Advice from an Indie Producer: The Page Turn
After you’ve hired your crew, it’s now time to schedule a meeting with your key department heads to go scene by scene through the script, which is called a “page turn.” A page turn ensures all the department heads are in alignment with the producer/director’s vision. This meeting saves time and money because it reduces...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: Production Design & Wardrobe
The Art and Wardrobe departments help build the characters through decoration and dress. What people wear and where they live and work can give you insight into the characters and their motivations. That’s why it’s important to hire crewmembers that are clear about your vision and have the ability to execute it for the budget...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: What You Need for Filming
The CameraThere are many things you need to actually make a movie. The most important one is the camera. Without one there’s no movie. Here are some key questions you need to ask yourself when choosing a camera: What type of look are you trying to achieve? Each camera’s output has a different look and...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: Locations
Locations are an important part of your prep as a filmmaker. The places you choose can either enhance or potentially harm the production value of your project. The process to find locations can be daunting especially on a full-length feature film, so it’s imperative that you have a plan. BreakdownsBreaking down the script is the...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: Hiring the Crew
Preparation for an indie project is crucial for finishing on time and under budget. The budget is finite (in most cases) because you cannot go to the studio and ask for more money. You have to get it right the first time. In Robert Rodriquez’s Rebel Without a Crew, he credits detailed preparation as to how he shot...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: Budgets Line by Line
There are two major components to an indie film budget: above the line and below the line. Above the line typically includes the fees paid to the writer, director, producer and cast. Below the line is everything else you need to buy or rent to make your production run, including post-production. The largest expense on...
READ MOREAdvice from an Indie Producer: Script Breakdown & Budgeting
What is the real purpose of a budget? In my experience, it’s the road map of the production. The amount of money you have will dictate the majority of the decisions that are made in pre-production, principal photography, post-production and beyond (festivals, marketing, social media campaigns, etc). You may have used a “development” budget, usually...
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