So I decided about a month or two ago that it’s about time that I got off my ass and started work on a feature film. Don’t get me wrong - I loved my short films but honestly how many of those can one do and still feel like they are accomplishing something? To me, I had made enough short films (3) and I was ready to move on. I was contacted by Robert Chapman, author of “A Certain Fall”, about two years ago. We had talked but never really seriously about starting a production. This past two months was when I decided it was time to let go of my fears and anxieties about starting work towards making a feature film. I contacted Robert and he sent me the script of “A Certain Fall” and I was blown away by it. Here it was, the perfect script, sitting in my hands and I was going to be able to turn this into a feature film. The problem now turned into not if I thought I could make it, meaning I knew I had the talent to make it, but it was that I didn’t have any money to make it. Where was I going to find the money?

I guessed at first at how much this script would take to film. I’ve only made short films and they cost me a couple of thousand each to make – nothing too major. This was a script that was 95 pages long – not 9. I also needed professional actors, a 35mm film camera, sound men, focus pullers, Assistant Directors (none of these items were in my short films). I said “hmmm… well how about 200,000 dollars… yeah, that sounds good” and went on my way.

I contacted an entertainment attorney because I needed to set up a legal entity to have my investors invest in. Well it turns out that I also need to prepare something called an offering memorandum. The attorney said that this costs 6k to prepare and he’s cheap! I started looking at my 200k budget and thought – ummmm maybe I’ll need more. I upped the budget to 500k. “there. That should do it.” I thought. No way I’ll need more than 500k. Well, this script is a period piece and I wanted to use some specific coloring methods and looks for this piece and that stuff started to add up. In the end, it looked more around 1.5 million to make this film. There was no way that an investor was going to give a first time feature director/producer 1.5 million dollars. I was bummed.

I had long talks with Robert about this and he did actually have another book that he was interested in getting filmed into a feature called “Spider Lake”. Now this book can be filmed with 2 primary actors and 1 location. Hmmmm… sounds like a low budget that I can do! It is NOT a period piece and with such low overhead I can easily do this one for 500k – and on film!

This is going to be a great first feature film. It is highly character driven and we’re even going to throw in some suspense too. It should be a fun ride. I’ll keep writing here (even if no one is reading it) as things develop.

I have the script. 

I was contacted by a novelist who has two novels and currently one screenplay.  The stories are great and I know that they both can be filmed using a modest budget.  I then started thinking - where should I start.  Who should I contact first?  Should I contact an actor first or should I contact a director of photography first?  Or should I try to find financing first?

Well, luckily I got some good advice from a director friend of mine and he told me that these are good options to start, but even before that I need to secure the rights to be able to film the screenplay!  I can’t do anything without that.  So after I get the rights to produce the screenplay then I need to set up a  “Private Placement Memorandum” which is what I need if I’m going to be getting investors.  Legal stuff… ICK!!  Oh well, I guess that’s why they call it “show  business” right?

I am also going to have to create a business plan - which I think I’ll probably be able to find some samples online.  I will have to have to go and seek legal advice and actually pay for legal fees I think at this point.  Oh well, I knew I was going to have to start spending some money at some point… now - let me see, where to find the money… *digging in pockets*  Oh well, I’ll find some money somewhere!!