Overview
When the script says "shoot me" and Hollywood says no, your only alternative is to raise the money and do it yourself. Here's how screenwriters Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli used digital video to do just that. Witty, original, and ruthlessly on the mark, this unvarnished look at independent film-making chronicles both the creative intricacies of collaboration and the tricks of staying in budget and out of court. The authors compare notes as they describe the entire film-making process, with coverage including:
* Targeting the audience for the script and tailoring the script for the audience
* Raising money: your friends, your family, and the millionaire next door
* Casting: names, no-names, and personality nightmares
* Locations: finding them, securing them, and sometimes even stealing them
* Producing: creating a budget, scheduling the shoot, and dealing with unions
* Directing: working with actors and protecting your vision
* Editing: or dropping that scene you thought was a gem
* Celebrating, publicizing, and distributing the finished product
Synopsis
When the script says shoot me and Hollywood says no, your only alternative is to raise the money and do it yourself. Here's how screenwriters Roy Frumkes and Rocco Simonelli used digital video to do just that. Witty, original, and ruthlessly on the mark, this unvarnished look at independent filmmaking chronicles both the creative intricacies of collaboration and the tricks of staying in budget and out of court. Adding to the authors' testimony are interviews with notable independent filmmakers Ted Bonnitt (Mau Mau, Sex Sex), Michael Ellenbogen (producer, Margarita Happy Hour), and Richard Dutcher (God's Army and Brigham City), who hone in on such issues as digital distribution, the indie film scene in New York and Hollywood, and the niche audiences who can make or break a film. For any film student or indie buff seeking an insider's perspective of the art and business of independent filmmaking, it doesn't get any closer than this.