This is really really weird. I think there's a universal vibe out there, and all of us creatives are picking up on it. At least two other actors/writers I follow (June 1st Update -- make it four) are on the same path as I am, writing a web series or feature film, self-producing...
And the really interesting thing is, one of the business models I am looking at for my own web series is The Guild, written and produced by Felicia Day. I had been considering sending her an e-mail asking advice on producing a web series, decided to stop at her blog before I wrote that e-mail, and there it is, a post giving advice about exactly that! And that does put a different spin on how I've been visualizing the results of this series.
And, it looks like my "it takes a village" idea isn't such a crazy one after all, skimming through the rest of Day's blog for posts about The Guild, it appears that's how she financed the first season of her series also, donations through Paypal. But she had to defer pay for her actors. Here's another post from Day during the middle of producing the series.
(And just for the record, for those of you who may not know, deferring pay to the actors is one of the most common practices in low-budget projects.)
Anyhow, my goal is slightly different, but I'm not sure how I'll pull this off. She produced her series by deferring pay for the cast and crew, so that she could pay for locations and equipment. I am very adamant about paying my cast and crew. My best case scenario, pay cast & crew, get locations & equipment for free. I'll need to start reading books like How I Made 100 Movies In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime by Roger Corman to pull that one off, I think. Although I'll read the book with caution because I want my production to look thoroughly professional and not like a low budget horror.
(The reason I list that book specifically is because Edward Norton mentioned it in his Actor's Studio interview. So hopefully that means there's something in the book to be learned, and not just the one bit that Norton mentioned.)
So many different sources of information! How does one see the forest through the trees?
3 comments:
You know... another thing you can do is... do a bunch more student films, and maintain good network/relationship with people that you 'click' with.
I usually maintain contact with student filmmakers whom I had great experience with....
And now, all of us are in the process of developing our own webseries :) (They have access to equipements and editing tool at the school)
Have you check out leavingbliss.com ? That's one of my favorite new LA-based Web Series.
The Battery's Down is the NY-Based Musical webseries that had really made it big. Not only it has guest stars from very well known Broadway stars... but also real Casting Directors and Talent Agents. (Perez Hilton had a cameo too)
The show even helped the lead actor (and producer) signed with a legit Agent!!
I think its good you pay your actors and are appreciative of each piece of the puzzle. I hope everything works out for you
l
Hi Wayne!
Yes, networking with student directors, my director for this series I'm producing is a now-graduated student director that I've worked with a couple of times before. I really like his style, and am so excited to work with him again! =D
Hi Lauren!
Most low-budget projects end up deferring pay to their actors, that is the norm. I am just being stubborn and trying to find a way around it, and still keep my budget reasonable.
Thanks for your well-wishes! =)
Post a Comment