THE 1ST CITY OF SIN FILM

Ok! I don't have a pot to piss in! (UK expression for ) I barely have a dime in my pocket! 

However, that's my secret weapon! When you're back is up against the wall. When you have no comfort zone, when you are done with waiting for permission, you move your ass! if you can't find a way, you MAKE a way! 

If you really are a filmmaker, you just do it! As little as 4 years ago I was cleaning car parks in MacDonalds. I had no money, no connections online at all, and that last time I made a film was six years before. 

Now I have two features, two US names attached, and three more interested. (They are watching how this pans out) And have access to a lot of new talent in UK, USA, and Europe! I'm back to the way I did it in the past! Roll my sleeves up, make it happen! Get the ball rolling! You can't just move if you are after $100,000 or more, but that's EXACTLY why I make films so cheaply. So I'm not trapped. 

FIRST "CITY OF SIN" FILM

THE FAMILY (Previous blog post here) 

Thanks to a very tiny group of people that believe in me, I have around £700 at this minute. Possibly more on the way. And access to a LOT of resources. SCREEN was shot for about £2,500. That was a 90 minute movie. City Of Sin films are 30-40 mins in length.

Ed Burns recently shot his 90 minute feature "Newly Weds" for 9K. Before anybody pulls me up on it, yeah yeah I know delivery, post costs etc. However, my films are being made for the web-mobile. I will be COMPLETELY outside the industry. Until I make this a success anyway.

If you really are a filmmaker, it's your job to make it happen with almost no money. Just like Rodriguez, Nolan, and countless others did before digital technology. If our script costs a lot more, then we pull out cheaper screenplays we can make. For me, making shit happen is REALLY important today. 

THE FAMILY is not an easy crime film to pull off with no money. I could play it safe and go for a small two hander story in the city for the City of Sin debut. However, since it is the debut film. It needs to pack a punch! 

I have NEVER played it safe. I'm terrified! That's exactly why I need to do this film. Not just a film, but the spark to a creative business. If I had a budget, there's no fear at all, But at this level, its scary. But it should be or what am I really doing!

Backers will get access to behind the scenes video of me making this happen. Every 7-10 days. I will post shorter videos and pics to  my social networks. Time to move!
CITY OF SIN on REBEL MOUSE 

https://www.rebelmouse.com/CITYOFSIN/

SCREEN

I have a couple of distributors interested in SCREEN. Straight for VOD release! ( It's a $4000 film) Trying to squeeze them for a price. If they don't do the deal, I will do VOD myself. However, a couple have woke up to the fact this could have sequels, or even a remake. That's why I am also moving with this other project too, it's then easier on me to play the waiting game. 

I'm currently building up global horror blogs at the minute. It's why I am done with this old way of making a film every two years. My new way is a film a month, then get it to the world fast to build the audience. Life is too short! You can follow updates for SCREEN here. https://www.rebelmouse.com/SCREENMOVIE/

HOLLYWOOD BURNS ORIGINAL IDEAS

I hear this all the time on timelines from movie fans. "Is there no original ideas left anymore in Hollywood? What's going on?

Hollywood has enough original movie ideas to keep a bonfire going for a hundred years! Thats not the problem, but REAL originality is not encouraged, it's not wanted. When you are spending $100-250m on a film, it has to appeal to almost every demographic on the planet. Which also means you won't be getting any real edgy films from Hollywood. It also has to have the ready made fan base from the book, comic, toy, or previous original filmmaking that came from a time when more original ideas were made. It's too much money to risk on a fresh idea today. Thats why we will never get fresh ideas from Hollywood. It's not a factory for artists. 

There's many great movies that were funded and distributed by Hollywood, but many of the classics that we love were funded independently, then distributed by top distribution companies or studios. Thats all changed drastically because it's not cost effective for the studios and major distributors anymore. There's so many other forms of entertainment in the world today, and piracy, so they have to spend multi millions in marketing to get attention. Which is usually with huge 3D like blockbuster rollercoasters. "Interesting" films is not a good business plan for them. Hollywood has always been a business, but it's a lot more corporate in it's approach today. 

We could say those indie films like "Blair Witch" and "Paranormal Activity: done well. "Blair Witch" WAS a marketing campaign concept from the filmmakers from day one. "Paranormal Activity" could so easily have ended up on a website with a $10 paypal button. A studio decided to take a risk on that, ONLY after they started to create a "demand it" web buzz. But lets face it, those films are not great iconic indie films of the 20th centrury like "Easy Rider" and " Taxi Driver" They are still characterless concept films, which is why Hollywood took a risk with them. 

It's incredibly risky for Hollywood to distribute a small movie, even if they do think it's the next "Paranormal Activity" That type of risk taking is rare, and thats why it only really happens once every ten years. Then they milk the ready made fan base for years with sequels. On whole, It's a safer bet for Hollywood to spend big money on a ready made market film. Batman, Prometheus ,The Hunger Games, Harry Pottter. Ironically, they spend more money for less risk. They have flops too, "John Carter", but gambling on blockbusters is still in their favour for the moment. 

Does this mean we will never see original bold story telling again? TV is where the most interesting work is coming from, but that can't REALLY break new ground when it's for a mass market and has to please advertisers. The next "Taxi Drivers" or "Reservoir Dogs" or REALLY fresh bold work, is going to have to come from daring filmmakers who self fund. They are also going to have to be driven entreprenuers who are great at marketing their work, and brand over YEARS! 

Ironically, you will still get a lot of those talented filmmakers who want inside that conventional arena of Hollywood. They make work as a calling card to Hollywood or the top indie circuit. ( Which usually leads to Hollywood!) Many of the promising indie filmmakers and actors who came on the scene are part of the Hollywood system now. I personally think we will only see a new type of story telling if talented filmmakers are successful at marketing their own work, and they also decide to go their own way 100% and don't get seduced by the system.

It's only then, that we might get to see original, and bold rock & roll filmmaking. At the moment, it's kind of old and dusty, as many are still holding on to the old ways of doing things. The tools and platforms are now there to burn it all down and start fresh, but time will tell if there is enough individual spirits that REALLY want to do that. "Indie" does not mean interesting, subversive, different, anymore! It means everybody! Until then, that fire of original stories in Hollywood will continue to burn!

http://www.twitter.com/davidpbaker