Article #1. MAKING IT in Film Production! ©2005 John Gaskin Do
you, or do you want to, work on film productions? If you want to
expand in your career in film, this article will help you make
it!
Why aren’t there more Film Directors making films. Props
Masters, Sound Mixers, Costume Supervisors, Key Grips, etc.
becoming Line Producers, Producers-For-Hire or UPM’s? Why aren’t
more crew reaching the level of Department Head? Why aren’t more
film school students finding work? I’m sure there are lots of
reasons, but take a quiet moment to really look. Let’s see….
It’s not competence – most crew disappear pretty quickly if
they’re slow witted and incompetent. Film students who graduate
have shown they’re pretty smart. It’s not a lack of drive -
again, for the same reasons. Wouldn’t you agree that the biggest
hurdle is getting the opportunity? Well, that’s true and not
true.
The biggest hurdle is MAKING the opportunity.
How do you increase the odds of landing a contract as a Film
Director, Line Producer, a Department Head (if you’re not one
already), or even a UPM on a small independent production? Lots
of film school graduates are ready to burst with ideas to get
their scripts into production; how do they get to produce their
scripts? First you need to get the confidence of the person in
front of you. That single person in front of you needs to
believe that you can control your sphere of work so effectively
that he/she can get on with creating their vision.
If you’re already a working professional in film, you can easily
convince someone that you can control the heck out of your area
of expertise. But, if you want to upgrade, what do you know
about the relationship of your department to all other facets of
film production? You need to be able to convince others that you
understand the common denominator of all filmmaking. Nobody
denies that you need to have a creative bent in film
productions. But let’s lay it on the table – THE DRIVING FORCE
BEHIND FILM PROUCTION IS MONEY!
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By the time we, as working crew, start working on a film
production, our creative bent is totally bent by the amount of
MONEY available to us. We want to get the best product we can
out of every buck. Like it or not, your performance in film
production is measured, to some degree, by how well you control
the money. It’s like ‘Directing’, only you’re ‘Directing the
Money’.
Do you want to get that upgrade? Then, learn the language of
those who ‘Direct the Money’. To my way of thinking, that’s the
only way to be taken seriously.
Here’s the deal – you need to show them, with attitude, that you
will provide them with a controlled environment from which they
can create their vision. The only way I know of to do that is to
graduate to a ‘Director of Money’. From that position you can be
the go-to Line Producer, Producer-For-Hire, Department Head,
UPM, etc.
Let’s pretend for a moment that you’ve met a hot new Producer,
Director, Actor or Executive Producer, etc. with a script.
Whoever you meet, they’ll be very excited to talk with you about
it. After the first ½ hour or less, how do you segue into being
their Line Producer, Producer or UPM?
Well you ask them some real questions that would knock their
socks off and show that you’re the one to ‘Direct the Money’ for
them – but those questions are beyond the scope of this article.
You get the idea. You need to know the ‘lingo’ of budgets and
you need to understand that those budgeted numbers need to be
directed. You’ll also need to inspire confidence in the
Financiers, or the Bonding Company, that you know what the
weekly financial report card is all about (that is, the
universally standard Weekly Cost Report).
Most of those questions, with a little imagination, can also
apply to anyone who wants to upgrade to a Department Head. A
Production Manager would be completely blown away!
So how does a director or crew member get familiar with Budgets
and Cost Reports? I’ve been a Production Auditor for 20 years
and I’ve NEVER shown a crewmember a Final Budget or a Weekly
Cost Report (the universally standard financial report card
issued to the Financiers and Producers every week) in that
entire time. They are considered sacrosanct by Studio
Executives, Financiers and Bonding Companies everywhere.
Well, I’m about to tease you with some relevant articles that
will open the door enough to let you walk through. They’re
written for the complete novice, so be patient if you’ve already
been exposed to budgets and cost reports. Remember, the articles
are techniques on being FAMILIAR enough with budgets and cost
reports to be able to ‘Direct the Money’.
John Gaskin opens the door to a closed topic in the film
industry -MONEY! Learn the inside tips from a 20 year pro of
over 40 film projects all over the world. To receive a series of
7 free artilces visit: http://www.talkfilm.bi
John Gaskin is a 20 year veteran of the film industry. As one of
the most sought after Film Production Auditors he’s learned a
thing or two about managing films and assisting creative people
achieve their visions in film. Learn more about the driving
force behind all film production. Sign up for 7 free articles
at: http://www.talkfilm.biz
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