Another breakthrough filmmaker is using YouTube as a viable way to market their film online. For the past week, YouTube has been playing Four Eyed Monsters, the first feature ever to have been shown on there for free. Four Eyed Monsters is essentially about two outsiders coming together and finding true love-without speaking to each […]
I got my first set of notes on the screenplay for Rocketboy, from Marc Samuelson today. I suspect this is an amalgamation of thoughts from himself, associate producer Jessica Parker and a number of readers. It’s five pages in length and very detailed. I was somewhat overwhelmed by the incisive, detailed and empathetic content of […]
The third and final part of Team Living Spirit’s series on how to make a film is out now and deals with the post production process, from editing and sound to getting a deal, going to film festivals and even self distribution. We hope you have enjoyed this three part guide to just getting on […]
So I have come back from a brief break to find, at the airport, part two of team Living Spirit’s How To Make A Movie in Total Film Magazine. This one deals with the actual making of the movie, where the last was about the concept and script. You can download the first couple of […]
As many of you will know, I have spent many years working on a project called Rocketboy – and yesterday we had the best meeting yet with a very serious possible producer who just loved it. This has kicked me into MASSIVE ACTION, which is a terrific feeling. Already I have knuckled down and penned […]
Last week I had a spectacular disk crash on my main computer. Thank god I am someone who is anal about backing up my data, and with some wailing and gnashing of teeth, I was up and running within a day. We all know computers crash, but we always think it will be someone else’s. […]
The first part of our three part ‘How To Make A Movie Feature’ for UK Film Mag TOTAL FILM is now out. A full eight pages of starter tips from Team Living Spirit! Here is one little chunk from this first part… GET A CAREER PLAN Most people don’t think beyond the movie they’re making […]
So here it is, the update from my friend Jonny Newman on his trip to LA after his short film success ‘Foster’… “You wait for the call for years. When i got it, my phone was switched off. It was Peter Farrelly (of the Farrelly Brothers) telling me he loved my film and wanted to […]
I am working on my film Rocketboy with concept artist, Matt Allsopp, and have again been struck by much impact large colourful and imaginative images from the story can have. We are talking to film companies and we often get ‘WOW, let’s do a meeting…’ after they see it. But the biggest impact comes with […]
I just wanted to tip you off about a really good company and deal I found. I have been making DVD’s for various projects and have, until now, printed out the DVD slips on my colour printer. On a one off basis it’s great, but do ten or more and with the printing time, trimming, […]
The Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass that we just held was a tremendous success, with 17 attendees leaving with clear visions of what to do next, as well as being empowered and enthused! Delegates flew in from Nigeria, India and Spain, as well as from the UK. Here are some comments… ‘Excellent presentation. My journey all […]
Driving down my high street yesterday I noticed a Prime Video Store was closing down. Another stark reminder of the huge changes the film and TV business is going through. Other distributors tell me that Blockbuster are likely to be gone within a year – you can already see they are trying to diversify by […]
I wrote a three part feature for UK based film magazine Total Film, about how to make your first movie. I built in a few lessons and I thought I would share one with you here, about getting stuff for free or reduced. If you are not great at negotiating, it’s a great exercise to […]
I spent the weekend with my good friend Simon Cox, at a science fiction convention in Birmingham called Memorabilia, selling my books and his movie on DVD, ‘Written In Blood’, signed by him of course. It was an intense two days, but very rewarding, not least because I sold some books, but also because I […]
I am just helping a good friend of mine complete his fourth feature film, Summer Scars, shot on DVCProHD Vericam. It looks terrific and it’s now a very tight drama, but two things have resonated while working through these final technical stages. First, Julian, the director, has worked his way through three editors in order […]
Pitching is something I don’t fully enjoy, but when it goes well, I love it. I have been pitching my movie ‘Rocketboy’ around town this week and I have been using some new simple techniques I heard about from a professional negotiator. Here it is – ‘shut up’. I ask a question, ‘so tell me […]
Those of you who have been on my Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass recently will know of a short film that I edited for a good friend of mine, director Jonathan Newman. The film, FOSTER, is a charming tale of a boy who is fostered by kind new parents and how he comes to terms with […]
I have just finished reading Joe Eszterhas’ book,‘The Devil’s Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God’ which I picked up in the USA and is now out in the UK in paperback. I have always respected Esterhas (most famous for ‘Basic Instinct’ and high profile script auctions) as an outspoken rebel against the Hollywood machine, […]
