"I
don't see online sales and distribution of movies as workable. People
will not pay for our film and will resort to stealing it."
- Reverence Production subcontractor who
didn't get it.
The
"reason" that a Reverence production team lead gave
for NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THE FILM in 2002. The real
reasons are explored below. Ironically, this statement is idiotic in
2007 when online distribution is hot, and C. A. Passinault did indeed
see what was coming. With all of the "free" Peer to Peer networks
around with stolen music, millions pay digital distribution sites such
as iTunes for downloads. The bottom line is that you have to get people
behind you who believe in what you are doing and who overcome obstacles
instead of giving excuses why they cannot do what was agreed upon. To
our knowledge, this production team, which had a production company,
is no longer in business. We are still around; we have recovered from
this ordeal and have taken the time to ensure that this will never happen
again.
The
following is presented as one of the two misadventures of attempting
to get Reverence filmed. At one point, we even had a rehearsal schedule
secured for the actors. This example is not intended to reflect badly
on anyone represented here, but is rather a behind the scenes look at
the challenges presented by any indie film production and as proof that
we did everything possible to get this film done. Writers C. A. Passinault
and Rachel Eaglin finished the original Reverence
Script, and we all know about the auditions. For reference,
"Chris" is C. A. Passinault in these interesting Emails. SCROLL
DOWN TO READ.
Equipment Needed For The Production of Reverence:
Unit Cost
1,000 Gigabyte SCSI Hard drive Array $19,000.00
2 Macintosh G4 Digital Workstations $ 2,500.00
1 DVD-R/W Drive $ 700.00
1 Canon XL1 Digital Movie Camera $ 3,200.00
5 Three Hour rechargable battery packs $ 600.00
1 XLR MIC adaptor with phantom power $ 250.00
1 Monitor $ 300.00
1 AC Power Supply $ 300.00
1 Mic Boom $ 100.00
20 10-20 60 Minute DVCAM Tapes $ 200.00
Production Supplies $ 6,000.00
Annual Studio Lease $12,000.00
Total $45,150.00
FROM MIKE:
snds good except the price for the G4's would run you
about 3-$4000 a piece.
later.
Here you go, sorry a little late got stuck working on
a different project. If you have any questions on the
list feel free to call me or email me either way i
good w/ me.
Thanks,
BQ
Hardware
36gb (or larger) ultraSCSI 10k HD (around $359.00-799.00)
Hitachi CM715 19-inch monitor (www.hitachi.com, $289.00)
NTSC monitor (basically any TV w/ both A/V RCA inputs)
Canon XL-1 miniDV camera (www.canondv.com, $4699.00)
Software
Adobe After Effects (www.adobe.com, $649.00)
Roxio Toast (www.roxio.com, $99.95)
FireWire port video send software (www.digitalorigin.com, ? may be shareware)
Media Cleaner Pro (www.terran.com, $399.00)
Adobe Premiere Update (www.adobe.com, $249.00, we may need this)
I think this is all we need.
Chris,
We all have to sit down and talk realistically soon, because when you
sit back and look at what your asking...I've told you before that we've
already worked with several different groups along the lines of what
your looking to do and have not been able to come thru. Your asking
us to dedicate a year plus of our time to a project that at best will
just give us props. And I say that because unless your back by a major
distribution deal and marketing team, most first projects are look as
a demo reel that basically just gives one props for story, directing,
editing and makes no money but can open doors to new paying projects
if it becomes successful. So I repeat, we've already worked with people
with dreams, which we all have, but not one has been able to back themselves
up.
Rule on thumb, you get what you pay for. You start rigging things, its
going to show in the quality of the work. And if that's the case you
really don't need a GL1 or XL1 for that matter. You could do this film
w/a couple of VHS-C cameras that were picked up at the local pawn shop.
There is no rigging a 2.2 LCD monitor. If that was to case we would
just use the LCD screen that's build on. The whole point on having an
external monitor is to actually see what the view will be seeing, as
well as allow you to set the shot and check for color corrections. This
can not be done on a 2.2 LCD monitor, it can not be done on the flip
LCD screen on the camera. It should be done on a broadcast monitor,
but you can get by with just a portable TV that you can connect to the
DVCam during filming.
If we're going to dedicate a year or so of time it needs to be done
right the first time because if the shot comes out bad, editing is not
going to fix that and that is going to reflect on us not you. And I
was under the impression that you wanted this to look more that a low
budget "b" rated movie that would only get air play on the
sci-fi channel at night while everyone else is playing infomercials.
So tapes and batteries isn't the only thing we need. What I wrote earlier
are the bare minimums that we need before we started shooting, not only
to do the job right the first time, but so that we don't spend half
a year on a project only to find out that we can't get the rest of the
equipment to actually finish the movie. So as it stands the only thing
that we can honestly do for you is the motion graphics and trailer.
Production
FYI, on the PVC piping, have you ever thought about the amount of feedback
you might get. And I know that's not my problem, its Mikes, but you
might want to play with that idea a little.
And if you stop by your local book store you might want to pick up this
months issue of "computer art special," it's about digital
video techniques and places great emphasis on what your trying to accomplish.
----- Original Message -----
From: passinault.mail
To: C. A. Passinault
Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 9:01 PM
Subject: Reverence Production Stream
Hello Production,
I was expecting a list like that. At this time, the only thing that
I'm concerned about is getting the bare minimum that we need to film
the raw footage. Our actors will be cast, rehearsed, and ready by September
14. I do realize that we won't have every thing in place that we need
to edit the movie by September, but if we do this one step at a time
(step one: Principle photography), it will be manageable. We can manage
half of the dilemma using resourcefulness and creativity. The only thing
that we have to worry about at this point is getting raw footage, which
will only require batteries for the GL1, DV Tapes, and the interface
for the boom. I'm building the boom here with PVC pipe, a pivot counterpoint
(to maneuver the boom fully extended), and a safety wired cardioid cradle.
Total cost (The microphone is free, as Mike and I both have them) is
around $30.00 . List price for such a boom (and I have never seen one
with a pivot counterpoint, as this is my design) is roughly $1,000.00
. See a pattern? Simplifying is the key, and as long as we get good,
clean video and sound, we're on the right track. Our goal this year
is to compile performance footage that we can work with.
We'll have grant money and investors by the end of the year to carry
us the rest of the way, and we can take all year next year to edit,
score, and master. We will need the trailer, which we'll be able to
get out by years end, to balance our budget with the investors (We will
need the trailer as a demo to pay off the balance, which won't be a
problem because the output will be gold).
Don't sweat it, as I'm used to working with little to no money. I've
been doing stuff for years that would normally cost a fortune for next
to nothing, with professional results (those Tapes that Mike told you
about would have cost $10,000.00 a pop, but cost me nothing but time,
CD's, and blank tape. I made 32 of them over the years.). It's going
to be a busy Summer. The only real issue that I see would be scheduling
all these people, and I've got that settled up to September 14. I've
been out all day location scouting, I just applied for shooting permits,
and the grant paperwork goes out Monday. Storyboarding will be done
this Summer as I build our 400 page technical script, which we will
shoot from. I've created a page with two samples of a story board frame
(made today, IMO) with this E-mail. The technical script will have the
frames illustrated. The link to the samples, a private area of our web
site, is here: http://www.passinault.com/dnspd1.html
We're all set. I'd like you guys (You, Christina, and anyone else that
you want to bring; Mike will already be there) to check out our audition
on June 30th. It will start at 9AM. The address for R2 is 4326 Bell
Shoals Rd, Valrico Fl 33594. It will be held at Shirley's Dance Studio,
which is in a plaza located next to a gas station. For detailed instructions
on how to travel there from your location, we recommend going to www.mapquest.com
. Valrico is a town located due east of Brandon, Florida. The studio
is located in south Valrico bordering Riverview.
Let me know if there are any changes, and chin up. On the technical
side, except for batteries and tape, we could shoot now. At least we
now know what we'll need for the entire production (End of 2003). I
have the cast handled, and they will be ready by September.
We're going to do a great job, and I'm looking forward to kicking this
movie out with you guys.
-Chris
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chris,
I was doing some calculations on what we actually need to make the movie
and what it would cost. And I'm sure you know this but let me break
it down from the beginning so that you could get the full scope of it
all.
30 frms = 1 sec
60 sec = 1 min
1 min = 1800 frms
1 frm = 1.5mbs
1 min = 2700mbs
270 min = 486,000mbs raw
1000mbs = 1gig
movie = 486gigs w/o sound
(1) So basically if the movie was a straight shot you'd be looking at
harddrive space of 500gigs, now add all the multiple angles and double/triple
takes to get the scene right.
Now you finished shooting and you have the movie all edited, you now
have to render it harddrive space, but you can't render it to the same
space that the raw footage is on. So if it was a straight shot that
only took up 500gigs (which it will not be), you would more harddrive
space to hold the edited movie uncompressed to then give it to Mike
to add the sound track.
cost w/o s&h for video alone @ 500gigs...$1,500 firewre raid, $9,000
SCSI
(2) You mentioned that would would be camping for the entire weekend(s)
for film scenes, that requires batteries. Bare minimum, we would need
five 3hr batteries.
5/3hr batteries $600.00
(3) To capture the sound so that Mike can do his thing we need an XLR
Mic adaptor w/ phantom power.
$250.00
(4) To view the shots while filming a portable 9in or 13in TV to monitor
the overall look and color, and a portable power supply.
Portable TV roughly $200, Power supple $200-300
(5) 10-20 60 min DVCAM tapes.
20 tapes $200
So production wise, your looking @ an easy $3000.00 just to shoot and
edit the movie. Which we would need before we could get started.
My team got together and unfortunately none of us have the capital right
to invest to make your movie. Mike is right in saying that at one point
or another we are going to need these things but if we had the money
right now, we would already have these things. Right now, unless you
can find investors to fund your project all that we honestly can do
for you at this time is do the "Motion Graphics for the opening
credits" and the "Movie Trailer."
Get back to me or (omitted) next you can to let us know how things are
looking.
Production
Chris,
I apoligize for not calling you back, I've misplaced your number. If
you could e-mail me the number so we could talk that be great. Probably
would not be untill tomorrow, right now I have to meet with (company
name) production for a business logo. However, I do want to say that
I do like that concept of doing the short first. As you mention it will
allows you to get the investors that you would need to get Reverence
off the ground, allows us to get use to working with each other, and
its more realistic at this time.
Production
----- Original Message -----
From: passinault.mail
To: Production
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2002 6:12 PM
Subject: Re: Reverence Production Stream
Hello Production,
I wasn't implying that we should cut corners in the production process,
but rather use a bit of creativity to make up for a lack of all the
bells and whistles. You are right about the LCD monitor, as it will
not work to do color balancing, etc. Mike told me last night that the
GL1 doesn't have an RF output, too, but that's beside the point. The
PVC boom rig won't affect the sound quality at all, too, as it is only
a flexible structure to hold the microphone just over the actors heads
out of frame. As long as the microphone is high quality (which it is),
and the XLR line is balanced, the sound will be clean. All's we need
is clean footage and sound. I do agree, also, that it can't look cheesy
or cheap, and it won't.
I visited the original shoot location yesterday, which we used for the
test photography, and realized that it wouldn't work because of cars
going by every 30 seconds. We'd need to keep ADR and looping down to
a minimum in order to keep editing reasonable.
In regards to backing with a distributor, if we had that then money
wouldn't be an issue. The script is solid, our actors are good, and
everyone realizes that the pay is deferred. If the final output was
intended to be classic "B" movie output, then I would have
never started this project to begin with. I believe that, if it's good,
it will sell on its own merit. If people realize that we're able to
put out a good movie for what amounts to pocket change in Hollywood,
then we'll get attention. So, after a small bit of sacrifice, you'd
not only get props but the pay as well, and royalties don't run out
as long as the movie product SKU is selling. After all costs are factored,
I'm only going to see a meager 5% of the profit, which I don't mind.
You're right, though. We all need to sit down and talk this out. There
is another option, which I discussed with Mike last night, and it is
to do a small film project between 20 and 30 minutes in length first,
which could be used to attract investors for the rest of the gear. I
already have a great script, and it could be ready to shoot in a matter
of four weeks. I even have good actors that I could put in the roles.
I'm counting on the grants, though, and the profits from my other companies.
If it will make you all feel better, feel free to come out next Sunday
for the next audition and check out what we have going on on this end.
You may be pleasantly surprised. We aren't those other companies, and,
quite frankly, we have no choice but to make these movies. You have
a choice, but I don't, and neither do my people. It'll get done, because
it has to get done.
Let me know if you guys will be able to attend next week, and have a
good day.
-Chris
CHRIS,
JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'LL ALL BE THERE SOMETIME SUNDAY.
ONE MORE THING, IF ITS POSSIBLE, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU COULD BRING
SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU WORKED ON THAT CAME OUT PROFESSIONAL ON
A LESS TO NONE BUDGET.
THANKS,
PRODUCTION
.......
And, of course, the production team was a no-call, no-show
for that Sunday audition. At this point, the talks fell through, and
the clock began ticking for the beginning of the end of Reverence.
UPDATED 08/17/2007
.