Independent Film Producer? 5 Basic Tips to Become a Success and Make a Profit

So you want to make money as an independent film producer. Do you even know what it takes to get a film completed? There is an old adage in Hollywood, that it takes "an extreme amount of talent to make even a bad movie". With that in mind, making a movie is a daunting task and each and every day, movies are being made and sold to a variety of audiences.

Just because you have a story or a screenplay and the talent to make a movie doesn't necessarily mean you can make money with the film. Today there is a plethora of movies being made: and among those being made, only a small percentage of the films actually make any money for their independent producers.

Sure if you make a movie for $10,000 and get a deal that is worth millions such as "Paranormal Activity" you definitely will make money. But "Paranormal Activity" is the exception not the rule. Plus the advertising budget for that film was in the tens of millions of dollars. With that type of promotional dollars the movie was bound to make the filmmakers money.

So what can you do to make sure your film is a success? And can you do it without spending your inheritance? Well yes and no. Audiences are fickle. Make a movie you think is great still may flop because no one watches it.

Keep your eye on the goal: to make money as an independent producer. If you have never made a film before and are out to set the world on fire, good luck. It probably will not happen. And if your goal is to make a living as an independent producer you must follow a few basic rules towards that goal.

First of all have a great story and after you turn it into a script have someone advise you on it. The story must have a beginning, middle and an end. Sounds easy and straight forward, but it isn't always the case. First time filmmakers (and those that aren't first timers) are typically shooting too much and editing too long and lose the impact of a good story by putting in too much material

Second keep your budget low and use actors that know how to act. This usually means getting actors that have credentials and have been in films before. If you can't afford to use SAG actors then ask local community theaters for actors and beg them to be in your film for the experience.

Third, rehearse and rehearse again. This is related to keeping your budget low and being able to put money where it counts. Rehearsing is one area that can keep the number of takes to a minimum.

Fourth, start looking for a distributor or sales agent before you start to film. If you have not talked with a distributor before you start your film do so now.

And finally, keep a good paper trail. Many films are never distributed because the producer had hand shake deals with everyone. That may work in school, but in the real world it doesn't work.

These are just a few tips to get you on the road to success as an Independent Producer...In fact this barely scrapes the surface of the process. For more info email me with questions. Check out the resource box below.

Bob Willems is an Independent Film Producer and Director and President of Champion Entertainment Inc. ( http://www.championentertainment.com/ ) a film production and distribution sales agency company with offices in Houston and Los Angeles.
Through Bob's many contacts, he advises filmmakers throughout the world on getting their project completed and distributed through the proper outlets. You can email Bob questions info@championentetainment.com. Bob will personally answer every email he receives and is constantly looking for co-production projects and unique scripts to get produced. Visit his IMDB page at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929721/

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3 Ways to Make Your Producer Smile - On a Lower Budget

Being restricted to a lower budget doesn't mean you can't get amazing results when lighting a scene. I've seen many instances where a Director of Photography, with limited resources, shows up to a set for the first time and is expected to light it fast and beautifully. In most circumstances when this occurs, he probably has a small lighting package he must deal with to get the job done. Don't let this happen to you! Here are three things that will up your game every time.

1) Do your homework! Don't show up unprepared on the shooting day. Do a thorough location scout and see what you have to deal with. Spend a decent amount of time and analyze any and all factors that could make your life difficult. For example, if you were to shoot on a neighborhood street in front of a house, it's very important to know where the sun will be at any given time of the day. What if you lose two hours of sunlight because the sun is going to be behind the house two hours before sunset? The more time you can spend on location, the better. That being said, sometimes a location scout isn't possible. In that case, find out as much as you can about your location, such as size, indoor/outdoor, and even the color. Based on that information, prepare the best you can. Remember, any preparation, even a little, is better than no preparation.

2) Pay attention to all the possible available light you can get. This could include window light, practical light fixtures, white wall or ceilings to bounce light off of, fireplaces, etc. Anything you can do to make life easier. You should discover these during your location scout. Pay attention to things that could negatively affect you, like bland wall colors or ugly, fluorescent light fixtures.

3) Turn negative lighting into a positive. I know it sounds super cool, but I'm being totally serious. Reduce the amount of lights you use by throwing in some negative fill. It will save you time, look really nice, and cost less than a light. A black flag can often be used instead of a fill light. Place your key light slightly more frontal than you would normally. It would normally create a flattering lighting style, but when you place that negative fill as close to the subject as possible, it takes away that flatness, and becomes awesome. The effectiveness of this technique depends on a couple of variables: how tight your frame is, and, based on that, how big your flag is. If you are very close up, a smaller flag will work. The looser the frame, the larger the black flag needs to be.

Incorporating these three tips into your lighting design and your work will make a great improvement in no time. Remember: thinking ahead is key. Do the right thing.

If you would like to read more about Lighting and Cinematography, visit my blog- Lighting From Within

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Video Production Tips: Getting Started As a Producer

Video, video, is everywhere, but do you know how to produce it like a pro? Should you know? Should you even care?

In this new media world, there are plenty of so-called experts that do a great job explaining why video is so great, and why you should produce video content for your website or blog. It's no secret that online video can help you build relationships with potential customers. It can help you become branded as an expert, or help you dominate your SEO, and the list goes on.

There is no doubt that video is among the most effective mediums for educating, persuading, and informing... and it's in everyone's hands. Literally. The power of video, which was once reserved for video production companies and broadcast news operations is not only more affordable than ever, but thanks to mobile devices especially the iPhone, you can get amazing quality for next to nothing.

Let's throw the Internet into the mix. Social video sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and of course Facebook make it easier than ever to share video with our friends, family, or business associates. If people start sharing your content, you've hit digital gold!

So, why aren't you producing quality videos regularly? Have you tried to do it by yourself? How were the results? Was the video a bit, no very shaky, poorly framed, or was the audio poor? After you reviewed it, did you say to yourself, "This sucks!?"

There are three steps that you should always take during the video production process. These simple steps probably apply to other creative ventures as well, and once you understand and master each step, you will be unstoppable. You may even be able to start your own video production business.

Your goal should always be to produce a video that is as professional as possible with the tools that are available. That doesn't mean you need to buy the most expensive HD camera either. Video quality isn't determined by the quantity that you spend, but the techniques you use. People know a good video when they see it, and a poorly produced video could actually be bad for your brand (unless you happen to capture something so amazing that it doesn't matter).

Here are three elements that every video that you produce should have: 1) Great visuals 2) great audio, and 3) a clear message, or story. It's as simple as that, but those aren't the steps that were referred to earlier.

If you're a pro, a lot of the information here will be fundamental, but if you're not, and have tried to produce a video on your own, or if you're thinking about it, this is invaluable information. The tips being shared were learned through years of producing stories and video projects for the news, networks, corporate clients, and online channels.

So, back to the three production steps that will help guarantee that your end product is something that you'll be proud of. This is the same process that every professional video producer follows. Are you ready?

1) Pre-production (planning): This is the most important step. During pre-production, you should write out everything related to your video. The goals, message, location, props, talent, camera equipment, script, and how you will get it edited. It should all be spelled out.

2) Production (the shoot): If you completed step 1, step 2 should be a breeze, and your shoot should go off without a hitch. Of course Murphy's Law rules video production, so be ready for some unexpected challenges.

3) Post-production (the edit): Once you have everything shot or captured, it's time to make some video magic. You should follow your script or outline, add some music, and graphics, and by the time your done editing, you should have something to be proud of. If not, just create another video. Each time you do it, you'll learn something that will help you become a better producer.

The success of your video depends on your ability to plan, execute, and create. It isn't hard to learn or master, and once you learn the basic steps, there are numerous short cuts and tricks that will speed up the process. But you should learn how to walk before you run.

Amani Channel, MA
Learn how to make great videos and multimedia projects at our
video production tutorial site Web Video Chefs.
@AmaniChannel

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