Screenwriting and Production Budget

A well executed production begins with a film budget. A budget is typically divided into four sections: above-the-line (creative talent), below-the-line (direct production costs), post-production (editing, visual effects, etc), and other (insurance, legal fees, etc).

The framework of your film budget should list all commitments to your cast, crew, equipment, props, wardrobe, permits, etc. Your budget should detail the total amount of funds available for each category as well as list the individual costs per commitment. The commitments are the agreements that you make with each cast and crew for their services. Never generalized a budget or make commitments that you cannot keep; this will likely lead to budget overrun or worse, a failed production.

A film budget should list all assumed cost responsibilities during pre-production, production and post-production. Never leave any cost to question. In a nutshell, you’ll want to drill down to the amount of funds available for your production and establish whether your budget yields a deficit or a surplus of funds.

A film budget should always be considered when writing a screenplay. Upon developing your story you’ll need to think budget from scene to scene. This may sound like a clinical mathematical process that will interrupt your creative vision, however, if you want to write a script that can be produced at a “reasonable” budget; you’ll always want to consider cost in your writing process.

Building a budget requires a great depth of experience in film production and a general sense of “what things cost”. It also requires exceptional forethought and the ability to conceptualize future costs based on particular events or scenarios. You’ll want to determine how long it will take for your series of events to occur and how much it will cost to create something from nothing.

Rule of thumb for screenwriters just starting out, keep special FX to a minimum or not at all. No CGI’s, no gun fights and definitely no explosions. Don’t write a screenplay that requires a lot of green screen. A little digital effect in post production may be okay, but not recommended if you’re writing a screenplay to produce yourself. Write your script with that fewest possible locations in mind. It helps to have many of the locations in your immediate area.

You’ll want to have complete control over any sound (pedestrians, traffic, planes, air conditioning, cell phones, etc.). Huge consideration in the audio levels in each environment will save you from post production hell. You’ll also want to consider electrical issues for the lighting of your environment for each scene. If you can’t control the light and sound for each environment don’t write that particular location into the script.

Each and every script is unique and will ultimately rely on the writer’s vision and attention to cost. No matter how well your research and plan, when finalizing your budget it’s a good idea calculate a contingency at a reasonable percent. I would recommend thirty percent as the standard contingency for all production budgets. All low-budget films have constraints. It’s much better to work around them in the story stage than attempt to deal with them in production.

Sample short film budget: ShortFilmBudget.xls

The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows. – Aristotle Onassis

Screenwriting and the Shooting Script

Throw out the notion that the shooting script is written by the screenwriter… IT IS NOT.

The shooting script is created right after your film enters pre-production. Ideally, the director and cinematographer will work side-by-side while determining the desired shots for your film. Think of the shooting script as an elaborate version of your screenplay.

The shooting script is broken into shots, featuring precise cinematography terminology such as close-ups, dolly, canted angle. Scenes are assigned numbers which are included in the script alongside the scene headers. The numbers provide a convenient way for the various production departments (Makeup, Wardrobe, Set Design, etc.) to reference individual scenes.

After a shooting script has been widely circulated, page numbers are locked, and any revisions are distributed on revision pages. Revisions are made distinctively by implementing techniques such using different colored sheets of paper and revision symbols. A great way to inform your crew members of script revisions is to place a symbol in the corrected area. Most film studios implement asterisks and place them in the left hand side of the script page. This will help anyone searching for the newest revisions made on your script.

The idea here is to inform the crew what is going on. Before principle photography starts, the shooting script will be divided into dates, so everyone knows what is being shot when. This ensures that everyone involved will be on the same level once the filming process begins.

Rather than shoot chronologically, from the first scene to the last, most directors group shots by location or set required. This method maximizes productive shooting time, facilitates the work of set designers, lighting and sound and ensures a smooth production process is achieved.

The assistance director prepares shooting scripts, which group together all the scenes (or parts of scenes) scheduled for each shooting day. Shooting scripts take two main forms. Either the AD lists the scenes/parts of scenes scheduled for each day or assembles each day’s scenes into a packet. The latter is preferable, providing a compact document which actors and crew can annotate and work from while preparing to shoot.

Either the AD or the producer then issues the relevant shooting script to the actors and to each member of the crew. The assistant director or producer should issue shooting scripts at least a week in advance of the relevant shooting date. But the more time the crew and actors have to prepare, the more efficient the shoot.

Each crew member should work carefully through the shooting script and note exactly what he or she needs to prepare, find, check, or practice prior to shooting. Actors should apply their own notes on the shooting script from rehearsals indicating any changes needed for their performance.

On location or set, as each scene/part of scene is shot, producers, directors, actors and crew should cross out (preferably in black or fluorescent marker) the completed segment on the day’s shooting script. Everyone thus tracks the progress of the shoot, and can check that no scenes/parts of scenes scheduled for the day are forgotten.

When you get to a point in your life and say, “I never thought I would be here or doing this?” It’s because you tried.

- David L. Spies

Screenwriting for Success

Writing for film is likely one of the most sought after and best-paying careers available to a writer. It’s increasingly difficult to make a living as a screenwriter, though, thousands of people write screenplays every year. Only about one percent of screenplays that are registered make it into full production. Though, a long-shot and the fact that the opportunity exists, thousands of people will continue to write spec scripts every year with the dream they have a chance at the impossible.

When I first imagined the life of a screenwriter, I had thoughts of people that spent time alone on a sunny beach with a pad of paper and a strong drink nearby. The idea of being a writer spending countless days, weeks and years turning out thousands of pages of fantastic stories sounded mysterious and appealing.  Then, reality set in, I would have to come up with impressive stories that people would want to see on the screen.  I would have to write characterizations that would resonate with actors as well as a large audience. I would have to consider locations and most importantly, budget.

Though, what I have learned since, screenwriters are just like you and me. They exist all around us, living and working in everyday life, their world seen from a slightly different perspective. If you’re like me, you analyze situations and create scenarios based on action around you, picking out pieces of information that will serve as dialog or references to create descriptive scenes.

The formula for success is one’s own interpretation of happiness. Write what you know, work off your inspiration and pull ideas from all around you. Life is moving at 24 frames per second. You just need to take a snapshot at the right moment and write it down. Before you know it, you’ll have some material for a screenplay.

Though, you’ll need to understand the importance of scene structure. Good screenplays are built on the three-act structure; the beginning middle and end. The best way to approach this structure is to think of your stories setup, conflict and resolution.  The first act sets up the story, establishes the crisis and hooks the audience. The second act develops the conflict further, making it more complicated and brings the hero’s crisis to its peak. The third act resolves the conflict, concludes the story and gives the audience their payoff.

Multiple scenes make up each act that connects your story together. Each scene plays a special part. Ensure that your main characters have a goal; with obstacles to they must overcome in order to reach their goal. The basic rule of writing any scene is to know that each scene must move your story forward. You’ll want to ensure that each scene has a good pace and the action flows; think cause-and-effect. If you’re debating a scene for too long, it probably doesn’t move your story forward and should be removed, no matter how good the dialogue.

We perform a multitude of actions in our day-to-day life. Most of what we do could be considered trivial and just plain boring. When writing your screenplay it’s best to leave out the trivial and stick to the story. Remember that film is visual; show, don’t tell.

Let the inspiration flow and your creativity will take shape.

- David L. Spies

Writing out Charlie Sheen

First off, we all know that a character as well known as Charlie Harper would be a big role to fill. Two and a Half Men had a run of eight seasons. Definitely the biggest hit comedy on TV in the last decade. In order to fill his role and make it work the writers would have to come up with a storyline that would make sense to the current fans as well as new viewers.

One storyline that I came up with would have Charlie missing; Berta or Alan finding a note that was left by Charlie indicating he had traveled to Mexico. It would then be assumed that Charlie was incarcerated for drugs and would not be returning anytime soon. Fast forward – Charlie’s Lawyer holds a meeting to declare Charlie officially dead and to execute on his will.  

It wouldn’t make sense for Alan (Jon Cryer) to step into the role of “head of household” in Charlie’s beach-front Malibu home on his chiropractic salary. We all know that Alan isn’t the brightest of bulbs in the pack. Therefore a new-comer must fit the bill. Charlie knew this and indicated in his will that his estranged half brother would be his only choice as beneficiary of his home.

This main storyline would setup all kinds of layered storylines that would work well for the characters and continue delivering laughs to the viewers.

Evelyn Harper, Charlie and Alan’s mother would break her silence and divulge an affair she had that resulted in their half brother. Alan would be upset that he wasn’t made aware of his half brother and Charlie knew the entire time. Alan’s attitude quickly changes and he’s excited that he now has a half brother.

In order to execute a believable transition in the first episode, the half brother character would need to resemble Charlie Harper and take on mannerisms that initially reminded us (the viewers) of Charlie. Though, Charlie and Alan looked nothing alike it would be imperative for the introduction of a half brother to resemble Charlie in some way.

As for the rest of the cast of Two and a Half Men, they must stay in their role and continue without skipping a beat. The show must go on!

CBS should hold a national casting call to fill the role of Charlie’s half brother. Think of the media frenzy… this approach would keep Two and a Half Men on top of the ratings chart. Imagine “CharliesHalfBrother” on twitter and Facebook. Two and a Half Men CAN continue without Charlie Sheen but in order to work, Charlie Harper must die. The writers of Two and a Half Men just need to continue doing what they have been doing all along, writing some of the best material on TV.

- David Spies

Screenwriting and Directing

Every year, about half the population of LA is writing a screenplay with lofty plans to direct it. With that many budding Spielbergs out there… there’s little room to be mediocre on your writing or directing skills. There are thousands of people in LA seeking a movie-related career.  The ones that will even have a chance to see their script come to life on-screen come armed with training, experience and connections.

The possibility of a great screenplay or very good concept opening doors in Hollywood is still achievable. With the saturation of writers delivering screenplays every year, agents and studio executives don’t have the time or the resources to read and filter through all the scripts they receive. Your screenplay needs to standout or it will end up in the pass pile.

Do you have what it takes to write a great screenplay? It’s important to know a few basic details. A feature-length screenplay runs between 90 – 120 pages, an average or ideal short screenplay about 15 pages. If you’re not currently an exceptional writer with a finished blockbuster script, you may want to consider a faster route to getting your name to stand out among the masses in Hollywood.

In order to increase your chances of making a connection, securing a meeting or having your project considered for production, you’ll need to have a really tight script. You must know your story, know who you are making your film for and most of all, write a script you can produce. Yes. If you’re seriously planning to make a career in the movie industry you’ll need to consider moving right into producing/directing your own work. Make the next leap… right into film. This is a big leap, but once you make it, there’s no going back. Look for other creatives in the film industry in your local area. Don’t hesitate to partner with other like-minded individuals that have a similar filmmaking vision. Jump right in and collaborate on a project. The time will come when you’ll need to make the decision to move from screenwriter to director. Believe in your writing and the decision to direct will make itself.

Unless you already have experience in writing and directing films, a feature film may be too big a project to start with. Consider a short film as your first project/calling card. A short film can get you noticed and can obviously be produced on a much smaller budget than a feature film. It takes far less time to watch a short film than spending time reading a screenplay. This is why short films are so much more appealing to studio executives than spending their time reading another screenplay.

If you’re serious about directing your first short film, there are several things to consider:

1.)    The Team – Almost every film production, regardless of the size or scope, needs a producer, director, DP, script supervisor, set designer, gaffer, audio mix/boom, catering/craft services, hair/makeup, wardrobe, and a couple of production assistants. If I’ve missed anyone… then you have more left for your budget, right?

2.)    Budget – The biggest contributors to your indie film budget are usually salaries, costumes, props, location scouting, set design, meals and transportation. In a low-budget indie film this may be negligible, but at the very least budget for marketing materials and meals. The majority of your films budget will be spent in the production phase.

3.)    Production – is considered any day you’re shooting, although on large productions budget categories tend to blend together. The largest portion of most big studio budgets will be salaries for actors and crew. On an independent set, actors and crew may be paid with points, deferred salary (collecting on the back end if your film is successful) or not at all. The remaining production costs will likely fall into the following categories: catering/craft service, transportation, lodging, lighting, makeup, equipment, location rentals, cinematography (including the camera and all accessories, tripod, filters, batteries, and media). If you’re shooting digital (which will likely be the case) you’ll also want to budget for a laptop/MAC and or an external hard drive for backup (absolute necessity). 

4.)    Post-production – For most independent films, post-production will consist of utilizing digital non-linear editing (NLE) software on a high-end modern computer (Mac). Indie filmmakers shooting in HD will realize the cost associated with hardware and the amount of data captured in a few days worth of shooting can easily add up to a couple of 2TB. Post-production budgets for a digital production will typically include an editing workstation, software (FCP), special effects software (Adobe AE), a sound mixing program and salaries for the postproduction crew. Whether you are hiring others, or planning to do the work yourself, there is a ‘cost’ associated to everything during post production. The cost will likely be more obvious when someone has been hired to perform a task. A critical mistake that many independent filmmakers make is assessing any work they do themselves as ‘free’. This may be true in the sense the filmmaker doesn’t need to cut a check to someone for a particular task, but everyone’s time has a cost. The key is in knowing what your time is worth. It may seem appealing and cost-saving to not hire an editor, but if it takes the filmmaker 4 months to assemble a rough cut and an experienced editor can do the same job in 2 months, is doing it yourself really saving money? This is where you need to take account of what other jobs you could be getting done with that time. There are tradeoffs that every filmmaker must consider and reflect on during post-production. 

5.)    Marketing – Once you have a film, you’re not out of the woods yet… Additional costs associated will include converting your film into a workable DVD with menus, motion windows, behind the scenes footage, directors narrative, running chapter points, and any other options that enhance the quality of your DVD. Most independents will utilize recordable DVD technology. If your project has a larger budget and funds allocated, you’ll want to consider master duplication; this can decrease the per-unit cost significantly. A movie poster is where you’ll want to spend a considerable amount of time and efforts. Your poster is a make-or-break creation when it comes to marketing your film. A poster should be aesthetically pleasing, capturing attention so the message is delivered. It should focus and communicate on a single message to your target audience. Your design should be well-ordered and obvious. Also keep in mind that a poster will be printed in a relatively large format so you should be working in a high resolution and output at a minimum of 300ppi (pixels per inch). There are other factors you need to consider when designing your poster, such as the film title, genre, cast, directors, producers, writers, etc. Study other movie posters to get a good idea of what you should be applying to your poster to make it stand out a winner.

Unless you have the knowledge and experience, you’ll also want to budget for a professional to assemble and review your press kit before submission to film festivals. Ever hear the saying “You’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression”? Money WILL be tight at the end of your project. However, you’ll want to ensure that your budget allows for shipping, film festival submissions, conversions to alternate media and a website.

Film production templates, be sure to visit the “Dependent Films” Download Center. Tools and Utilities for Filmmakers: www.dependentfilms.net

6.)    Insurance – Errors & Omissions Insurance (E & O) protects indie filmmakers from a variety of lawsuits such as copyright infringement, using music without proper permission, chain of title issues (i.e. who owns the movie) and a host of other lawsuits dealing with movie production. Without E & O insurance most film distribution companies will not release a movie through retailers. It’s a necessary cost of doing business with a majority of distributors, even at the independent film level.

MovieMaker magazine’s article: How to Avoid a Lawsuit in Waiting www.moviemaker.com

Also visit Mark Litwak’s: Entertainment Law Resources www.marklitwak.com

How do I start a film production company? www.filmmaking.net

Filmmaking is all about careful planning. This is important because a well produced film is like a calling card for a filmmaker which can open doors to film festivals and increase the chances of getting a return on a film’s investment.

David L. Spies

Filmmaking and Networking

Whether at your next film festival or you happen to meet someone while shopping at your local market keep in mind the influence of networking. The next time you find yourself face-to-face with someone that’s interested in what you do, be sure to offer them the courtesy of your time. Talk about your project. Let them know your projects back-story and some of the things that you’re currently working to resolve or props you may be looking for that will complete a scene.

Most people don’t make films but most people are interested in knowing how they are made. Offer up some details on the production process. Talk about the elements involved that bring an entire crew together. Mention your film locations and why they were selected. Talk about some of the props that were used. Talk about your film with the same enthusiasm you would when you first found out you were going to make a film.   

There are a lot of people that love film but are not filmmakers. When networking, consider everyone you meet a potential investment in your project. Some people just love film and can’t get enough of watching good movies. There are also people that love film and would do anything to lend their resources to a budding filmmaker. You never know where your next project may take you. Someone you meet may offer up a farm house that happens to be the ideal setting for your next film. Someone may offer to lend an old classic car that’s perfect for your next scene.

When you’re at your next film festival, remember the best networking opportunities are found by meeting people you don’t know. Don’t spend your entire time at a film festival hanging out with your cast/crew and friends. There will be plenty of time for that later… You do need to make it a point to network with appropriate contacts in the industry. However, the next time you meet someone that is interested in what you do, consider their time and resources as invaluable to your next film. They could turn out to be your biggest fan.

The greatest return on your investment will come from what you invest in your relationships.

- David L. Spies

Screenwriting and your Muse

Who or what is your muse?

Muse [ Myooz]:

Think about something: to think about something in a deep and serious or dreamy and abstracted way

Find your creative edge –

A muse will provide you with inspiration and help to get your creative process flowing. Once you recognize that your muse is present, you must make an ongoing effort to keep that connection alive. Your muse will be unique to you and it will be your responsibility to explore this natural and spontaneous experience.

A screenwriter is all too familiar with the need for a muse. Most writers will admit to “writer’s block” when their muse is not present. This is every writer’s nightmare and every writer is subject to this pitfall. Therefore, a muse is the most powerful ally in every writer’s arsenal of creativity.  

Your muse must inspire you to create; to write what is the most precious, thoughtful and dramatic words that can flow from a pen. Your muse should intuitively connect every fiber of creativity from all aspects of life, dreamweaving your story and delivering it to the world.

Every story should be about what (the premise) is happening to whom (the main character). Your muse will help you determine whether or not your story deserves to be written. However; you must make the decision to what medium your story could be best told. Most great movie concepts never go away. Regardless of when or how you thought of your concept, if you were to put the idea to the back of your head, would you still feel as passionate about it a year from now? Your muse would.

In addition to deciding when your story takes place, you must create characters that represent themselves at their worst or best moments – think of the “Hero’s Journey” when creating characters. Your hero must learn, achieve, have lost, or overcome by the end of their journey to be in a different place.

Opposites attract and your characters should be “opposite types”, this will bring out particular qualities in your characters and create interesting situations. Collectively, it’s what all your characters do together that creates the story’s cause and effect. As a result, emotions will be set free and your story will run a logical course.

Conflicts, arguments, and obstacles keep a story going and definitely make it more interesting for the reader. Insert more conflict elements into your story the more powerful your story. Try not to be a “perfectionist” when writing the first draft. Your muse will know spontaneity and will assist with your creativity. Write first and edit later.

A great technique in any writing is “freewriting.” Without notice, your muse will be present, an idea will strike and you’ll put pen to paper. This is the best way to get the most creative ideas scribbled out before they’re lost. Take advantage of what your muse has to offer. There will always be plenty of time for structure later. Get your first draft out before your muse takes a vacation.

- Let the inspiration flow and your creativity will take shape.

David L. Spies