The Proposal I'm Going to Give to My Parents

[phongn]

Working in TV Production during HS, I know how expensive all that stuff can be.

Get the college degree, though. Always have your backup plan; chase your dreams, but put them on hold a bit, I think. What happens if this film fails? You're in debt to your parents and nothing to show for it; at least with college you'll have an education to use.

Chasing dreams is wonderful, but you gotta have food on the table.

[kojikun]

Do you know how much it costs to buy a steadicam? Or, if you decide
against steadicam, do you know how much it costs to lay tracks?

What the heck to you need all that for? You're overcomplicating things, I
suspect.

Also, we need to pay our actors. And feed them.

Get new actors. Seriously. There's a saying. Don't get people to build a
boat by paying them money, instead teach them to yearn for the open sea
and the adventures therein and they'll be begging to build the boat.

We're making movies now, for no money, and it's a great learning
experience, and it's honing our craft, but I'm talking about down the road
when we make real movies.

Who says you can't be making real movies right now? You're making
movies as it is. Whats the difference between them and so called "real"
movies? They're ALL real movies. Hollywood quality is shit, just look at 28
Days, that was home-video quality.

[kojikun]

Working in TV Production during HS, I know how expensive all that stuff can be.

Can you name some of the expenses?

[Robert Treder]

Do you know how much it costs to buy a steadicam? Or, if you decide
against steadicam, do you know how much it costs to lay tracks?

What the heck to you need all that for? You're overcomplicating things, I
suspect.

Yeah, well, maybe it is "overcomplicated" to have the camera move without it looking like an episode of COPS. Maybe we should just film everything from a tripod. That would be great, huh!

Also, we need to pay our actors. And feed them.

Get new actors. Seriously. There's a saying. Don't get people to build a
boat by paying them money, instead teach them to yearn for the open sea
and the adventures therein and they'll be begging to build the boat.

I'm sure you'll help me out then, by pointing out all these yearning people who hate money. And food. Or maybe I'll just get robots to act.

We're making movies now, for no money, and it's a great learning
experience, and it's honing our craft, but I'm talking about down the road
when we make real movies.

Who says you can't be making real movies right now? You're making
movies as it is. Whats the difference between them and so called "real"
movies? They're ALL real movies. Hollywood quality is shit, just look at 28
Days, that was home-video quality.

First of all, 28 Days Later... was not home-video quality, it was quite a bit better than that. Second of all, 28 Days Later... had a budget of $8,000,000.
Yes, the movies I'm making now are movies, but by "real movie" I mean "feature-length film". I'm sorry, but you simply cannot make movies without money.
And even the carefree spare-time filmmaking you're suggesting costs money. What we've got now is three ~680,000 pixel MiniDV cameras, one broadcast-quality JVC camera which is in need of replacement (we were going to go for a $10,000 one, but we're scaling back to a temporary $3000 one), one professional tripod, two small tripods, seven computers, nine hard drives, one legal copy of Vegas Video, as many illegal copies of Vegas Video as we want, a Sony WCS-999 wireless mic, a shotgun mic with improvised boom, and some big portable lights. It also costs money for cassettes, even though they're cheaper than film. We also have to pay for the DVDs we burn when a project is finished.

[kojikun]

Yeah, well, maybe it is "overcomplicated" to have the camera move without it looking like an episode of COPS. Maybe we should just film everything from a tripod. That would be great, huh!

Wheels + tripod = clean motion. if you insist on tracks, get wheels with removable tires, and place simple wooden tracks down, ones that are made by you from simpled pieces of wood nailed together. Seriously, Robert, you ARE overcomplicating things. Wheres your DIY spirit?

I'm sure you'll help me out then, by pointing out all these yearning people who hate money. And food. Or maybe I'll just get robots to act.

You're already making movies, you said. Are you paying them for that? Or, heres a shocking idea, go to film school and film your brilliantly planned movie as one of your projects. If they also need the project for class, then they don't need to get payed! I know, I know, shocking and radical idea.

First of all, 28 Days Later... was not home-video quality, it was quite a bit better than that. Second of all, 28 Days Later... had a budget of $8,000,000.

I read that they used prosumer cameras. Post can also make something look professional, you know.

Yes, the movies I'm making now are movies, but by "real movie" I mean "feature-length film". I'm sorry, but you simply cannot make movies without money.

I would like to issue a challenge then. I think a movie, a good feature length movie, can be made with a non-camera budget under $500 dollars. Thats a reasonable amount, so I would like to help you with your movie. To prove it can be done.

And even the carefree spare-time filmmaking you're suggesting costs money. What we've got now is three ~680,000 pixel MiniDV cameras, one broadcast-quality JVC camera which is in need of replacement (we were going to go for a $10,000 one, but we're scaling back to a temporary $3000 one), one professional tripod, two small tripods, seven computers, nine hard drives, one legal copy of Vegas Video, as many illegal copies of Vegas Video as we want, a Sony WCS-999 wireless mic, a shotgun mic with improvised boom, and some big portable lights. It also costs money for cassettes, even though they're cheaper than film. We also have to pay for the DVDs we burn when a project is finished.

I would like to say that if you can't make a good movie with a MiniDV then you're a bit lacking in the script. :p

[Darth Wong]

It's easier to start a film career after university than to start university later in life. Go to university.

[Robert Treder]

Wheels + tripod = clean motion. if you insist on tracks, get wheels with removable tires, and place simple wooden tracks down, ones that are made by you from simpled pieces of wood nailed together. Seriously, Robert, you ARE overcomplicating things. Wheres your DIY spirit?

Wheels on a tripod isn't exactly a good idea, but yes, a DIY dolly does work. Wheelchairs and skateboards work best. But simple tracks remove the uneven ground, and wood costs money. It's not like I can just get it from the backyard.

You're already making movies, you said. Are you paying them for that? Or, heres a shocking idea, go to film school and film your brilliantly planned movie as one of your projects. If they also need the project for class, then they don't need to get payed! I know, I know, shocking and radical idea.

Yes, I am making movies, but like I said, these are hardly real movies. And once again, all of my friends are going to film school. It's not like I'm cutting off a resource. There's nothing that I could learn at film school that they won't learn. And there're no networks to be established that they won't establish. Two of my friends are already in film school, and we've already got a good team going from their branching out and connecting with other students and actors, and doing projects.

I read that they used prosumer cameras. Post can also make something look professional, you know.

Yeah, they used cameras you could buy, but they're still expensive. And yes, color grading and other post tricks help, but guess what? That's more money.

I would like to issue a challenge then. I think a movie, a good feature length movie, can be made with a non-camera budget under $500 dollars. Thats a reasonable amount, so I would like to help you with your movie. To prove it can be done.

This is possible. It would probably end up looking like a filmed play. Oh, and we'll take all the help we can get. Contact us at ramador@foodforthemoon.com if you want to pitch a script, invest, or join the crew.

I would like to say that if you can't make a good movie with a MiniDV then you're a bit lacking in the script. :p

Oh, we can make a good movie with MiniDV. What we can't do is make a movie with MiniDV for free.

[kojikun]

Wheels on a tripod isn't exactly a good idea, but yes, a DIY dolly does work. Wheelchairs and skateboards work best. But simple tracks remove the uneven ground, and wood costs money. It's not like I can just get it from the backyard.

Yeah, but wood doesnt cost thousands of dollars. I can by a good amount of wood from Lowes for $20. Enough to make a track 20 feet long. if you need more theres a simple solution: have someone move the unused track down from the beginning to the end.

Yes, I am making movies, but like I said, these are hardly real movies. And once again, all of my friends are going to film school. It's not like I'm cutting off a resource. There's nothing that I could learn at film school that they won't learn. And there're no networks to be established that they won't establish. Two of my friends are already in film school, and we've already got a good team going from their branching out and connecting with other students and actors, and doing projects.

They're hardly real movies due to what? What, besides screentime, make it any less of a real movie?

Yeah, they used cameras you could buy, but they're still expensive. And yes, color grading and other post tricks help, but guess what? That's more money.

The camera costs, yes, but post is free. I do post all the time and it doesn't cost me a cent.

This is possible. It would probably end up looking like a filmed play. Oh, and we'll take all the help we can get. Contact us at ramador@foodforthemoon.com if you want to pitch a script, invest, or join the crew.

I will make this movie look like it came out of Hollywood, I assure you! No filmed plays for me!

Oh, we can make a good movie with MiniDV. What we can't do is make a movie with MiniDV for free.

Why tho? I keep hearing that it costs money, or that there are technical issues (like the track) that you agree can be rectified easilly. The fixes cost very little money.

[InnerBrat]

I can't believe no one's suggested this: -

Go to Univeristy and join your Union's Film Soc. Then you'll get experience in making and showing films at the Union's expense.

[Robert Treder]

I can't believe no one's suggested this: -

Go to Univeristy and join your Union's Film Soc. Then you'll get experience in making and showing films at the Union's expense.

Once again, all my friends are going to the university. I would be the 'sacrifice', so to speak. And it's only if my parents will go along with this, the idea being that we could get an early investor. If they flat out refuse, and I can't finagle them into it, then I'll just go, no big whoop. They're paying either way.

[Trytostaydead]

Go to school dammit!

First of all, these days college is like a rite of passage to adulthood. It is a life altering experience and helps give you a new perspective on things. It's also a place where you learn more about yourself.

As old as this sounds, as arrogant or high and mighty.. odds are, you do not know who you are yourself at this moment. I'm still in college and not to far displaced from being that wide-eyed freshman and I thought I knew where my life was heading and knew what I wanted. And sorry to say this, but relying on your friends Universitys experience is the stupidest thing I ever heard. You know how many of my high school friends I'm still close with? ZERO. And I thought these people would be with me throughout the rest of my life.

What's to say your friends won't change majors either?

And the only big name for a film director I know of that's going through the route you're trying to take is Spielberg, but he grew up in a unique time and had such a one-minded track and a perhaps divine intervention.

So what's my point? GO TO SCHOOL! Take the goddamn major yourself. You'll have plenty of time to make films even while IN college.. and if you need cash that badly, get a job!

[Setzer]

Make sure your movie is a good one, or at least capable of being made cheaply. From the View Askew website info for Clerks:

Clerks was made for $27,575. It was mainly funded by 10 credit cards that Kevin had to his name, funds garnered from store credit after he sold his comic book collection, a family donation, and paychecks from working at the Quick Stop and RST Video. (NOTE: We don't really recommend this method of funding a film as if your film does not pan out, you will be put in serious financial debt for much of your life. However - we do condone going out and making your film yourself - just make sure your script is watertight).

[phongn]

I would like to say that if you can't make a good movie with a MiniDV then you're a bit lacking in the script. :p

He'd better have good lighting. MiniDV is a nice format, but it has its flaws.

[phongn]

Working in TV Production during HS, I know how expensive all that stuff can be.

Can you name some of the expenses?

Video camera (a decent 3CCD one will be a couple K), tapes, lighting, etc. Gotta have a lot of cables, too.