By Brian Barnes I have a confession to make. I’m a terrible producer. You’d think that after making films day in and day out since 1987 I’d have learnt the one key skill a producer needs. But, no – still no further along that road. That key skill? Raising money. That means that, as a […]
Every time I have embarked upon a major project, bee it a book, web initiative, festival or feature film, I choose not to engage with the enormity of the project until I am almost there. You see, if I think about it too much, I will conclude that it’s quite simply impossible. And in many […]
Guest Post: Writer, producer Mike Mindel (Don’t Let Him In) is back with Top 10 Things Learned Making Burning Man :: Release! Tune in for Burning Man :: Release! which goes live on Sunday, December 20th at 8pm: http://ihippy.me/burning-man-release-is-live 18 months ago I (Mike) joined Camp Symposium and headed to Burning Man again, this time to […]
Guest post by Eben Skilleter Ahead of the final Guerilla Filmmakers 2 Day Masterclass next month, I asked past delegates to share their post event experiences. Here’s what Eben Skilleter got up to… Inspiration, Then Perspiration – Pre-production Trudging across a Hampshire field, in full retreat from the merciless weather, I wonder if I’ve gone […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWaM7eeCm8U I finally caught up with ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (having a newborn does kind of tale over). Wow. Seriously WOW. Just when I thought the movie could not get any crazier, it somehow managed to take me to even greater demented and deranged action heights. Much has already been written about the film, but […]
Attaching top talent to your screenplay doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get your film made, but it certainly increases your chances. The questions asked in 99% of meetings with distributors, film financiers, and sales agents after you’ve pitched your screenplay or they have read your screenplay is: “Who is the director?” followed by “Who is in […]
Ahead of the London Screenwriters’ Festival, I headed up to Warner Brothers studios North West of London to record a podcast with one of the most successful feature film producers in the UK, Paul Webster. Recorded in his production office. Paul was hot from the set of ‘Pan’ (with Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried and Rooney […]
Richard Holmes is a British film producing legend, with ten features under his belt, all budgeted at around £1m or more. And I am running his workshop in less than two weeks, and I wanted to share ONE thing that is worth coming for alone. Just one. Yes there is a ton of good stuff […]
Jen Handorf, veteran of five Brit low budget horror flicks, shared her experience at the London Breakfast Club today. It was an insightful conversation with a producer who has been prolific in production and effective in distribution and sales. Listen to the podcast below… Having worked on so many films, Jen has managed to distil […]
A producer friend at a production company recently shared this email interchange with a writer. It painfully illustrates why most producers will only accept solicited submissions or via a reputable agent. Irrespective of the talent this writer may show in the future, this bridge is burned. I have redacted certain details with XXXXXX’s and of […]
Last year, DP Vernon Layton spent a couple of months in Cuba shooting Day Of The Flowers which is released this weekend. As you may know, Vernon is a close friend who shot ‘Gone Fishing’. I asked him to share his experiences while shooting in a tropical, hot and humid environment. Of course, insect repellent, […]
Guest blog by Richard Holmes The Kid/Food/Baby/Horse Stays In The Picture “There’s always ONE, isn’t there” Or, in filmmaking it’s, “There’s always THE THING.” In Jadoo it was, of course, The Food. And lots of it. We’re warming up for Jadoo’s release right now (jadoomovie.com) and everyone who laughs and cries throughout the movie also […]
Last week we recorded and extraordinary session at the London Breakfast Club with producer Iain Smith – it was just crammed with wisdom and bite sized gems for filmmakers, writers and of course producers. My personal favourite anecdote? If audiences like your production after a year, it’s a movie. If they like it after a […]
What makes a script that Richard Holmes could produce? Aside from being a great story well told of course… Richard Holmes ‘Tightly Resourced’ Films Screenplay Rules Write a genre film, but give it some kind of original and fresh twist. Write parts that actors would kill to do. Keep it short, under 90 pages. Keep […]
Last week I went to visit the set of ‘Keeping Rosie’, the tenth feature film produced by my old chum Richard Holmes. This is his third feature film in as many years, which is no mean feat in the film industry. He seems to have worked out the perfect formula for story scale, size of […]
Film producer buddy Stephen Follows recently presented this short masterclass in which he reveals… How to train ‘creatives’ into setting deadlines What’s your fault and responsibility How to cut a budget The secret illustrated directory of cheap big name stars How to reach unreachable people Why you should lose the negotiation every time Who really […]
I was speaking with a filmmaker yesterday who said ‘I really need to get you to help me get what I need as you seem to always get a discount…’ That launched me into a quick breakdown into how to get stuff free. 1. Ask Most people don’t ask for help. Don’t assume the answer […]
I asked my good friend and prouder Leilani Holmes to swing by to record this podcast about her latest short film ‘Clowning Around’. They are also closing a crowd funding campaign soon, so if you want to get involved, you can find out more here… www.indiegogo.com/clowningaroundpost Listen below… Download the MP3 file here for your […]
Do you want to know how to get big name stars in your movie? Producer Stephen Follows will share with you his cheeky sneaky tactic to get named actors to consider your project… And that’s just one of eight tips, tricks, tactics and strategies in this short Practical Producer video seminar. If you want to […]
If you read my blog you will know that I am all about encouraging action, and action RIGHT NOW. As I run the London Screenwriters’ Festival I am constantly being asked by screenwriters if I know any producers who would make their script into a movie – and while do know many producers, I also […]
I thought I would share the first part of the chapter on crewing from The Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint. It’s a template for a low budget feature film crew and exactly who you will need at various budget bumps. Of course every film is different and this is just a guide – for instance […]
Ahead of the Producers Masterclass in June, I though I would share a chapter from my book, The Guerilla Film Makers Movieblueprint. It breaks down the jobs of everyone in a production and creates a timeline for their work… and here is the job timeline for the Producer. I hope it helps you make better […]
I get five to ten communications a day from people asking for help – advice, promoting a campaign, reading a script etc. I pride myself on helping as many people as I can (if I can), but sometimes it’s just not possible. And if I am honest, sometimes, the communication I am sent can lead […]
Want a free one day workshop from two of the biggest names in American Indie cinema? With nearly 100 movies and a raft load of awards, Emmy and Oscars nominations, you can be sure that Ted Hope and Christine Vachon know their stuff. Here’s what people said about it when we ran it last May… […]
As a film maker I am in the business of communication. It is the cornerstone of my business. Communicating big ideas with the world. Communicating stories with financiers, backers, actors, producers and broadcasters. And communicating with my community, sharing my journey and sometimes asking for help. As I write this I am downloading 79 emails. […]
