PART III
PRODUCTION
PRODUCER
In film making there always is a Producer, who gets the ball
rolling. That Producer may be you, the film maker or the director --
whatever you like to call yourself. A film maker can be his or her own
Producer, but somebody has to come up with the money, and that's what a
Producer is, the money person!
Of course, a Producer is more than that. A Producer is a
highly dedicated individual for whom communicating to the world some
vital idea or message about life is the most noble impulse a human
being can have; a Producer is a megalomaniac who thinks that his or her
idea is of such importance that millions must suffer (financially of
course) just to get a glimpse of what life might be like if that idea
or vision becomes a reality. Of course, this is a dichotomy! (I finally
got to use that word since I learned to spell it three decades ago.
Unfortunately, I don't know what it means anymore.)
Which brings me to why someone wants to make a film. A
Producer is after all someone who wants to make a movie and also has
the money. There are many bad reasons to start a production, but there
are very few good ones. This is statistical of course, because most
movies turn out badly for one reason or another. Some become that way
because they should've never been made, most become bad because they
are botched.
You should make movies when you're a seasoned film maker and
you've had proper training, one way or another, film school not being
the only way, and you've had extensive experience in the "film world."
That means you won't run to mommy the first time your nose gets
bloodied, in a manner of speaking of course!
Film making is a brutal business, but a fulfilling artform if you keep
it that way. The business aspect of it is not the heart and soul of the
activity, it's the necessary evil part. And as with all life's
activities that evil part is ever present, but if you're a film maker
you know that the analogy stops there.
You need money to have a shelter when you sleep at night,
whether you pay rent, pay a mortgage or taxes on a property you own
"free and clear" (there's nothing free and clear, you soon find out
when you do come to own something which is paid for!) But you don't
need to have money to make a movie, not your own anyway!
You're a Producer regardless of where you get the money. After you're a
successful film maker, the major studios will give you a negative
pick-up deal and any major bank will advance you the money to make the
picture (about that later).
Let's say you have the money and you've got a script. The
first thing you do if you're not a director is hire a director. Then
discuss the story and the project thoroughly. Can a movie be made out
of it successfully? We won't go into the meaning of the word
"successfully" at this point. The whole book is about that!
If you agree, then you hire the production manager and the rest of the
cast and crew. This sounds easy, but it isn't. You go through all the
steps you read about in the part about Pre-Production (Part II)
You also negotiate all the contracts, with cast, crew and
every aspect of the production.
Then during production, you supervise all expenditures and financial
matters. You must keep the director (even if it's you) as free as
possible from all financial worries. On a low budget picture it's real
easy to get embroiled in financial problems, and there are thousands of
them. You have to learn to wear different hats and switch instantly and
cleanly between financial considerations and artistic demands. The
quality of your film will suffer if you can't do that.
For example, a last minute replacement of an actor causes you to
inadvertently pay a few more dollars per day for the new actor than
your lead (starring role). The news gets out, the shit hits the fan.
You're in middle of directing a scene with the two actors and tempers
flare. You can see how things can come to a screeching halt, right?
You have to quickly re-negotiate with your lead an
alternative way of equalizing the pay scale. You pay a bonus at the end
of production or whatever, but you must quickly diffuse the situation.
You must apologize for the error and rectify it in an acceptable way.
If you can you should really raise the pay scale of your leads. The
most important thing is to move quickly! Otherwise the situation will
deteriorate, the wounds will fester and you'll end up with all kinds of
problems with the performances. The whole story could be shot to hell!
If you're directing and you have a Producer on the project,
the job becomes much easier. Leave it to the Producer whenever there's
an incident like this.
Take on a "hurt" attitude yourself. Sulk, hang your head and walk off
the set. "Poor guy, his Producer screwed everything up for him, he's
got the hots for that actress, overpaid her and now he's got the
leading man sore at the Director--why did he have to do that, when
everything was going so well?"
The whole cast and crew come to your rescue. It's the Producer's fault!
Blame it on him, that's his job! Now when the situation is rectified
and the actors return, you as the director can smile and rub your
hands, "Let's get started -- everything okay?"
Sure. "You just gotta grease 'em!" That's what one of my Producer
friends always says. Sometimes it's a problem with a vendor, the
catering, a location owner or the lab -- the Producer handles all such
matters.
If you're a film maker and putting up your own money, don't
let it be generally known. Hire a line Producer (production-phase-only
"Producer") for the project.
You can then still make all the financial decisions privately and
communicate them to the line producer discreetly.
The Producer sees the film all the way through production and
distribution. Finally, the Producer is responsible for the distribution
of all appropriate revenues on the picture and the repayment of all
loans and financial obligations of the film.
But then the Producer owns the picture!