Coming To Grips With Digital?
February 27, 2009
In the past, Hollywood has overlooked the importance of technological innovation. However, tough economic times and increasing industry recognition (Benjamin Button was the first film shot digitally to receive a best cinematography nod) have cemented digital production into the Hollywood landscape. Producer Dean Devlin is pioneering the art of digital production with his high-tech TNT thriller, Leverage. Leverage is the first show to be shot entirely on the Red camera and it is the only show to complete editing, special effects, color, and sound all under one roof. Last week, Devlin spoke about shooting in digital and streamlining production to KCRW’s The Business. Listen to a few clips below, for the entire interview click here.
Part One: The Tipping Point (40 seconds)
Part Two: Studios vs. Indies (48 seconds)
Part Three: The Benefit of Digital (65 seconds)
Creating A Production Company
February 20, 2009
As you know, the legal entity of your production company is the key determinant of your tax treatment, liabilities, and how you raise money. I came upon a great chart over at www.themoneyalert.com that highlights the general differences. Keep in mind, the most important element to a producer is insulation from personal liabilities. That being said, always consult your entertainment attorney when making a legal decision – especially this one.
Sundance 2009 Distribution Insights
February 10, 2009
Valuable insights to be gained from a panel of experts at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival’s panel on independent film distribution: ‘Models & Experiments in Indie Distribution’.
Searching For Locations?
January 19, 2009
Ernst & Young just prepared a new study on the economic impacts of the New Mexico film production tax credit program. The study shows astounding growth in film production that is directly correlated with increasing tax incentives. “In terms of total spending, when the credit rate was increased from 15% to 20% in 2005, total estimated spending rose from $24 million to $144 million. In the following year, when the rate was increased to 25%, total film spending increased to an estimated $223 million, a 55% increase from the prior year.” I think other states had better start taking queues from New Mexico. I know of one state in particular that is in dire need of a capital infusion… yep, California.
Download the report here: Economic and Fiscal Impacts of the New Mexico Film Production Tax Credit
From the executive summary…
New Mexico has provided tax incentives to film productions since the film production tax credit was adopted in 2002. The program has attracted more than 115 major film productions to New Mexico since its adoption in 2002, including 22 films that were assisted through the State Investment Council’s loan participation program. In 2007, 30 films were produced in New Mexico generating $253 million of spending benefiting the New Mexico economy and generating higher state and local tax collections. This study presents the estimated economic and fiscal impact of the film production tax credit program.
My thanks to Jeseph Guerriero at Tax Credits LLC for passing this report over to me.
Creativity and Logic Get Hitched
December 30, 2008
While it is critical to be mindful of the tangible metrics that films are measured by, it is equally important to assess the intangible. Aspects like cultural and moral significance are not found on a film’s profit and loss statement, they are not displayed in The Hollywood Reporter and are not, for the most part, heavily factored in an investor’s decision. However, they should be factored into yours. Filmmakers are their own brands, and their work is an extension of themselves. Though cultural and moral significance cannot be measured on the bottom line, they are a powerful reflection of your brand, measured by career longevity. You cannot monetize the fact that because you did a certain film, you were able to get a star cast that resulted in a smashing box office success. Creative logic is what enables you to leverage your brand to benefit your career.
Who Is Your Market?
December 10, 2008
Debra Eckerling wrote a fabulous piece titled “Market as You Write” in the November/December issue of Script Magazine. In the article, Debra Eckerling advises screenwriters that what studios, producers, and agents are looking for is the crucial element of marketability.
“A screenwriter may have an intrinsically important, personal story to tell, but if there aren’t any commercial elements to it, he [or she] may as well be writing in a vacuum.”
Debra says the two essential aspects that screenwriters should focus on are knowing their market and creating a script that people want to make – know what interests them:
- Actors: complex characters who are both fascinating and interesting
- Directors: exciting worlds they can translate to the screen
- Producers: money & awards
These are essential to achieving your overall objective: crafing a script that gets sold.
Cinematographer Style: Transforming Ideas Into Images
November 28, 2008
The cinematographers job is to paint the picture of the story. With each new light, filter, and adjustment, they add another stroke to the picture. I recently viewed a wonderful documentary on the art of cinematography titled Cinematographer Style. Having worked with cinematographers but never as a cinematographer, this film expanded the knowledge and respect that I have for one of the most important jobs on the set. Admitedly, Cinematographer Style lacks the specifics for which the experienced cinematographer is most likely looking. However, Cinematographer Style is a great film for those wanting to get inside the minds of cinematographers and broadly understand how their choices affect the story being told.
AFM 2008: New Technologies and Low Budget Films
November 21, 2008
I know that most filmmakers prefer film to digital, but after leaving AFM’s New Technologies and Low Budget Films conference, I am amazed at the extent to which this is true. The panel, sponsored by the American Society of Cinematographers, almost unanimously agreed on this point – though it is worth noting that not one of the panelists were under 35.
The overwhelming question at the conference was whether shooting digital is actually cheaper. Though the medium is far more inexpensive for recording, the panel widely believed that after factoring in the costs of storage, post-production, and the long-roll factor, film is actually cheaper than digital.
The long-roll factor is particularly interesting to me. The panelists believed that digital commands less discipline on set compared to film. Because the cost of recording is so cheap, the cast and crew operate under the notion that they have an unlimited number of takes to complete a scene. I believe like most that digital is here to stay. It is the director’s job to ensure that the long-roll factor does not affect the costs of production. Thoughts?
The panel was comprised of an international group of cinematographers including:
