Low Budget, ContinuedComplications Ensue
Complications Ensue:
The Crafty Screenwriting, TV and Game Writing Blog




Archives

April 2004

May 2004

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

September 2004

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

April 2005

May 2005

June 2005

July 2005

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

January 2006

February 2006

March 2006

April 2006

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

August 2006

September 2006

October 2006

November 2006

December 2006

January 2007

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007

June 2007

July 2007

August 2007

September 2007

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November 2014

December 2014

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

May 2017

June 2017

July 2017

August 2017

September 2017

October 2017

November 2017

December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

April 2018

June 2018

July 2018

October 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

November 2019

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

August 2020

September 2020

October 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

May 2021

June 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

August 2022

September 2022

November 2022

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

September 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

 

Monday, February 15, 2010

Q. What about the fact that this is still largely a numbers game? Let's say for the sake of argument that for every movie that gets made for $25 million, there are a hundred movies that get made for $2.5 million. Wouldn't that imply that your odds of selling a script that can be made for the lesser amount are 100 times greater than the alternative?
There aren't 100 movies that get made for $2.5 mil for every $25+ mil movie, so, no. The point of my earlier post was that there's a reason for that. The surprise is that financing a $2.5 mil movie is just about as big a pain in the ass as financing a $25 mil movie. But there's only 1/10 the payoff for everyone working on it.

There are other reasons not to focus on writing low budget movies. To get paid on a low budget movie, you pretty much need to spec the movie and then hope it gets made. Otherwise you won't get paid. $25 mil movies support a lot more development. You might get paid to write it. Or paid to rewrite it. There will be a real option payment instead of option shenanigans.

Moreover, you may do well out of a $25 mil movie that never gets made. Studios, who make $25 mil movies, buy and commission way more scripts than indie producers, who are the guys who make $2.5 mil cheapies.

And, of course, you get paid a hell of a lot more on a $25 mil movie. The production fee for a $13 mil movie made in Canada is $300K. The production fee for a $2.5 mil movie doesn't even cover the scale payment, which is around $50K. I'm guessing in the US a $25 mil movie would carry a production bonus along the lines of $500K.

All this is really just intended as an antidote to the feeling writers get that they should write small. Don't write small. If your story is small, if it's all on the scale of AMERICAN GRAFFITI, or MOON, say, don't make it bigger than it needs to be. But if your story is an action adventure, don't cut down on the action for budget's sake. Let the producer tell you to do that -- after he signs an option/rewrite contract with you.

Labels:

3 Comments:

I think that it's a good idea for screenwriters, (and all writers in general) to realize the HUGE amounts of money it takes to realize the dream.

I had just started writing,and I live in a tiny little town in northern CA, way in the sticks. I met this very nice lady, and my husband mentioned I wrote a screenplay. A few weeks later she said she would like to read it.

I was puzzled, as the tastes in this area runs to raising livestock, Bud Lite and all other redneck pursuits.

She said, "My Dad was a director. Maybe I can proof read it for you."

"Really? What did he direct? Do I know him?"

"Have you ever heard of Enter the Dragon? With Bruce Lee?"

I just about fell on the floor, as my husband had just rented it, and mentioned it was one of his very favorite movies of all time. What are the chances of that? I was sort of praying for some sort of feedback, in a place where people actually NEVER READ BOOKS. She's a great writer herself, and would work as his assistant and screen scripts, and had been on his sets many times. She told me of his work habits, (he would work from nine to twelve in the morning every day, wandering around chewing on his pipe. He actually turned down the script Chinatown too. Oops! And he was deaf, too, from child ear infections and had assistants to help him direct.)

Anyways, my point was that she said, "He fought the producers constantly. The sound effects, (on my script,) that costs money. Be aware of what's important, on what you want to portray, The reason you're doing this. "

To a certain extent, that is the point. But if you love what you do, than serendipity can find you you anywhere. Even a little tiny cowtown like Browns Valley!

By Blogger Unknown, at 4:02 AM  

More news in low-budget land:

(from the Telefilm website)
"Please note that Telefilm is not accepting new applications for the Low Budget Independent Feature Film Assistance Program because Telefilm is currently reviewing this program. We will provide an update on the status of these programs in April, 2010."

Does anyone know what's going on there? They're also reviewing the Writer's First program.

By Blogger CDP., at 12:07 PM  

I don't know if it means anything. They're reviewing all their programs.

By Blogger Alex Epstein, at 12:45 PM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.



This page is powered by Blogger.