Thursday 28 July 2011

Tick, Tick, Tick...

Boom!... and that's the only Fresh Prince reference you'll get from me today.

The ticking is actually the sound of my time in Trinidad ticking away. I've made some promising connections over here but I think the time is soon coming when I will have to return to England to keep this project going. I'm hoping to have a meeting with Yao Ramesar soon. He's a talented film maker over here and I'd like to get his perspective on the project. He directed a Trinidadian film called SistaGod which did very well at the Toronto Film Festival a few years ago. He now lectures in Film at the University of the West Indies along with continuing his film making.

So a return to England is on the horizon. This is not because I don't want to be here, you have to love the sun, sand and sea all year round, but I do need to find opportunities for getting the film funded. This is far more likely to happen in England as there is a bigger film making pedigree and culture. The bottom line for any film to be made is always getting the interest and cash to fund it. Film making is a risky investment but I hope to show that my hard work and determination will overcome any doubts that potential investor may have. So a big wave to all you out there with a spare couple of grand tucked down the back of the sofa.

Product placement is also an option and there are some clear opportunities in this script to exploit that investment pool. However guaranteeing numbers of people seeing companies' products is always difficult, especially if you have no track record. It's again about selling the dream and showing the hard work to make it happen.

There seems to be a rather sneaky catch-22 in the low budget film making process between actors and investors. Investors want to know who's attached to the project before they chip in and actors/casting agents want to know about the money before they commit. The bottom line of this is that my most viable option is to cast new talent in the lead roles with them taking a risk on me as much as I take the risk on them. Still everyone starts somewhere.

With some talent attached the project can move along a bit and with that there will be more to encourage investment. I did send a cheeky e-mail to Daniel Radcliffe but it was well intercepted by a stealthy junior agent and an instant rebuttal was received. It would actually be nice to get some insight on how the agent/client relationship works. You can watch Entourage all you want but I very much doubt an unknown script writer could get a screenplay to a big star with at least one arrest for stalking.

I'll be looking for some enthusiastic up and coming actors who want ply their craft running scared through a tropical jungle paradise. I have a couple of people in mind and it's about time to run the idea by them. That's the plan anyway... hooray.

Yesterday I got a response from a producer who had requested a copy of the script.  Unfortunately they turned down being involved but it was constructive. The points made were helpful in that they made me focus on the idea of the script. One point was in relation to it not having a conventional 3 act structure. A point well made but a 3 act structure, while convectional, is not the only way to do it. You only have to look at The Blair Witch Project to see that for this type of film it's not the only way to go. The thrills and spills of the ride are there to see. There is no true right or wrong way to write a script, there are only good or bad scripts and I've had generally positive feed back.

So there... but polishing doesn't hurt <:-) (my wizard's hat is too small)

If anyone is interested I have a press release downloadable from here,
or the link somewhere over there --->

Orange Sky were as awesome as ever and I'll miss seeing them play live... maybe I should contact them about a UK tour... could help fund the film too.

hola mi amigos,

Sim Bon

1 comment:

  1. but it rains in england.....

    interesting breakdown my friend. my contact may still be interested in the script. i was thinking that a month in paradise is good payment. perhaps he might be up for it?

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