Diary Of An Indie Filmmaker: Chapter XV

Chapter XV: Got Me A Deal

Here's how it happened:  I was moving on. I had deadlined them for Monday the tenth and assured them I would lock cast and crew and no one could talk me out of it after. And I was serious. That was no bluff. Not even close. Last Tuesday my Internet went down. I didn't hear anything from them and started rolling on assuming I was on my own. Thursday night I get a call. They want to know why I haven't responded. They sent an email Tuesday. They want to meet. I go in Friday evening and make the deal. And a good one. No, a great one.

We're to form a corporation: 50/50. I own half and this great producer owns the other half. We're full partners in all things business and creative, but if the movie fails I get sole rights to the script and characters back.

And so everything changed. And I mean overnight. It all happened like I'd had hoped it would with so many others. I had an engaged, excited, smart, willing, and able partner who knows more than I and things started happening right away. And I mean right away.

By Sunday I was already meeting with a casting director. We locked that name actress I had talked about earlier. She is fully on board. She is making the movie. She is locked. And now we're looking to cast names. Solid people that can get a film in festivals and ultimately distributed. My new partner is a true believer and is backing it up with more than talk.

He's doubling our budget initially. He's going to handle all the paperwork, payroll, legal, and union nonsense. He's going to pay for the casting director and actors salaries. He's also going to create a very serious business plan and look for more money. But worse case we have enough to make the movie. Make it with names. Make it right. More money can only make it easier.

My partner has made over 20 movies. That's why I went 50/50. I can't be in charge. I don't know enough to have final say. But I can't work for someone else either. So, it's perfect. Now I'm forced to come to an agreement with someone with a vast knowledge of the industry and film making. That can only be good for me. That's how I'll learn. And boy, do I want to learn...

The thing my partner said that really intrigued me was that he's going to push me and he's not afraid of me hating him for it. That's what I need. I need a mentor. I need to be pushed. I like to be pushed. I want a mentor.

So, it's still fun, but it's different. It feels real now, not like a lark. My workload hasn't changed. I'm still doing all the same stuff. But the workload at least won't get worse with the upcoming paperwork. But there was one tough part that took the shine off...

The actors I had chose. Now, when I chose them I was clear that this might happen. I told each and every one of them that a production company was interested and if they got on board the casting process would start over. But I still broke 25 hearts that Saturday afternoon. I called each one and dropped the bomb. It was hard. It was hard because they were all so nice about it and happy for me and appreciative that I had been honest with them. But the pained disappointment was loud in their voice. You could hear their throats had closed up. Grief will do that.

I gave the casting director the information on each of them. He's going to call them to audition. Worse case, they'll meet a casting director which isn't an easy thing to do. So, I helped a little. And maybe some of them will get the part anyway. But I kind of doubt it.

This is a tough business. And I can see why those with no conscience thrive here.

But I love the deal. I love the independence. When I say this is better than an overbearing million dollar paycheck studio deal I'm not kidding. It's not sour grapes. Because with this deal, it's still my movie. I didn't come here to get rich. I came here to revel in the process from A-Z. To be a part of it. To meet fellow travelers. To work with them and create something from nothing.  Actually I came here to write movies and now find myself directing kind of accidentally, but what the hell... Life's short... Worse case I gotta story to tell someday.

Finally, I was talking to that actress last night about the character and wardrobe and schedule. We talked for about an hour. Afterward The Hot Little Number asked me how it felt. How it felt to be talking to a woman we had seen in movies and who I would be directing in a few weeks. And then it hit me. It hit me for the first time: I'm gonna direct a movie. I'm gonna direct a motion picture.

Monday a breakdown of my script will land on every agent's desk in town. It will list me as writer and director. There's no backing out now.

Scary. But kinda' cool.

Comments

[RFTR]

Congrats!!

[Sam]

I'm really jealous. I'd love to do an indie movie if I only had the expertise. So far, I entered a contest on Laura Ingraham's site to write a screenplay but I lost out to "vampire western" and a story about an Iraqi soccer mom. I guess I've got a lot to learn.

[RFTR]

By the way, Harry, I'm serious about wanting to be on the list for the premiere...

[tmj]

Congrats. Sounds great.