CQ4 filmmaking 102. Because 101 didn’t work! : The best place to start is the beginning, “the script.” Sounds redundant and sarcastic, right? Well………..!
As with most films, i.e. artistic endeavors at their inception, most filmmakers and/or production companies that are either motivated by a potential paycheck, or from the absolute opposite side of the spectrum, the desire to function their talent and/or Art, is in both instances “a need to expediently begin development and pre-production”. This usually results in accepting a script that is generally reviewed, accepted, and green-lighted, that falls far short of the level, requirements and particulars within the available and reasonable locations, vicinity, budget, and collective available tech, exec and talent to produce it into a viable, high quality finished product.
The Intensive has served as not only an artful project, inspired and written for that purpose, but was also approached and executed with the preceded pre-requisite key components not merely adhered to but insisted upon.
First, story quality: direction, story arc, principal character’s journey, the culmination and end result with a twist, dramatic and humorous hooks, highly proficient dialog and lastly, but not least, reviewed and edited with a producer’s eye for tight, accessible, workable, limited location requirement, principal character circumstance, attainable equipment and the hopeful absence of permits police and helicopters that regarding most shorts or features the unnecessary and eliminate waste in supporting characters and trimming the fat by keeping a careful eye on secondary and third line story arcs that create misdirection and leave the audience with too many unanswered questions.
Once the core (sometimes one individual) believes that the script/screenplay meets to the best of its ability these criteria, and then the search begins for a like-minded, technically capable visionary known as “the director.”
This in my opinion is the first of many steps that must be absolute and complete as a like visionary with the writer and the technical leader with a creative and capable spirit before building a core technical executive team, i.e. producer, DP, First AD, and principal talent.
Once you’ve absolutely arrived at that juncture, then and only then has early development ended, and preproduction can truly and coherently begin.
This process, though one of the most complex of the liberal arts, is managed on several levels, but ultimately, true moderate low or no budget indie film projects need to leave the liberalism, abstract artistic, and creative aspects, once secured, in a separate box. Then conservatism must prevail in the form of what we consider “a project manager.” Indie filmmaking usually tags this position as executive producer, but to function efficiently, must in fact, when needed or when the creative core is allowed to consider themselves the final word on how best to make their mother’s version of tomato sauce, a final voice must be established at the inception of the process. If this voice and position has truly been delegated, understood and accepted, it will at times be the most unpopular sound of reason and last word, interrupting the confused, wavy, cloudy muddled-up screen door separating this unreasonable but final directive from the creative artistic discourse brewing in that room. Example: E.P. (Project Manager): “After all due consideration.. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions guys, but… “The answer is no – This is what will happen”… “Meeting adjourned”.
If these key positions are in fact, filled with proficiency and respected, as with the last part of quality control in this preproduction process, casting principal and supporting actors, gaff/grip and sound teams, etc, etc. These must also be carried out with the same insistence and intolerance on acceptable talent, integrity, and work ethic and devotion to the project as its writer, executive and technical core were formed.
This will ensure the most important facet of filmmaking, “completing the project.” Completing the production portion of a film project requires the core at the behest and inspiration and directive of the project manager, be met with the same energy, integrity, quality control and completion guidelines as was approached on first day of production.
The next thing we hear: “it’s a wrap” This marks the end of production.
Everything including pick-ups, b-roll, establishing footage and primary photography.
Now ladies and gentlemen, you are in post-production. Many young, new, and independent filmmakers have learned or experienced this phase to mean: “Edit this freakin thing as quickly as you can, do a little bit of color and sound correction, I guess, maybe yes, maybe no to ADR, slap it on a DVD, fling it at a couple of festivals, get drunk, hug each other at the wrap party, throw the hard drive and the DVD copies on a shelf, close the door, and chill for a month until you can wrap yourself around your next “unfinished” project. Unfinished? Yes, you heard that right – unfinished.
Did you have an initial development and pre-production period for your post? Did you assemble to the best of your ability a sound team? A color correction team?
A PROMOTION TEAM?? That’s right, a small, all new, fresh with energy group, maybe two or three people that will attack, design and execute a thoughtful progression and process for the correct and suitable film festivals, media and/or local and beyond press coverage, a distribution and marketing plan, the “A” part of the “Q&A” that you may be able to exemplify, brag, shamelessly self-promote essentially the hook or hooks that could range from production and/or post production quality achieved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The summary
Ask yourself: What do I have early control of, which only costs time, talent, integrity and sincerity?
And finally..
Production Company Goals & Intent
With “The Intensive,” all these criteria and progressive steps were initiated, insisted upon, and achieved. And they were achieved with the highest possible end result.
The budget – there was no budget. Less than $2900 in accumulated monies, gifted to the production in addition to every location, craft service need, equipment, and technically capable positions filled, donated, and carried out from development to preproduction to production and to post in its most professional attainable end. The short summary and goal and future intent of CQ4 Productions asks the rhetorical question, simply, “if this can be done at this caliber, level and result without a budget, what the _%#$*_ could be done within this insistent guideline with a moderate, reasonable, workable budget?”
The future hope and desire in it’s purest yet most practical form in the opinion of myself and CQ4 Independent Film Productions LLC, is an absolute proposition and partnership that will outline a profitable and successful format that ultimately benefits not only the functioning artist’s and technical core of executives within the CQ4 family but include support, direction and resource for the film, artistic and neighborhood communities as a whole.
As with most films, i.e. artistic endeavors at their inception, most filmmakers and/or production companies that are either motivated by a potential paycheck, or from the absolute opposite side of the spectrum, the desire to function their talent and/or Art, is in both instances “a need to expediently begin development and pre-production”. This usually results in accepting a script that is generally reviewed, accepted, and green-lighted, that falls far short of the level, requirements and particulars within the available and reasonable locations, vicinity, budget, and collective available tech, exec and talent to produce it into a viable, high quality finished product.
The Intensive has served as not only an artful project, inspired and written for that purpose, but was also approached and executed with the preceded pre-requisite key components not merely adhered to but insisted upon.
First, story quality: direction, story arc, principal character’s journey, the culmination and end result with a twist, dramatic and humorous hooks, highly proficient dialog and lastly, but not least, reviewed and edited with a producer’s eye for tight, accessible, workable, limited location requirement, principal character circumstance, attainable equipment and the hopeful absence of permits police and helicopters that regarding most shorts or features the unnecessary and eliminate waste in supporting characters and trimming the fat by keeping a careful eye on secondary and third line story arcs that create misdirection and leave the audience with too many unanswered questions.
Once the core (sometimes one individual) believes that the script/screenplay meets to the best of its ability these criteria, and then the search begins for a like-minded, technically capable visionary known as “the director.”