Making Indie Films

Sometimes we are told that our movie would’ve been better if we had newer or better technology. We could’ve used HDV instead of MiniDV. We could’ve used the newest version of FCP rather than the one that we have. The latest Magic Bullet filters would’ve given the thing more of a filmic look, perhaps even more atmosphere. All of the above is perhaps true, but just as equally untrue. Your movie is a complex series of choices. Still at its’ core all that matters is the script, the actors and the way you move the camera. Beyond that, technology is just a necessary evil. Keep that in mind when people make technological criticisms of you or your work.

Above is Michelle Ryan - the latest BIONIC WOMAN - proving that technology might not always be unfriendly. Below is a much more interesting vision of the future, though…

While the tabloids are buzzing about Pam Anderson and Denise Richards posing nude together for Playboy, I am nearing the end of my latest rewrite and it is becoming a hard slog. Not least because I have re-written dialogue where perhaps shifting around beats was more important. But that is sometimes just the nature of doing rewrites. You work and you work just to reach that final moment of clarity. The clarity was there all along, though. All you had to do to find it was to remove extraneous dialogue. That is what I am doing, right now, and I’ve probably got 48 hours of it ahead of me. Still, I realize that momentum is the key - almost like running a marathon. If you can keep the energy up in those last few miles, all the other twenty-something will have been worth it. So that’s what i’m telling you today - in this paragraph-less stream of conscious post. I’m just trying to keep that energy in top gear, because I know it will take me over the edge into a place where I need it to be. In the end, when good sense and logic have failed - momentum is all that you will have. Remember that. When you are in the home straight - keep the momentum up. For that exact purpose I keep listening to JOY DIVISION performing SHE’S LOST CONTROL.

Here is Anton Corbijn discussing the movie of the same name…

Even though everybody keeps on saying that the current popularity of horror movies is on the wane - it might still be a genre to consider for your next indie project, as either writer or director. Last week, while engaging with several industry folks, they all seemed to be asking me “did I have a low-budget horror script for them?” On reflection, lots of people I know remain heavily involved in the genre and are making new monster or slasher pics.

John Gulager of Project Greenlight fame has just started prep on FEAST TWO and THREE in Shreveport, Louisiana. A friend who formerly worked at Franchise is rumored to be putting together a series of horror flicks under the banner Marylin Manson Presents and let’s not forget Rob Zombie’s rather successful remake of Halloween which made bank at the box office, earlier this month. Even in IFC’s rather tawdry THE BUSINESS - the gang win an Independent Spirit Award for their picture called HOUSE OF FEAR.

Remember, like comedy, as long as your horror project creates a visceral response - there are no real rules to it. You don’t actually need much cash or even production value, just something off-beat that is loaded with chills and thrills. I am waiting for somebody to create a Mumblecore horror movie. Yes - a very ‘New Yorky’ and naturalistic look at either murder, madness or mayhem. The new HDV cameras like the Canon XH-A1 or the Sony HVR-V1U are also perfect for low light and close quarter shooting - not a bad option for the fledgeling thrill-meister.

Meanwhile - while you chew on what horror indie to write or direct, you might check out San Francisco’s SHOCK IT TO ME CLASSIC HORROR FESTIVAL which runs at the Castro Theater October 5th thru 7th. Live guests include the legendary JOE DANTE.

Even though it’s off topic, I wanted to treat you to a clip from Matt Mahurin’s terrific New York documentary about a diner/restaurant called I LIKE KILLING FLIES… I managed to catch this doc on The Sundance Channel last night. It’s a must see…

Writing a script or casting or getting your picture off the ground is hard. It will take time and dedication. It is a process. For every overnight success story you might read about people writing a movie in a weekend, or shooting it in twelve days, or getting finance in an afternoon - there are thousands of others who spend months and years and decades doing THIS to finally get that break or their moment in the spotlight. The latter are the unsung ranks of filmmakers, writers and actors who toil in anonymity - dotting the ‘i’s’ and crossing the ‘t’s’ and hoping that this will ALL work out for them in the end.

You and I are those people - the unsung ranks. And on some days, like today, you will wonder what the point is… Well, never fear, because hope is at hand. Much the same as any relationship, the relationship that you have with your work needs to be cultivated. It is part of your life. A BIG part, YES. But nevertheless it is only part. So for your relationship with your work to make sense, you need to balance it out with other activities. Commitment to THE BIG PICTURE called life is key…

Imagine the dating metaphor for a minute… Remember that girl (or boy) that you really liked and you started dating? It was great, first off, wasn’t it? You were excited by those dinners and going to a movie on friday night. But imagine if you did that date every night and it was the same date. After a while you might even find yourself ignoring family and friends and sunshine and rain just to do that friday-night-date 24-7. Yes - I know it’s addictive. Still, the outcome would be obvious - wouldn’t it? Family and friends would stop talking to you and get angry. You’d lose any connection you had with the real world. And as for the date… it would be boring and awful and meaningless - then only a matter of time before you and your dating partner were through… Well - the date is your work and career - and this is what happens to people when they focus too much on their work or putting their movie together. It has happened to me and it can happen to you. Still, as long as you recognize it, YOU CAN and YOU WILL fix it. Remember - you are a human being first and a director or writer or actor - second. To be successful creatively you must be a successful human being first…

I’m not a huge fan of self-help theories - but I think it is sometimes important to listen to advice, especially when it’s good advice. Indirectly, Margie gave me this advice and I’m passing it on to you, in the form of an easy to understand self-help exercise…

Yes - it’s an exercise - but actually quite simple. Focus on your life today - not your work. Take an hour or two off and spend it with somebody important to you. Discuss other things apart from your script or your movie. Take a walk. Go to a museum or park or skating rink. Reconnect with yourself and the world. Do it now - today - before it’s too late. I promise it will improve your quality of life and in turn improve whatever you are working on. You need to regain your energy and enthusiasm. You need to de-focus on what your working towards in order for it to become clear again…

Now go out and do it. Yes - right now - this minute, or you might end up like Jeff Garlin in I WANT SOMEONE TO EAT CHEESE WITH… I like Sarah Silverman - but I’m not even sure if this is funny… As for the pic of Milla Jovovitch up top - well she is number ONE at the box office…

Early on, when you are developing a project, issues of CONTROL will arise. This usually happens when you start to involve other people. It’s actually unavoidable and the nature of this kind of work. Maybe you wrote the script and are trying to attach money and talent. Maybe you’re a director who is trying to package a script that you like. If you are a multi-hyphenate writer-director-producer, read no further. However, if like me, you’re a writer/producer, then you might reach a point when you are asked the following question …

Is this a producer’s project or a director’s project?

What the question basically breaks down to is an issue of control; not necessarily who signs the checks. That part will be obvious. What we are talking about is creative control and who is the leader or the spokesperson or figurehead.

In ideal situations you will be able to attach a director who not only has creative vision, but can talk to actors and money people and generally “sell” your project to whoever comes along. In that happy scenario, your movie becomes a director’s project. Maybe you’re the director anyway, so attaching elements and talking-it-up is no problem.

The flip-side of that is also pretty simple. You are the producer and it is your smart mouth that has managed to attract and sign up a director. You are doing the same with money folks and actors, simply bringing the director out when necessary so that all concerned will be happy to work with him or her. If that is the case, then your movie is a producer’s project.

Sometimes you will have no choice in the matter. Maybe a more powerful producer hires you as director, but you know it’s his (or her) show. Maybe, as often happens, you as producer hire a first-time director. You know he’ll be great when it comes to shooting and working with the actors on set -– but as far as “closing” anybody and getting their letter of intent -– he’s just can’t talk good enough of a game. And yes, it is a game. As much as talent and money may be wooed by a great script or a great director -– somebody has to actually sit there and do the wooing.

Back to the question at hand: Is this a producer’s project or a director’s project? Why is that important?

Well, to make your movie, you will have to spend some money. Usually that means raising money. OK, that might only be $500. Still, somebody has to put up the $500 and somebody has to talk the actors (or should I say your buddies) into showing up.

You see where I’m going with this? Yes? Regardless of whether you’re heading for Sundance or Slamdance or NODANCE — somebody has to take the reigns. Somebody has to take charge, make decisions and talk people into doing what needs to be done. If that’s the director -– great. It’s the director’s project and he or she will not just set the tone of the movie but the tone of pre-production and post-production. If the director, for whatever reason, is ill-equipped or unwilling to set that tone, totally, then the producer must do so and it becomes a producer’s project.

I know many of you might be annoyed with where I’ve gone with this. But if you’re honest, you will know or have experienced the reality of it. Yes. Filmmaking is a collaborative art, but there has to be checks and balances for that someone has to take responsibility. So ask yourself now –- is yours a producer’s or director’s project? Answer truthfully and stick to that answer. Remember — you need to get your project done. It can’t be done in half measure or with unrealistic compromises. Forget the auteur theory or the tyrannical mogul. Be like the Dalai Lama — formless, yet single-minded. Now answer honestly –- who’s in charge of your project, the director or producer?

Talking of CONTROL - here is a clip from Anton Corbijn’s Ian Curtis movie…

There will be days, like today, when things just don’t seem to be working. Nobody has responded to the rewrite that you turned in. The other productions you were working on have slowed to a standstill. The one paying job you had imploded. What to do now? What to do next? There’s nobody to call - not even Ghostbusters.

Regardless of what you may think, there is an answer. It’s not easy, but it’s staring you right in the face. You just have to Cowboy Up… It means when things are getting tough you have to get back up, dust yourself off and keep trying. That’s all you can do. It’s all anybody can do. And it’s not just a filmmaker’s lesson, it’s a life lesson.

For inspiration today, I’m watching my old friend Sean McLusky’s pop band, the Joboxers in their debut hit…

Towards the beginning of the movie MISERY with James Caan and Kathy Bates, the writer character outlines how he celebrates after finishing work on his new novel. In his case, when the manuscript is done, he lights and smokes a single cigar while drinking a glass of champagne. Clearly celebration is part of his process. It’s a piece of punctuation, if you like. It indicates that we are done, it’s time to re-asses, time to move-on, time for the next stage. For some of you that might even mean flaunting it, like Bettie Page - pictured above.

In several screenwriting how-to books, the authors also suggest that celebration should be a key part of your process too. It’s perhaps a chance to let off steam, or pat yourself on the back, or a way to re-charge your creative batteries. I was never a big advocate of this until relatively recently. But yesterday, that’s exactly what I did. I finished the new draft of a screenplay and went to the movies. It felt great. It felt like a vacation. I can’t recommend it enough.

At some point this week, think about how to make celebrating part of your creative process. In the meantime, here is the trailer of the movie I went to see, yesterday. Funny stuff, indeed.

Above is Bill Murray and Sharon Stone from BROKEN FLOWERS - some excellent sparse writing…

Writers that I like, whether they be Indie writers or Studio level writers all have one thing in common. They write clean and crisp. What do I mean by this? Simple really.

The prose is easy to understand; without too many run-on sentences and too much punctuation, that actually makes it much harder to understand or follow exactly what’s going on.

That previous sentence is a case in point. I could have written…

Easy to understand prose. No run-on sentences. Not too much punctuation that’s hard to follow.

You see where I’m going with this? You can actually develop and deploy a writing style that is short and succint, in some cases even incomplete sentences or sentence fragments. Imagine your screenplay as an instruction manual for a very complex machine. For it to work it has to communicate on a very basic level.

Some writers will disagree with the sentence fragment approach. They will tell you that for stylistic and grammatical reason only complete sentences and ‘good’ English should be used. Whether I agree with that or not, grammatically correct sentences can also be clean and crisp. Using my sentence example above, you might have written…

Write prose that is easy to understand. You should avoid writing run-on sentences and the overt of confusing punctuation.

Same sentences. Different approach. Same result.

Here is your clean and crisp checklist to make sure that your pages are shaping up.

1) Make sure that there is plenty of air (white space) on the page. Don’t deliver cluttered pages.
2) Can I trim down my descriptions and use one word instead of three?
3) Use active, descriptive verbs. But make them simple.
4) Avoid too many dashes and elipses in dialogue.
5) Set a tone and stick to it.
6) Write either proper English or sentence fragments. If you mix the two, be wary of the effect.
7) Read. Edit. Re-read. Re-edit and proof. Polish your prose like a diamond. Make it gleam.

For my current favorite script in terms of style and proper English, you might want to read Charlie Kaufman’s Being John Malkovitch.

These days making a successful documentary can be a good entree into the world of indy film. Aside from being highly respected, documentary filmmaking is a good place for you to hone your skills without the same obvious expense as making a dramatic feature. Documentaries can be about anything. You don’t actually need much of a crew to shoot one either.

After you’ve selected your subject - which can be anything from “a history of your uncle’s bakery in Vermont” to “your local Bishop, like Don ‘Magic’ Juan” (as pictured above) - here are ten tips that might prove helpful.

1) PLANNING IS KEY IN A GOOD DOCUMENTARY
Know who you want to interview or talk to. Know where you’re going to shoot and what you want to get. Rough-out the storyline as you would with a narrative feature.

2) BE FLEXIBLE
Things will change. A better story might reveal itself as you are shooting. Follow your nose. Go with the flow. If the documentary turns out differently than you planned (and it will) - be flexible - roll with it.

3) PROSUMER GEAR IS FINE - EXCEPT FOR SOUND
You can shoot your doc on any kind of prosumer camera, as long as it’s a step-up from a $200 palmcorder. But don’t skimp on audio. Rent, buy or borrow a professional shotgun mic. Sound is 80% of your doc.

4) ALWAYS BRING A TRIPOD & A FEW LIGHTS
Sounds silly, I know. But a great deal of what you’re doing will be long, static shots. So always bring a tripod and if you can, bring one with a nice fluid head that can pan smoothly. Same goes for lights. Have enough to shoot an interview. But not a truck full. You’re not trying to light Vegas.

5) SHOOT DOCUMENTARY STYLE
A documentary is about documenting people and things. That should be your focus. Don’t try to be Errol Morris. Your stuff will never look as pretty as his - so don’t try to match it. You will fail. Choose reachable goals.

6) YOUR JOB IS EDITORIAL
You will be judged on your documenting and storytelling ability. Not on how slick you can shoot and light. Don’t try to be flashy. Be simple and honest in your approach. It will be evident in the finished product.

7) FINAL CUT OR I-MOVIE DOESN’T MATTER
Jonathan Caouette who made the award winning Tarnation alledgedly edited the whole thing on I-Movie. Do I buy that? Not sure. Still, it doesn’t matter what you edit on. Again, you will be judged on editorial skill rather than crossfades, overlays and video compositing. If you can do that. Great! But you don’t need it. Just solid, reasoned editing.

ADD A FEELING OR SENSE OF PLACE
Yes. I know I said don’t be Errol Morris. But whatever you’re shooting - there will be extraneous things that add to the sense of place or mood or time. If you can. Shoot these things - even if you don’t use them later. At some point, you might need cutaways, or to make a montage with a voice-over. At that point you’ll want mood shots, maybe. So get them while you’re there in the first place.

9) PREVIEW YOUR MATERIAL AS YOU GO
The problem with shooting this kind of thing is not knowing what you have. It will be impossible to keep track. And the danger is you will keep amassing tapes - but not really know what’s on them. You may have missed things. You may have audio or picture problems. Where possible, review your material in an ongoing manner so you can fill the gaps or fix the problems. Know what you have before you finish shooting, or it might be a huge pain to fill the gaps after that.

10) LOG YOUR MATERIAL (OR FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL)
Editing is tough and time consuming, but editing on paper is cheaper and easier. I didn’t say easy. If you got this far, you’ll know that nothing is easy. Anyway, if you can - log all your material and transcribe it. Get it down on paper or as a text document of some kind. Only start editing when you’ve done that. Better yet - edit on paper or edit as text and get a sense of the documentary before you start actually editing.

Well, there you have it. My top ten. It won’t be everybody’s top ten, but it’s mine and it works for me.

For some more insight READ an interesting interview with Ken Burns

I was having a discussion yesterday with my British producer friend, Karl Hunter, and it was mainly about the topic of backstory. Karl had just seen a new indie movie from the UK called SUGARHOUSE. It’s basically a low budget three-hander set on a London housing estate. Anyway, back to backstory… Karl liked Sugarhouse, but in some ways the reason that he liked it was because it vindicated the “low budget backstory theory” that we had been kicking around earlier, last month.

Our LOW BUDGET BACKSTORY THEORY is actually quite simple and although I was aware of it already - it really took on concrete form during the development phase of a thriller screenplay, entitled 8-Rivers. The L-B-B Theory is a three point system and it can actually be applied to any screenplay. It works best if you use it quite strictly and might actually improve your writing process.

L-B-B Theory POINT ONE:
No backstory can exist for your characters apart from what you can actually show in the present, directly related to the beats of your story. (Meaning: If a character was crippled in childhood - show how that complicates his/her life NOW - not him/her being hit by a car in 1975.)

L-B-B Theory POINT TWO:
No flashbacks can ever be added to your story if they create needless bulk, confusion, or extraneous locations. (Meaning: If you want to show the sadness of bereavement - integrate it into your story - don’t have flashbacks of funerals or men crying over tombstones).

L-B-B Theory POINT THREE:
Your story CAN ONLY EXIST for the 90 minutes of screentime that you can write as a screenplay - not what proceeds the story or what comes after it. (Meaning: Characters and story are only defined as a complex set of actions and reactions. Whatever motivates and informs the action is ALWAYS secondary to the action itself… So if a character robs a bank, or kidnaps a child, or quits his job - focus on that action and that action alone - NOT THE BACKSTORY that made him/her do it).

So there you have it. The theory, courtesy of myself and Mr. Hunter. It might seem very basic, even a tad Joseph Campbell-esque - however, structurally many indie films are actually closer to Spaghetti Westerns than anything else. Yes! Spaghetti Westerns - sparse, short on dialogue, mythic in nature. Think about it - your story that details a man’s return to a problematic small town is actually Yojimbo which became A FIST FULL OF DOLLARS.

Some works worth studying…
CHECK OUT the man and the myth that was Akira Kurosawa
For some SERGIO LEONE is the grandfather of the low budget indie

Some people would argue that casting is 80% of your film - meaning to say that the right cast can not only get you financed, but land you both distribution and festival awards. Some directors and producers have a natural eye for casting. They may even have relationships with the hottest new ingenue in town or some great, grizzled old-timer who is looking to make a comeback. That is an ideal situation - but not necessarily the case for most of us. For most us we need help and expert help at that. That’s where a Casting Director comes in. This individual knows who’s hot and who’s not. They know who’s expensive, who’s available and who might read your script without a cash offer on the table. A good C-D (short for Casting Director) will put a new ’spin’ on your project that you hadn’t thought of. They will suggest left-of-field casting ideas that may well take your project to a higher level. Ignore them at your peril!

So where do we start and where do we find a C-D?
Personal referral is always a good place to find your C-D. Talk to other filmmakers. Go to festivals and see what C-D’s are in attendance or involved with panels. If you can’t find somebody through that route - go to imdb a look-up who cast movies that you liked - movies in a similar ballpark to your own. When you have decided who might be appropriate, you can usually either source their contact details via The LA-411 Directory or alternatively The Casting Society Of America.

When approaching a Casting Director - be smart. Unless you have a personal connection, don’t imagine that the people who cast the last JESSICA SIMPSON movie for Warner Brothers will cast your micro-budget indie. (BTW - that’s Jessica pictured above.)

Then again, if you have a unique project and a little cash - some C-D’s may well be available for the right consideration. If necessary, offer them a co-producer credit, and if they can indeed deliver the cast that you need - push the boat out - offer the a capital ‘P’ producer credit.

At the early stages of getting a production off the ground - cast is king. Remember that when you try to land a Casting Director.

Some interesting insight into Casting Directors…

An Q&A from IFP with Casting Director PATRICK BACA
An Interview with Casting Director CAROLYN PICKMAN
Who is CASTING what - right now…

Filmmaking is hard and independent filmmaking is even harder. There will be days when nothing goes right. You just can’t seem to start that new draft… The actors you have been dealing with suddenly seem impossible… Your finance has fallen through… These things happen. And they may even happen often. But for me, the key is to remember where you started and why you do this. It’s not for the money or the fame - is it? No. It’s not about being behind that camera, so you can act like a big shot. No - of course it isn’t. You LOVE to do this - remember? You LOVE telling stories and writing and casting and shooting. You LOVE all of it - even the rough parts - because you know you’re going to come out the other side with a finished piece of work, or at least a learning experience. And even just learning to be a better filmmaker is something to be proud of.

At times like this, I think back to the beginning. I think back to how it started for me and where my interest in all of this comes from. When I was a small boy, my older brother, Bernard, was involved with Altrincham Cine Club - a group for amateur filmmakers, in Manchester (England). The group would meet regularly and put together various film productions. Some of their Super-8 films were quite simple, others very ambitious - but many times, these would be award winning films, regularly reaching the ‘Ten Best’ Amateur Film Awards in the UK.

Back then my brother was a keen Super-8 filmmaker. He made numerous short films - involving both animation and his own homespun visual effects. I remember vividly when he took me to a very long screening of the ‘Ten Best’ amateur films. It was in a rather musty theater with uncomfortable seats. Many of these ‘award winning’ films seemed quite boring at the time - I’m guessing because in some respects they were quite experimental. The pair of us were sitting in that theater for hours. Still, that’s how it all started for me. Almost at that moment, or at least around then, because decades later I would find myself going to festival screenings and thinking exactly the same thing. Boring. Too long. Uncomfortable seats. It’s amazing really - the more things change, the more they stay the same.

If I am honest, my brother was always (and continues to be) a great inspiration to me. No matter what, his interest in movies has always been a constant in my life. It was his interest, in some respects, that sparked my own - and we can still talk for hours, arguing about what movies we saw and which were good or bad.

When your production slows, or shooting isn’t going right - I suggest that you stop for a minute and remember the person or the event that inspired you to be a filmmaker. If you can focus on that, you will realize that all filmmaking problems (like any life problems) are merely transient and can probably be solved. You will come out the other side. You WILL succeed. Just remember why you do this.

Here are some interesting filmmaking links from the UK that characterize my early experiences…
Institute Of Amateur Cinematographers
One of the World’s Largest film libraries

If you’re on the west coast and are into Super-8 you should also check out FLICKER LA

I’m not sure how Lacey Chabert (pictured above) went from being the whiney-girl on PARTY OF FIVE to gracing the cover of Maxim - but this proves that anything is possible. And with that in mind, here are my six simplest and favorite tips for the Indie Screenwriter. These ‘pointers’ might seem obvious - then again, they have served me well in the decade that I have been writing screenplays. You might be familiar with these ideas, already. If so - remember them well. And if you are not familiar with them - read on…

i) BE BRIEF - keep it around 90 pages
If you are writing a script to make rather than to sell, keep it short. 90 pages is enough. Each page after 90 costs more time and money to make - pushing it further from being done. So tell your story in or around 90.

ii) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION - NOT
Minimize the amount of locations used in your story. Again it’s a money and feasibility thing. The less locations the cheaper shooting is. But don’t get tricky either. If you live in Michigan - try not to set your movie in Moscow. Be smart. If your Dad owns the local Gas Station - set your movie there.

iii) CHARACTERS NOT JAMES BOND
Make your script about the characters - not the action. It should be all about the characters - not like James Bond where there’s a huge plot centered around world domination. Indie films that succeed are all about characters and minimal plots. Think SLINGBLADE or CLERKS.

iv) NO VISUAL EFFECTS
It is your job to tell your story without the use of explosions, elaborate make-up, costumes or expensive external elements. Don’t write gunfights - they will be expensive and look implausible. Don’t have monsters - unless we never see them. Think of it more like a stage production. If there’s a rainstorm - we only ever hear it, off-screen.

v) MORE INSIDE THAN OUT
Interiors can be lit and rented cheaper and easier than exteriors. You can control the sound and the conditions. That being the case - it will always make sense to write the majority of your movie as an interior.

vi) IT CAN BE MORE TALKIE
Studio pictures minimize dialogue in their screenplays because they want to sell there movie to every non-english speaking country that they can. The more visual their movies, the more easily they translate to foreign countries and foreign markets. The reverse is true for you on one level. You can write more dialogue because the independent market has a more forgiving and more esoteric audience. And let’s face it - in some cases - witty, involved dialogue is the hallmark of indie film.

You might find these writing seminars helpful…
Write a screenplay for an independent movie in 3 months.
Start (and finish!) your screenplay in three months.

One way or other, in your search for money to make your film or somebody to help you sell it - there will be talk of your ‘package.’ This is basically your movie in (for want of a better word) proposal form for display and sales purposes. There are certain ingredients that you will need in your package, regardless of what your movie is about or its genre. I have broken down the elements for puposes of exposition…

Items that are crucial to your package:

i)The Script
When including the script in your package - no fancy covers or illustrative art - unless you have had a professional design a poster. And even then, use mock-up posters at your peril. Included with the script should be a punchy one page synopsis - written in the style of sales copy (like you might find on the back of a DVD). If you don’t have a character breakdown - write one. Beside the description of each character you should include the names of the actors you are considering.

ii) Finance Plan (if you have one)
This can be as simple as the ‘top-sheet’ of a budget, or a more detailed breakdown of how you intend to raise finance. By including something of this kind you will show finance/sales people that you are serious and have considered the financial aspect of your project. Obviously there is a huge difference between trying to raise $10k and $1M. But going in, the individuals that you are trying to ’sell’ will need to know what sort of money you are talking about. So be bold, but realistic.

iii) The Director
Include a bio/credentials pitch on the Director. If he has credits - great. List them and write up a short description of each - highlighting his (or hers) value and creativity. If he (or she) has no credits - write-up a creative bio for this person that details what they bring to the project. For instance - if you are making a movie about house painters - it might help that your newbie director was a house-painter for five years. Talk this person up. Give them confidence. Make them seem like a good choice to people you approach.

iv) The Cast
Ideally this might include somebody who has been in movies. If you have anybody of note - this is a big plus. Include the actors filmographies, bios and Letters of intent - if you have been smart enough to get them. The more of interest your cast seems - the closer you can get to finance and distribution.

v) The Crew
Do you have a track record as a Producer? Does the writer or cameraman or composer have credits? Include details about the behind the scenes people. This will bring credibility to your package and re-enforce the fact that you CAN actually make a movie and deliver. Pictured above is the late great ANTONIONI - maybe you can just take a leaf out of his book…

Well there you have it. One through five. It sounds simple - but there are many shades of gray and levels in packages. Just make sure it makes sense and that you proofread it.

Before you start, though, you might want to invest in some of the following software…

Movie Magic BUDGETING SOFTWARE
Movie Magic SCHEDULING SOFTWARE
Showbiz Labor Guide

You should also visit SAG INDIE for their advice and latest contracts…

VISIT SAG-INDIE for the latest contracts

One of the keys to writing a screenplay that you can sell to your money folks and actors is having good descriptions of people and places. Sounds obvious - I know. All screenplays have some text that describes the main characters and important locations. The more scripts that I work on, the more I have come to realize that a good writer must dance a fine line between brevity and (in some cases) poetry. Most times you will only have two lines to ’sell’ your main character and opening locations. Time and time again I see people describing sunsets, intricate clothing and in general stuff that has no place in screenplays. Everybody knows what a ‘beautiful sunrise’ looks like. It takes ONLY two words to describe it. Any more than those two words is a waste and ultimately will add needless bulk to your story.

One of my favorite commercial screenwriters is Brian Helgeland - mostly because of his adaptations L.A. Confidential, Mystic River and Man On Fire. Regardless of whether or not you like these movies - there is always a lot to learn from working writers like Helgeland. In many respects he is the master of the lean and mean description. His prose is sparse and evocative. He writes locations with an incisive brevity, but his character descriptions are perhaps his most skillful display of the craft…

Here is how Helgeland describes CREASY (pictured above) - the mercenary/bodyguard in Man On Fire…

As a 747 is towed by in the background, a MAN strides at us. CREASY. Even in movement, he has a stillness, an air of isolation. He’s set apart from other living things.

He wears dark sunglasses, carries a well-worn leather bag. Inscrutable. Disconnected. A bit frightening. The discipline of a soldier. The independence of a gunslinger.

In my opinion - the four lines above are a paradoxically perfect character description. We learn how Creasy moves, how he looks and most importantly the kind of man he is. Note the use of incomplete sentences and single words to punctuate the description and give it bite. Simple, evocative prose that is lean and mean - at the same time almost poetic.

Similarly in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, Bob (played by Bill Murray) is merely described as…

BOB (late-forties), tired and depressed, leans against a little doily, staring out of the window.

Again, lean and mean with focus on an emotional state. No frills here and that’s what you want. No frills descriptions.

Some DVDs that might help to fine-tune your description writing….

LEARN from the likes of William Goldman and Paul Haggis
CRAFT vivid descriptions
WHAT NOT TO DO from Richard Walter