How do people live with themselves if they fail?

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I see. Those people do have your best interests in mind when they say do it for $30k - because they're risk averse and don't want to see you lose so much of your money IF the film is unsuccessful.

What do Industry people say about your budget/expected costs? What's the length of your film? Is is THE Right script that you and others Believe In? Surely someone could execute a good script poorly, or a poor script well, buuut if everything is Right & done well it greatly increases the chances of success. Does this script, these people in front and behind the camera/post production etc, these locations, and every element of this plan EXCITE you and your team? Or is it lacking "something," in any way? Are there industry people you can get even more input on all of the above from to ensure your plan has the highest probability of success? Are you Okay with giving it your 100% best effort and accepting financial loss if it's unsuccessful? How would you react to that? Would you learn from whatever your fatal error(s) were and move forward and try again even if it meant going for broke down to $0 remaining? I'm just curious how passionate you are about making feature films - if the process of pursuing that goal is more important to you than Anything, than even success or money. That's not to say you shouldn't aim to succeed, but, if you don't, was pursuing the goal and giving it your best shot worth every penny you ever saved? Could you live the rest of your life playing it safe with $ in the bank and be okay with having never made at least one feature film even if it isn't successful?

These are qualitative "feel," type questions and they truly depend how YOU feel about things. Only you know the answers, but hopefully asking yourself these questions - and more - helps you refine your plan further to optimize chances of success and then determine if it's the Right plan with all the right elements that you're willing to go all-in on. If something isn't right and you feel it isn't right, change your plan before spending money. Plans change.. but once you venture down the path of executing them, sure they can still be changed and you can overcome obstacles on the fly, but changing things once plans are set in motion and they're building momentum becomes very time, energy, and money intensive. SO much smarter to improve plans before you pull the trigger.

edit: IIRC you've already produced many short films, correct? I'm told that's the path to features.. short short short short short etc etc rinse repeat and then eventually someone gives you as shot at a feature - or in this case you finance it yourself.

Industry people tell me that I need a lot more money and 30K is going to look like crap on the screen. The length of the film I am guessing will come out somewhere between 90-110 minutes. The script has been mixed between readers but every script has been so far, and I am told this is normal in the industry that every script is going to be met with mixed opinions.

I don't have a team yet because I was going to start up again now that covid seems to be getting better, but do not have one yet. I wanted to get the budget worked out better first. I'm pretty passionate about making feature films but do not know if I can try again after, if I do not have enough money after as a result. I couldn't live with myself if I don't try, but at the same time, something doesn't feel right about risking all the money either when I worry.

They are the experts, listen to them. There's no point in trying to do something for $30k that needs a much larger budget - it's a complete waste of money. Are these same people suggesting that $100k or so as your numbers come out to is enough of a budget? Even that seems low for a feature film - like I said earlier, the one I went to a premier screening for was done on an absolute shoestring budget of $350k I think. Are your industry advisers saying $100k or so is enough to get the job done properly? If not, what's the number they say is realistic? And if that number is more than you can afford, can you get an investor/partner? Are there grants you can get to have the government of Canada sponsor a Canadian made film? If more money is required and you don't want to risk All of your money, then you either need to make more money yourself first, Or, get an additional source of funds from investors/partners &/or grants etc in order to make it happen.

I can try to get grants or funding, but wanted a back up plan in case I couldn't get like my own money. I've always have to do something myself if I wanted it done, so never thought that I would get any hand outs.

However, other filmmakers I worked for said to avoid working with investors and funding if I can because they call a lot of the shots and it can cause a lot of complications and drama that can be avoided, if I use my own money, if that's true...

As for budget, I guess I just feel that in order to ease my anxiety, I have to make the 30k work somehow and find some expert who can budget it for that amount. Some feature films were made for less than 30K but I cannot figure out how they did it.

Where did those guys get the money to make their movies?

They got funding from rich people around the country. I cannot remember the companies or what they did, but people that showed interest. For example one filmmaker I worked under, had funding from some investor, but then later the investor wanted to sleep with her, and she wouldn't, so the investor pulled out. This is not the best example probably, but it's an example of an investor asking for too much of the filmmaker probably or they will pull the money out during production, which is always a possibility or so I was told.

Another filmmaker I know got the money from the government but the only reason he was able to get it is because his film dealt with certain social political issues, where as mine does not, so therefore, mine has a lot less chance of government funding as a result.

Soooo, they used other peoples' money to get their start yet are advising that you don't? Hypocrites.

If some super rich investor types like your film and you can strike a deal to get it funded, why not? Sure, you'd be doing the work and they'd be making the money.. but with the right deal you'd get paid something for it as well as get a name for yourself going so that others might fund future projects until you make enough money to self fund eventually.

Don't assume you can't get government funding just because it isn't about ____ social issues. I think there are film grants simply for producing made in Canada content even. Definitely look into the Film Board of Canada grant program and any others. You might be able to get the money you need without someone else calling the shots. Worth inquiring and finding out!

Okay thanks, I didn't think they are hypocrites, I just thought they were saying to me to avoid the drama, they had to go through by not having their own money to avoid it.

But if the funding does not work out, should I plan to use my own money as a plan B then?

Do you have enough money for the budget that industry experts tell you it will cost to produce and promote? Don’t forget you’ll need a budget to try to promote and sell the film once it’s made - like submitting it to the film auctions etc or pitching it to movie channels.

And then that’s a personal decision for sure. Are you certain that This is the script, people, locations etc and every element is perfectly falling into place with energized enthusiastic people who Believe this will succeed?

Also, is it about the journey or the destination for you? If you spend $100k+ and produce a feature length film, are you going to be happy and consider it a goal realized and fulfilled? Or only if it’s sold and screened and makes a profit?

If it’s about making the best full length feature you can, and you’re going to be thrilled simply to have completed it and if it’s popular you’ll consider it a bonus, then by all means, if it’s your dream - live it.

But if you’re going to be crushed if it doesn’t get picked up and get seen and make money, then maybe you have some deep contemplating to do before deciding.

Oh well I do want the movie to sell though for sure, or at least get my food in the door so I am hired for more jobs to try to make money off of it that way, if that makes sense?

As for everything perfectly falling into place, that isn't how real life works, and I don't think everything will fall into place, and I have to make compromises that I am worried about it, unless I am looking at it wrong?

Of course you’d prefer it succeed and I doubt you’ve chosen a script and made plans based on it simply being An available script you can maybe afford to produce. BUT, are you going to be able to be content with saying “Ya know what, I gave it my all, a true and honest 100% effort, and even though I didn’t sell my film - I did make it!! And that’s a huge success! Most aspiring filmmakers stay aspiring filmmakers and never take the leap of faith and gamble that I did! They ever save the capital to decide what to do with. But I did, and I’m damned proud of that accomplishment even IF my film is only seen by the cast, crew, friends and family. I can at least Know that I gave it my all and completed a feature length film and that’s worth something to me and I feel accomplished for having done so!”

If you can hold your head high and proud even if you don’t make fame and fortune, then perhaps it’s well worth the money to you. That’s only for you to decide.

Naturally it’d be even better if it’s Also picked up and distributed by someone.

And no, you're not wrong.. there will be many unknowns and unforeseen challenges to overcome along the way. There’s no such thing as a perfect plan with no hiccups. But I mean.. in general, is THIS the right plan? Does the Universe seem to be conspiring with you to help you navigate the path from where you are to where you want to be? Is the script right and the people involved seem to be magnetically attracted to the project and helping you see it through? Sometimes things just feel like they’re meant to be done and it’s out of your lowly human hands; you just have to put your head down and do the work to make the most of the opportunity right in front of you.

Last edited by goldfish21 on 18 Jul 2021, 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Oh okay, that's a good way of looking at it. Thanks. Well it seems that the Universe may be trying to stop me from making it, but maybe that's just me. Covid I thought was trying to stop me for sure. Others said before that it may be too politically incorrect to make because of things going on now, so that feels like maybe the Universe is trying to stop me to, but hopefully I can get people on bouard with it.

hey. i made a few shorts on shoestring budgets, then a few animated shorts, usually funded by some government grants (that's how any film gets made in Europe). I've won some awards and done some teaching at college.

I was wondering: have you made films before? like, a short, with a bunch of friends, and crappy cameras and lighting etc?

because there's an incredible amount of things you can learn about what can go wrong and how to do things, on your first few shorts.
It get's much, much easier to plan ahead after those first two or three short films.
It's quite possible you have it all planned out, but I think, apart from the whole marketong after the film is produced, lack of experience might be your biggest risk factor for possible failure.

try shooting some of the dialogue with a DSLR and some friends, do the editing. get a feeling for shooting these scenes.

Directing is so hard. - I used to storyboard all my films,like, my first short I shot with 3 friends in a parking lot, at night, in winter, and I had the whole thing storyboarded to show them what I wanted to film and it helped the communication so much, and we got it done in one night. ... that may not be your process, but, well, do you know your process?
I mean... my first few films technically worked, the images showed what I wanted, they told the story, and the story itself worked. But there wasn't much elegance and feeling to them. Because I was busy with doing it all by myself, to get it done, and I didn't have the experience yet....

Why? What's the subject matter? Depends what it is and how it's presented. Some things might be political lightning rods.. BUT, if done VERY well, that could even work out in your favour if someone wants to distribute it Because it's controversial and sure to get attention - even free press via newsjacking! On that note, if 999 distributors say no because of this, the 1000th may say yes for the very same reason the others said no! There are successful films out there that many studios refused to distribute but eventually someone took the risk and said yes.

Well the main character wants to get revenge on the villains for being raped, and people said it's going to be hard to find a lot of people interested in making a movie about that. Plus the villains are part of the 'incel community' which is part of the plot, which I was told is going to be a touchy one for people to want to make a movie about as well.

I see.

There are movies about rape & revenge, so it's possible for there to be another and someone to take a gamble on it. Not sure there's anything quite like a movie about incel rapists, though.. so that part is definitely unique and it depends entirely on how it's framed as to whether someone might want to distribute it or not. If it's going to make excuses for rapists, rape victims are not going to like that. If it's going to frame incels as rapists in the wait, non-violent incels who just happen to be involuntarily celibate are not going to like that. If it strikes some sort of balance, while presenting a real world plausible case and raises awareness about he dangers of some individuals, it may be risky, but Someone might distribute that.

If I were you, I would contact the studios/distribution companies that have put out other such risky films and see what their responses are to it. I'm thinking of movies like Hard Candy (Elliot Page back when he was Ellen Page), and I think there's an implied rape scene in another Elliot Page movie called "Into the Forest." (Which had a different production company as per imdb.)

Hard Candy was a Lionsgate Films release.. and Lionsgate is also the company that eventually distributed Rob Zombie's first horror called "House of 1000 Corpses," after everyone else said it was way too gruesome so he toned it down a little and Lionsgate put it out - they take risks on lower dollar productions because they know they can put out a bunch of low $ movies and when one of them hits the big time they make huge money.