Producing

Thanks for sharing, Maurice Vaughan. I love this line by RB: "pendulum isn’t just swinging back, it very well might snap back." Excited for all the creative work that will find its way in 2025 and beyond!

You're welcome, Sam Sokolow. I'm excited too! And I'm getting projects ready for 2025!

As you should, Maurice Vaughan - fortune favors the brave!

Love this! What a wonderful line up!

Hi, Valerie Quade. Great to meet you. You could post an ad on the Job Board (www.stage32.com/find-jobs). You could also search the Browse Members section (www.stage32.com/people).

Thanks.

You're welcome, Valerie Quade.

Hi Valerie Quade - I shared the post with someone in the Bay Area. They'll chime in if interested.

I love documentaries! Can you share what the film is about?

Hi Philip,

I enjoyed your post here and resonate with what you are saying. Being a writer, director and producer myself I have an understanding of the industry and how a screenplay one has written can ripped apart by the hands of a producers POV.

I have been caught in a few situations where producers have read my work ‘“love it and it’s really well polished” but then go on to say “get rid of this and that, as it wasn’t needed”.

To then finally rereading the script and it now making no sense at all.

I have had my films and scripts watched and reviewed by Oscar winners which I would consider credible and helpful feedback, however, I have come to learn that this industry is suggestive and opinion based. Yes there are set methods and guideline's we should follow but this is a forever evolving industry.

I often find producers will change a script to reach a wider audience rather than keeping a story authentic. Maybe this is a return of invest scenario and or ego trip for control. For me personally, this is where the problem lays. I would always keep a story authentic first.

That being said there are a great number of producers out there that give credit where credit is due. I have been fortunate to have worked with a small handful of producers who have supported my previous projects.

I guess it’s all about finding the right people for the project.

A key part of a producer's role is to ensure a project has the foundation to not only be distributed, but to generate revenue as well. If you truly want full creative and financial control, the best approach is to take the reins and produce your own film. It’s honestly the most empowering way to bring your vision to life!

Stephen Folker Looks like I'm a producer now, because I haven't met a producer yet with a "can do" attitude. So far, they've all had defeatist personalities or were scammers. Thanks, Stephen..

@Philip David Lee - a real producer should know the market, and the process better than you. A business plan is therefore irrelevant except for those who aren't producers - and they won't understand it because the film industry is different than others. It is important for YOU though, or else you won't be able to assess. Also, consider what your project - or any project - has to an outside producer. Probably not much. It's not realistic to think anyone is going to believe in it or be able to sell it better than you, the creator. As a producer/creator, it's your responsibility to figure it out. Now, you DO NEED certain paid services if you cannot do them yourself - line producer for schedule/budget and production management, or to supervise production, etc. But these are for projects you have decided to move forward with, and naturally you are paying for services rendered. You cannot LEGALLY pay anyone to find and negotiate an investment for you, outside of SEC sanctioned structures. You can pay a referral fee. That's kind of it.

Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg The problem with the film industry as a whole is that most everyone in it deals in fantasy from execs down. All of the things that are supposed to look fantastic in a business plan (IE. bankable talent, A-List Talent, Pre-sales in International Markets) are all fantasy numbers brought about by fantasy equations that literally have no basis in reality. The best one can do is come up with a business plan that is as low risk as possible while still falling within certain characteristics that films with great gross revenues have in common. It has absolutely nothing to do with star power because what you spend on egos usually wipes out any profit margin and unleashed directors become megalomaniacs whose "vision" becomes more blinded with success. In the meantime, it still costs the same to light a shot if you're not a dick about it.

As far as a line/Producer goes, depending upon the size of the shoot, most of his job can be handled by a hands-on Producer/Director.. Everyday on a shoot is different with different needs so you just have to figure out your cost per day and then your cost per minute and be a leader. A director that likes to do a lot of takes for one shot is kind of idiot. Your DP can't take 2 hours to set up lights. Once you're on set, it has to move like a military operation.

As far as the market goes, if these "experts" in the industry knew their markets, we wouldn't have movies that lose $100M dollars per film. Distributors wouldn't need $100M to market a film. The system is flooded with a lot of people that want to cheat the cash flow process. Why would you legally fake a loss just because you don't want to pay people their back end deals? Why would you risk a $250M project pushing an ideology that may only be only popular with 1% of a target audience while alienating 99% of a ticket buying public and then insult that 99% by saying they're too stupid to advance their way of thinking to yours? That has nothing to do with marketing. That's shooting yourself in both feet and then expecting to win the Boston Marathon.

I hope I can meet some ethical, honest and fair people to work with in this industry. I recently saw an interview with with Jim Brewer about his time on SNL and he was talking about the backstabbing that went on when he was a cast member. He said Lorne Michaels told him that he was too much a nice guy for this business. I like to think to think I'm a nice guy, but no one should mistake that for a weakness. I've got witnesses that can attest to that being an unfortunate assumption.

Hell of a business this is. You just want to entertain a hard working general public and you have to deal with sooooo many morons. (I wanted to use a harsher term but feel free to put in your own.)

Thanks for you feedback, Shadow. Sounds like you have more scar tissue than me and I appreciate you sharing your wisdom with me.

Hi, Ella Mayakovsky. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Screenwriting Lounge to the Producing Lounge since you're asking producers and companies the question. Hope this helps you get answers. Let me know if you have any questions about me moving your post.

Arthur CHarpentier but it is bad. Let's call the name as itself ) And you know it too but you write strategically. And you can't absolutely change the script. It's what it is just with some addaption. Kstati, privet. Ti iz Moskvi? Ya toje govoryu po-russki )) And we found each on other on this platform. İnteresting, huh? )

Ella Asvar

Yes, I know. But this is the business strategy of the producers and they will tick as many boxes as the owners of TV channels require them to sell their film and earn hundreds of percent of the profit. And the screenwriter either gives the producers what they want in the hope of getting money or flatters himself with illusions.

Hello, Ella Asvar! I am very glad to meet you and your creativity. Thank you so much for connecting me to your network.

It's nice to meet a person who speaks Russian. I am glad that you came to this site, there is a kind and positive atmosphere here. I hope you can find like-minded people and producers who will appreciate your talent.

Thank you, Arthur..i spasibo, drug )) Nadeyus, chto drug. You know, it's just a common word to address good people )

Richard "RB" Botto the game may have changed for “Seeing Rachel”, RB. We are now looking at the potential of an international co-production, for the film.

Good morning, Tasha Lewis. Here's the link to the AMA recording (www.stage32.com/webinars/Thankful-for-the-Community-with-Richard-RB-Botto). Happy Thanksgiving!

Smart move, Geoff Hall. Explore every road. Keep us posted.

Richard "RB" Botto will do, RB. There is always something new and exciting to learn about this business and it's never a burden. That's quite a transformation for me!

It's ever changing, Geoff Hall. The ground is shifting under our feet as we speak. Important to keep on top of what's being reported and be open to continuing to educate yourself.

I would put it in the country that gives you the best possible position in future law-cases. So when if possible I put the rights in the Netherlands as I have a very good law firm behind me in this country. But its obviously the owner of the IP who decides and the best option isn't always the cheapest as well.

If you missed the LIVE, you can watch the full video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCr1TjTyCkZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...