New to lthe ounge here, but thought I'd try my luck at asking a first question,.
So, we're about to embark on a feature film project, following the film festival success of The Barn. We are in the process of building the budget, and focussing on the trickier scenes first - namely aerial stunts, helicopter and parachute action shots, and a street chase scene.
The story is in the process of being transferred to a screenplay and we are creating storyboards for the trickier scenes as well.
The story is fairly adaptable at this time with the critical path already in place - back stories and plot twisters are being developed.
So the question here, I guess, does the story have any bearing on where we go to find our additional funding? If so, then how much should we look to 'adapt' the story to suit the funding sources.
More of a business querstion than a creative. The creative side of me says, "Stick to your guns and stay true to the story", whilst the business side of me says "adapt to the funding sources but don't give away control of the direction".
In case you're wondering - the genre / style is action / adventure / thriller - sort of The Mummy weaved in with flavours of Mission Impossible, and we have some of the well known talent from both of those assisting us in Pre-Production.
Thoughts?
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Yes and no. While it is true, some projects are easier in terms of "oh this is easy, one location, four actors, no stunts" there is still very much a place for those larger budget films that excite investors. They just take longer to obtain all the financing you'll need to get there. It also depends on who you're approaching for investments and what their wheelhouse is.
Is your project a series or feature? It may be easier for a stunt-heavy series to fundraise as there is opportunity for growth but also future edits if items need to be trimmed.
I can't speak on behalf of all investors, but in my personal experiences in choosing projects to finance the bulk of my projects are the easier and quicker routes, though I do have a couple heavier projects that I'm absolutely committed to investing in, but I ensure the team understands that the fundraise will most likely take much longer than average.
The investors may give you the input you're seeking. When I'm in a meeting with a very ambitious team, I make sure they know what factors of the script issues are and why. Most of the time, it's simple things such as having 51 actors when 15 of them just have 1 line, that's a massive add to the budget when it just doesn't make sense. This may dramatically change the story, but worth cutting back on the fluff. It sounds like you are already ahead of that curve and your more in tune with it really adds value to the story. I think you should write and pitch it the way you want it to be, listen to feedback from industry-experienced investors and give yourself the time and space to fundraise.
Good luck with your project!
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I should add, develop relationships with sales agent and distributors, you can receive sale quotes based on your genre and where the market is currently at. This will tell you what you can expect as a return (though all projections are simply projections), and where to target your budget. All this should be done prior to seeking investments anyways. Hope that helps!
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Welcome to the lounge Jonathan Brooker. Good questions. You seem to be asking two different ones. Your title refers to audience, the body leans into financiers. My thoughts and advice is to focus on two things: the screenplay and the budget. Forget everything else for now. Filmmakers focusing on the whole production, elements, departments, pieces, etc. is a sign to me they're not focused. Nothing else matters in the outset but an outstanding screenplay, and a film budget that details the roadmap to the production, and finance, at a market ready and facing level (see my reply to RB in Working Title post.)
If you want see what audiences are attracted to look at the box office reports, and streaming hits. Financiers don't care about the minutae generally. If it's a great script, worthy of cast, in a marketable genre (which you have) that is the depth of their input for the most part, in my experience. Sure there may be some that are more opinionated, though for bold filmmakers with a solid vision, this is not given extreme credence as you seem to be concerned with, if only face value, until the money drops, and we get into production. We want their money, not necessarily their opinion, once we tick the boxes. It's not their area of expertise - and they know it. ;) Hope that helps.
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I have two screenplays in English.
I seek partners
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Jonathan Brooker my honest, gut feeling is that you need to be true to the story and maybe find the right funding that’s on a par with the story you want to tell. You have to find the right match. Finding a funding partner is a relationship and not merely a transaction.
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Hi Jonathan Brooker - it's great to meet you here in the lounge. Welcome!
I agree with Jack Binder - I would focus on the creative and the creative team and basically build a proof for investors that you can stand behind. If you can justify the budget - with genre, cast, team - then investors will follow. If they don't, adjust as you see fit. Action is a universal language and that leans into your favor. From a character stand point, how can make their emotional journeys universal so audiences can relate (in a film like TAKEN, we can all relate to a father wanting to save his daughter).
I'm also a believer in "you gotta buy the toy to play with it", meaning don't worry about what investors may think until one of them puts money on the table. Then they're creative opinion can start to be considered IMHO.