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