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Professional Project Evaluation

“WOODCOTE: EVIDENCE OF A HAUNTING”

Evaluation

I will try and do my best to do this evaluation but I haven’t finished the film yet as there’s a

few pick up filming days to do and I’ve got to do post production.

When the project was set to work for a client and create a professional project, the first thing I thought of was completing my current contract with feature film distribution company ‘Celebrity Video Distribution’ in Los Angeles. I have already given them one film ‘Slaughter’ and the second was ‘No Direction Home’, which is awaiting release and ‘Slaughter’ is already available on DVD, so a third feature film would complete the contract. I pitched a film to them (a drama about a death in a close group of friends) and they rejected it but were interested in capitalizing on the popularity of ‘Paranormal Activity (2007)’. So I worked on a story based on a TV news team investigating a haunted house in a small town and film it in a faux documentary style, which they liked and said they would distribute it.

Usually when I make a film, I write and direct it and produce it with my producing partner Scott Castle, this time Scott and I shared both producing duties and wrote the screenplay together, which was a different way of working for me and a way I enjoyed because I could bounce ideas about and we both could act out the film as writing it and imaging the right scenes and dialogue. We wrote the script in a comfortable month giving us time to redraft. We sent the script to the distribution company, and although they don’t give input in the script or anything like that, we were just able to show them what the film will be and what to expect in terms of marketing and how to market the film.

Producing is always my favorite part of making a movie. I enjoy organizing something to

the smallest details and making sure things run smoothly. However, I do struggle to produce a film as well as keep up with other work. I found myself too involved in dealing with actors, finding props, choosing the right equipment, securing locations ECT that I forgot about essays also set as part of the course. I feel like if I’m making a movie, especially one that’s going to be released on DVD that I need to put all my attention into it to make sure it’s a smooth production. I know my films aren’t usually technically brilliant but I do concentrate very hard on story. If a film doesn’t have story then its not worth the disc it’s on. Producing this film was strangely difficult compared to my other films. Casting for some bizarre reason was difficult when I’m at a university with a huge acting course. Scott and I eventually found the principle actors and cast them and signed them onto the film. Props and locations were easy and didn’t take long. Equipment was another no brainer where I simply got a camera used commonly in documentary film making and the look was exactly what the film needed and was easily booked at the film store on campus.

Production was split into blocks, A,B,C,D. This was to break the film into easily filmed chunks. Block A was all voice overs and just audio, Block B was the investigation part of the film with is about the last 40 minutes of the film. Block C was the first part of the film and structured more like a conventional documentary and D is pick up’s and B-roll footage.

Block A I filmed with Scott easily and it was a breeze, done in two days. Block B was the more film making and directing bit where I acted as one man crew as there was no one else to help out, and there were 3 actors (Scott also acting). This was slightly harder but was easy once the actors understood the type of film I was trying to do and understood my type of directing. We filmed for two nights from 6pm until 2am and both nights were on schedule and on budget and we filmed what was required for the night. We were able to create a very loose style of filming where I explained to the actors I would film it exactly as you would a real documentary so I told them to do whatever they wanted in the scene as long as they reached a certain conclusion at the end of the scene and I would move around them, this gave the actors great freedom to do whatever they felt their characters would and because of this every take of a scene is dramatically different. I edited together the footage from these two days and locked them after a week of editing.

Tomorrow (4th of May) I will be filming Block C with Sam Grierson, who signed on a producer and Dommi Kerley as an Assistant Director, Alana Armstrong (the female lead) and Scott. The plan is a long day. However we’ve already been delayed because the camera we rented from Uni doesn’t pick up sound, the microphone doesn’t work at all, so I need to find a replacement camera.

In conclusion, I am enjoying this project more then any other project I’ve done at university. This is what I came to university to do. I think I’m very good at producing films and making films and although I do it and get paid for it I still have a lot to learn and have been able to learn more and more on each film. On “Woodcote” I’ve been able to use top line equipment and been able to use actors and basically had a base hub where everything I need is there. I will again try and pursue making a fourth feature film in my third year where I will pursue film making as my specialty.

Professional Project Budget

“Woodcote: Evidence of a Haunting”

Budget

(Based on supplied Rate Sheet)

This Budget goes up until the 3rd May 2011, with still about 20 days left of post production

14 days of Pre-Production and 4 days of Production

Role Cost Pre Day Total Cost

Project Manager £50 £900

Screenwriter (x2) £160 each £5760

Camera Operator £140 £560

Sound Recordist £140 £560

Director £200 £3600

Director of Photography £160 £2880

Storyboarder £140 £0 (Not used)

Producers (x3) £160 each £8640

Assistant Producer £140 £0 (Not used)

Actor/Actress (x10) £150 £6000

Photographer £140 £2520

Expenses £150 £150

Total Cost: £31,570

Silver Scream – Future Cinema

Just noticed there was no link to my future cinema project…

http://silverscreampictures.wordpress.com/