The way of the Jedi - Being my own producer on 'Feel Flows'

As I was coming towards the end of this post, I realised that there was still so much to talk about so I've decided to split this post into a 3 part trilogy. This being part one, 'The way of the Jedi'...

Sometimes the success of a great film or music video is very much down to the proficiency and calculating mind of a producer aka, Jedi's. I draw this comparison largely down to the force-like skills they have in seeing a project through from it's conception to a finished film which involves managing all the logistical things in between i.e organising budgets, crew, equipment, locations, catering etc. and let's not forget the amount of negotiating that's involved which requires the invaluable skill of a silver tongue.

So all that said above.. is not me. Calculating, proficient, organised all these adjectives describe a person I needed but couldn't find due to budget restraints and commitment issues.  Sometimes the best way to become something you're not is to pretend. *DISCLAIMER: Please do not apply this to jobs that genuinely require time to perfect i.e Blow fish chef, bomb disposal officer etc.    

Choice is a luxury created when there's a budget and since there wasn't much of one, assuming the role of somebody else to get things done was my only option.  It almost sounds absurd but pretending to be something you're not is possibly the best thing you can do.  As briefly mentioned, you can't necessarily apply this method to every aspect of film making but with Producing I felt that it was possible to acquire their skill sets by simply doing as they do.  I've worked with a few producers before and what I knew of them was that they just got shit done and made things happen. They worried about all the things I never had to. All I knew is that I was glad I wasn't them. So what do producers do? In my opinion, it's everything and anything that isn't fun but is vital in getting the project off the ground and completed on time AND within budget. I literally typed in the word 'Producer' in Wikipedia and an online dictionary to give me a clear definition of what they do specifically. None of which helped that much but I knew this was going to be a process I learn as I do it.  Some people say directing and producing go hand in hand and they do but my problem with that is I just didn't like that these hands were my own.  Director/Producers are rare because it requires you to switch from a creative mind to a logistical one and it becomes a constant inner battle of what you can and can't do.  Any creative/visual aspect of the film was always countered with two questions: 'How will I achieve this?' and 'How much?', the latter is the one I hated the most. It was so bizarre because I always felt like I was pointing a knife to my own back, however it is a necessary evil to get the job done. 

So schizophrenia aside..

In my industry there are 3 words that make people squirm and in some cases make people angry. Low, micro, budget. 

Your project hangs in the balance from the very start when its runs on favours and a small budget. This project in particular was on a knife edge the ENTIRE time. A couple of posts ago I talked about my visual treatment and making it the best I possibly could and not just for my own benefit but also to reel in the right people to work on it.  Sometimes the right visual treatment is enough to convince but when its not, its time to get your selling hat on.  In my case, I knew down to my core that this was a project that was going to benefit anyone that was on it. It's a fine line between arrogance and confidence but I was certain no one I was asking had done anything of this scope. So my selling point was literally 'this is going to be the best thing you've ever done to date'. It was such a bold statement but I believed it and so did the people who jumped on board. I read that statement out aloud just now and it makes me cringe a little bit but it could only ever be 'the best thing' otherwise there was no point at all. 

Every stage of making a film is hard but the part I hate the most is making the phone calls and writing the emails. Passion talking someone into the project is easy (kind of) but the hate I'm referring to is the haggling with camera and lighting companies. Assuming the Silver tongued Producer kills me but its makes a giant difference to making things happen, but weirdly not all the time.  One thing I was surprised about was the willingness to help out a newbie. I approached a particular camera company and described the project to them; low budget, self funded, all the things that people hate hearing yet I was lucky enough to speak to a sympathetic person who offered me a very attractive deal.  Despite this, the evil producer in me decided this great deal wasn't great enough. Bottom line..Be what is required of you to get the job done. I can't delve in to it too much simply because I feel like a dick (this is why you need a producer and they'd happily be the dick for you) but here's a quick summary and you can connect the dots.

Have a prepared speech about your project. Speak with passion.

Call multiple hire companies and get their best deals for your budget

pit them against each other until you get a deal you're happy with.

My argument is simple. I pretended I was producer. Did all the things a producer should do.  It got 'Feel Flows' made. And now I'm talking about it in past tense.

When your back is against the wall, you'll be surprised with what lies within.  I found that my passion and enthusiasm for the project began to outweigh the fear of not knowing and my brain just switched to just do it mode. However, I'll be hiring a producer next time -_-"

ahh that was long! Ok in my next post I'll be talking about the paramount importance of picking the right crew for the storm ahead.

Peeeeeeeace!

Translating words into Pictures - Storyboarding 'Feel Flows'

I find this arguably one of the most exhaustive processes during pre-production mainly due to the brain power that goes into visualising the specifics of the story and translating your written treatment into a pictured format.  It's amongst the first stages of carving out the details to your vision and an invaluable process I can't do without.  Since I come from a digital animation background, story boarding is to me what a blue print is to an architect.  I see this as one of the most important stages of pre-production which allows me to see the flow, rough timing of the narrative and an early form of editing seeing where to take out or put in additional shots. I cannot stress the importance of boarding.  Essentially it's your film fully visualised on paper. Unless you're Ang Lee or some other great visionary I'd highly recommend story boarding your project before stepping anywhere near production. I really love doing my own boards and if you have the drawing ability I can't think of a better way to map your own vision. In my case I take far too long to do it and I usually agonise over the tiniest detail.  Most directors are complete control freaks, especially when it's their 'baby' and relinquishing any creative control is always a stab in the heart, but for the benefit of the project and it's time scale, I delegated the task to good friend/awesome storyboarder, Louise Saunders. Incredibly talented girl and highly recommend looking her up and hiring her! Here's a link to some of her work http://www.louisesaunders.artworkfolio.com/gallery/427689 Below are a few boards from the many she did.  High commendations to her for her patients as she sat listening to me feverishly going on about angles and camera movements.

She was magically fast, incredibly patient with my garbling and in the end we got to a ridiculous amount of 135 panels in a 6 hour session. My 1st AD justifiably shit himself and immediately suggested I edit it down. 135 panels was then whittled down to 98 shots which was better but still sweat inducing.  I laugh to myself now at how casually I can type these numbers down but at the time, rest assured thinking about doing 98 shots in a proposed 3 day shoot was a pants filler and almost enough to make me think about rewriting everything.  People were already doubting the project calling it too ambitious and it was for a very good reason, any sensible producer would tell you to make cuts and adjustments or tell you outright it can't be done.  Of course the great thing was that I was the producer and I was far from sensible.  *Note: At the time I hated producing and although it was wonderful having freedom and not having anyone telling me what I couldn't do it was also equally horrible not having someone there to do all the things in between. I.e all things not creative. I'll be going into the pro's and con's of being your own producer in the next post! So, aside from the visual foresight of story boarding (and going beyond the narrative advantages of having it), my experience from doing them has always shown me a wider scope to the project. Just seeing everything as a physical layout gave me an idea of not just the creative tasks that lay ahead but also of the logistical/technical planning that went beyond my knowledge and know how.  In short, storyboarding is more than just drawings on a paper..  It's the blue print to your film and a map to a long journey ahead.

Pushing an idea through the birth canals of your mind - My initial ideas and Treatment for 'Feel Flows'

So whatever it was I decided to do, I knew it had to be something that was worth my time, money and effort. Bring forth.. Slow Magic - Feel Flows http://soundcloud.com/slowmagic/feel-flows

I first saw Slow Magic earlier this year at the Old Blue Last in east London and basically he blew my tiny little mind. This song in particular had all the traits of a great track (at least in my opinion) and it was begging for a visual.  I became obsessed with coming up with an idea for it and to be honest with most great tracks they just give you images. 

At first I was toying around with the idea of a neglected kid and his dog, they go on an adventure blah blah blah..it actually sounds better than that, I'd go into more detail but it's still an idea I still want to use some where down the line but I stopped developing it. Anyhoo.. the more I thought about it the more I began to feel the need to do something more challenging, epic in scope, aesthetically cinematic and character driven.

Scrap neglected adventure boy and his dog.. Enter: 'A Neo-Tribal hunter trying to save his sick dying wife'

In a nutshell the story is about a Neo-tribal hunter trying to save his sick dying wife and in doing so he goes to consult three oracles. To his dismay they tell him she cannot be saved. Shes passes away through the hands of a 'Death God' and her husband follows her into this watery underworld and ultimately exchanges his life for hers. It's a long form music video that has an engaging narrative (I hope) accompanied by visual effects pieces.

I've always had this idea of mixing old world customs and cultures and creating an amalgamation of ancient yet familiar characters that aren't historically correct, hence 'neo tribal hunter'.  The idea is set within an ancient world that heavily involves the mysticism/other-worldly-ness you find in Greek tales of gods and oracles.  At the heart of it, it's a love story and ticks all the boxes for what makes a challenging project. It began with a single sentence and then developed into a visual treatment, below are a few pages from it.  My approach was to tell it like a story book and come up with 9 composite images that immediately gives you an idea of the aesthetic and tells the narrative in a holistic way.

I don't usually approach treatments like this but I wanted it to convey everything in one hit without writing too much down.  I had specific notes which I kept separate from the treatment but this was always something I was going back to and making sure I was keeping in line with the tone, aesthetic and quality.

A treatment allows you to visualise your video before you hit the boards and go into detail.  For me it's the wet dream process of seeing what your project could be.  It took me a while to put these together as I had a very specific vision for each turning point of the story and I wanted these panels to look as close to what I had in my head as possible. I had to remember that this particular treatment wasn't just for me to put my ideas to paper but was a crucial tool in selling my project to potential/future cast and crew.  I set the visual standard ridiculously high (with no regrets) and it attracted the people I wanted on the project. There was definitely a lot of skepticism about how ambitious the project was and there were too many times I'd get to that point and think 'wtf am i doing?!' but I knew that thought would be the first of many. The only thing left to do was to make it. In next my post I'll be talk about the story boarding process plus the pro's and con's of being your own Producer. Keep those specs peeled!

Only the brave (or very crazy) - Self Funded Projects

Why?!

To a fairly large degree one must be close to insane to spend large amounts of their own money to make a film/music video, with no guarantee it will make you that money back or get you the desired recognition you need. On the other hand just as any one would spend thousands on a holiday or car I'm inclined to see this money as an investment in myself/career and an outright challenge to make something that I truly believe in.  If I can't fulfill my own vision with my own money I can't expect a client to take that chance on me either. Self funded projects for Directors or anyone with a good idea are important for many reasons but 2 in particular; 1.  CREATIVE FREEDOM. For the first time you are truly banking on your creativity, no bars hold, no restrictions other than the ones you create for yourself, no client! You are the Client! You only have yourself to make happy and in being so you (hopefully) make the best thing you've ever done to date. Also time is on your side! You don't have a shitty deadline to follow other than the ones you set for yourself. You've now just given your project the wonderful commodity of TIME.

2. SELF AFFIRMATION. This a chance to prove you're a worth while risk, better yet you're not a risk at all but a Commodity. You may have what it takes to Direct but it's a straight fact that Agencies and labels won't even bat an eyelid at giving you a chance if you haven't got the visuals to show for it.  I may be speaking for myself here, but I need to know I can execute an idea as big as I can imagine (with the money I have!)  Everyone's creative imagination is amazing but to bring to life what you see in your head..that takes skill and hard work and it's not proven until it's public, being viewed and being commented on. Oh now look what you've gone and done.. it's only an award winning self funded film/promo that's led to a shot at commercials and films?! How?!

So I've kinda explained the 'why'.  If it's not clear to you why you should or shouldn't make your own shit then read on and maybe you will.

Before setting off on the long and painful journey of your self funded project there will always be that lingering issue of money. Specifically in my case I had to beg like a bitch. And it wasn't just for the money it was for favors too and to be honest I still have a bit more begging to do.

This part isn't really a 'How to fund your passion project' per say but more how I went about doing it in which I'm sure in years to come I'll still be trying to wash off the shame. But for the most part of the money, it was truly hard earned from music videos I had done previously and a few others things I'll discuss if you buy me a beer and get me drunk.

Do what ever it takes to get your vision funded.. you are only a video away from something that can change everything. There will always be risks BUT only if you doubt your capabilities as a director.  It's a mount Everest of a task but you're not alone..pffft no one climbs Everest on their own and same goes for making film/promos, you'd be a douche bag to do it. 

So, if your too scared to spend your own money on your own project, another option is spend someone elses.  Below are 3 wonderful places you can convince people to give you money for your project. It's quite a miraculous tool in which you can setup a page for yourself and show people the wondrous potential of your desired project. Go get beggin'!  

http://www.kickstarter.com/

http://www.sponsume.com/

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ Coming up in my next post I'll be going through my initial ideas for my music film, 'Feel Flows' and going through that bastard process called a 'Treatment'. It's the best thing in your world once its done and is an invaluable piece to getting talented people on board your project.

Peace to your mums

When I say jump..you say 'How high?'

Oh haaaai there.. Paris Zarcilla here, Director | Writer | Creative

You are here because you've given in to the curiosity of the sometimes beautiful yet mostly life draining experience of making a short film/music video. I've reached a stage where I've decided to take a leap of faith that most directors/filmmakers only do when they reach a point of frustration or maybe even desperation when they begin to feel the fatal inklings of resentment for the craft they're madly in love with.

It's not so much your craft you feel resentment for but the 'Industry' that has numbed your creativity in making promo's for music you don't even like. Strictly from my perspective, and I say strictly because I don't speak on the behalf of other directors views, the industry are in the biggest rush to get visual content out there for their artists and as a music video director you are sometimes if not most of the time given the most ridiculous deadlines to produce something as brilliant as the track itself and in some cases believe it or not creating a visual that helps the track sound better. With a good track (which is a rarity these days, and every label think they have a good track) the expectations for visuals are sky high and always want something that reflects the quality/mood (which has had months of studio time and even years of prep) produced in less than 2 weeks. And I guess if you can't handle the heat, get the fuck out of there. Simple. Buuut it's not so much the deadline that kills me, even though that's certainly what I don't think during the edit, it's the choking of an art form that used to have the wondrous commodity of TIME. Why is it that label's think a video is the last thing that needs the benefit of time? I'd looove to hear a label tell me that a good video hasn't improved the sales of a track or a good video not increasing the popularity (or unpopularity..same thing) of an artist therefore gaining more exposure and a wider audience/fan base. Mother chucker pleeease. Anyhoo I digress.

I've decided it's time to create something I actually want to make. I want to make something that visually represents me as a director and not just for it's aesthetics but for it's storytelling and emotional content. I guess it's just got to a stage where I feel I haven't made anything I'm genuinely proud of and I'd hate to get to 5 years in the game and still feel that way. I know I've only been doing this a year and some people reading this are bound to say 'mother chucker pleease, it's only been a 1 year and your complaining about opportunities other people would love to get!' … well yes. It's been 1 year and it doesn't make sense to continue doing something that produces content that I sometimes half like or mostly makes me cringe. I don't want to half like it, I want to love it. I want to feel I can brag about it. I want to be bitchin proud of it. So.. instead of waiting for the dream project to come along, I'm simply going to create the opportunity to make that dream project come to me.

Which brings me to.. Slow Magic – Feel Flows AKA Dream Motherphukin project

Over the next few posts I'm going to go through the pre/pro/post-production processes *(this project has actually started and has been on the go for a while now and I'm currently in post, I guess this is all quite late but hopefully I'll be posting until I catch up with myself!) In the next post I'm going to talk about the 'whys' and 'hows' of self funded projects and go through the 'Treatment' process. Keep those specs peeled!