Donations Button

The donations button is now at the bottom of this page, so if you're so inclined, please start donating! Tell your friends and hopefully we can start putting a little bit in the pot and building up interest in the project.

I'll be explaining a bit more about the donations and how everything will work shortly. I'll also be asking for your thoughts and advice on how to maximise the effectiveness of the donations button.

Donations

Sorry I haven't posted much in the last week. I've been busy with my 'day job', which is also producing, but feature films as opposed to shorts.

After getting some general feedback from a lot of good people, it seems that overall, Paypal will be the best way to receive donations. The key is its simplicity really - so many people use it, it's known, trusted and easy to set up. My fears were that a Paypal account wouldn't seem 'official' enough, and those fears are still there to some extent, but after weighing the options it seems like the best way to go.

At the moment I'm pretty poor. Being a producer sounds glamorous and financially rewarding, and at some stage it is, but right now I'm sacrificing a lot to get the slate of films I have off the ground. We're in that terrible period where there are ideas, plans, interest, hope - but no substance. It's weeks away, on the feature film front. We have meetings with investors and financiers and yadda yadda, but until then, I'm living off financial scraps!

Is this a sob story? Nope! I'm actually saying this for a practical reason. I was thinking about a website to advertise the film and its production, which I will definitely get aroung to at some point in the near future. At the moment, however, I simply can't afford one. Not even the cheapest most basic website hosting I can find is really within my price range, as my funds are, as mentioned, very tight.

The reason I'm mentioning all this is simple. I need somewhere to host my paypal donation button, and don't have anywhere. Do you think putting it on this blog would be alright? After all, all the information about the project and the film will be on here, at least in the short term, and then as soon as a bit of money is raised I can use that to get a website underway (incidentally, part of the film's budget contains the money to host a website - it's all been planned!).

That's basically my thoughts. I'm saying this because, if you guys feel it is worth getting the button on this page, and that in the short term that would work, then I'll do it, and we can start getting this project underway. I look forward to your thoughts on it.

PRODUCTION UPDATES

A new draft of the script has been written. We're literally nipping and tucking dialogue now, so the word 'draft' isn't really the correct term. The script has been finalised for a while structurally, but every now and then you get little ideas - from a line change to a slightly altered action. The script will be enhanced continually as production develops and the logistics of the shoot become clear. Scripts have a tendency to be 'living' documents - they're never finished and they're never closed. I've been changing scripts in the editing room, and once at a final mix! Scripts are really blueprints to prevent you losing your way. I won't be telling you everytime we change the script, otherwise there will be far too many bland and useless 'updates' - I just thought I'd tell you all this time!

The focus now is naturally getting this side of things underway. With a pretty much finished script, quite literally the next thing to do is start bringing the money in. Everybody costs, from the concept artist through to the production designer, so we're about at the end of what we can do as a partnership. Therefore, the raising of the finance becomes the drive of the project now, and that's really up to you guys as much as us.

Another question I've been asked recently is - "How much are you expecting me to donate?". That's quite an interesting one, as I'm a bit self conscious of asking people to donate a set amount. I have been thinking in terms of a dollar. $1. If we could get 300,000 to put one of them in, we're done. If some of you put $2 in, then we could potentially halve that number. That having been said, the truth is, whatever you have is all we could ask for. There isn't a minimum or maximum amount, as all of it is useful and helpful. A dollar seems like a nice, round figure to me though, and not too much.

So, let me know your thoughts, and we can start getting this project off the ground!

Rewards for involvement.

I've spent the last few days talking to people about the project, and drawing up some ideas on the sorts of rewards that could be offered to members of the public that donate to our film. Roughly speaking, we came up with the following ideas:

• Everybody who donates is credited as 'Executive Producer' on our website (when it's up).
• Everybody who donates over a set amount (say $25) gets a mention of the credits of the film.
• A link to IMDB (although I can't really confirm this, but hey, they let 'The 1 Second Movie' do it!).

In addition, once progress gets underway and we start receiving donations/income from the public and advertising, we plan to make the following available:

• A comprehensive blog that details production, from start to finish. This will be intended both as a (hopefully) interesting look at the making of a film, but also hopefully as a more resourceful guide to film production for those that may not know too much about it, but have an interest in learning more.
• Art and media from the film. Things such as concept art, pre-viz and other related media. Again, we're in something of a bind here, as we'd like to keep the film itself something of a surprise for when it's actually released. After all, there's no point seeing a film if you've read the script, scene the footage and heard the audio.
• We'd also be happy to answer questions on production, with a view to giving inexperienced filmmakers a first hand account of the logistics and complications of producing a film, be it a feature, short or otherwise.

To cut a long story short, we're keen to give something back. If this was to take off, and money was to start coming in, we'd be only too happy to try and repay the favour as much as possible, by imparting whatever knowledge, opinions or ideas we have to the people who are interested in knowing them.

I'll hopefully be sorting out a donation system soon, to get things moving. I'm still trying to attract as big an audience as possible to this blog, prior to starting the donation system, so spread the word, people!

The Film itself

After thinking on this whole project a little further, I decided I'd better get around to explaining a bit more about the film itself and the production aims.

Obviously, the one thing I wouldn't want to do is explain the whole film away. It's something of a Catch 22, since posting a script online would ruin a film, but then just saying "we have a really interesting film" doesn't inspire much faith.

As mentioned in a previous blog, the film is a psychological horror of sorts. It's also something of a character drama. It essentially revolves around two characters looking for a way out of a castle they have found themselves in., which is more of a labryinth than anything else. As these two men struggle forth, they reveal more about each other, and themselves, and the mystery of the castle begins to reveal itself.

That's more an incoherent ramble than a dramatic and structured synopsis, I know, but I'm not eager to give too much away until this whole thing gets underway a bit more.

THE PRODUCTION

So, where are we in terms of production? Well, to give some details on things so far, the idea was thought up in early 2006 whilst me and the Director, my friend Henry Brown, were visiting local castles. Naturally, the locations inspired us, and Wales in late Winter is pretty cold and desolate. We visited Caldicot Castle, which is local to where we live, and began talking through ideas about all sorts of things. The castle, although small, was foreboding up close. Crows flew from the derelict towers and the lack of visitors (being an unseasonal time of year) gave the whole area something of a solitary feel.

We started with a simple premise - imagine coming across an abandoned castle, and having a protagonist enter the grounds and begin searching around. Over the course of something like 9 months, this idea grew and festered and developed into the current incarnation which, as the cliche goes, bears virtually no comparison to the original seed from which it was born.

The new idea, however, is a more rounded and interesting look at the same things which first inspired us: isolation, alienation and the sickly feeling that something simple is not right. The location is still the same - namely a labryinthine castle. Characters, narrative and backstory have, naturally, changed a huge amount. What we now have, however, is something that we feel is engaging and entertaining whilst also being extremely unsettling.

BUDGET

I've been contemplating counter-arguments to the inevitable 'why should I donate/why do you need so much money?' questions that are coming. I can, of course, see the problem. It's not whether you can afford it, it's a question of why you should be giving away your hard earned cash.

The truth is, I don't really have an answer. I can be honest, and say that I want the money to make a really good film I'm positive you'll enjoy, but beyond that I can't argue a moral or ethical point about giving away your money. One thing is for certain though, and that this represents an interesting and potentially exciting way of filmmaking.

So, the budget we've set is circa. £150,000 (I'm using English Pound Sterling because I'm in the UK). That's roughly $300,000 for you guys (I think perhaps a little more). This probably seems steep, seeing as some kids are going out there and making films for hundreds. The truth is, budgets are fickle. You can make Jurassic Park for $50 if you want to, and you're inventive enough. It's just you'll end up shooting in your garage using plastic dinosaurs that are filmed really close up to the camera.

I'm being a bit melodramatic with this comparison, but the point remains. Budgets are interchangeable, but the trick is matching the right budget to the right project. The reason our budget is as it is, basically speaking, is due to the following:

• Cast and Crew payments. We plan on finding the right people, not just the cheapest people. We have several quite large ambitions for the cast, to bring the characters to life.
• Studio Hire. This needs to be filmed properly, in a real studio. Studios are quite expensive and as such some money does need to go here.
• Equipment/Resources Hire. Camera, Lighting, Sound, CG, Post-Production, Catering, Transport etc. It all needs to be paid for.
• Production Design. Sets need to be built and struck. They need to be designed.

I've highlighted only a few of the things needed but the point is, to make this film look professional and uncompromised, it needs to be filmed to all intents and purposes like a professional production. You need a competent crew, reliable equipment and the resources to bring it all together.

A question I have been asked, and it's only fair to answer now is: "Do you plan to profit from the film?".

The answer, fundamentally, is not really. We anticipate the film will take between 8-9 months to make, from pre-production through to final mix. We've allocated part of the budget to ourselves as our own salary for this period of time. We've basically had to do this. Making a film on this level would require full-time attention, and holding down jobs whilst working on it is not really an option. The money we have allocated ourselves is pretty reasonable, and it comes to an average of about £8-900 a month (roughly $1600, I think). For two men who operate largely independent lives, this is about the minimum we could safely afford to live on (bearing in mind accommodation is not covered on the budget).

Nevertheless, it's only right be upfront about that. I wouldn't want to deceive people that we were making nothing when we're on salary. That having been said, any ambitions to profit from the film in any other way are definitely out. Not only is there almost no chance a film like this could generate a profit, if it were to generate profit, that money would go back into something more useful (in other words, not our pockets).

PRODUCTION METHOD

The film is being shot against green screen, more accurately called 'chroma-keying'. There are no physical sets, or rather no decorated sets. We'd need to build platforms and other such items for reference and other reasons, but in terms of physical set design, there isn't much (maybe a few aspects of the film would be built).

CG is used to replace sets, a production technique witnessed in films like Sin City, Renaissance and Sky Captain ... Basically, actors are filmed live on the green screen, and then the backdrops are placed in afterwards. Because of the specific visual style of our film, 'photo-realism' with the CG is not the desired effect. Instead, the world will feel more unique, and utilise a more sparse and high contrast visual style.

The film itself is being shot on HD, and produced in what can only be called a 'traditional' fashion. We pre-produce the film, or in other words basically cast and crew it, finalise the script, rent the studio and prepare for physical production.

Then we shoot. The film is anticipated at about 15-20 minutes long, so our shooting schedule probably lasts about 7 working days, and certainly not over 2x5 day weeks. We're shooting on HD (the best medium for this type of production).

Afterwards is post-production, or post. Basically, the footage is edited and CG put in place. Sound Design and Music are made up for the film, and all the elements are brought together in a final mix, where the film is outputted as a finished product.

That basically sums up what I wanted to get across for now. Once I start getting a bit more of an angle of things, and establishing a bit of a rapport with you readers, I'll be adding more to this blog. I'll also be showing you how to donate soon, so we can very hopefully get this show on the road.

Film what we're making...

THE MISSION

I suppose I should start this 'blog' with something of a mission statement, if it can be phrased in such a way.

I'll start at the top, with the dull but necessary basics. I'm a filmmaker. I make and work on things in a variety of capacities, but I am producing my own work at the moment. This particular blog is focusing on one project inparticular that has both huge potential but equally huge production problems: a short film called 'The Tyrant'.

Now, the potential arises from the following facts:

* The story and script for the film is great. It's a psychological horror of sorts, set entirely within the confines of a castle. The characters are strong, narrative engaging and themes and ideas layered.

* The planned visual look of the film will be great. Filmed entirely on HD, with CG backgrounds, the film is black and white and uses visually interesting lighting and artistic style to create a location that can truly be regarded as unique.

* The production value of this film would be impressive. Professional Above the Line crew and a strong cast of potentially well known actors. It would be filmed with the latest HD camera technology, and further enhanced by a CG team capable of creating a dynamic and engaging world.

I'm not blowing my own trumpet here. This isn't just my idea, I of course collaborated with the writer/director on this project. But, what I am saying is that this film has the potential to be a great piece of work and an enjoyable movie.

So, I've highlighted the good parts. You're probably wondering: What's the problem?

THE PROBLEM

The problem is simple in one respect, but far more complex if looked at from different angles.

The problem is money.

All decently made films cost money. Whether it's feature film which special effects, casts of thousands and hundreds of locations, or a short film with a good crew and decent production design. Everything costs. Crew cost, Cast cost, Equipment costs, Resources costs. If you need to rent a portaloo for the location - that costs. Sometimes these costs are in the millions, or hundreds of millions. Sometimes they're in the thousands. They're rarely cheap, and if they are cheap, then usually it shows in some way or another.

Now, with Feature Films, there is money to be made. You can show a Feature in theatres, on airplanes, on a DVD or VHS. All these avenues are exploitable to bring money back in. A $30 million feature film may make $50 million at the Box Office, $45 million on DVD and another $70 million on ancillary rights (book adaptations, action figures, tie-ins, other media etc.). The point is, Feature Films have a multitude of options for making money back. Sometimes they don't always succeed in making that money back, but they very often do. And some do spectacularly.

Short Films, however, are a dying breed. Back in the good ol' days of Cinema, you might have had a few shorts on before a feature. These days? Well, these days shorts have been relegated to the playground of amateurs and novices looking to make their way into the industry. They're good for film festivals or private screenings, but as films in themselves, they're usually only seen as extended showreels.

The problem is there isn't an economy for them. Audiences don't want to travel all the way to the cinema to watch a 20 minute long film. On TV, you might as well have returning TV series instead of one-off short movies. They don't get DVD releases (or certainly not widescale releases) and tie-ins and ancillary rights associated with short films are virtually nil.

Therefore, short films are these days seen as, quite literally, a means to an end. Audiences don't really want to watch them because of the hassle associated with getting them, and the limited advertising to know about them (how many short films have you seen advertised?). If I want to buy a DVD, it might as well be an hour and a half feature than a 20 minute short. If I want to go to the cinema, I want my money and time to be well spent on having an evening's worth of entertainment. I don't want to go to the cinema at 6pm and be out by 7:40pm.

So, the problem in a nutshell is that, these days, short films just don't get made. If they do get made, they're usually made for peanuts. The concept of getting a good cast and high production value for a short is, these days, pretty damn rare. Why bother? Which is frustrating, because short films are a damn good idea. They're not just failed features. Sometimes you don't want to sit down for 2 hours. Sometimes you want to sit back, just before bed or work, and catch a quick 10 or 20 minute short that entertains and engages.

THE POTENTIAL SOLUTION?

The solution, I feel, is here. It's the internet. With broadband and technology as it is, watching films on the net is now easy and commonplace. So, doesn't the internet offer the perfect venue to catch a couple of shorts? In my opinion it's the perfect place.

WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THIS ABOUT?

I might as well get to the bottom of this and explain why I'm saying what I'm saying. I'm trying to produce a short film. Not just a short film shot with a video camera on a quiet day outside. Not a short film starring my best mate and his mother's auntie's son's wife's sister. A short film with real crew, real cast and professional equipment. That takes money and, frankly, it's money I don't have. And, the chances of me securing that money from a studio is slim. It's not the idea or the crew that's making it hard - it's the format. A studio doesn't want to know because the return on investment is near impossible to get.

But, I've had an interesting if massively optimistic brainwave. There's god knows how many millions of people on this net and if I could get a fraction of them to donate $1 to this film - it could get made. We're looking at a budget of about $310,000. It's a lot of money, of course it is, but spread across millions of people it's nothing. It's short change.

Frankly, I'm making an appeal. You guys donate, and we give you back an interesting, well produced 20 minute film for free (or rather, the cost of the donation, I guess). In addition to the film, you also get a credit (although the precise system would have to be worked out, I guess), probably your name on IMDB (this is something of a bribe, but hey, it's still cool, right?) and perhaps a warm fuzzy feeling inside when you realise you Exec. Produced a good film?

Of course, you also get updates on the production of the film. You get to know how and why your money is spent on the production. You get to see behind the scenes. You get to see the cast and crew in action, and learn more about the project. You get to ask questions and get answers and generally be kept up to date with how things are going.

I understand that this is probably a crazy and ambitious idea, but it could work, so it's worth trying. It doesn't require much on your part, overall. A couple of minutes donating and a little bit of time to spread the word would be all we ask.

In the next few hours and days I'll be posting more of my thoughts as I gather them, as well as more information about the project. I just wanted to put all these ideas down and get some initial feedback on how people felt about this idea.