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FILMMAKING 101: Online sources for learning the art and business of moviemaking

Everyday,I'm constantly in search of new filmmaking websites that provide valuable and useful information for filmmakers, filmmaking 101. Here are a few sites that I recommend you checkout:

• Web Film School

Dov S-S Simens is a Hollywood film industry guru who’s been helping filmmakers launch their careers for many years. Successful film directors who have attended his 2 day film school include: Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie and Baz Luhrmann. Be sure to watch his 3 minute school. It's hilarious.

• Simply Scripts

If you're looking to read the screenplays of some of your favourite movies, look no further than Simply Scripts. With a database of over 1000 free, downloadable movie and TV scripts. This is the ideal place for you to read some screenplays and learn more about the proper format and style of different movie genres.

• Independent Magazine

Their motto says it all: obsessed with independent film since 1978

This online magazine provides great information for the do-it-yourself filmmaker. Ranging from topics like self distribution to how to get a Hollywood star for your independent film, they cover a lot of issues that pertain to indie filmmakers.

How to Sell a Short Film

First, let me start off by saying that this article isn’t about encouraging you to go out there and spend some of your hard earned cash making a short film with the goal of turning a profit.

Making short films isn’t a smart business move and I’d say that if you do make a short with your own money in order to gain experience, skills and showcase your talents…I’d say limit the budget to $1,000 or less.

This article is mainly for anyone who is in the process or as already produced their short and was looking for a way to recoup their money and make a profit.

There are several buyers of short films in the marketplace today:

Canadian Reflections buys shorts made by Canadian filmmakers.

Movieola also purchases films less than 40 minutes

However, from my experience Ouat Media is a great place to start. Ouat Media is a film distributor that acquires short films and sells them around the world to various TV broadcasters, Internet, mobile devices, and all other newly-developed media. If they like your film, they’ll offer you a four year distribution deal and you’ll receive 50% net profit of all the worldwide sales.

As your film is sold around the world, you’ll receive your royalty cheques in the mail from Ouat.I’d like to end with a quote from film director Robert Rodriguez as he was addressing filmmakers on how to be successful in the film industry.

“There is no one right way to do anything” - Robert Rodriguez

So…there’s no one right way to sell your short film…I’m just sharing with you how I sold my film and hopefully this information can be of use to you.

How to get your film listed in IMDb (part 2)

I was searching around on the Without a Box website the other day and I came across another way for filmmakers to get their films listed on IMDb. This method will cost you some money (roughly $20 to $65) but I am sure you have probably spend that amount of money on less important things than your filmmaking career.

This part is straight off the Without a Box site:

Get your own IMDb Title Page

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IMDb wants to help you publicize and promote your movie as soon as it's ready for the world, not just after you've won recognition for it. Now, when you submit your project to a Withoutabox Partner Festival, you will be invited by email to create a Title Page on IMDb, the most recognized and trafficked movie site in the world.

Please note that certain festivals and types of films are not eligible for IMDb Title Pages, but the great majority are. You will be notified automatically if your submission is eligible, once it has been received by the festival.

If you already have a Title Page for your project, that's great. Just enter the URL in the Publicity: Website form when setting up any project on Withoutabox - and the "match" will immediately be made.

If this method (which is much faster than the one mentioned on one of my posted in Feb.2009) interests you then you just go to the Without a Box website, created your free account and then look for the IMDb Qualifying section which by submitting to one of a list of film festivals qualifies your film to get an IMDb Title Page!

How they made their first feature

With some money already secured to make my first feature film, I'm currently in the process of raising the remaining funds to make my movie. With most first time feature filmmakers, raising the necessary money to make your film is usually the most challenging task. I have come to realize that in order to make your first feature you must go all in and take a leap of faith. Here are five successful Hollywood film directors who all took their leap of faith to make your first feature and reaped the benefits of their risks.

Darren Aronofsky

First feature film: Pie (1998)

Pi cost only $60,000 to make, most of which was raised in the form of individual $100 contributions from the director's friends and family. When it was later bought by Artisan Entertainment, each contributor got back a $150 return on their investment.

1. No location permits were secured for any of the scenes filmed. The crew had to have one man constantly serving as a lookout for police so they could stop filming if needed.
2. The director's mother catered for the film.
3. shot on 16mm
4. grossed $3.2 million dollars

Notable Films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler

Robert Rodriguez

First feature film: El mariachi (1992)

1. This film initially cost $7000 to make. Director Robert Rodriguez raised $3,000 of the $7,000 by volunteering to be a human "laboratory rat". He was used to test a cholesterol reducing drug. Paid $100 a day for 30 days, he wrote most of the script while locked in the lab. Peter Marquardt was a fellow "rat", but could not speak Spanish. He delivered his lines from card held in his hand or out of shot. Most of the $7,000 was spent on film for the camera. The version seen in most cinemas has had approximately $1 million of post-production work and promotion behind it.
2. While the production budget for the film was $7,000, Robert Rodriguezestimated that if he didn't have to pay for film, processing and telecine costs, it would have only cost $600.
3. Robert Rodriguez was producer, director, writer, special-effect man, etc, the only job he didn't do was act, as there would be no one else to operate the camera.
4. Shot on 16mm
5. grossed $2 million dollars

Notable Films: Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City

Justin Lin

First feature film: Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)

1. The film was financed with 10 credit cards and with money raised independently by the filmmakers. The actors deferred their salaries.
2. Justin sold his truck to help raise more funds
3. Better Luck Tomorrow was selected in Sundance and was then picked up by MTV Films for distribution
4. Grossed $3.8 million dollars
5. Shot on 35mm
6. The film cost $250,000 to make

Notable Films: Annapolis, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious

Kevin Smith

First feature film: Clerks (1994)

1. Financed largely by credit cards and money borrowed from family and friends.
2. Filmed at the same store in which director Kevin Smith was working at the time. As he was only allowed to film outside of business hours, and because bright enough lights couldn't be afforded, the plot included an explanation for the shutters being always down.
3. The cost of obtaining the rights to the soundtrack (approx. US$27,000) outweighed the entire production costs for this film (approx. US$26,800) - a first in motion picture history.
4. Clerks was filmed using a 16mm Arri SR-2 camera and used Kodak Plus-X film.
5. Kevin Smith raised the film's minuscule $27,000 budget by selling off his comic collection, borrowing $3,000 from his parents and maxing out his credit cards.
6. Smith worked in the store where they shot the film. They shot for 21 straight nights. He would clock on at 6am and finish at 11pm. They would then shoot till 4am, after which he would try to grab an hour or two's sleep before getting ready to go back to work.

Notable Films: Chasing Amy, Dogma, Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Ed Burns

First feature film: The Brothers McMullen (1995)

1. Edward Burns gave Robert Redford a tape of this film in a NYC elevator and begged him to watch it. Redford said that Burns looked like a panhandler. "I get that all the time, but I thought, what the hell, that's what it's all about." He watched it, liked it, and the film went on to win at Sundance.
2. Edward Burns (I)'s father Edward J. Burns, put up 10,000 dollars to help get the film made. He is credited as executive producer.
3. Cost $23,800 to make
4. Grossed $10.2 million dollars
5. Shot on 16mm
6. Won the Grand Jury Prize at 1995 Sundance Film Festival

Notable Films: She's the One, Sidewalks of New York, The Groomsmen