We are excited to announce that FilmSkills is powering the State of Kentucky online film training program.
Kentucky offers aggressive tax incentives for film production, making it one of the more affordable film production locations in the United States. Due to the growing number of films coming to the state, Kentucky’s demand for crew is growing.
The FilmSkills certification program is all about training people to get jobs! It is intended for everyone from professionals who want to apply their craft in the film industry to university students who want to break into the market. This is the only certification program recognized by the Kentucky Film Office and the Kentucky Film Association.
Los Angeles-based director, Mark Grabianowski takes us behind the scenes of his new short film, Coyote. Set deep in the heart of Mexico, Coyote is the story of human traffickers’ search for the disappearance of a young woman.
What inspired this story?
I have always been fascinated with the fact that human trafficking is still practiced globally, even close to home. Mexico is only a few hours away yet people are being trafficked across the border everyday. I wanted to create a story that shows the violence and the hopelessness of these people who are locked into this life.
How did you prepare for the challenges and safety issues of shooting in the desert?
Coyote takes place in the desert of Mexico, so we needed to find as suitable alternative closer, the Mojave desert just outside of Los Angeles proved to be the perfect spot to set the film. Of course shooting in the desert is not as simple as shooting in your best friends backyard (as I did with my last film), planning and prepping for the shoot took months and involved help from many people. The first thing I got was production insurance and medical coverage for the shoot weekend. This covered up to one million dollars worth of damage and some basic medical coverage for the cast and crew. My locations person also knew the area inside and out and knew the safety precautions that were needed. We purchased 1st aid kits as well in the event that the cast or crew injured themselves. Another thing to mention was the area was prone for snakes and although the land owner hadn’t seen one in 7 years, the day before the shoot they saw a huge rattlesnake outside their van. Luckily we had no encounters.
The cast and crew of Mark Grabianowski’s short film, “Coyote,” prepared months for the logistics of shooting in the Mojave Desert.
How did you and your DP come up with the cinematic look of the film, and how did you accomplish it?
My DP Roger Viloria and I turned out to be a great team, he was on board from the beginning and had the same vision as I did. I first met with Roger to discuss my vision for the film, I explained to him how I envisioned this story through a wide scope and the tone I wanted to capture. I showed him a look book that I created with various images that I made as well as screenshots from other films and tv shows I used for inspiration. We then went to the location and did a scout shoot. We tried different lenses and setups with the camera and came back with something we both visually agreed with. Next, we worked together a few nights to create storyboards so that we were as best prepared for this quick 2 day shoot as possible, Roger is a great artists so it was a breeze. I felt it was important for me to get my vision across but not to limit Roger in his creativity. So if he had an idea or felt that something could have been shot better I took them into account.
Director Mark Grabianowski and DP Roger Viloria discuss a shot.Director of Photography, Roger ViloriaMark and Roger’s storyboards for “Coyote.”
You had a limited budget – can you give us a few examples of how you stretched your budget, or came up with novel ways to increase the production value of the movie?
Well, one way to increase production value is definitely through the location you choose, the viewer needs to believe they are where the story takes place or else the illusion is gone. Unfortunately in Los Angeles, locations are probably one of the most expansive parts of a production. I was fortunate that my DP, Roger, was good friends with one of the managers of this particular location. So right away my location fee went down from what would have been over $5,000 to $150! Another way I saved money was I had the actors provide their own wardrobe. I discussed with each actor what I was looking for and they brought from home what worked best, in some cases I went out and purchased some clothing or props form the good will (Good will or any thrift store, is a great resource for costumes).
Describe one of your biggest challenges in making this movie and how you resolved it.
One large challenge was how to get the cast and crew up to the Mojave desert to shoot for two days and spend as little money as possible. My co-producer Cole suggested we rent a Winnebago and drive up to the area It not only could transport cast and crew from he hotels to the location (which was about 20 miles in the desert) but it would serve as a home base that had held all the food, water and bathrooms as well as a place for shade and rest. The area had cheap hotels so I was able to put everyone up for a night comfortably then every morning at 6am we would all meet at the Winnebago for a cast crew meeting and then head out to the location. It ended up working out very well. Having the Winnebago also brought its own share of complications. On the second day of shooting, it became extremely windy and the wind almost tipped the Winnebago over as well as ripped the canopy off. While I was filming the crew ran over to take care of the issue. The damage ended up costing me and extra $1000 with insurance.
Winnebagos are good for more than making meth in the desert (I’m looking at you, Walter White) – they are the perfect solution for a mobile production office.
How have you marketed the movie so far, and what kind of response have you gotten?
One thing I always do when I market my films is by getting a few film reviews from websites and bloggers. I have also just recently submitted to numerous festivals. The next step is to market the film through other venues that deal with the same subjects such as human trafficking websites and Hispanic film festivals. The issue of human trafficking is a global one and I want to be able to share this story and issue around the world.
Learn film marketing techniques and how you can use Hollywood methods to promote your film:
When a production company is looking for a city in which to shoot, there are several factors to consider. Permits, local laws regarding film production, tax incentives, and coordination between police, fire, and other city departments will affect the budget and shooting schedule. Because the production company may not be aware of the local regulations and procedures, each state has set up a film commission to work with the production company.
In addition to state film commissions, large cities may have their own. Film commissions serve to provide the following services to filmmakers:
Production Manual
Film commissions usually produce a yearly directory of all the film production personnel, equipment rental houses, casting agencies, hotels, travel accommodations, and postproduction services in the area. This directory is usually free and is a tremendous resource. Get one.
Locations
Film commissions often maintain a database of thousands of photographs of locations available in the region and can assist you in finding and securing locations. Locations in high-production cities may be broken up into those that are available for free or for a slight fee and those with larger rental costs for bigger budget productions. When shooting in another state, that state’s film commission may mail location photos to the location manager to assist with finding locations.
When you find a photo of a location, always contact the film commission to ensure the location still exists and that the photo is accurate. Locations can change all the time and the film commission may not have updated their online photo database.
Conversely, if you don’t see a location in the photo database, call the film commission. They may know of a location and can usually send out a scout to take photos for you.
Coordination with City Services
Although film commissions do not generally issue permits, they can work with the city to help secure permits, coordinate police and fire officials, shut down streets, or perform any other service needed to ensure a smooth production. Without a film commission, your would need to apply for each of these services separately and could encounter needless delays.
If you encounter problems with any government agency, always contact the film commission first. It’s in their best interest to ensure you have a positive experience in both pre-production and production.
Coordination with Local Residents and Businesses
Film commissions will help the you work with local businesses and residents, especially if production activity interferes with traffic or access to stores and businesses. Film commissions can also help deal with local complaints and concerns over the production.
Film commissions are responsible for increasing film business in their state by promoting and marketing their state’s resources to film producers. Tax breaks, state rebate programs, free permits, and other incentives help cities attract productions that could bring in millions of dollars of revenue to businesses, restaurants, and hotel, not to mention the fame a city receives from being the setting for a big Hollywood film.
Film commissions are also sensitive to independent filmmakers whose projects may not carry the financial backing of a Hollywood blockbuster. Independent filmmakers who are successful may just want to come back when they are Hollywood moguls, so film commissions see a low- to no-budget independent film as a possible investment in future business.
Contact your local film commission to arrange details for your next production. Remember, they are a resource… use them.
Want to learn more about working on location? Join FilmSkills today to unlock lessons about permits, scouting locations, working with location owners, and much more.
We are excited to announce the all new FilmSkills Film Marketing Course. We’ve assembled an all-star group of studio executives and marketing professionals to help you craft a powerful and effective marketing campaign for your movie.
You’ve made your cinematic masterpiece, now what? One of the most secretive and difficult processes of filmmaking is selling your movie to distributors. When you’re at the negotiating table, of all the people at the table – sales agents, distributors, agents, and managers – you are the least knowledgeable person there, and they know it.
The FilmSkills Distribution Course takes you behind closed doors to teach you how the sales end of the industry works. We take you to the American Film Market and the Sundance Film Festival to see how deals are struck. Learn from the VP of Distribution of Lucas Film how to navigate the sometimes-tricky waters of domestic and foreign distribution. Learn how to market your movie at a film festival and ultimately get the best deal possible.
You will learn from Hollywood’s top producers and distributors as they walk you into the heart of the Hollywood sales machine to arm you with the knowledge to be the smartest person sitting at the negotiating table.
In this series, you will learn from:
Jeff Ulin – Vice President of LucasFilm – Jeff managed and oversaw the worldwide marketing campaign for the Star Wars movies
Kyle Bonnici – Director Paramount Pictures Worldwide Marketing
Jason J. Tomaric – Emmy-winning director, producer of several internationally distributed movies
Alexa Amin – VP of Sony Pictures Animation
Patrick Falvey – Los Angeles based marketing producer
Lloyd Kaufman – President of Troma Pictures, Chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance
Kim Edelman – Founder, Fox Movie Channel’s short film program
Ricky Margolis – Investor and Vice President of Future Films USA
Learn the complete, step-by-step process of writing a marketable Hollywood screenplay from successful, working writers.
Learn to write a script Hollywood will want to produce
Every great movie is made from a great script. It doesn’t matter how big the budget gets, how authentic the actors perform, or how magnificent the visual effects appear unless the screenplay is engaging, dynamic, and believable. Films with high production values have been known to flop because the scripts couldn’t handle the weight of their own plots, structures or even main characters. Rarely has a bad script been made into a good movie. Writing a script is a craft that takes time to learn and a tremendous amount of discipline, and it also requires understanding story structure, psychology, human dynamics, and pacing.
In the FilmSkills Screenwriting Course, you will learn the step-by-step process of writing a script from top Hollywood writers. From the very beginning stages of developing a marketable idea, creating dynamic characters, understanding story structure, and finally learning how to market your script. You will gain all the tools you need to write a professional Hollywood screenplay.
FilmSkills takes a real world approach to screenwriting by blending the art with the business. A great script does no good if it’s sitting on your desk, so we help you write a script producers will want to make.
I’ve read so many screenwriting books, and nothing comes close to the depth and quality of the FilmSkills Screenwriting Course. – Bill R.
Lessons in the Screenwriting master Class
Developing the Idea
Strong ideas are the basis of a compelling story, if they are fleshed out the right way and appeal to a mass audience. In this module, we’ll show you where you can look for creative, original ideas and how to determine their marketability with both studios and producers.
Story Structure
Stories have been told a particular way throughout human history, and movies are no different. Both the audience and filmmakers have agreed upon an unspoken structure for how the plot points in a movie are revealed. In this module, we’re not only going to expose this underlying structure, but teach you how to incorporate it into your production.
The Three Act Structure
In this module, we’ll show you how to use the three act structure to properly pace your story, what should occur in each act, the length of each act, what happens at the beginning, middle and end of each act, and how to apply these techniques to your story.
A-Story and Subplots
If you were to describe a movie in a few sentences, you would probably give me a great summary of the main plot of the story- “Raiders of the Lost Arc is about an archaeologist who goes in search of the Arc of the Covenant.” Or “Twilight” is about girl torn between two men – a vampire and a werewolf.” In both of these examples, you would be correct – but what you told me was what is part of what’s called the “A” plot, or the main storyline of the movie. Movies can also include several smaller stories called subplots, which help reveal character, push the story forward and ultimately support the A-plot. In this module, we’re going to look at how to effectively write both the A-plot and the subplots.
Story Pacing
A good screenplay takes the audience on an emotional roller coaster, and one of the challenges facing each writer is how to keep the audience engaged through each and every minute of the story. In this module, learn literary techniques for maintaining strong pacing – especially through the second act.
The Protagonist
As you’re writing your screenplay, the most important character to write is the protagonist. But you have several choices – is he also the main character? Does the protagonist change or remain steadfast? How do you write a character the audience will care about? How can flaws help the protagonist solve the story problem?
Knowing the answers to these question will help you craft a compelling character, so in this module, we’re going to explore techniques for writing a strong, multi-dimensional protagonist.
The Antagonist
The antagonist has been classically referred to as the bad guy, the villain, or the adversary. But more properly defined, he, she or it is the literary opposite of the protagonist – the character who opposes the goals of the protagonist. In this module, we’re going to explore techniques for writing a strong antagonist, how to make him, her or it a real, multidimensional character.
Conflict Types
Conflict in a story is everything – it defines the very purpose of the protagonist. We can divide the types of conflict into one of several categories – each category helping to define the antagonist’s role in the story. They are man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. society, man vs. nature and man vs. the supernatural. So in this module, we’re going to explore these various types of conflict and how you can use them to craft a compelling antagonist.
Supporting Characters
A movie is populated with dozens of other characters – many of whom have an influence on the protagonist and the antagonist. These supporting characters either help or hinder, compliment or compete with our protagonist and antagonist. They add vibrancy and excitement to the story, all while serving as a valuable literary tool for you as you write the screenplay. In this module, we’re going to explore the function of supporting characters.
Character Archetypes
All characters can be broken down into eight different archetypes – now these are the basic ingredients of creating a character, so of course you can mix and match them to create more complex, unique characters. But every supporting character fulfills one of more of these roles. The eight archetypes are the protagonist and the antagonist, Reason, Emotion, The Sidekick, The Skeptic, the Guardian and the Contagonist. So, in this module, we’re going to explore the six archetypes that make up supporting characters.
Personality and Backstory
The act of writing is much more than simply creating characters – it’s about writing real people with real fears, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses. But although you need to be able to create real, believable people, every choice you make when creating them needs to support the story. Who they are helps them confront the plot, learn more about themselves and ultimately succeed or fail. Their background gives them the tools and experienced they need to confront the conflict, and most importantly, their tragic flaw gives their story a personal arc. So, in this module, we’re going to discuss how to create personality and backstory.
Dialogue and Subtext
One of producers’ biggest criticisms of a script is the weak, cliche dialogue. Learn how to make your script stand out with tight, engaging dialogue from working Hollywood experts. Emmy-winning Executive Producer of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Steve Skrovan, Writer/Producer Mike Emanuel, Writer John Anderson, Writer/Script Doctor David Freeman and Emmy-winning Director Jason Tomaric share valuable insight into avoiding cliches and writing tight dialogue.
From Title to Outline
The treatment and outline for a movie is literally the backbone of the story, and the quality of your work in this phase can either make or break your script. Learn how to write an effective treatment and outline and simplify the process of writing the first draft. Working Hollywood writers teach you how to get the most out of this valuable writing tool.
The First Draft
Learn how to properly write and format the first draft of your script. This module is a complete guide that walks you through every step of how to format a screenplay.
Rewriting
Once the first draft of your script is ready, the real work begins. Learn what to look for in the rewriting process, how to identify problem areas that may adversely affect the story and how to get the most out of each plot, character and line of dialogue. Emmy-winning Executive Producer of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Steve Skrovan, Writer/Producer Mike Emanuel, Writer John Anderson, Writer/Script Doctor David Freeman, Emmy-winning Director Jason Tomaric and Jerrol LeBaron, president of the script brokerage site, inktip.com share industry tips and techniques on how to effectively rewrite your script.
Marketing Your Script
You’ve finished the script, now what? Working Hollywood writers and producers take you through the process of finding an agent or manager. Should you approach a producer instead? How do you deal with the studio Hollywood Reader? How do you cope with rejection? This module takes you through the intricacies of the Hollywood system and how to manage it.
This is by far, hands down, no questions asked, the best screenwriting course I have ever taken. I’ve finished my first script and have already gotten it in the hands of agents. Thank you, FilmSkills! – Eric C.
Even though sound is the other half of the movie going experience, it tends to be the most neglected department on set. The camera, lights, and actors get all the attention, all while the audio is almost an after thought. This is a mistake, as recording clean on set audio will save you may headaches (and money) later in post. But how does audio work, and how do new digital recording devices convert sound waves into a series of 1s and 0s?
In this excerpt of the FilmSkills Audio Recording Course, Emmy-winning director Jason Tomaric, Head of Audio at Apple and inventor of THX, Tom Holman, and the VP of education at Audio Technica teach us how the digital recording process works.
Jason Tomaric, Emmy-winning director/cinematographer and founder of FilmSkills
Hello, I’m Jason Tomaric, and welcome to FilmSkills. I’m a working director and cinematographer in Los Angeles, California and the founder of FilmSkills.
I can imagine we have a lot in common. I grew up in a small Ohio town and started a production company shooting local commercials for bike shops, restaurants, and attorneys. While I dreamt of shooting bigger projects in LA, I had no idea where to start. My family was a typical middle-income family with absolutely no industry connections, and film school wasn’t for me. But as fate would have it, our neighbors in the house behind us had a daughter, Johanna Jenson, who worked in the film industry in LA. Our neighbor would send Johanna newspaper clippings covering my film shoots, and after a while, Johanna and I became pen pals. I would ask her questions about her life working in Hollywood, then anxiously await her reply. She was a lifeline between me and my career dreams in LA. Her advice and kindness were instrumental in helping me move my career to the next level.
Eventually I moved to LA, where I built a successful career directing and shooting feature films, television commercials, and documentaries. If it wasn’t for Johanna’s kindness in helping an ambitious kid in Ohio, I may have never taken the plunge, and for that I am forever grateful.
As I continued to grow professionally, I was disappointed at the opportunities to learn– film schools were outrageously priced and had inexperienced – often bitter – instructors, books seemed too academic, and self-proclaimed experts on youTube were sharing what limited knowledge they had… from their bedroom studios and a webcam. I didn’t want any of that; I wanted to learn from the pros. And with that thought, FilmSkills was born.
Say Hello to FilmSkills
Johanna had a huge impact on my life and career. Afterall, it’s not every day that you can connect with a working Hollywood filmmaker. There isn’t a career day where you can follow around a director, producer, cinematographer, or editor like you can a police officer, doctor, or architect. Hollywood seems like a good old boys club where you have to know someone to get in, and once you’re in, no one on the outside matters. But I found the opposite to be true.
Hundreds of successful and talented filmmakers from all parts of the business partnered with me on FilmSkills to share their knowledge and experience with you. We take you step-by-step through the hard-learned lessons on how to build a career from scratch. FilmSkills is about real world knowledge from real world filmmakers.
“Film professors do not teach the real world. That’s why our instructors are working Hollywood filmmakers.”
Widely adopted
FilmSkills has quickly grown into the film industry’s largest film training site. Tens of thousands of students have learned from over 150 leading filmmakers. FilmSkills has also been widely adopted by over 70 film schools, including UCLA, Yale, NYU, Columbia College Chicago, and Full Sail. Why? Because at FilmSkills, you learn from the best people in the industry.
James Cameron’s Assistant director team teaches you how to schedule and budget a film shoot
Steven Spielberg’s producers teach you how to produce a film
The directors of Castle, Star Trek, The X-Files, and The Fugitive teach you how to direct actors and the director’s craft
Judd Apatow’s audio post-product team teaches you about ADR, sound effects editing, and Foley
Emmy-Award winning Executive Producer of Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld teaches you how to write a script
…and we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. Our 150 instructors have won, or been nominated for, over 70 Emmy, Academy Awards, BAFTAs, and Golden Globes. I bet you can’t find a film school with that caliber of instructors, and at FilmSkills, they are all here for you.
Get the Jobs and Day Rate You Deserve
By the end of the day, you want one thing– to get the jobs you want and earn the paycheck you deserve. That is the core goal of FilmSkills. You will learn the process and techniques in the safety of your own home so when you get on set, you’ll have the edge. We are here to dramatically shorten your learning curve so you can accelerate your career. You may be wondering who am I to teach this?
I went from a film school drop out to earning $10,000/day as a director and cinematographer in Hollywood.
I went from directing local bike shop commercials in Ohio to an Emmy-winning career in LA earning a $10,000 day rate. I’ve shot documentaries that span 20 countries and TV commercial campaigns for major companies like Toyota, McDonald’s, and Microsoft. While my passion has always been filmmaking, a close second is teaching. I’ve seen a handful of people succeed in this business and hundreds fail. The ones who succeed all have some of the same traits– as do the people who fail. FilmSkills is about guiding you through the career minefield so you can improve your chances of being one of the success stories.
At FilmSkills, we’re not here to teach you the art. That’s your talent and gift. We are here to show you the tools, process, and industry techniques to harness and shape your creative vision into a career.
We’re so excited to have you with us and are ready to help you take your career to the next level. Let’s get started!
Shooting a movie is a very demanding and exciting culmination of months of work and preparation. It’s also gruelling, with each shooting day a minimum of 12 hours and often running longer, some productions shoot 6 days a week. When you add travel time, many crew people barely get enough time to sleep, let alone find life balance outside of work.
Shooting a feature film is a lot like running a marathon – it’s all about pacing yourself and having the stamina to make it to the end. When getting started in the production phase of a movie, be ready for what awaits you.
Long hours– Shooting a movie often leads to long, tiring hours. Be sure to eat healthy food and get enough sleep before the production begins. You’ll need as much energy as you can muster, so avoid sugary junk food from the craft services table, opting instead for solid, protein-rich meals to help carry you through your day.
Stress– Be prepared for problems and stressful situations on set – equipment will break, actors will have bad days, locations will fall through, it will rain and you will go over schedule. The better organized you are in preproduction, the easier it will be to overcome problems as they arise. Remember Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it will. Assume there will be problems, keep a professional, level head and rely on your crew – everyone on set has the unified goal of producing the best movie possible.
Keep organized– The secret to a smooth-running production is to be as organized as possible during the entire shoot. From organizing the equipment to keeping the office paperwork in order, always maintain a clean, safe work environment.
Be prepared – You are responsible for yourself, so be prepared with an extra pair of socks and shoes, rain gear, a flashlight, the necessary tools for your job, a first aid kit, extra sweatshirt and jacket in the even you shoot into the night, mosquito repellant, and sunscreen.
Do your homework – Always review the script for the next day so you know what to expect. Take some time to review the next day’s schedule, shooting requirements, and location, so you can mentally and physically pace yourself for the day’s challenges.
Know where you’re going – The easiest way to get fired is to be late to set. If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, your’e fired. Always Google map the directions to the location the night before and allow plenty of time to arrive. It’s never good to start out the day stressed because you miscalculated your travel time.
Don’t drink – As tempting as it may be to join the crew for a beer after a shoot, avoid alcohol whenever possible during a shoot. You are already taxing your body, eating unhealthy foods, and falling behind on your sleep. Drinking will only dehydrate you more and make you hate life the next day.
Production is an intensive process that can take its toll on your health very quickly. Take care of yourself so you can make the best film you can.
From the outside, producing a movie appears to be glamourous, fun and exciting. It is an adventure that may afford you the opportunity to work with famous personalities, travel the world, and have experiences that most people only dream of. The process of producing a movie is rarely as engaging as this romanticized facade. In reality, movie production is an arduous and challenging process that requires massive amounts of time and money. Many filmmakers fail under the weight of the demands of production and end up in debt with little to show for their efforts.
Smart producers will carefully consider the factors that go into producing a movie.
Make sure it’s a project you LOVE – A movie can take you years to produce. From the time you develop the concept or find the perfect script to the moment you turn over the master tapes to a distributor, years will pass. As basic as it may sound, it’s important to find a project that you truly love – one that you will look forward to working on, even when the going gets tough and it seems that the odds of completing it appear impossible.
Your movie will always cost more than you think – Even the most experienced line producers fail to account for costly line items: weather that can wipe out entire shooting days, additional equipment that may be needed on set, days that may run into over time, payoffs to annoyed neighbors when you’re shooting on location, codec problems in the editing process… there are dozens of factors that can add thousands of dollars to your budget. Be prepared to spend a lot more than you originally anticipated before beginning the process.
Your movie will always take longer to produce than you think – Movies will always take longer to produce than you initially think. Especially in the independent world where money is scarce, you will be forced to develop cheaper workarounds that while saving money, will ultimately cost you time. There is an old adage that says you can produce a movie with only two of the following three options: cheap, fast or good. If you want you movie to be inexpensive and good quality, it won’t happen quickly. If you want you movie to be inexpensive and quickly produced, it wont be good.
Don’t be too ambition with your page/day count – Shooting 4-5 pages a day is a comfortable amount that allows you time to rehearse actors and carefully set-up each scene. Productions with limited funds will try to cram as many as 7-9 pages per day. This won’t allow any time to light or rehearse and will drastically cut into the production value of the movie. You have to ask yourself at which point are you going to compromise the quality so severely that you’ll hinder your ability to sell the film.
Don’t forget Post-Production – Many producers are so focused on getting the film “in-the-can,” that they completely overlook the costs and time required to complete the post-production of the movie. From editing and sound mixing to composing and mastering, the post production process often takes longer and is more expensive than shooting the movie. It’s a god idea to work with your post-production house at the very beginning so you can anticipate and manage your costs by pre-planning your post-production requirements.
Approach the production of a movie like you would with any investment. Look realistically at the costs and resources needed to properly pull it off.
A common question asked many many independent filmmakers is, “Does my film need to be rated by the MPAA?” The MPAA, which stands for the Motion Picture Association of America is an independent board comprised of parents and clergy that view and rate movies. The rating system, G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17 helps parents select appropriate content for themselves and their kids. But, the rating has a serious impact on where a film can be released.
You’ve definitely seen the red or green band screens that appear before a movie trailer. And yes, even trailers are rated by the MPAA.
FilmSkills recently partnered with Barry Freeman, former member of the MPAA and one of the people directly involved in the movie rating process. In his lesson, he teaches you how the MPAA functions, how a rating can affect a film’s box office revenue, when an independent filmmaker needs to have their film reviewed, the costs involved, and how to appeal a ruling.
In this lesson, Barry walks you through every step of the film ratings process, from how to prep your script at the beginning, to navigating the tricky review process itself.
You can check out Barry’s lesson and 240 other lessons from leading Hollywood Filmmakers by subscribing to FilmSkills Gold.
Film commissions usually produce a yearly directory of all the film production personnel, equipment rental houses, casting agencies, hotels, travel accommodations, and postproduction services in the area. This directory is usually free and is a tremendous resource. Get one.
