Basic Program for Producing a Feature Film Okay, here it is. . . the basic program you will probably have to undergo to produce a feature motion picture. This program assumes that production financing is in place and that the Producer Unit is established. It is further assumed that the Director and/or the Talent may or may not be in place. By "Feature" it's meant a narrative dramatic motion picture (of any genre) that is at least ninety (90) minutes in duration. A feature can be originated on 16mm, 35mm or 65mm film stock. It can also be originated on 1/2" betacam, 1" tape or 3/4" digital or analog tape. Video tape can be transferred to 35mm or 16mm film stock. Features have even been originated in Super 8. The most universally accepted origination medium is 35mm color negative film stock. This is what is recommended. If you can't raise the money to shoot in 35mm negative and your above the line costs are about the same as your below the line costs, it is possibe to shoot your feature on 16mm, beta format tape, 1" or 3/4" tape (in that order). Digital tape looks surprisingly good when transferred to 35mm film if done at a good facility such as Image Transform in Burbank, California. However you will spend about as much making the transfer as you would have spent had you shot in 35mm. The problem with originating on tape, however, is the fact that it looks like tape. This is not to say that someday it will NOT look like tape - just that it looks like tape at the date of this writing. Also, the amount of work you will go through shooting a feature, makes the cost of the 35mm film stock shrink to insignificance, especially when viewed from the point of view of having completed the film. Do everything you can to originate on 35mm film stock - even if your shooting ratio must be very slim. The Program Anyone reading the following Program (consisting of steps called "Production Targets") could argue that life just doesn't follow orderly patterns, least of all film production. This may be true in part, but these are the basic steps you must go through to end up with a finished feature. Many of the Production Targets in the program can and do happen simultaneously or in moderately reverse order. Of course, the order in which you might have to get something done may vary due to circumstances beyond your control. Nevertheless, when things are spinning and you wonder what you need to be putting your attention on next, then next... use this program, and don't keep it a secret from the other producers on the team. Efficiency is built by doing things in as nearly the correct sequence as possible thus minimizing the need to re-do things or "building the roof on a weak foundation." Experience Required It is assumed that you are intimately familiar with the exact crew, staff, exec and talent job descriptions of each person described in the program. Producers I/T should not attempt this program on a large project until they are familiar with each job and preferably have done some or all of them for someone else and done several small programs. See "Long Range Production Goals." Films always look easier to make than they are. This is more true in the film business than other business because so much of the ingredients of a motion picture are intangible. This program, when executed, starts slow and continues to unfold with exponential speed as each step unfolds to the correct next step. Once rolling, it is the Producers' responsibility to calmly see that each person does his or her job to the best possible standard - on time and within the budget he or she has been given for the particular department. I emphasize, depending on the project you are doing, i.e., the budget, story and cast/crew requirements, etc., this program will vary. Nevertheless you will have to successfully solve, sooner or later, each of the problems presented by these steps. While being involved, the producer should cause the company to be an exciting, fun and productive place to work while accomplishing each target in the Program. Rough Order AGAIN, I EMPHASIZE, THIS PROGRAM IS IN ROUGH ORDER; SOME STEPS WILL BE DIFFERENT, SOME WILL BE OMITTED, SOME ADDED. THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDE TO BE USED BY PRODUCERS IN DELINEATING THE DIRECTION THE SHIP WILL TAKE. ALTER THIS AS NEED BE IN WRITING USING A WORD PROCESSOR, BUT DATE AND SAVE ALL DRAFTS. General Sequence of Events Post-financing Pre-Production Producer Unit finalized All producers are operating on post with division of labor established and duties/responsibilities known. See Hats in Brief, Producer Unit. President Production Counsel Producers Start Promoting the Picture Start running notices in The Hollywood Reporter that your picture is in pre-production. State all details requested by the Reporter. Producers Assistants to the Producer Posted All Producers must have at least one crack assistant working with them assisting them with whatever comes up. Producers Hire Unit Production Manager (UPM) The Producers should have a good idea of who would be appropriate to hire as UPM for the project by now. Any UPM that has contributed his or her time and expertise in developing preliminary budgets should, of course, be given first shot at being UPM for the production. In the event no qualified individual exists at this point of the program the Line Producer interviews 5 to 10 Unit Production Managers presented by the other Producers and contracts one he trusts, believes in and enjoys working with. This manager will manage the production Unit at hand. If there are several productions, or production is going on at several locations at once, you may have a Production Manager (or a VP) who oversees each of these production units hence the term "UPM". The UPM will be signatory on the Production Account. Executive Producer Line Producer Packaging Producer UPM briefed on the Project If the UPM is not already familiar with the project, the Line Producer gives the UPM the polished, final script, the Final Approved Budget, a memo outlining the basic program and briefs him on the targeted release date, as well as the structure of the organization visualized by the Producer. Unit Production Manger receives, from the Producer or Production Counsel, the Talent/Staff/Crew agreements and becomes familiar with their provisions so he can answer minor non-legal questions for personnel. Talks with Production Counsel and Producer if needed. Suggestions, if any, are taken up at this time. Line Producer Production Counsel Production Offices are Established The Line Producer establishes a production office with help from the Producer and Unit Production Manager. Line Producer UPM Production stationary and cards made up Stationery, cards and mailing labels are created for the production with the incoming phone line(s) listed only. This is optional. Prod Secretary Contracts Drafted All Talent, Staff & Crew Employment contracts drafted and ready. If you have a company General Counsel, he may delegate each project to a Production Counsel who will oversee the contracts and legal quality control for that particular project until it is done. This will keep General Counsel free to perform his or her Company duties. By this point, make sure all basic legal documents are signed and in place and contracts to execute for additional personnel are in computer memory so you have a supply of them to be printed as needed. (See Contracts) General Counsel Production Counsel Hire Director, if not already done Packaging Producer Hire Talent, if not already done Packaging Producer Director IN and OUT phone lines expanded Incoming and outgoing phone lines are set up and policed. The incoming phone lines should be the cheapest service offered by the phone company with no out calling capability, if possible. The outgoing phone lines should be extended service lines with unlimited message units in the production area. These should have conference call, call waiting and call forwarding capabilities. Make absolutely sure no one uses the incoming lines to call out on as the bill will be astronomical. Incoming calls are free, above the basic service so more of these may be installed to receive constant updates and data on. Install 15-minute WATS lines when needed. Computers should have a dedicated line or an out going line with "tone block." Voice Mail Set Up Through your local phone company, a Voice Mail Box for all the main people in the production office as well as a main catch all Box for the Company should be set up Producer Prod Sececretary Production Computer System and Operator in place Make sure a good computer system is in place and you have on post or connections to someone who knows how to operate computers from every point of view. I suggest also having a tape backup and make absolutely certain your computer operator backs up the entire system at least once per week and that all applications are backed up onto floppys as work progress every 10 to 20 minutes. If you have problems with your computer, applications, hardware, system setup or any computer related questions or emergencies, call BackBone Enterprises at (800) 576-2001 or (610) 688-9212. You will be billed for the time, but it is worth it. Your computer system is so vital to your production, it is almost better to not even attempt production unless you understand, agree with and can apply this fact. Producers Computer Operator Casting Director Hired The Director may want to hire a Casting Director to cast part of the Principal Talent and/or all or part of the Supporting Talent. If the Director plans on personally casting the entire picture, he or she should hire a Casting Secretary instead of a Casting Director as he or she would be holding the post of Casting Director from above. Director To get the rest of this program, enroll in the the Production Course. Then do each section as well as the 1-Day Shoot and the 2-3 Day Shoot. Then you will be ready to complete this program for your 6-Day Shoot. We cannot encourage you to run before you can walk because if you skip the steps leading up to this Shoot you will NOT make your mistakes on the 2-3 Day Shoot - instead you will make them on your 6-Day Shoot and the quality will suffer. If this happens you probably will not be able to raise the $50,000 to $400,000 you will need to produce your Feature. Or if you do, your attention will be on the smaller mechanical aspects of production rather than where it must be - on telling a good story and getting the best performances on the screen. Thus we are trying to prepare you for an 18-Day Feature Shoot. The 6-Day Shoot is vital to arriving at a position where you can mount a viable Feature. Don't be a pre-Madonna. When this happens, investors lose their production capital and the independent marketplace is flooded with poor or incomplete product. This inevitable hurts all Independent Producers. © 1990, 1999, 2002 by Mini Mogul Enterprises All Rights Reserved
Okay, here it is. . . the basic program you will probably have to undergo to produce a feature motion picture. This program assumes that production financing is in place and that the Producer Unit is established. It is further assumed that the Director and/or the Talent may or may not be in place. By "Feature" it's meant a narrative dramatic motion picture (of any genre) that is at least ninety (90) minutes in duration. A feature can be originated on 16mm, 35mm or 65mm film stock. It can also be originated on 1/2" betacam, 1" tape or 3/4" digital or analog tape. Video tape can be transferred to 35mm or 16mm film stock. Features have even been originated in Super 8. The most universally accepted origination medium is 35mm color negative film stock. This is what is recommended. If you can't raise the money to shoot in 35mm negative and your above the line costs are about the same as your below the line costs, it is possibe to shoot your feature on 16mm, beta format tape, 1" or 3/4" tape (in that order). Digital tape looks surprisingly good when transferred to 35mm film if done at a good facility such as Image Transform in Burbank, California. However you will spend about as much making the transfer as you would have spent had you shot in 35mm. The problem with originating on tape, however, is the fact that it looks like tape. This is not to say that someday it will NOT look like tape - just that it looks like tape at the date of this writing. Also, the amount of work you will go through shooting a feature, makes the cost of the 35mm film stock shrink to insignificance, especially when viewed from the point of view of having completed the film. Do everything you can to originate on 35mm film stock - even if your shooting ratio must be very slim. The Program Anyone reading the following Program (consisting of steps called "Production Targets") could argue that life just doesn't follow orderly patterns, least of all film production. This may be true in part, but these are the basic steps you must go through to end up with a finished feature. Many of the Production Targets in the program can and do happen simultaneously or in moderately reverse order. Of course, the order in which you might have to get something done may vary due to circumstances beyond your control. Nevertheless, when things are spinning and you wonder what you need to be putting your attention on next, then next... use this program, and don't keep it a secret from the other producers on the team. Efficiency is built by doing things in as nearly the correct sequence as possible thus minimizing the need to re-do things or "building the roof on a weak foundation." Experience Required It is assumed that you are intimately familiar with the exact crew, staff, exec and talent job descriptions of each person described in the program. Producers I/T should not attempt this program on a large project until they are familiar with each job and preferably have done some or all of them for someone else and done several small programs. See "Long Range Production Goals." Films always look easier to make than they are. This is more true in the film business than other business because so much of the ingredients of a motion picture are intangible. This program, when executed, starts slow and continues to unfold with exponential speed as each step unfolds to the correct next step. Once rolling, it is the Producers' responsibility to calmly see that each person does his or her job to the best possible standard - on time and within the budget he or she has been given for the particular department. I emphasize, depending on the project you are doing, i.e., the budget, story and cast/crew requirements, etc., this program will vary. Nevertheless you will have to successfully solve, sooner or later, each of the problems presented by these steps. While being involved, the producer should cause the company to be an exciting, fun and productive place to work while accomplishing each target in the Program. Rough Order AGAIN, I EMPHASIZE, THIS PROGRAM IS IN ROUGH ORDER; SOME STEPS WILL BE DIFFERENT, SOME WILL BE OMITTED, SOME ADDED. THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDE TO BE USED BY PRODUCERS IN DELINEATING THE DIRECTION THE SHIP WILL TAKE. ALTER THIS AS NEED BE IN WRITING USING A WORD PROCESSOR, BUT DATE AND SAVE ALL DRAFTS. General Sequence of Events Post-financing Pre-Production Producer Unit finalized All producers are operating on post with division of labor established and duties/responsibilities known. See Hats in Brief, Producer Unit. President Production Counsel Producers Start Promoting the Picture Start running notices in The Hollywood Reporter that your picture is in pre-production. State all details requested by the Reporter. Producers Assistants to the Producer Posted All Producers must have at least one crack assistant working with them assisting them with whatever comes up. Producers Hire Unit Production Manager (UPM) The Producers should have a good idea of who would be appropriate to hire as UPM for the project by now. Any UPM that has contributed his or her time and expertise in developing preliminary budgets should, of course, be given first shot at being UPM for the production. In the event no qualified individual exists at this point of the program the Line Producer interviews 5 to 10 Unit Production Managers presented by the other Producers and contracts one he trusts, believes in and enjoys working with. This manager will manage the production Unit at hand. If there are several productions, or production is going on at several locations at once, you may have a Production Manager (or a VP) who oversees each of these production units hence the term "UPM". The UPM will be signatory on the Production Account. Executive Producer Line Producer Packaging Producer UPM briefed on the Project If the UPM is not already familiar with the project, the Line Producer gives the UPM the polished, final script, the Final Approved Budget, a memo outlining the basic program and briefs him on the targeted release date, as well as the structure of the organization visualized by the Producer. Unit Production Manger receives, from the Producer or Production Counsel, the Talent/Staff/Crew agreements and becomes familiar with their provisions so he can answer minor non-legal questions for personnel. Talks with Production Counsel and Producer if needed. Suggestions, if any, are taken up at this time. Line Producer Production Counsel Production Offices are Established The Line Producer establishes a production office with help from the Producer and Unit Production Manager. Line Producer UPM Production stationary and cards made up Stationery, cards and mailing labels are created for the production with the incoming phone line(s) listed only. This is optional. Prod Secretary Contracts Drafted All Talent, Staff & Crew Employment contracts drafted and ready. If you have a company General Counsel, he may delegate each project to a Production Counsel who will oversee the contracts and legal quality control for that particular project until it is done. This will keep General Counsel free to perform his or her Company duties. By this point, make sure all basic legal documents are signed and in place and contracts to execute for additional personnel are in computer memory so you have a supply of them to be printed as needed. (See Contracts) General Counsel Production Counsel Hire Director, if not already done Packaging Producer Hire Talent, if not already done Packaging Producer Director IN and OUT phone lines expanded Incoming and outgoing phone lines are set up and policed. The incoming phone lines should be the cheapest service offered by the phone company with no out calling capability, if possible. The outgoing phone lines should be extended service lines with unlimited message units in the production area. These should have conference call, call waiting and call forwarding capabilities. Make absolutely sure no one uses the incoming lines to call out on as the bill will be astronomical. Incoming calls are free, above the basic service so more of these may be installed to receive constant updates and data on. Install 15-minute WATS lines when needed. Computers should have a dedicated line or an out going line with "tone block." Voice Mail Set Up Through your local phone company, a Voice Mail Box for all the main people in the production office as well as a main catch all Box for the Company should be set up Producer Prod Sececretary Production Computer System and Operator in place Make sure a good computer system is in place and you have on post or connections to someone who knows how to operate computers from every point of view. I suggest also having a tape backup and make absolutely certain your computer operator backs up the entire system at least once per week and that all applications are backed up onto floppys as work progress every 10 to 20 minutes. If you have problems with your computer, applications, hardware, system setup or any computer related questions or emergencies, call BackBone Enterprises at (800) 576-2001 or (610) 688-9212. You will be billed for the time, but it is worth it. Your computer system is so vital to your production, it is almost better to not even attempt production unless you understand, agree with and can apply this fact. Producers Computer Operator Casting Director Hired The Director may want to hire a Casting Director to cast part of the Principal Talent and/or all or part of the Supporting Talent. If the Director plans on personally casting the entire picture, he or she should hire a Casting Secretary instead of a Casting Director as he or she would be holding the post of Casting Director from above. Director To get the rest of this program, enroll in the the Production Course. Then do each section as well as the 1-Day Shoot and the 2-3 Day Shoot. Then you will be ready to complete this program for your 6-Day Shoot. We cannot encourage you to run before you can walk because if you skip the steps leading up to this Shoot you will NOT make your mistakes on the 2-3 Day Shoot - instead you will make them on your 6-Day Shoot and the quality will suffer. If this happens you probably will not be able to raise the $50,000 to $400,000 you will need to produce your Feature. Or if you do, your attention will be on the smaller mechanical aspects of production rather than where it must be - on telling a good story and getting the best performances on the screen. Thus we are trying to prepare you for an 18-Day Feature Shoot. The 6-Day Shoot is vital to arriving at a position where you can mount a viable Feature. Don't be a pre-Madonna. When this happens, investors lose their production capital and the independent marketplace is flooded with poor or incomplete product. This inevitable hurts all Independent Producers. © 1990, 1999, 2002 by Mini Mogul Enterprises All Rights Reserved
Okay, here it is. . . the basic program you will probably have to undergo to produce a feature motion picture.
This program assumes that production financing is in place and that the Producer Unit is established. It is further assumed that the Director and/or the Talent may or may not be in place.
By "Feature" it's meant a narrative dramatic motion picture (of any genre) that is at least ninety (90) minutes in duration.
A feature can be originated on 16mm, 35mm or 65mm film stock. It can also be originated on 1/2" betacam, 1" tape or 3/4" digital or analog tape. Video tape can be transferred to 35mm or 16mm film stock. Features have even been originated in Super 8.
The most universally accepted origination medium is 35mm color negative film stock. This is what is recommended.
If you can't raise the money to shoot in 35mm negative and your above the line costs are about the same as your below the line costs, it is possibe to shoot your feature on 16mm, beta format tape, 1" or 3/4" tape (in that order).
Digital tape looks surprisingly good when transferred to 35mm film if done at a good facility such as Image Transform in Burbank, California. However you will spend about as much making the transfer as you would have spent had you shot in 35mm.
The problem with originating on tape, however, is the fact that it looks like tape. This is not to say that someday it will NOT look like tape - just that it looks like tape at the date of this writing.
Also, the amount of work you will go through shooting a feature, makes the cost of the 35mm film stock shrink to insignificance, especially when viewed from the point of view of having completed the film. Do everything you can to originate on 35mm film stock - even if your shooting ratio must be very slim.
Anyone reading the following Program (consisting of steps called "Production Targets") could argue that life just doesn't follow orderly patterns, least of all film production. This may be true in part, but these are the basic steps you must go through to end up with a finished feature.
Many of the Production Targets in the program can and do happen simultaneously or in moderately reverse order. Of course, the order in which you might have to get something done may vary due to circumstances beyond your control. Nevertheless, when things are spinning and you wonder what you need to be putting your attention on next, then next... use this program, and don't keep it a secret from the other producers on the team. Efficiency is built by doing things in as nearly the correct sequence as possible thus minimizing the need to re-do things or "building the roof on a weak foundation."
It is assumed that you are intimately familiar with the exact crew, staff, exec and talent job descriptions of each person described in the program.
Producers I/T should not attempt this program on a large project until they are familiar with each job and preferably have done some or all of them for someone else and done several small programs. See "Long Range Production Goals."
Films always look easier to make than they are. This is more true in the film business than other business because so much of the ingredients of a motion picture are intangible.
This program, when executed, starts slow and continues to unfold with exponential speed as each step unfolds to the correct next step.
Once rolling, it is the Producers' responsibility to calmly see that each person does his or her job to the best possible standard - on time and within the budget he or she has been given for the particular department.
I emphasize, depending on the project you are doing, i.e., the budget, story and cast/crew requirements, etc., this program will vary. Nevertheless you will have to successfully solve, sooner or later, each of the problems presented by these steps.
While being involved, the producer should cause the company to be an exciting, fun and productive place to work while accomplishing each target in the Program.
AGAIN, I EMPHASIZE, THIS PROGRAM IS IN ROUGH ORDER; SOME STEPS WILL BE DIFFERENT, SOME WILL BE OMITTED, SOME ADDED. THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDE TO BE USED BY PRODUCERS IN DELINEATING THE DIRECTION THE SHIP WILL TAKE. ALTER THIS AS NEED BE IN WRITING USING A WORD PROCESSOR, BUT DATE AND SAVE ALL DRAFTS.
Producer Unit finalized All producers are operating on post with division of labor established and duties/responsibilities known. See Hats in Brief, Producer Unit.
President Production Counsel Producers
Start Promoting the Picture Start running notices in The Hollywood Reporter that your picture is in pre-production. State all details requested by the Reporter.
Producers
Assistants to the Producer Posted All Producers must have at least one crack assistant working with them assisting them with whatever comes up.
Hire Unit Production Manager (UPM) The Producers should have a good idea of who would be appropriate to hire as UPM for the project by now. Any UPM that has contributed his or her time and expertise in developing preliminary budgets should, of course, be given first shot at being UPM for the production. In the event no qualified individual exists at this point of the program the Line Producer interviews 5 to 10 Unit Production Managers presented by the other Producers and contracts one he trusts, believes in and enjoys working with. This manager will manage the production Unit at hand. If there are several productions, or production is going on at several locations at once, you may have a Production Manager (or a VP) who oversees each of these production units hence the term "UPM". The UPM will be signatory on the Production Account.
Executive Producer Line Producer Packaging Producer
UPM briefed on the Project If the UPM is not already familiar with the project, the Line Producer gives the UPM the polished, final script, the Final Approved Budget, a memo outlining the basic program and briefs him on the targeted release date, as well as the structure of the organization visualized by the Producer. Unit Production Manger receives, from the Producer or Production Counsel, the Talent/Staff/Crew agreements and becomes familiar with their provisions so he can answer minor non-legal questions for personnel. Talks with Production Counsel and Producer if needed. Suggestions, if any, are taken up at this time.
Line Producer Production Counsel
Production Offices are Established The Line Producer establishes a production office with help from the Producer and Unit Production Manager.
Line Producer UPM
Production stationary and cards made up Stationery, cards and mailing labels are created for the production with the incoming phone line(s) listed only. This is optional.
Prod Secretary
Contracts Drafted All Talent, Staff & Crew Employment contracts drafted and ready. If you have a company General Counsel, he may delegate each project to a Production Counsel who will oversee the contracts and legal quality control for that particular project until it is done. This will keep General Counsel free to perform his or her Company duties.
By this point, make sure all basic legal documents are signed and in place and contracts to execute for additional personnel are in computer memory so you have a supply of them to be printed as needed. (See Contracts)
General Counsel Production Counsel
Hire Director, if not already done
Packaging Producer
Hire Talent, if not already done
Packaging Producer Director
IN and OUT phone lines expanded Incoming and outgoing phone lines are set up and policed. The incoming phone lines should be the cheapest service offered by the phone company with no out calling capability, if possible. The outgoing phone lines should be extended service lines with unlimited message units in the production area. These should have conference call, call waiting and call forwarding capabilities.
Make absolutely sure no one uses the incoming lines to call out on as the bill will be astronomical. Incoming calls are free, above the basic service so more of these may be installed to receive constant updates and data on. Install 15-minute WATS lines when needed. Computers should have a dedicated line or an out going line with "tone block."
Voice Mail Set Up Through your local phone company, a Voice Mail Box for all the main people in the production office as well as a main catch all Box for the Company should be set up
Producer Prod Sececretary
Production Computer System and Operator in place Make sure a good computer system is in place and you have on post or connections to someone who knows how to operate computers from every point of view.
I suggest also having a tape backup and make absolutely certain your computer operator backs up the entire system at least once per week and that all applications are backed up onto floppys as work progress every 10 to 20 minutes.
If you have problems with your computer, applications, hardware, system setup or any computer related questions or emergencies, call BackBone Enterprises at (800) 576-2001 or (610) 688-9212. You will be billed for the time, but it is worth it. Your computer system is so vital to your production, it is almost better to not even attempt production unless you understand, agree with and can apply this fact.
Producers Computer Operator
Casting Director Hired The Director may want to hire a Casting Director to cast part of the Principal Talent and/or all or part of the Supporting Talent. If the Director plans on personally casting the entire picture, he or she should hire a Casting Secretary instead of a Casting Director as he or she would be holding the post of Casting Director from above.
Director
Thus we are trying to prepare you for an 18-Day Feature Shoot. The 6-Day Shoot is vital to arriving at a position where you can mount a viable Feature. Don't be a pre-Madonna. When this happens, investors lose their production capital and the independent marketplace is flooded with poor or incomplete product. This inevitable hurts all Independent Producers.
