This is what really fuels our production engine: we are a studio-free studio. We don’t have a bungalow on the lot. Jason and I live on opposite coasts. We wrote “Plans” remotely for our home offices and we won’t even be in the same room discussing it until three days before the camera rolls. We’re crowdfunding via Invested.in, we’ve gotten crew via sites like mandy.com and cast members via Facebook.
Filmmaking is collaborative and technology can facilitate collaboration. In real time via chat or VoIP; time shifted via email or wiki; access from anywhere you can get a 3G signal. You collaborate webographically–not by where you are, but how, where and to whom you are connected. The kicker is that not only do many of the tools save you money by saving you time or increasing your efficiency, they save you money by being free.
Behind this tech stuff, it’s still all people power, of course. But using the web, the work and the spoils are distributed, webographically, amongst all the people that power your project.
This is by no means exhaustive, but here’s a list of the ways we’ve compensated for our lack of what a traditional studio provides:
1) Funding
2) Facilities/Equipment
3) Cast/Crew
4) Distribution
5) Intertia from pre-production, through post.
Pre-production:
You have to have a script, a breakdown, a schedule, storyboards and a budget. For budgeting, use any spreadsheet tool and the countless free budget templates you can Google for. For the rest of these, we use CeltX. It’s impossibly robust for a free tool. You can move seamlessly from notecards, through the script, breakdowns, schedule, storyboards and even shot diagrams. You can purchase a “studio” account, which allows you some online storage and collaboration options, and you can purchase add-ons, like people and props to drop into your storyboards.
Speaking of storyboards and shot diagrams, SketchUp–the free 3D modeling software from Google–allows you to virtually build your sets and shots, even animating camera moves.
If you’re in the LA area, or even just casting out of LA, you can call Cazt about using their space to hold auditions. They video the auditions and upload them for you to review online, opening the possibility for remote casting. In our case, Jason is in LA and will be there live, but I can watch the sessions here in NY.
You can find more crew than you could possibly book by using sites like Mandy.com and InfoList.com. One of the great sites we found is KeyPA.net, from a producer’s perspective it’s a great spot to find people looking to break into film, or make a move up in credits. From a budding filmmaker’s perspective it’s a great place to learn how to break into the business, and how to move up the ladder once you’re in. So, for example, you could find an experienced PA, who is willing to work at a reduced rate as a Production Manager for the experience. Likewise and experienced Grip looking for Key Grip credits. One of the best ways to save on production, while still getting someone experienced and enthusiastic about the craft on set.
Another great resource we found was Indie Film Truck. They provide quite the roving production package at indie friendly rates, with the option to add on insurance, which is super handy.
In part two, I’ll get into things like casting and marketing.
