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An Offer to Disgruntled Filmmakers Who Feel They Missed Out on a Cheap SCARLET....

I know this post is largely about Meryem donating her EPIC and studio services which is incredibly generous, but the offer for her to contribute her services as a producer is huge. I've had the pleasure to work with Meryem on a couple of films and she is great. She really put a lot of effort into finding the right cast for her last film and finding us great locations. I'm very proud of the work we did together, and I encourage anyone who takes her up on this offer to not discount the talent that she is offering as well.
 
I know this post is largely about Meryem donating her EPIC and studio services which is incredibly generous, but the offer for her to contribute her services as a producer is huge. I've had the pleasure to work with Meryem on a couple of films and she is great. She really put a lot of effort into finding the right cast for her last film and finding us great locations. I'm very proud of the work we did together, and I encourage anyone who takes her up on this offer to not discount the talent that she is offering as well.

100% agree, that's what piqued my interest too. Finding a good producer is not easy, and they make an enormous difference.
 
awww - thanks for the kind words, Jon - always great to join forces with you to move projects forward and to make pretty pictures.

Just to be clear, though, I'm not going to be anyone's sole producer. I have my own projects for that. I've already had people say things to me along the lines of "this is great, you can do all the shit work, freeing me up to do all the fun creative stuff!" - not what I meant. I meant I can use my experience to guide the actual producer through the process, save them money, avoid the land mines, and develop a strong formula for the project.

I'm home from AFM and, after I get some decent sleep, I'll dig into the proposals I've received and send everyone some feedback. Seems word has spread, and I have had phone calls and even had someone email me a pitch from the myAFM website, how did they get wind? I'm inclined to stay focused on redusers, that is our community.

Detlev, I like your big dreams, but I find that big dreams are just the consequence of consistent, committed baby steps. If we can pull one of these off, using as many resources as possible from this thread, it will be a miracle. Or at least an interesting experiment.
 
.... big dreams are just the consequence of consistent, committed baby steps. ...

Thank you Meryem,

... i would think, its about the orchestration of about 2000-2500 baby steps .... and then some major ones .... isnt´t it ... ;-)

i know no fear .... :-))
 
... even had someone email me a pitch from the myAFM website, how did they get wind? I'm inclined to stay focused on redusers, that is our community.

I think that great scripts and ideas are so rare, that you shouldn't limit yourself to just reduser.

Our community could be anyone who want s to make a great film.


Detlev, I like your big dreams, but I find that big dreams are just the consequence of consistent, committed baby steps. If we can pull one of these off, using as many resources as possible from this thread, it will be a miracle. Or at least an interesting experiment.

Detlev, I am interested in your idea. Let us know how we can fit into it. Possibly on a separate thread to avoid hijacking this one :-)

Antony
 
hey, whatever you guys want to do to knock it out of the park is fine with me. and feel free to use the thread to do it. I love people who think big. I love big ideas.

my desire to keep my energy focused on my original plan, personally, is due to the fact that when things get too large and distracted, too quickly, they have a tendency to fall apart completely. but that's just my experience. make it happen.
 
Thanks Meryem and Antony ... (!)

... let me reflect a moment about this ... :-)

i sure don´t want to hijack Meryem´s seed of love,
but thought about how to help ...

... and given the various offers,
it occurred to me that there is a project inherent in reduser ...
that wants to get out!

So, i thought, "What could it be ...? "
that overcomes the barrier of spoken language and continents ...

... and the answer was: LOVE.

... which is, by the way what i think drives the genius minds at RED to push it.
I would also see a collaborative 4K .r3d film about LOVE, a wonderful way to honor RED and the spirit. ...

and pass on the light, so to speak ... :-)

Fits all to well, as i see it.

i guess, a project thread would be appropriate at one point ...
although Meryem´s thread is AWESOME IN GENERAL SPIRIT ... :-)

... and since she offered it, lets stick around for a while ...!

I have the vision for the "love project" clear,
now i am thinking about how to execute and orchestrate it
in such a way,
that each contributor finds her way to shine ...
and share the love ... ;-)

I am working on online software, to facilitate collaboration
which should be useful for this ...

... and i am constantly looking for events, that pull me out of developing at my secret place into the world ... lol

:-)

best,
Detlev
 
Nice Post, and very generous.

I don't have an epic, but I do have a scarlet on the way and similar to Meryem I will offer my services and camera to people in need in Toronto (only). But I'll welcome short films. However it comes with a clause... You must have to have a script, a plan, and someone who is really serious about driving the project forward, so much so they rather almost face death then failure. Also... If you have a script and a plan, it must be a stepping stone to something bigger... a series, or a much larger concept film. Like many here, I scrapped some cash together, bought a camera and plane ticket to Africa and shot a documentary. The smart thing was I shot a pilot. That pilot landed me a series on Animal Planet and a career as a producer/director. I'm now looking to bigger things.

There is a wealth of knowledge in these posts, but do a lot of the scarlet want-a-bes have the ability to understand what it means. I think any talent is secondary to drive in this or any business to get to the top. If your not the best at what do, You need to surround your self with good people who share your vision. I agree with the people who have posted about 90% of script sucking, and about un realistic goals and budgets. I've made a good career out of carving a niche for myself selling my films to National Geographic, Discovery and lots of others. But I'm also realistic by what I can accomplish, but still keep challenging myself.

So if you live in Toronto, and need a camera, impress me! you can find me at Serengeti films. My time is worth more then a camera, and I don't want to waste it on anyone who does not really want it. Just because you hang out here with professionals does not mean you'll become one. It takes a lot more, and an unbelievable amount of hard work.

Having said that, if 20,000 users also want to contribute cash to Meryem's proposal, I've just finished a GOOD script. Set in Africa, which I'm sure everyone would like to come to work on, but I need 15 Million. ;0

Thanks Meryem, your generosity is inspirational

Hey Michael - I'm also in Toronto with a Scarlet on the way, and if anyone in the GTA takes you up on your offer I'll pitch in to help! My background was producing TV spots for the major ad agencies, and I transitioned into director / D.P. on ads and online branded content. Shot all over the world (hope to be taking the Scarlet to Japan on Boxing day…) and I have a small studio in Ajax with all the gear.

heavyG.
 
...finally sitting down with the projects I've received up to this point....

first one I'm looking at is a heist film (ok per the project owner to mention that part), which is a favorite genre for me personally.

my instincts are we'll need about $10 million minimum to make a decent heist film work out, that would be cheap for a heist film...anyone have a spare $10 million lying around, let me know...

looking forward to digging in...
 
...my instincts are we'll need about $10 million minimum to make a decent heist film work out, ...

... ? ... hmm.



... the secret to low budget awesomeness is,
to devise a story around what is available ...

... =>7k -> cool movie ... :-))


... there is plenty of it already offered in this thread and i think there is more ...

the spirit of the DISGRUNTLED SCARLET prospect, i guess is "robert rodriguez - low budget - rebel - make it happen attitude." ready to fail, willing to succeed ....


http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878



Ask yourselves: "What would Robert Rodriguez do with $8K when making his first feature"


:-))
 
we're not likely to be able to make the heist film (never say never, Detlev), but I'm giving a fair hearing to all submissions. it's a good script, though. good writing. wrong budget. probably.
 
... i am really curious, what you´re going to choose and what´s coming out of this ... :-))

very exciting ... !

Maybe, an outstanding story could be adapted to make use of the props available from friends and friends ... spanning the continents ...
personally, i would love to see a project where "the army of red" gather the pieces everywhere ...

Guess we´d have plenty of production value as in houses, boats, planes and expensive cars available here (in Italy/Europe) and elsewhere... as long as we would not blow´ em up ... hehe ... people love to have fun around here ...

... as i see it, a lot of milage can be done with creativity, strategic peak performance, clever shooting, vfx compositing and sound ...

so, where there is a story, will and vision, there is the way ... :-))


P.S: ... 10 Mio sounds to easy ... lol ... ;-)
 
well - to all of you who want a "spanning the globe" story, using every ounce of resource that we have unearthed on this thread....

SOMEONE better get crackin' on the screenplay! still waiting on it!

it all starts with some committed baby steps - I'll let Detlev do the dreaming - just show me an inspired screenplay that pulls it all together.

still reading - and still taking submissions -
 
I have a PERFECT story.

First, I have to preface this that the script is half written, but I can make that part available, as well as the full movie treatment and the Proof of Concept video I shot with literally no money! I also have a comprehensive business plan, great social marketing ties, and a lot of promising possible team members (though this thread may replace quite a few, lol)

Second, It's a great LOW BUDGET feature that is mostly action thriller, but can tie into the Horror Genre as well, so I know it's marketable.

Third, It is set in NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. I had meant to make it in various cities and forests around Michigan, where I live, but It could EASILY be modified to become a WORLDWIDE story!

There are two other features in development with my company, but they are in the $3+ million range. And while I had a LOT of momentum with them (this one included), the film incentive here died and froze up all projects. That was brutal. Which is why the script got paused for a couple months, though my writing partner and I are back at it. This idea is the best cost / return project I think I have to offer. ALSO, I have about half the money raised for sure, maybe a bit more. And Michaels $15k for talent would be perfect, because it mostly depends on one strong lead, and then fills in with talented folks who need only act in the movie for a day or two. All surrounded with background talent etc.




Ok, enough delay. I am going to send things to Meryem, and if she wants, I will post them here. This is a low budget, indie minded feature, but it's also the kind of movie that people really seem to get excited about. AND, I think it's achievable with what this thread has built up!




For now let me just say it is the story of a man that hunts down the evil that slips through the cracks of society. Think Justified meets Dexter, if you want a point of reference. Or the international Punisher movie that should have been made a long time ago. I hope to share a lot more with you guys very soon.

And if Meryem doesn't like it, then I wish all the best to whomever she does pick, because this is a truly wonderful and humbling moment we are all witnessing, and I am proud to be a forum member with you guys.
 
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