‘I Wanna Make a Movie’ – Getting Started
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"What I really want to do is direct."
The above phrase has become such an expected answer to the question, "What do you do in movies?" that it has become a popular tee shirt.
Well, directors, take a seat. This article is for those who say, "What I really want to do is produce." May the Lord have mercy on your souls!
Producing starts with having a project, and then raising money for it. Some things happen simultaneously.
If you are serious about producing, the first thing you should do is set up a company. From the very beginning, you are going to want to limit your own liability. The type of company you set up depends on how you think you will raise the money. Although the most common set-up I see is a Limited Liability Company (LLC), I recommend to people that they go with a S-Corporation.
Sounds like a lot of legal terms? It is, and while you can incorporate yourself, I recommend that you start by finding a good entertainment attorney.
Doesn't that cost money? Yes, it does. However, once you get the film going, you are going to need an entertainment lawyer, so you might as well start now.
Oh, I hear you. Here is another of those "chicken and egg" things. I haven't even raised a dime, you're thinking, and already I'm spending money.
Welcome to producing. There is going to be a certain amount of seed money you are going to have to spend just to get to the point where you raise the money. Where do you find seed money? Friends and family who believe in you is one possibility. A second job is another. Skill at picking lottery numbers couldn't hurt.
Once you've set up a company, you're going to need a script, if you don't already have one.
It all starts with the script. I've always said that a bad director can take a good script, ruin it, and make a bad movie; but the best director in the world can't make a good movie out of a bad script.
What you choose is important. Pick something you believe in. You're going to live with this story for at least a year. It's going to become your love, your life, and your passion.
A good script. A good script says something. A good script is one that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. That seems obvious, but I've read enough scripts that don't fit that bill. Find a script that surprises you. Many of the scripts I read, I can predict every five pages what will happen five pages down the line. I stop reading those scripts.
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