DO
VIDEO FLICKS!
(Condensation
of the article)
German documentary maker Ulrike Koch shot SALTMEN OF TIBET in 1996. It was filmed on a SONY DCR-VX 1000, the first digital video camcorder, edited on a desk top computer and transferred to 35mm for theatrical release. Director Koch was able to shoot with only three other people on the crew, check the sound and image by simply playing back tape. Cost was not a problem.
Small
size, weight was a help in TIBETAN locales. Philip Dolin has done music
videos, just did B MOVIE using VX 1000. A tale of two park rangers
who find a Hippie Community. 12 days, l7k cost. DV is fast, too. TO SEE
WHO MADE MILLIONS GO TO THE http://horscar.com/node/18
WEBSITE. VERY ENCOURAGING! 5k becomes millions!
Super Size Me (2004) is one of the highest grossing documentaries. It's based on experiment that independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock did using himself. He consumed food and drinks exclusively from McDonald's for 30 days. The documentary shows how it affected his health. Super Size Me provoked huge debate about fast food all over the world and grossed over $29 million.
Bennett
Miller used SONY VX 1000 for THE CRUISE, showed it LA INdie film
festival, and got distribution. Later, he did CAPOTE with Seymour Hoffman
and got an Oscar . Camcorder gives flick an intense, graphic quality, Director
said "I over-exposed back (fill?) adjusted aperture on camera, enhanced
contrast to emphasize effect.
START SMALL, TRUST IN TALENT; YOU
WILL
GROW INTO A V.I.P in FILM LIKE ME!
Danish director Thomas Vintererg did THE CELEBRATION with a SONY DCR PC7, pocket size predessor to today's PC1. Budget 1 million.
Star
Wars Episode 1
utilized some DV. Karen Weissman did 'LOVE IS DEAD, a low budget zombie
movie with VX 1000. Lance Weiler and Stefan Avalos did LAST BROADCAST,
with a VX 1000 and with a 50$ Tyco child's video camera. This can be viewed
at http://www.tebweb.com/lastbroadcast/
Weiler
was asked to re-do it on film and refused.
A basic set up for an hour of film is SONY DSR-PD100 DVCAM camcorder for 3k, an hour of profes. DV tape, 30$, desk top computer, editing software, 7k, then transferring the final edited video to 35mm is the studio's cost, maybe 40k. l0k is artist's cost to make the video film. Never worry about transferring it to 35mm film, it's the studio's cost. They buy your film, they do it.
COST
OF VIDEO SET UPS. Cameras. PD 1000 is 3k, VX 1000 is 4k.
NOW
about the FUNDING, a MEMO
from MAXIE COLLIER, HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA
I’m
not an attorney but I’ve done a couple of low budget features and I have
experience with Limited Partnerships (LPs) and Limited Liability Corporations
(LLCs). In both, the number of participants as well as the number of people
you can approach about investing varies by state.
Additionally,
there are sometimes conditions about selling shares (LPs) or inviting
adding members (LLCs) from other states.
There
are also stipulations about advertising for investors, disclosure laws
(Blue Sky Laws), and other State and Security Exchange Issues http://www.sec.gov.
The
best way to receive concrete advice for your situation is to:
1.Hire
an attorney experienced with these issues (while most can draw up the documents,
not every attorney is familiar with state and federal laws concerning investors),
failing that, no budget for it, get the BOOK "DEALMAKING by MARK
LITWAK online, used at abebooks.com Mine cost a buck. There are
still some left at that price at many different shops on ABEBOOKS.COM
. It had cases of stolen ideas, a kind of frequent plagiarism, and you
do have many rights if you construct your sales approach right. It has
cases of STUDIO fraud, writer vs. studio, many different kinds of crooked
deals but thankfully, it also has the contracts (forms) that you can write
at home to protect yourself. A superb resource!!!!
By
the way, for small investments, I have used a commonly found renewable
promissory note. With this document people can loan me small amounts with
me promising to return by a certain time (I my case 3 years) at a certain
interest rate (12%) with the option to extend the loan if I do not have
the funds by the due date. Pretty straight forward. The forms are available
at Staples or other office supply stores.
One
quick shameless plug, I *Maxie Collier, have a new monthly newsletter and
website that will be launched Oct. 18th. The DV Filmmaker’s
Report is for people interested in producing low budget films using digital
video (DV).
I’m
launching them following the DV Expo (http://www.dvexpo.com)
this week. Anyone interested please email me for details.
**********