Guest vic73 Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 I'm looking for a very experienced DP to shoot my feature around March/April next year. It's a cross between "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Whale Rider" also putting "Maria Full of Grace" in the mix. It's a 90 minute drama which will be shot on DVX (2-3 cams). I'll be throwing a "fundraising" party on December 9 with a projected budget of $80,000 US. The project will be filmed in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm negotiating first class tickets to and from and first-grade hotel at a local country club resort. It's going to be shot in two weeks. I hundred percent believe in this project. It's taken me at least four years to hone and I've had one of the big agencies' story editors as a mentor. It's going to be my first time directing a feature but believe me, I've done my homework. I live in Santa Monica and if anyone on this forum is interested in at least meeting and hearing more about the project, I can pay for dinner. The sooner the better. My email address is cinematographer@warriorgirlfilms.com. If anyone has questions, you can post them on this forum and I'll be glad to reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted November 1, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted November 1, 2004 Hi, I don't think you're being very realistic about a "very experienced" DP to shoot a movie at that level. I'd jump at the chance, but my experience is mainly in short stings and promos - you'd have to end up dropping half your budget on the post to get "very experienced". You might get "up and coming". Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vic73 Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Hi, I don't think you're being very realistic about a "very experienced" DP to shoot a movie at that level. I'd jump at the chance, but my experience is mainly in short stings and promos - you'd have to end up dropping half your budget on the post to get "very experienced". You might get "up and coming". Phil <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think I am. I need to be able to convince the "money" people that their money will be put to good use. I'm sure there are experienced DPs out there who are willing to forego big cash if the project suits them. If you feel that you're up to the challenge, drop me an email and we can do dinner. I don't discriminate. I just want someone who's perfect for the job. If you're in LA, lets meet this week, what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Ah come on Phil this sounds like fun! I'd shoot it, but you know my feelings on HD :-) Why SA? That's a long way to go and can only add to the hassle of doing a first feature. I don't want to be a downer but where exactly will this film shown when it's done? How will it make money back? DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEEPAK KUMAR PADHY Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Hi, My name is DEEPAK KUMAR PADHY and I am a young and well-experienced cinematographer from INDIA. I am really interested to work in foreign films, which has a good standard of filmmaking. I am in this profession right from my age of 12 years because my father is a well-known cinematographer and Ad filmmaker in INDIA and a recipient of several prestigious awards. I did my diploma in cinematography in FILM AND TELEVISION INSTITUTE OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA, which is a government-authorized institute. I have worked as a Operative cameraman and associate cameraman for more than 15 feature films and several Advertisement films. I have worked as Director of photography for 3 ad films (35mm and cinemascope), 2 short films (16mm and 35mm) and one feature film which is under production and is a high budget Bengali film (Indian language), cinemascope with all latest equipments right from ARRI 435 extreme, Giraffe crane, Akela crane etc. I am really very much interested to work in your project and for your reference I am sending you some of the photographs of my previous works as attachments. Please go through the attachments. Waiting for your reply. Contact me at "dollscamera@yahoo.co.in" Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Spear Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Hey, Sadly, I'm just a beginner and don't really have any experince under my belt, but if I did I would DEFINATELY be interested in your project. Free (first class) tickets, hotels and a chance to CREATE! I don't get the pro's on these forums. I would seriously be all over your offer if I had the experience. It sounds awesome! Well, maybe someday, eh? :D -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 TSM...you don't get the pros on these forums? Well get the stars out of your eyes for a minute. Sorry to say this, but there are thousands of guys like this out there that are "throwing a "fundraising" party", to get a film financed. The reality is that the odds of this project flying are a million to one. I know the guy "believes" in his project but my belief in the tooth fairy has never got me any money for a tooth past the age of eight. If this guy said he was 100% financed and ready to roll with distribution in place, he might very well get a few of the experienced people willing to work with him. Right now his project sounds like a dream, it's good to have dreams of course. You'll notice he says he is "negotiating first class tickets to and from and first-grade hotel at a local country club resort" He doesn't have first class tickets in his possession right now. Trying to get them, and having them, are two completely different things. DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted December 12, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted December 12, 2004 After 28 features and 13 years after film school, basically I've learned that if you don't have a movie unless you have the money in place, so hiring crew at that point is a waste of time. I would only get involved in something like that if I knew the director already and he asked me to get involved early on. And even then, it becomes a "if my schedule permits" sort of commitment. It pretty much HAS to come down to "Do they have the money? Do they have a cast? Do they have firm dates for shooting?" before I get involved on a low budget project, unless it is for a friend. Not to mention if I like the script! People think it's all about salary but that's only one factor and often not the most important one. By definition, us "pros" have been through all of this before so we are naturally cautious and cynical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidSloan Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 I don't have much experience, but I agree with the pros...these things have a real tendency to flake out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Oh my gosh I think people here are actually AGREEING with me! At least it sounds like David Mullen and David Sloan are. I must be posting on a forum in a diffrent dimension :-) Well nice to see we can get on the same page at some point. So David Mullen I have this script and......... DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Rodriguez Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Every project has a right to be made. That's for sure. The reasons these guys are pro's is because they can predict dangers in the pre production stage of a project. They have walked the path that Vic is now walking many times before. Their input is a warning to the wise, not a dream sqaushing dig. I've done so many underfunded micro films that never get to finish because there just wasn't enough capitol to get through the shot list. They always start out very high energy with a "we are the exception to the rule" attitude. And all that is good. To that energy you must add the pragmatic element of cash and great organization. The disappointment of going broke mid production is a painful experience everyone wants to help Vic avoid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Spear Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Hey, """TSM...you don't get the pros on these forums? Well get the stars out of your eyes for a minute. Sorry to say this, but there are thousands of guys like this out there that are "throwing a "fundraising" party", to get a film financed. The reality is that the odds of this project flying are a million to one. I know the guy "believes" in his project but my belief in the tooth fairy has never got me any money for a tooth past the age of eight. If this guy said he was 100% financed and ready to roll with distribution in place, he might very well get a few of the experienced people willing to work with him. Right now his project sounds like a dream, it's good to have dreams of course. You'll notice he says he is "negotiating first class tickets to and from and first-grade hotel at a local country club resort" He doesn't have first class tickets in his possession right now. Trying to get them, and having them, are two completely different things.""" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TSM takes stars out of eyes) <_< Good point. :D I don't know, guys...I grew up on the so called 'do it yourself' attitude (too much loud punk, rock and roll growing up I guess), so I guess theoretically I'd jump on any oppurtunity to shoot without paying attention to any possible davastating consequences. :huh: Funny...now that I've had a dose of reality, this oppurtunity doesn't seem so attractive after all. I can understand the concept of taking on a project to help a friend out for example, but this is more like online dating....you're taking a HUGE risk here and you might end up knee deep in - Not to mention the fact that looking for a pro-DP on an online forum seems almost like a last resort... :ph34r: Good call guys! I'll have to agree with y'all on this one! -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Spear Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Hey, Sadly, I'm just a beginner and don't really have any experince under my belt, but if I did I would DEFINATELY be interested in your project. Free (first class) tickets, hotels and a chance to CREATE! I don't get the pro's on these forums. I would seriously be all over your offer if I had the experience. It sounds awesome! Well, maybe someday, eh? :D -T <{POST_SNAPBACK}> :rolleyes: What was I smoking?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted December 13, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted December 13, 2004 Hi, > Going broke mid-production How can anyone conceivably do this? Forward planning, anyone? On the other hand, I do know of a couple of productions which started shooting 35mm they couldn't possibly afford. As far as I know the people involved quickly wound up their company and moved on to other, disturbingly similar projects. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Some thing else I'll add for the aspiring filmmaker and others here. I am one of those nuty guys that self finances projects. I've done about ten thus far. I did a documentary on the British Zulu War, self financed by me, never made a dime. Won lots of awards and aired on a few PBS stations, that's it. I made a half hour stop motion animation Christmas special in my basement. Took 18 months to shoot and $50,000.00 of my own personal funds. My idea was to sell it world wide. So far it airs every year on a Canadian station but that's it. Although finally I have interest from a major broadcaster that says they'll let me know at NATPE. It will be on CTS at 5:30pm on December 24th, if any Canadians wish to watch it. It also has a DVD deal with a US distributor. But the project is still well in the red financially. I made two instructional tapes on genealogy, these where HUGE hits. Selling well over 5,000 copies at $19.95 each. The budget for each was well below $3000.00. Yes, shot on BetaSP not film. Ok look I was a student when I made those shows :-) Then there's all the short films I've made...I never expect to make any money off of those though, they're just for festivals. Nothing more. So I know a little about what I'm talking about here. I'm not a flake who has never completed an "indie" project I KNOW how hard it is. There are thousands who never get any thing made, and having to quit half way due to lack of funds is worse than ever starting at all. Phil is very correct on that point. DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Spear Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Hey DC, Wow! You've got a lot of experience under your belt. Do you post any of your work online? I'd love to check it out. That Christmas stop motion animation picture you made sounds really cool. """So I know a little about what I'm talking about here. I'm not a flake who has never completed an "indie" project I KNOW how hard it is. There are thousands who never get any thing made, and having to quit half way due to lack of funds is worse than ever starting at all. Phil is very correct on that point.""" I can only imagine how devastating that must be. As a left-handed, chronic daydreaming aspiring filmmaker in his early 20's, I tend to forget the business aspect of filmmaking and all the hurdles and obstacles along the path to success (not the financial kind necessarily)... """Then there's all the short films I've made...I never expect to make any money off of those though, they're just for festivals. Nothing more.""" That's totally punk rock! That's what it's all about!!! :D Which of your projects gave you the most satisfaction? Thanks, -T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 TSM...of course having a lot of experience under your belt is all relative. David Mullen has shot 28 feature films, so he's a hundred miles ahead of me. It's all relative. Here's a link to the trailer for the last festival short I made, shot on 35mm. It's screened at several festivals in the USA and racked up some awards. But no three picture deal from Warner Bros as a result, nor do I expect one. Deathdealer.com Trailer Click Here DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member David Mullen ASC Posted December 14, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted December 14, 2004 Taking into account that I was looking at an image barely over 1" tall on the monitor, the trailer looked pretty darn good! I liked the really dark stuff the best; there were a few mundane close-ups here and there of some beefy-faced man that were less evocative... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpforum1968 Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 Some day I have to get the entire film up there, or a trailer with longer shots. Any whoo, copies are on sale in the lobby for $19.95. The beefy faced man was Bruce Harris who is a local news anchor, and looks like a great bad guy. Or maybe when you say "beefy faced" you mean our star Bob Cymabalski? Who could maybe benefit from Atkins? I have said to the crew many times, if Bruce Harris was discovered via this film when some Hollywood guy happened to see the film at a festival, I would not be surprised. Stranger things have happened in show business. As always, thanks for watching. DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg White Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I'm looking for a very experienced DP to shoot my feature around March/April next year. It's a cross between "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Whale Rider" also putting "Maria Full of Grace" in the mix. It's a 90 minute drama which will be shot on DVX (2-3 cams). I'll be throwing a "fundraising" party on December 9 with a projected budget of $80,000 US. The project will be filmed in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm negotiating first class tickets to and from and first-grade hotel at a local country club resort. It's going to be shot in two weeks. I hundred percent believe in this project. It's taken me at least four years to hone and I've had one of the big agencies' story editors as a mentor. It's going to be my first time directing a feature but believe me, I've done my homework. I live in Santa Monica and if anyone on this forum is interested in at least meeting and hearing more about the project, I can pay for dinner. The sooner the better. My email address is cinematographer@warriorgirlfilms.com. If anyone has questions, you can post them on this forum and I'll be glad to reply. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, as far as that goes. I'd be interested. drop me an email at whitemagic@sbcglobal.net. I work in the Los Angeles area as a DP Cheers, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hayes Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 Wow. Mention a job and everyone just goes wild. Hey vic73 with the right script and the right attitude you can attract a great cast and crew. On any budget. It?s just hard to raise the money and get the right script and keep the right attitude. And if you get that magic combination together then as a first time director it is like being an inexperienced pilot in the cockpit of an f-18. P.S. Unregistered. You have some great ideas. Please go to the effort to register with this forum. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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