Filmmakers Talk #1 - The Producer

Filmmakers Talk is a new series of things that are industry related to be looked at with a pinch of humour, these could be things you would hear or see in the filmmaking industry, this series is to be taken in the light spirit and the right spirit* Some of these obviously would be made up.

Post your funny comments that you may have come across and it just might make it to the Film-Makers Talk List

*This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, quotes, places and incidents mentioned, either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, from the film industry or outside the film industry is entirely coincidental.






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Casting Brief Q5: Budget?

For the entire List of casting questions go back to

Casting Brief

Question 5: Is there a budget individually or totally? 

There cant be casting without the question on the budget, this is mostly asked by the casting director to the producer being, is there an individual budget to each character or is there an overall budget to all characters. In case there is an individual budget given to each character, it is easier for the casting director since he already knows the figure at the time of audition and can discuss it with the actor. In case of overall budget given for all characters, it is up to the casting director to manage the break up (this does not happen too often though) This usually happens when all the actors to be featured are of the same level and have an equal importance in the film, like a group of friends or in a commercial which is a montage and all the actors have a tiny but important role. Overall budgets are also given sometimes to the casting director minus the primary cast.

So once the amount is disclosed, the actor can choose to agree with the amount or disagree, if the figure is too far below what the actor expects they can choose not to waste time on the audition saving everyone's time and effort. However, there are actors who do give the audition and leave behind a quote of what they would expect if they do get shortlisted. In these cases, it is important for the casting director to inform the director and the producer at the time of shortlisting so a call can be taken in accordance. The actor in these cases would have to be really good and suited for the role for the producers to even think of starting a conversation with them, also it would depend on how much over the existing budget is the actor asking for. Knowing a budget also helps the casting director when making calls for actors to come for the audition as an experienced casting person would know that some of the actors would not come in that price range. Also, a deal can be cracked at this stage with the actor to maybe do the role for lesser figure than what they would normally charge.

There is also the case where there is no budget mentioned and each actor is required to give a quote to what they are expecting either at the audition or later if they are part of the shortlisted cast for that role. A case where no budget is mentioned happens both in features and advertising, in most of these cases, it is because the director insists on having a really good cast and would not want to be restricted in terms of options. This does not mean that they would pay any figure for the right character but to find the right person and then strike up a good deal so both parties are happy.

Budget is crucial especially in the case where a lot of people fit the brief for the role, since it opens up the competition, here the producer and director can choose the cheapest and the best actor that suits the film. In such cases, actors who keep their quotes open for bargaining do end up with the role especially if there are 2 or more people who are of the same standard.

A thing for actors and producers to remember like in all agreements that once the amount is agreed upon it would be bad to ask for a change in the figure later for whatever reason. So everyone should know well what they are getting into before anyone should agree to anything.

For the answer to the previous question see
Q4:- Dates for the shoot and shortlist

Read on for the next question
Question 6: Who will take care of the requirements of the audition? 

For the entire List of casting questions go back to

Casting Brief

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My Voice Over - Mswipe

Check out my voice recently done for Mswipe

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"You can't handle the truth!"– A Few Good Men

Post Production Tips Part – 2

Points covered in Part - 1 were,

*Attitude & Relationship, 

*Technical knowledge, 

*Planning & Buffer, 

*Food, 

*Market knowledge & Contacts, 

*Systematic, 

* Back-ups, 

*Accounts, 

*Bills.

Here are some more that would help you to be a good post-production manager,

1. Understanding the Director

Understanding the director you are working for is important to smoothen the process, each director has a unique style of directing and therefore functioning. Most directors get categorised into drama, comedy, style, etc. So while some give a lot of importance to post, there are some who concentrate mainly on pre. In the case of the earlier, you can be assured that the director is going to be involved at every step in the post, there are films that have a lot of graphics or special effects these always require a lot of the director's involvement as approval at every stage is generally required. Therefore knowing if your director would be present throughout or would come at the last stage helps in planning the post. For example, some directors like the editor to go through the rushes and come up with their version of the cut that they feel right, the director then joints the edit after that. But there are others who would like to sit and make the first cut themselves. There is also some who like starting the day late and working into the night while some like starting early and packing up early. Once you have understood the style of the director it is up to you to make sure that you function in the style that is best suited to that director.

2. Communication

Another key ingredient in a good post person or any other department of film making is communication, there are and will always be days when there are delays, or some problem or the other, it is very important to communicate in these cases. Informing the director or editor or the dubbing artist that there is a delay which allows them to plan their life so they don’t have to come to the studio and have wasted time waiting where they could have done some other work. Being in touch with people working for you helps especially when on multiple projects or multiple bookings at the same time, this helps you be on top of what is happening in all places and making sure that time is not wasted. Like if working on online and music at the same time speaking to the editor to know how much work has happened or the music director if you need to be calling for a singer or musician. There will always be a time when multitasking would be called for and this quality comes in handy the most. Letting the director or a producer know about a goof-up helps in controlling a situation well in advance and that avoids things to blow to later.  Also communicating the right information at the right time can save a lot of embarrassment for many, not always does one know or have all details and therefore a warning about a delay or a goof-up can be rectified faster without anyone having to lose their cool.

3. Getting Favors

Being polite and getting favors done is an art by itself, getting a few extra hours or a last-minute booking at a busy studio takes a bit of doing, remember that while you should always try and get your work done, there are times for you to also return favors to people, like helping the studio to give away your room despite it being your booking in order to help another client will be remembered by the studio and they will definitely return the favor when you need it. Don’t forget to give a subtle hint that you are going out of the way to help the studio (even though you may not be) so that your favor is remembered. Remember you will only win favors when you help others.

4. Cracking Deals

As part of this job, you will also have to deal with money, which you may not be paying but the production house you work for does, understanding the need and fixing deals so that all parties are happy will be required. Most production house's work with same post studios so usually rates are already fixed, in the case of the first-timer or in case of a very low budget is when such deals are cracked, you could bargain for better rates as the frequency with the associated increases and at the same time keeping market values in mind. One way of cracking a deal is to tell the studio the time that you estimate that you would use and the amount that you have in total to spend, or you ask for a discount in the rate per hour and you try to fit the no of hours as per your budget. One very important thing to remember is that all deals should happen before the commencement of the project and not after, it is unethical to make someone work and then ask for a discount on the rate after the job is done, even if one has worked with this party for a long time, give people the right to decide if they want to work for lesser or not. Also once the deal is fixed and both parties are happy, then should be no re-negotiating after that.

5. Track Booking and Cost

There are some producers who will give the post guy a free hand while some will check-in at every stage, irrespective of that it is the responsibility of the post person to know at any given time how many hours were used or how much money has been spent on a particular project. If it is one project it is usually easy to remember but most of the times there are multiple projects involved, the trick to keeping a track of all of it is to use the schedule sheet, at the beginning of any project a schedule is drawn up and bookings are taken according to this, carry this around with you at all times and enter the hours used at the end of every day or session, use the remarks column to make note of things that may be required to remember at a later stage, like if a singer or an extra voice was called during the music session and how much did the person charge. So while working on multiple projects remember that while signing the challan/worksheet, to make a note of it on your schedule as well, carry printouts as its easier to write this down immediately. However, entering it on your computer or carrying an updated sheet on your mail always helps you recall after many days.

6.  Say SORRY when needed

The biggest problem that I have seen across people especially the freshers is the lack of ability to say sorry when they goof up. I don’t understand why saying sorry even after the mistake has been pointed out and sometimes even self realised is so difficult. We work in an industry filled with egos and it would be the best to own up for one's mistakes, it cuts down the other person's anger and helps keep the situation under control most of the time. While I will never say sorry if something I have done is right, but for that, I have to not only 100% sure that I was correct by what I thought but by universal standards as well.  So before standings, one's ground better be sure of what is acceptable or not. There are times when saying sorry diffuses the situation at the moment and justifications can be given at a later stage when all is calm.

Keep these pointers in mind and you will suddenly notice how smooth projects go, you will begin to have fun and there will be an increase in your demand and in turn also have made a lot of friends and money for your work.

Auggieism:- What would you say if Auggie was carrying wood

Ans:- Loggie..

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“This isn’t personal, Kay. This is business”, Michael Corleone - The Godfather , (1972)

Wanna be a..... Director

Want to be part of the glamour but don’t know what to do.? Can’t make up your mind if you want to be a Director or a Cinematographer or a Music Director... read on as I give you an insight which no film school will ever tell you. This blog is on if you Wanna be Director.  Most of this is based on my experience in India and figures would vary as time passes.

POST: Director

JOB PROFILE:

A Director is the leader of the project mainly in terms of vision and direction. He is responsible for decision making and it’s his style and effort that shows in the end. He is responsible for the acting, style of shoot, the technical direction, etc. The director is the one who takes it from the story to the screen, he also participates in choosing the team, at least that of the key crew,(mainly the head of the departments) also the cast gets finalised only after the director’s approval. He has meetings with the head of almost all departments before the film goes into production and also has rehearsals with the actors sometimes (if time is available) He uses scripts, storyboards, references when meeting with these departments to show and explain to the team what he feels the film should look and feel like.

Lots of time the director becomes or feels like an answering machine. A yes or no, eg, when costumes come back after the briefing with references then it’s the director who says yes or no to colours, material, and so on and so forth. The same goes for all other departments. The director has also to work with the post team, influencing the grade of the film, with the editor to check for cuts and the flow of the story, etc.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Anyone with a vision can become a director, there are people who become directors based on experience, some on qualification, and some just by the influence they bring. 

Experience can be gained by working closely with good and bad directors, working with different people show you different styles of working, also different production houses also function differently, so it helps in choosing a way that suits your style and also one that is right for production. 

For people who are new to the industry and want to be part of it, there are various courses that one could take up to learn the art. These days one can graduate with a BMM degree – Bachelors in Mass Media, this is a 3-year course and teaches you the basics of all media-related industries including journalism, market research. Although this course does not prepare you for direction, it gives you an overall about media. There are also government-run institutes like the F.T.I.I. - http://www.ftiindia.com/ and private ones that offer specialized and general courses for those who have already done their graduation. One could also choose from courses abroad like 

NYFA

IAFT 

You could also check these site’s out which has a list of schools from across the world

About film schools

The way to choose the best schools to learn is to check the course duration, the syllabus, topics covered, the teachers, their real-life experience with film making, what are the practical’s the course offers, the library, and of course the fees, if one is leaving their country then place to stay and those expenses of upkeep also have to be kept in mind while choosing what’s best for you.  

If you trying to get through this industry then you better hope that you come from a family with a lot of influence in the industry or are just plain rich to finance your ventures.

TIMINGS:

Depending on experience and how quickly he can make decisions the time spent by directors at work may vary. During the shooting phase, the director almost always is there from the start to the end. (except during pre-light) the time and effort of Pre and post vary. 

Documentary directors = since a lot of research goes into documentary’s lots of time the research time is the same as shoot as usually the documentaries are made up of findings and interviews which are usually shot at the first attempt. In other words, the amount of time spent would be equal to the passion for the subject.  

Daily soap / Serials = minimum time few hours a day ranging from 2-6 hours during the planning days, and during shoot depending on the availability of actors and locations the time on the shoot, days are the normal one and half shift, to even 2 shifts sometimes.  

News (non-news episodes) / MTV kind of serials (where the director and producer are the same people) = usually full days ranging from 8 – 12 hours or even more, most f the times these are hired employees so office timings would apply,  the shoot timings are generally ranging from one shift to 2 shifts.

Promos and Advertising = depending on the team provided and the quickness at which the director takes decisions’ time spent could be ranging from 8 – 12 hours to sometimes even 20 hours if things don’t fall in place in pre (especially just before PPM’s and shoot days). During shoot which usually lasts 2- 4 days generally, it’s a similar one and half to 2 shifts.

Features = depending on the time spent in Pre-production the director would give that much of time per day. Since pre in feature films usually take months the director usually doesn’t need to kill himself at the office every day, time spent could be ranging from 2-4 hours on an average to 6-8 hours on some days. Most of these are time spent in meetings. The shoot lasts sometimes for months, and mostly its the standard one and half shift per day.

PROFITABILITY:

Documentary Directors – depending on if it is commissioned or if it is being done out of passion one could make nothing to a few thousand. Documentaries are rarely very profitable monetarily at least. The commissioned ones, at least some of them do make a decent amount.

Daily soap / Serials – directors here get paid per episode usually, though some do get monthly salaries. Money ranges from 10,000 Rs per episode to 25,000 Rs per episode could go up to 80k approximately which is mostly for weeklies. So on an average, it could range between 40k – 80K for beginners to 80K – 4lacks per month as experience increases.

News / MTV kind of serials – here the amount of money the director makes is in the hands of the director himself, especially if he is a freelancer and not on the payroll. What generally happens is a budget is given to the director and the amount he saves is up to the way he plays and makes deals with the crew they are hiring.

Promos and Advertising – the money made here depends on the deal made with the producer, the two ways are the director chargers a fee for the project (usually when the director is a freelancer or a beginner) or a percentage of the profit. In the first case a director could make 1 to 2 lacks per day of the shoot or a higher deal as agreed between him and the producers. Sometimes the deal also works in percentages of the total budget, 2% - 15% of the figure usually.  As far as percentages go a beginner could make anywhere between 10% - 15% and this could go up to 60% - 80% as experience and demand go up.  

Features – experience plays a huge role in the figure that a director makes. A first time director could make 5- 9 lacks for the film and as experience and hits come his way the figures could go up and there is no end figure that one could say he could make.

THE TEAM:

The director is the captain of the ship and all are the crew that gets hired to work for him. The immediate people who report to him are the direction team which is made up of DA’s and AD’s. The DA – Director’s Assistant sometimes also doubles up as an assistant director, and the number of assistants hired depends on the budget so ranging from 2 – even 7 and 8. The rest of the crew are Production and their team, line prouder and his local team, DOP and his team, camera, lights, grips, gaffer, special equipment like a crane or a Milo, costume’s, hair and make, stunts team, VFX team, transport, caterers, food stylists, and the list goes on and on. The hiring of these is obviously based on the requirement.

So now that you know what it is about being a director you can decide if you want to be one or specialize in some other department. Remember a director like any sportsperson is only as good as his last film, so if you have the talent for it I would say go for it and all the best.

For those who have no time to go to a film school or have already started working check out No Film School for more tips and learning

Auggieism:- What do you call a loyal Auggie... . 

Ans:- Doggie..

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