Using Final Draft CollaboWriter

Since most of my resent day-to-day work has been writing with writing partners, I’ve been using Final Draft’s ‘CollaboWriter’ function. What a genius idea! With this tool, and the use of skype, you can co-write a screenplay with anyone in the world!!! It really is truly marvelous!

I’ve been using Final Draft for five years or so and really do love it. But in using the ‘CollaboWriter’ function I’ve found a load of bugs in the system. It seems crazy that Final Draft hasn’t sorted these out, but here are the problems I encounter:

• In CollaboWriter mode you can’t undo!!!
• No commands work – I’m so used to using short cuts that this takes a while to get used to!
• Can’t change settings – i.e. elements need formatting and revision modes  need to be set before hand.
• Randomly changes format… Formatting (Character, Action etc) Stays okay with the person in control but the person watching will have dialogue as action, action as scene headings etc etc…

That aside, the program has really helped me enormously.

Over the last 12 months I’ve been working with three different writing partners. With one, we have to use the program. He’s based out of England and earns his main ‘bread and butter’ as an airline attendant. As a result we have been writing a screenplay with him sitting in different parts of the world each week! My next writing partner, Ms Kathy Fischer, lives just fifteen miles down the road and yet 75% of the time we sit in our respective offices and write using the program. For us we find that it is extremely focusing. When we come up against something that has us stumped I jump in the car and we will work face-to-face to sort it out. But, even then, sitting next to each other, we’ll use CollaboWriter - we’ve just got used to seeing what each other types. And then there is Nick Maggio, with whom I wrote SIN OF MAN which the Willis Brothers are currently taking out. Nick HATES collaboWriter. And I mean HATES!!! He can’t stand me being able to see the words as he types - he gets very self concious. He wants to get his thoughts on a scene down before I can begin to formulate my ideas and punch ups… I’ll write a scene, he’ll write a scene, and then we will go back and review - for me, this way of working is just as fun and productive as using CollaboWriter.

So, Final Draft CollaboWriter might not be for everyone, but it certainly makes my life easier… I just wish they’d sort out some of the bugs.

If anyone else has any experience working with writing partners, or software to aid the process, then feel free to chime in!

Indie Films are not dead…

Over the last few months I’ve had a few people ask me if I had any scripts that could be made for between $400,000 - $500,000. I find this really exciting! Historically when I heard someone wanted help on a film of this budget range I cringed! Firstly most people who talk about making movies in this budget range are people starting out. They write the scripts themselves, produce and direct. More often than not the scripts are dreadful so no matter how the production goes they will not get a good product out of it. And, 99% of the time they will not listen when you plead them to work on the script more!!!

But recently the people who have been asking me about making a movie in this budget range have been people with whom I have a degree of respect for. They are making projects happen, they understand the importance of a solid script to start with, and (the big one) they understand the market.

Having put a few feelers out last week I’ve read a few wonderful scripts which have really made me think. At $400,000 no one is going to earn any money up front, but you do have real chance of making your investors money back. If you can do this you have more of a chance to make another movie and another and another… And then, providing you are making good movies with great scripts, it won’t take long until one of the movies gets noticed.

In my view, the key to making movies at this budget is to make them indie! Don’t try and make anything that the studios or mini majors would want to make. Find a distinct voice and do something different.

I was sent a brilliant script with two female leads. Sending it off to one of the investors with $500,000 he said that movies with female leads don’t make money. And he’s right, when you are spending millions they have not been working of late! But with only $500,000 all those rules go out of the window. Make something quality and I can almost guarantee you that you can make your money back… Over $650,000 and that is when it gets tough - the risks get higher (but so do the possible rewards!)

So, providing you have a great script where would that $500,000 go?

Well first off I think you could shoot for 4 x 6 day weeks at 12 hours per day with 4 weeks to cut the movie. You’d be shooting on two Red Camera’s with a good lens package and you’d take advantage of an all-in one truck like Kelly’s ( www.all-in-one-truck.com ) who turns up with almost everything you would need to shoot.

Shooting just outside Los Angeles here is a hypothetical budget. Depending on the script figures will then change. For instance the movie that I threw this together for only had three cast members. Remember, it’s a shoe string and everyone is working on the project because they love it…

 

And to get you excited, here are a few films made for under $500,000 that have gone on to do GREAT business:

THE STATION AGENT written and directed by Thomas McCarthy. Produced by Kathryn Tucker and Robert May of SenArt Films. Studio, Miramax. Released Oct. 2003. 1 hr. 28 min. Rated R for profanity and some drug use. Genre, mixed: drama and comedy.

Plot outline: A man born with dwarfism and with a passion for trains inherits a train station in rural New Jersey, where he moves in the hopes of isolating himself from lifelong ridicule, only to find relationships that challenge him to come out of his shell and love in order to heal and be healed.

Starring Peter Dinklage, Bobby Carnavale, and Patricia Clarkson. 10 locations. 21 actor roles. 63 total crew.

Business: Estimated production cost: $500K. Estimated Theatrical Marketing Cost: $1 mil.
Estimated Theatrical Distribution: $1 mil. Opened Oct. 2003 in 3 theaters to an average of $19K
per screen. Max screens was 198 in the US. Total US Theatrical Box Office $5.7 mil. Total
Overseas Theatrical Box Office $2.9 mil. Estimated Total DVD sales and rentals to date $8 mil.
Estimated DVD marketing $550K. Estimated profit after production, exhibition, marketing and
distribution deducted: Profit $9.6 mil.

PIECES OF APRIL written and directed by Peter Hedges. Produced by John S. Lyons, Gary Winick, Tami Reiker of InDigEnt. Distributed by MGM/UA. Released Oct. 17, 2003. 1 hr. 20 min. Rated R. Genre: Drama.

Plot Outline: Rebellious daughter April has moved from the suburbs to a lower east side New York apartment, but decides to attempt to make a positive memory before her ancer stricken mother passes away by fixing her first meal, Thanksgiving dinner. When her oven reaks she is forced to rely on the kindness of her new neighbors to avoid another April created
family disaster.

Starring Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Oliver Platt, Derek Luke, and Sean Hayes. 10 locations. 29 actor roles. 51 total crew.

Business: Estimated Production Cost:$300K. Estimated Theatrical Marketing Cost $750K.
Estimated Theatrical Distribution Cost $500K. Opened October 17, 2003 in 6 theaters to an
average of $8K per screen. Max screens was 101 in the US. Total US Theatrical Box Office 2.5 mil.
Total Overseas Box Office $750K. Estimated Total DVD Sales and Rentals to date $4.3 mil.
Estimated DVD marketing $500K. Estimated profit after production, exhibition, marketing and
distribution deducted: Profit $6 mil.
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW written by Ernesto M. Foronda. Written, Produced and Directed by Justin
Lin. Produced Patrice Lucien Cochet. Distributed by MTV Films/Paramount. Released April 11,
2003. 99 min. Rated R. Genre: Drama.

Plot Outline: A group of over achieving Asian Americans experience a downward spiral when they decide to add extra curricular criminal activities to their lives.

Starring John Cho, Parry Shen. 20 locations. 95 actor roles. 39 total crew.

Business: Estimated Production Cost $250K. Estimated Theatrical Marketing Cost $200K.
Estimated Theatrical Distribution Cost: $750K. Opened April 11, 2003 in 13 theaters to an average
of $28K per screen. Max screens was 387 in the US. Total US Theatrical Box Office $3.8 mil.
Overseas Box Office: $0. Estimated Total DVD Sales and Rentals to date $14 mil. Estimated DVD
marketing $1 mil. Estimated profit after production, exhibition, marketing, and distribution
deducted: Profit $15.8 mil.

MEAN CREEK written and directed by Jacob Aaron Estes. Produced by Rick Rosenthal, Susan
Johnson and Hagai Shaham. Distributed by Paramount Classics. Released August 20, 2004. 89
min. Rated R. Genre: Drama/Revenge.

Plot Outline: A group of friends plan revenge on a school yard bully who has beaten up Sam. When their plan goes too far they have to decide whether to hide their act or confess and face the consequences.

Starring rory Culkin. 10 locations. 16 total actor roles. 43 total crew.

Business: Estimated Production Cost $500K. Estimated Theatrical Marketing Cost $200K.
Estimated Theatrical Distribution Cost: $200K. Opened April 11, 2003 in 13 theaters to an average
of $7K per screen. Max screens was 49 in the US. Total US Theatrical Box Office $604K.
Overseas Box Office: $ Still running. Estimated DVD Sales and Rentals to date $1.8 mil.
Estimated Total DVD Sales and Rentals when fully penetrated $4 mil. Estimated DVD marketing
$500K. Estimated profit after production, exhibition, marketing, and distribution deducted: Profit
$2.6 mil.

If after reading all this you have a spare $500,000 lying around… let me know…

Unions. Love them or hate them…

I’ve just come off the phone with the US distributor of my movie FAKERS. We’ve just placed the DVD with Hollywood Video and a number of other rental chains. We’re also expecting our first payment from Starz who have a 12 month license and are currently showing the movie in their regular programing and video on demand. He asked me if we used SAG (Screen Actors Guild) contracts. As a UK production we didn’t. We used British Actors Equity. The UK equivalent.

Apparently if we had SAG actors, a WGA (Writers Guild of America) writer and I was DGA (Directors Guild of Ameria) then the distributor would be paying nearly 10% of the gross income they recieve to those unions before I, as the production company, get any money. Well, this just seems bloody crazy to me!!!!

We’re lucky in that our theatrical release actually made us money so all of the distributors expensis for getting the movie out there have been covered. Any money in now, as far as the US rights are concerned, is split between the distributors profit (or overhead) and my investors. But imagine if we hadn’t been so fortunate to cover our theatrical expenses. The actors on my movie were the best paid out of everyone on the crew. By at least 100%. I myself still have credit card debt from the movie. And yet, they see 5% of the income before I even clear the expense to get the movie out there in the first place. Come on!!!!

I’ve always had a problem with unions. Don’t like them. Never had. The bottom line for me is that we shouldn’t need them. Employeers should be responsible and look after there staff, the market should set the rate for employement (above a minimum wage) and the government should over see the working conditions and the support for it’s people.

In the UK the only real film union we still have is the actors union. The rest just publish rate guides and try to help it’s members as best they can, but in reality don’t really have too much clout. Who needs unions? What the hell are they good for anyway?

Ah… But wait a moment… I was once an Equity member. Yes indeed. And, it made it very very simple for me. There was a straight forward contract that was negiociated on my behalf where I knew I wasn’t going to be taken advantage of. And… are you ready for this… I’ve just become a member of the Writers Guild of America!!!!!! You heard it boys and girls. And now I am so for the union!!!!

Why? Health insurance… First off, I have a family to support including two young children and for the past two years my health insurance payments each month have been crippling me!!! Now… I’ve got amazing coverage for the whole family for $50 a month! In the UK we don’t need this. We have the National Health Care system. Which, although we like to moan about it, it is AMAZING!!! No cost to see a doctor or to go to a hospital, $10 for any prescription, no cost for an ambulance… I’ve just paid $14,000 (because my insurance was so basic and they had tons of loop holes) for the birth of my son here in America. In the UK… Free AND they would have sent a nurse to the house to check up on us when we got home.

For me that is the biggest reason that we need unions here in America. The government doesn’t look after the people. So the people have to organize to fight for their own rights. It would be great to think it could change, but that is a HUGE wheel to turn!!!

The other reason we need unions over here is that AMERICA FILM and TELEVISION is big business. Millions and millions of dollars are made. It’s tough for one man to fight against a studio. In the UK there really isn’t that much money going around. Even in TV, so it all finds a good playing field. Of course the talent argue they would like more and the producers argue they want to spend less but that is the name of the game. But, at the end of the day, with the help of UK employment law, it all finds a good playing field.

Now with the WGA I am begining to turn pro Union. They have an AMAZING support network set up and seem to do so much for their members. They have a very good pay scale for low budget movies which make using WGA writers not out of the question (It seems to me that the DGA is a little tougher on indies although I’ve got to find out a little more information on that). But, this new news on distributors income gets me all torn again!!!!

I want to pay my investors back. I want them to be happy. I want more investors to look at the film industry and say I’ll put money in. Not see the people who made the movie take a salary then money at every step of the way before the investor gets to recoup…

But what to do??? I know why the unions do it… Because of the studios. They can’t trust them to report accurately. The only way the unions know money is going to be shared out is by Starz telling them they’ve paid Warner Brothers money. It’s just that this then screws the indies from making money back!!! 10% is still 10%…

Ah well… enough of a rant. It’s good to be back blogging. Sorry for the long break. I’ve been writing on this Disney movie (hence the WGA membership) and we’ve been trying to build up traffic and bloggers for this website and the FoodBloggers.co.uk that we launched in December. All busy, busy, busy. But I’ll make sure I’ll blog a little more regular from now on.

Cheers for now, Richard