Steps to Making A Movie For Less

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Making a move for less is easy. Making a good movie for less is rather complicated and unless you are ready to buckle down and be smart your movie will look like a slightly upgraded version of a home movie. Film festivals are proving that smart, young movie makers with the right kind of know how can play with the big boys, or at least get their foot in the door. You need to be able to say you know how to do the same. So here are just a few of the ways to make a movie for less, and make it a good one.

The first thing you need to do is get the right sound equipment. Nothing will make your movie appear like a cheap version of the real attempt more than bad sound. Scout the local colleges or talk to your friends who might be going to an art of film school. There are students there who are always looking to get involved and network. They are looking for the opportunity to get themselves a reel they can use after they get out of school. If you go ahead and tap into that you can get someone with the know how that you need to get the sound right from the beginning.

There is an added bonus to getting the college kids to be a part of your vision. Many times these kids have access to higher end equipment that they can rent, or they know friends that they can borrow from. If you look into these avenues you might get a free upgrade on your already existing sound equipment. Don’t be afraid to ask these kids about their contacts you might be surprised at what they come up with. There is no shortage of ways to make your great movie for less.

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The Weird World of Movie Marketing

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Getting the word out about a movie is a very tricky business. Movie companies put almost as much time and energy into spreading the word about the next big movie as they do when it comes to making the movie itself. The reason is there is so much at stake to get people into the theater. Many times the actors have points on the backend. This means they have given up a substantial amount of their upfront money for money on how the film does. There are directors who get another movie deal as long as this movie makes money. It’s the entire machine that drives movies. If a movie makes no money, everyone suffers.

These days though, getting the word out there is a lot more complex than it used to be. Up until recently there used to be the basic medium of a few print ads and then bombard the television with commercials. But those days have changed and now movies companies are looking at ways to attack people with advertising in the one place that it matters the most: the Internet.

One of the things that movies are doing is getting themselves outfitted with websites. This is a great way to get people involved in the movie. These websites will have extended trailers and will have cast interviews and on set photos. It brings the audience in.

Another way companies have changed is by looking to the films starts to use social media to spread the word. Big stars with Twitter and Facebook accounts have millions of followers and getting the right star to plug the movie like mad will help immensely to the films buzz. All a movie really needs is a buzz and from there anything can happen. The internet is the new place for buzz.

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Why Big Stars Go Straight To DVD

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Have you ever been in a video store or online looking for the next movie you want to watch and you come across a movie that catches your eye? Was it because you saw the name of a big star on it and you couldn’t figure out why you had never heard of the movie before? You look at the box and realize that this movie was made during the height of their popularity. So then you wonder what went wrong?

The truth is it takes a lot more than star power to get the movie out into the theatres. The first thing that a movie company will do once the movie is done shooting and a cut of the movie has been made is they will take it to focus groups. These groups will watch the movie and then rate the movie on a questionnaire. Then they will pull a smaller group of people into a room and ask them specifically what they liked and didn’t like. If the movie got an overwhelmingly negative response they will either try another group or they may ask to make changes. If those changes aren’t well received then there will be a chance that they go straight to DVD.

Another reason a movie doesn’t come out to the theaters if a star falls off the map. Sometimes there is a big name star who’s stock just plummets during production on the film. There is every intention to release it but then it looks more and more like no one wants to see it. It’s a serious problem for those in the business of movie making. The best thing you can do is go cheaper by cutting the press for it and sending it to the stores first and hoping that it makes its money back. There are many ways to have a movie go straight to home release.

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Why Bad Movies are Made

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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So there has to be times that you have wondered just what the movie studios were thinking in releasing a bad film. Maybe you wonder what a clearly low grade star is doing on another movie for theatrical release. Maybe you are wondering why a one and done type comedy has spawned a sequel or more than one sequel when it clearly ran out of gas a long time ago. These are questions that all the best movie lovers ask themselves when deciding on which movie to watch. The truth of the matter is that the reason to make a movie and then to make more movies is quite simple: it’s a math equation.
Let’s take a straight forward comedy made for a little over 5 million. The movie becomes a world wide hit and makes 100 million at the box office. A few things happen from this one movie: the director will have his next film pushed through even if it’s not that great because he has shown he knows how to bring home money. The next thing that will happen is some of the stars of that movie will take on a 3 or 4 picture deal with the movie studio. And of course the movie will be made into a sequel because it has been proven to make money.
What happens after that is that the sequel doesn’t do well but it still makes more money than it cost to make it. And as long as the balance works out that way they will continue to make movies from it. And remember the star who signed the picture deal? Well either they make great movies together or the star gets stuck being in movies that no one wants to see but they hope will even out that math equation with their star power. It’s all a part of the movie business.

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Why Movie Versions of Books Disappoint

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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There are many times that your favorite books have been made into a movie. These days there are a lot of big books that are turning into absolute smash hits at the box office. If you are a lover of books and movie alike then you will notice there is another trend sweeping Hollywood. There are a great number of good books that are turning out to be poor movies. You might always expect that your books are always going to be a little bit better than the movie version. A novel has more time with the subject and can allow to paint a better picture than a movie ever could. But it still doesn’t tell you why the movie was particularly bad. There are a few factors at play.

The one thing you were sure about heading into the theater is that it’s a good story you were about to see. Then you leave the theater knowing you didn’t see a good story. There are a lot of factors at play. A studio will commission someone to adapt the book into a movie. Occasionally the novelist has control but then again they may not have control. Once the book is into the hands of the studio then it’s up to them to figure it out and that is where changes to the story occurs. A screenwriting might change the ending or change a character. They might leave it the same but the director who has script control in their contract may come in and change it. Occasionally then an actor might have the right in his script to change it. The truth is that there are a number of people who can ruin your favorite movie. You will just have to take the experience with a grain of salt and simply hope for the best.

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The Shelf Life of a Movie

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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There is a belief that the movie business moves like a freight train. There is the idea that once a movie is written that the studios run like mad to it and cast it and throw it out into the theaters in no time. People think that selling a screenplay means seeing it up on the big screen in no time but the truth is that there are a lot of hoops that you have to jump through before that movie goes onto the big screen. Here is a little taste of the life of a movie.

So once a movie is written it is shopped to the various studios and if a studio likes it they can buy the rights to it. This movie then can either go into production at any time during the life of the rights or it can sit on a shelf and collect dust until the time expires. Certainly the first option is better but many times a movie doesn’t come out and the rights expire and the movie goes back out on the auction block. If that movie is picked up again then it might finally see the light of day. However, once it is in production there are a number of things that can derail the release of that movie.

There could always be a halt in production as a director might back out in the early stages due to creative differences or simply a scheduling issue. The same can happen with the actors on the project. Occasionally the studio is unhappy with the project and will halt production until significant changes are made and funding can run out or not be up to par to do the movie in the first place. There is no shortage of things that can happen to the movie to put it off track.

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The Reason for Film Festivals

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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When you are watching entertainment television and programming on the various people at these film festivals you get the idea that these festivals are about showcasing the many talents of the film makers and the films themselves. While many of the lower profile festivals certainly cater to that need there is also a larger force at work when it comes to the power of the film festival and who it benefits. There is nothing about a film festival that is solely about the movie.

The first thing that a film festival is for is to purchase films. There are many films out there that were funding by someone but is being distributed by no one. These films need deep pockets to get them out there to the masses. Someone needs to come up with the movie to get it into the theaters or to get it to DVD so that it can find a home in that market. These festivals are about buying and selling. It’s a showcase and a marketplace as much as it is anything else. Many young filmmakers got their start on the film festival circuit and for good reason. Once the product is in front of buyers it is much easier to sell.

The other main purpose of a film festival is as a Hollywood showcase. It is simply a place to be seen. It is one of the best places to be seen anywhere in the world and there are many people there without a film in the festival but would rather just be seen on camera. For those people it becomes about being at the big screenings and the big parties. Agents also look for fresh talent there in independent pictures and there are many actors who gain representation at these film festivals. There is more to festivals than the films themselves.

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Jumping From the Small Screen to the Big Screen

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Have you ever looked at your favorite television show and wondered where the stars of those shows will be when there run on television is over? Have you looked years later and found that those former TV stars have nothing but a failed movie career to show for their TV retirement? Have you ever wondered why? The truth is the jump from TV to the silver screen is one of the hardest jumps to do. So many have tried and very few have succeeded at it.

So why does the jump rarely work? What’s the issue with going from one medium to the other? The hardest part is erasing the public perception. The longer and more popular your television show was and the more beloved your character is the harder it is to get from the small screen to the big screen. The truth is if you have played a character on television, then audiences accept you as that and it’s hard to get them to accept that you are now supposed to be someone else. It isn’t fair to the actor but it’s that kind of devotion and dedication that makes it so profitable for people to be on television.

The other factor has everything to do with timing. There is no substitute for making the jump to the big screen at the right time. Some actors tend to do it at the height of their fame, making audiences resent them. Others wait until the show has failed before heading out there when there star is no longer on the rise. The best choice is to do it at a time where there isn’t a frenzy and you can do it at your own pace. The truth is that there is no really sure fire way to jump from television to movies. You just have to do it and hope for the best.

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Do a Film Festival the Right way

October 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Have you ever wanted to attend a film festival, but weren’t quite sure how to go about it? First, let’s put in a caveat. These are not ideas for a person with a master’s degree in film and acting. These are ideas for a normal individual who just wants to go and enjoy some movie watching.

Research Your Film Festival

It’s a good idea to do research on your film festival before you start making plans. First thing to do is research the dates and location. When and where will the film festival occur? Research can include friends and acquaintances who may have attended the film festival before. They can provide great information on location and atmosphere of the film festival. It’s a good idea to also research the types of films that the film festival may be showing or has shown in the past. Most film festivals of decent size, in the U.S., boast an internet site that will give an overview of the festival and the lineup of films.

Movies & Tickets for all

As you are researching your film festival, be sure to spent adequate time researching the genres that the festival hosts and the movies that will show. This will help you plan what movies to attend before you even arrive at the festival. You may also need to plan for ticket purchases to your film festival movies. It depends on the festival you attend and the movies, you attend, as to whether or not an entry fee will be changed.

Travel Plans & Recreation

Keep in mind that a lot of decent sized film festivals are held in locations that already have great recreation and other leisure activities in close proximity to the film festival. Florida is the perfect atmosphere and has many film festivals throughout the year. Try Florida vacation rentals and experience the best in regards to filming food and parties. So, when you start making your travel plans, be sure to look at surrounding recreational opportunities. You can make your film festival into an entire vacation with recreation and movies. It doesn’t get better than that.

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