<br />
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So, I suppose this whole post begs the question "Do you have to be adored by your crew?" I don't know. Maybe not. Maybe it's just as well to show up, work hard, do your job and leave. Certainly if you do this you will be respected. The other question would be, "Is it so wrong to be despised?" I would say yes, because by creating tension on set you're damaging the morale and working condition of those around you. So, you don't have to be adored, but it's best to not be despised.<br />
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Now go emote.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-39715842026784283672013-06-05T01:17:00.000-07:002016-10-05T07:51:27.269-07:00Insurance tips for ultra-low budget and micro budget independent films.When I've shot micro/no-budget I have often flown without any insurance at all. I can't recommend this (I'm afraid I'd be sued). On these shoots our crew of five or six bring their own equipment, and all understand that we're all in it together. Fortunately I never had any serious issues on these small shoots. In fact, I had until recently gone twelve features without ever having to make an insurance claim. The streak is over, however, folks. Both of the last two features I've line produced have had to make insurance claims (one very large, and a smaller one). Based on these experiences here are some tips:<br />
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• Don't raise your deductible in order to keep your up-front costs low. If you don't have to file a claim you'll save money... but, if you do, you'll regret it. Maybe your budget is so low it's worth the gamble, but remember your coverage is per incident. So, if your deductible on rented equipment is $5,000, and you have a $4,000 repair on a camera, and a $4,000 repair on a mixer, then you've spent $8,000 and still haven't been able to use your insurance.<br />
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• Have any crew member who is bringing their own equipment fill out a rental agreement, where they list their equipment and its replacement cost (even if they're not charging you to use it). If that equipment is damaged, you could always go back and do it, but doing it up front saves time, and will give your crew a sense of being looked after. We had to do this for a number of things that were stolen on a project (on one of the above mentioned claims), but had to post-date each form. It would have been much simpler just to do it when everyone fills out their initial paperwork.<br />
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• Budget for claims. Get an insurance package with a $1,500 deductible (which is standard) and include $3,000 in your budget for a couple of insurance claims. You'll be glad you did if you have to file a claim, AND you'll be glad you did if you don't, because it will give you that much more padding.<br />
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• Realize that certain elements will increase the cost of your insurance, such as stunts, fights, use of weapons, falls, scenes near water, scenes in water, shots that involve the camera to be on a boat, animals, talent on horses, etc etc. Don't cheat. Let your broker know exactly what you'll be doing. You don't want to explain why you dropped the Red camera in the lake, when you didn't point out you'd be working around a lake... that's a good way to get your claim refused.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad Dourif threatens Spencer Daniels with a knife, and threatens to send <br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lastkindwords" target="_blank">Last Kind Words</a>' insurance through the roof.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ManfromRenoFilm" target="_blank">Man From Reno</a> crew with camera on a dock needed special insurance for working near water.<br />
DP extraordinaire, Rich Wong, works the EZ Rig.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guns and blanks add to insurance costs. Air Soft guns and Sharpees don't. <br />
Jarrod Phillips and Tom Post in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/InspiredGuns" target="_blank">Inspired Guns</a>.<br />
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• Expect to pay around $4,000 for a feature film without stunts, just as a general starting place. It can be more, and can be less.<br />
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• Be sure to insure yourself long enough before production so your crew can pick up equipment, and long enough after for them to return. If you've set up your insurance so it starts on your first day of production, no one will let anything out of the rental house... AND if you have to add a day or two on after you've already set up the policy, you'll find it a big additional expense that wouldn't have been there if you had given the correct time period at the beginning.<br />
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• A great option for micro-budgets: If you know someone who owns a production company that is insured yearly, you can enter into an agreement with them to be carried on their policy. You will sign an agreement with them that they are an official "Producer" on the project (though they may not have to have any official credit, other than a special thanks), and they become the administrators of the project, and all insurance goes through them. Be careful, however, that their coverage is sufficient for your needs. Most production companies don't have to rent a lot of equipment very often, so it's possible that their rental coverage isn't high enough for your needs.<br />
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• My preferred insurance company is Supple-Merrill and Driscoll (<a href="http://productioninsurance.com/">http://productioninsurance.com/</a>). They have excellent customer service and a great online system that allows you to issue insurance certificates at any time of day on your own. Just fill out the form and email a cert to whomever needs it. This is a huge benefit over other companies who require you to call or email the information and wait a day (a business day) until you have a certificate. I've been able to knock on someone's door and ask if we could film on their property, and email them a cert while we stood there speaking.<br />
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However, I am currently working with them on a major claim (my first). Once that is over and we see how smoothly the process went, I'll update.<br />
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UPDATE: The claim went great. There was a lot of paperwork, but everyone eventually got everything that was covered. Not only will I use them again, I have used them since.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would not want to tell this man that the ride he brought to set wasn't insured.<br />
Nano "Doc" Gonzalez on the set of<a href="https://www.facebook.com/InspiredGuns" target="_blank"> Inspired Guns</a>.</td></tr>
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Good luck, and may you never need to file a claim.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-86927183605470302362013-05-04T16:39:00.000-07:002013-06-29T00:13:14.557-07:00Working with Flat Rates on SAG Ultra Low BudgetIn an earlier <a href="http://lowultralowandno.blogspot.com/2012/01/latest-tip-sag-ultra-low-salaries.html" target="_blank">blog</a>, I talked about offering a higher scale to your principal actors if your shooting Ultra Low Budget, as a way to entice agencies to submit more experienced actors.<br />
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Once you do this, you can turn that into a flat rate and avoid having to deal with Over Time. SAG's Ultra Low contract is for $100 a day, BUT for an eight hour day. If an actor works 12 hours, with their four hours of OT, they are due $175. If you offer a performer the rate of SAG Low Budget Modified ($268 a day) OT will still be calculated at 8 hours as per your SAG contract. However, you can set up your performer on a flat rate. If she is working ten days, you can negotiate with her agent to set her up on a flat rate or "guarantee payment" of $2,680 (based on $268 a day for ten days). When calculating her daily rates your Payroll company (or yourself, if you're winging it) will still calculate her salary based on SAG scale ($100 for an eight hour day), plus overtime... meaning after ten days she will probably be paid around $1,750 if she's worked ten twelve hour days. On her final day you would give her the additional guaranteed amount ($930), for the total flat rate guarantee (the agent may prefer this amount up front, but it works the same way). If you do this, you're following SAG's Ultra Low Budget rules, and paying your performer your agreed amount. You must be sure to state this in your negotiation with your performer's agent however. If you tell them you are offering a guaranteed payment of $2680 based on ten days worked at $268 a day, they will understand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywkA5ygw4_j1xlvvI6Br4WNFU0BGNNAge-QKjZ2SvV88f_NhxUr3MT5Ndkv1q_iAirQwGPXFvOgqXd0Fx7zM_Nsjmi9K5ViBZCV8aAIOjArUnWWEGyyx4ymvbYVnxmyIajCwgi7r8KZ4o/s1600/931439_619978134696871_1344840720_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywkA5ygw4_j1xlvvI6Br4WNFU0BGNNAge-QKjZ2SvV88f_NhxUr3MT5Ndkv1q_iAirQwGPXFvOgqXd0Fx7zM_Nsjmi9K5ViBZCV8aAIOjArUnWWEGyyx4ymvbYVnxmyIajCwgi7r8KZ4o/s400/931439_619978134696871_1344840720_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hollywood veteran Pepe Serna recently worked under a similar deal for Dave Boyle's<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ManfromRenoFilm" target="_blank">Man From Reno</a>, which I had the pleasure to Line Produce.</td></tr>
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<br />Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-44294887459267707002013-02-09T11:18:00.000-08:002013-06-05T16:05:10.049-07:00Thoughts on creating Kickstarter successOver the past couple of months I have been closely involved in two successful Kickstarter campaigns. Recently Kickstarter has become like blood to the independent filmmaker, and knowing how to run a good campaign seems about as important to a low budget film producer as knowing how to create a budget. In fact, I have multiple other projects in the works, all of which will require some support from Kickstarter. The problem is, you don't want to become a Network Marketing guy, alienating all your friends and family by begging for their support. Then again, for most of us, when someone has a cool project, we don't mind forking up $25 or $35 to help support it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1742408579/facing-east" target="_blank">Facing East</a>: The first project was for development money for a film that I've had in the works for a while, <i>Facing East. </i>We have some talent attached and need to complete our fundraising by the end of the year or else we'll lose that talent. We needed to raise $65,000 to pay for some rewrites and to finance our fundraising.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/220588101/an-honest-liar-the-amazing-randi-story?ref=live" target="_blank">An Honest Liar</a>: I'm co-producing a documentary called, <i>An Honest Liar: The Amazing Randi Story</i>, about magician and professional skeptic James Randi. It's being directed by my long time friend Tyler Measom and Justin Weinstein. We needed to raise some Kickstarter money for post-production. As of this writing <i>An Honest Liar</i> still has a week to go and we're 125% funded. We were just named <a href="http://www.tribecafilminstitute.org/blog/189900011.html" target="_blank">IndieWire's project of the month of January</a>. <i>An Honest Liar</i> still has six days to go as of this moment... please make a contribution.<br />
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So, here are my thoughts:<br />
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<b>• Kickstarter vs. Indie-Gogo:</b> I definitely prefer Kickstarter for multiple reasons. Mainly, I like that it's all or nothing. Most people need the motivation that this provides. It helps them feel responsible for your success. It helps them participate in the goal. <i>Facing East</i> is also set up on <a href="https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/profile?id=4126" target="_blank">Fractured Atlas</a>, which is another great option. You need to be able to be not-for-profit in some way, but those who contribute gets a full tax deduction of their donation. Because there's no deadline, however, it's hard to motivate people the way Kickstarter does.<br />
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• <b>Your Goal: </b>Knowing how much, or how little financing to ask for is critical, but also should really be based on what you realistically need. For <i>Facing East</i> we asked for $65,000, because it's what we needed, and it was a risky amount. While we felt fairly certain we could hit that mark, we only did thanks to the generosity of three amazing individuals who each contributed $10,000. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have come close. As for <i>An Honest Liar</i>, $150,000 seemed like a huge amount, but we tore through that amount in under two weeks. If you reach your goal, the momentum dies pretty quickly. We could really use a lot more than $150k, so maybe we should've asked for 250k in the first place... but it's hard to know if such a high number is just a pipe-dream. Above everything, you HAVE to reach your goal! If you don't it would be hard to fund your project beyond a failed Kickstarter except with your own money.<br />
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• <b>The Hook: </b>What makes people want to support your movie, is the same thing that will make audiences want to see your movie (and Buyers want to buy your movie). If it doesn't have a hook, or some kind of crowd appeal, you should rethink your project... or be sure to set your goal low enough that it can be reached without going viral beyond your family and friends.<br />
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Facing East is based on a well loved play by Carol Lynn Pearson that deals with Mormons and Gays. It's a very powerful play, and has special appeal to anyone who is or has gay loved ones who have had to come out in religious homes. Consequently there was a huge following of the play, and of the film in its development state. We were able to tap into that market, and several organizations (Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons and Mormons Building Bridges) supported it. Our director is also a popular Broadway actor with a devoted following, so it also went viral among the New York theater crowd.<br />
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An Honest Liar has a huge following due to James Randi's devoted following. Tapping into his various niche groups was fairly easy. He has a huge following in the Skeptic and magic crowds, plus he has followings in the gay community. We were also publicly supported by such luminaries as Alice Cooper and Mythbuster Adam Savage, who signed things to give away as rewards and made short pitches for the campaign.<br />
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• <b>Unique Rewards</b>: Both our campaigns had some unique rewards. Because both had people involved with their own fan bases we catered to them. <i>An Honest Liar</i> is giving out books and rare vintage posters signed by James Randi, as well as things like an Alice Cooper DVD signed by both Alice and Randi. With <i>Facing East</i> we took advantage of our director Will Swenson's Broadway celebrity status. For $5,000 Will would serenade you publicly (you pick the song, he picks the venue), and for $3,000 Will's wife, Tony winner Audra McDonald, would call you on your birthday and sing Happy Birthday to you. No one sponsered at this level, BUT all of our publicity and press led with it. They were great rewards to talk and write about. Headlines would read: Want to have 5 time Tony winner Audra McDonald sing to you? So that worked out to be great publicity, with no commitment afterward.<br />
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We also printed up T-Shirts for <i>Facing East</i> which were popular. After they were printed my fellow producer, Emily Pearson, and I posed in them and the photo went semi-viral. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to sell them on our website for added benefit.<br />
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The best reward were amazing leather and wooden beverage coasters that <i>An Honest Liar</i> director Justin Weinstein made. As he was describing them I was very dubious, but once I saw them I was converted. People have gone significantly gaga over them.<br />
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The important thing is to not offer too much at low reward levels that need mailing. For <i>Facing East </i>we considered doing one of those rubber bracelet things at the $10 level, but it would've required mailing out over 300 of them... and for <i>An Honest Liar</i> we considered a button, but we currently have 2,500 supporters, and counting.<br />
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The best rewards you can give are digital downloads of the film. They essentially cost you nothing (apart from having a digital version and a location to post where people can download from) and they're more popular than DVDs normally anyway.<br />
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• <b>Graphic Design: </b>It's important that it looks good. I spent a lot of time to make <i>Facing East</i> look good, but then Justin, whose graphic design skills far outweigh my own, hit it out of the park with the <i>An Honest Liar</i> page. Spend a lot of time looking at other Kickstarter pages, and plagiarize from the best. (It should be noted that both of these pages were inspired by The National Film Society's great graphics of the campaign for their <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nationalfilmsociety/awesome-asian-bad-guys?ref=live" target="_blank">Awesome Asian Bad Guys</a> campaign).<br />
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<b>• Publicity: </b>We were blessed with great publicity. For <i>Facing East</i> my normal publicist sent out a press release I did for free. If you don't have a friend who's in the publicity business you'll have to pay for it. For <i>An Honest Liar</i> Tyler and Justin hired an awesome company called <a href="http://filmpresence.com/" target="_blank">Film Presence</a>, who seem to have really helped to elevate the status of the campaign. They've worked as a sort of all in one, spreading word through Facebook, Twitter, etc. and consulting on the Kickstarter campaigne and spreading the word.<br />
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I didn't know that IndieWire's Project of the Day was something you could nominate yourself for (If you're chosen as Project of the Day, then you can be voted as Project of the Week, then Project of the Month). If I did I would've done it for <i>Facing East. </i>That's what a group like Film Presence can get for you. Follow this <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/article/projectoftheday#.T_sM9XDgLZs" target="_blank">LINK</a> to submit your own project.<br />
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<b>• Updates: </b>Definitely follow Kickstarter's suggestion to make updates for your supporters. Make them engaging and interesting. I have supported several different campaigns, and I admit, I don't always read the updates that are sent to me, but I think most do.<br />
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<b>• Video: </b>Kickstarter stresses the importance of your video. They suggest you keep it short, like around three minutes. Both of the videos I used are longer. I think our <i>Facing East </i>video is a bit too boring. Not fast paced enough. But it's sincere. I really like what Tyler and Justin did with theirs. Both of the videos highlighted the various "Name Players" involved in the project. The important thing is to not look like a chump, someone who feels like he/she deserves the support. It's important to be humble. Since we're talking about making movies, it's also important to look like you know how to make a movie. Having a good sense of humor is important too. Our <i>Facing East</i> video was watched all the way through only about 32% of the time, <i>An Honest Liar</i> video was watched about 45% even though it's longer. I don't know what that proves, but those are the stats.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1742408579/facing-east/widget/video.html" width="480"> </iframe><br />
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<b>• A Few Final Issues: </b>Make sure your Kickstarter account is set to your business account. I set up <i>Facing East</i> with my personal account because I didn't have our business account information (not thinking anything of it). After our successful campaign I transferred all the funds to our business account, but I received a 1099 tax document to myself for $70,000. Now my accountant is going to have to jump through some hoops to make that not look like personal income.<br />
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Remember that Kickstarter and Amazon (which handles the money transfer through Amazon Payments) both take a percentage. I think it adds up to about 8%. Also remember that some people will sign up to support you, then once you finish the campaign, the charge won't go through... they may have entered an old credit card number, or they can even cancel the charge. We lost about ten out of 350 contributions for <i>Facing East</i>, which equalled about $200.<br />
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<b>Conclusion: </b>I believe Kickstarter will continue to be a necessary tool for independent filmmakers for a long time to come. For one of my past films, <i><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2105375666/help-us-take-our-film-daylight-savings-on-tour?ref=live" target="_blank">Daylight Savings</a></i>, we used Kickstarter as the initial release of the film. We funded a national tour through the platform distributing the film exclusively to those who supported the campaign. This unique approach is an example of the creative approaches to Kickstarter that people can make that will allow projects to rise above the others. Director Dave Boyle and<i> Daylight Savings</i> was featured significantly in an article in the print version of <a href="http://filmmakermagazine.com/48376-alternate-routes/" target="_blank">Filmmaker Magazine</a> because of this original distribution model.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAhfpFV71ZYnOQ0-b4_mcXQ2Ez5ovvM23xO0DxuLKGWZK38LlY4_38eYfexPUMC0siynnNimVuBcvZiNSiQ1vqTpy8oT4owejA1o5lCpCBQa-H28wZhewRi9nfjGaU8I7Zi7eAy2pYgTO/s1600/SV2_MAIN+STILL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAhfpFV71ZYnOQ0-b4_mcXQ2Ez5ovvM23xO0DxuLKGWZK38LlY4_38eYfexPUMC0siynnNimVuBcvZiNSiQ1vqTpy8oT4owejA1o5lCpCBQa-H28wZhewRi9nfjGaU8I7Zi7eAy2pYgTO/s400/SV2_MAIN+STILL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goh Nakamura and Yea-Ming Chen in Dave Boyle's <i>Daylight Savings</i></td></tr>
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I encourage you to extend the creativity and need for expression that got you into film in the first place to your next Kickstarter campaign.Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-85621683619901174222013-01-27T15:00:00.000-08:002013-01-28T16:59:27.846-08:00Hank & Asha - a dynamite no-budget film It was my pleasure to catch the charming film <i>Hank & Asha</i> at this years Slamdance festival. I saw several films, all of which could be considered great examples of micro-budget filmmaking, but <i>Hank & Asha</i> was by far my favorite. And for once in my life, I am not alone, as I’m happy to announce that it went on to win the <a href="http://filmmakermagazine.com/63950-slamdance-winners-announced/" target="_blank">Audience Award</a> at the festival.<br />
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<i>Hank & Asha</i> is a simple story about two lonely people, one a student far from home in Prague, and one an aspiring filmmaker, far from home in New York. Through video chats the two meet and fall in love. It sort of has a similar plot to <i>Lost in Translation</i>, which I personally didn't enjoy much. I think <i>Lost in Translation</i> was less about lonely people, and more about bored people, and I don’t think bored people make good subjects for movies.<br />
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The entire story of <i>Hank and Asha</i> is told through their video messages. While this format could quickly become tedious, in the able hands of first time writer/director/producer James E. Duff it soars with personality, charm, and an innocence that I find lacking in most independent films.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZuYxCQFC46JMb58AxZCsOEyyGcs68wHVRZq-BwGM7OFCylJjJG5XwpsKv_VSdjqK11BD5t41MF2Dhu14rUX3OWmfS1K6m-QwrOn2k73SmFPt9x1YKrUb5qU6YTvlXRxvzZ61VqYjWfDt/s1600/HankandAsha_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZuYxCQFC46JMb58AxZCsOEyyGcs68wHVRZq-BwGM7OFCylJjJG5XwpsKv_VSdjqK11BD5t41MF2Dhu14rUX3OWmfS1K6m-QwrOn2k73SmFPt9x1YKrUb5qU6YTvlXRxvzZ61VqYjWfDt/s400/HankandAsha_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director James E. Duff directs Andrew Pastides (Hank)</td></tr>
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Reading the brief synopsis in the program, I went in wondering if it would be just shot by the two lead actors, with just source light, etc. Happily it was a well-shot, well directed movie. Because the two protagonists are a filmmaker and a film student it’s plausible that their video messages are more than just chats. In fact, the film is one of the better looking that I’ve seen shot on the 5D, so a big shout-out to DP Bianca Butti.<br />
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The biggest compliment I can ever give a film is that I’m jealous of it. I was definitely jealous of<i> Hank & Asha</i>. Jealous if the idea, of the skill displayed by its creators, and jealous of how much fun it seemed to make.<br />
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I was fortunate enough to sit down with James and his wife/co-writer/editor/producer, Julia Morrison, for a few seconds in Park City to get some of the details.
James and Julia said that they wanted to make a movie that was personal and true to who they were. That said, they don’t seem to be cynical folks, but seem to be a genuinely happy couple with a positive outlook on life. Though the film isn’t autobiographical, it has autobiographical elements (Asha is a student at the Prague school where James and Julia taught for two years). The film that people seem to be comparing it to is <i>Once</i>, which James admits he saw four times in the theater.<br />
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The film was shot over twenty-one days: ten in Prague, followed by eleven in New York. Their DP, Bianca, came with them to Prague, but other than that, they had a Prague crew and a New York crew.
That crew consisted of some co-producers, their DP, an assistant camera person/gaffer, a single person art crew and a mixer. Julia said her one regret was not having a location manager. This is a role that is so frequently overlooked. As a former location manager I am always cutting that line item thinking I’m going to save money if I do it myself. I vow to the world, right here and now, that I will never do it again. You want a location manager. You NEED a location manager. There’s so much you as a producer have to focus on, without worrying about the location, or staying behind to clean the toilet.<br />
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Their locations were mostly friends’ places, restaurants and bars where friends worked, etc. But both New York, and especially Prague, are shown off and exploited for all their gorgeous effect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0C6XjYouDwnaNqEKqcyVQA1IzKvrUCZBkiFkiOpVQKdDvJ7Qpn_cLy2CZzv8UUXM6bNQmM1hQb0rmpit5XxWb4hsxpy_QwALs0l4KqXf56HAbgUWWCF80PJ_IQ6_HZ8A8lhJyHevqqM5/s1600/HankandAsha_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0C6XjYouDwnaNqEKqcyVQA1IzKvrUCZBkiFkiOpVQKdDvJ7Qpn_cLy2CZzv8UUXM6bNQmM1hQb0rmpit5XxWb4hsxpy_QwALs0l4KqXf56HAbgUWWCF80PJ_IQ6_HZ8A8lhJyHevqqM5/s400/HankandAsha_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely and talented Mahira Kakkar (Asha)</td></tr>
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Holding the film together was the stellar cast of Andrew Pastides and Mahira Kakkar. This is a movie that is made of almost entirely of close ups on these two actors, so their performances are critical. James and Julia said that if they couldn’t cast it right, they wouldn’t do it. They were fortunate to know casting directors Elissa Myers and Paul Fouquet, who hit it out of the park. My hat is off to these two amazing actors who I’m sure will resurface in other things soon, and who I would cast at the drop of a hat (the hat I already have off, in fact).<br />
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So the takeaway: Make a movie that reflects your heart. Don’t worry about following the latest trend or worrying about what people want to see or what festivals want to program. Make it personal, and hopefully that personality and passion will reflect on the screen. James and Julia’s personality is one I’d be happy to return to again and again.<br />
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For more information go to <a href="http://hankandasha.com/">http://hankandasha.com</a>.
Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-67790348409603668392013-01-15T19:16:00.000-08:002013-01-15T19:16:25.393-08:00More from KickstarterI will be giving a full account of my experience raising over $70,000 via Kickstarter later. I promised a blow by blow, and I intend to keep the promise... but it's a longer post and requires the one thing I don't have much of: TIME.<br />
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In the meantime, another project of mine has launched its own Kickstarter. I know, crazy right? <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/220588101/an-honest-liar-the-amazing-randi-story" target="_blank">AN HONEST LIAR</a> is in post-production and we are hoping to raise $148,000 to get us through. We'll see what happens.<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/220588101/an-honest-liar-the-amazing-randi-story/widget/video.html" frameborder="0"> </iframe>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1483299884963679828.post-78908108210342180502012-12-21T11:59:00.000-08:002012-12-21T12:04:00.191-08:00GriefI very sadly pass my well wishes and sympathy to all the family and friends of the extremely talented David Fetzer who passed away at his parents home last night of unknown causes. David was the star of a great little film called <a href="http://mustcomedownmovie.com/" target="_blank">Must Come Down</a> that I had the priveledge to line produce. He was very talented, a genuinely good soul, and someone who left us far too early. My last little bit of conversation with him was when I was trying to find an actor to help out a student friend of mine for a project... even though it was a student film, and no pay, he was happy to do it, just to hang out and help out. Just a great guy who will be deeply missed.
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h6RZlProf8I" width="560"></iframe>Duane Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10392608025767904099noreply@blogger.com0