21st On Stage With RB – February 2016
This month’s On Stage With RB was jam-packed! We even carried the extra overflow onto Periscope so more creatives could tune in!
Up first was producer David Harris, a producer who’s worked for Platinum Studios & Paramount. His film SECURITY (a $15M feature starring Antonia Banderas & Ben Kingsley) will be coming out this year and he has optioned and signed 2 writers through Stage 32 Happy Writers.
Up second was David Paterson, award-winning writer/producer, award –winning writer/producer who wrote the Disney hit BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA and THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS (2015 - Octavia Spencer, Kathy Bates, Glen Close), and who’s short films have played at over 100 film festivals. Plus he serves as an advisor to 4 major film festivals.
After these 2 great interviews, RB opened up the floor for your questions for 2 hours!
- Will you have to go to Los Angeles to network in the industry, or can it start where you are? If it can start where you are is there a time you have to go to Los Angeles to network?
- How do you format text messages in script?
- Currently I am working in Reality TV as an Assistant Editor. What can I do to transition into Movies and Scripted Show!
- How can we attach an A-list actor for a smaller role (that could be shot in a weekend) as part a larger feature film?
- Regarding shorts: What would you suggest for a writer that doesn't want to be a director to get his/hers scripts filmed?
- I am in the process of editing a short I have shot. The next step is writing a feature spec based on the short. What is the best way to market the spec based on what will be viewed in film festivals if it can generate enough interest.
- Is there an optimum length for a short film?
- For shorts, what is the rough relative cost of CGI, $/minute? Jeff
- What is the market like for shorts or features with Actors of color as leads, dealing with Latino, African American themes, etc.?
- Would you recommend trying to film guerilla just to get it done or go for permits if you’re filming your calling card.
- What is the responsibility of the executive producer?
- I’m on set a few times a month on day work, how often do you recommend updating your headshots?
- Any monologues you recommend that helped you with your range?
- Thoughts on Brie Larson winning best Actress?
- I produced, wrote, and directed a short and it went to three small film festivals and is being aired on online film channels. I am co- writing, producing and directing my first feature film. I work on a major studio and have SEEN many union workers and albeit they are very good I feel a lot of extra weight I can cut and not use them. I want to use up and coming non-union crew. What is your take on this?
- Any wisdom on writing the pilot for a potential television series? How self-contained should the pilot be?
- Do you need representation to get staffed (writing) on a tv show?
- Have you ever acted for single cam or multi cam television? Any advice for trying to break in for television?
- How can a screenwriter have an original voice yet keep the script within what a studio wants that may not be very original?
- Is age a major factor in being discovered for whatever the artistry, talent or skill a person desires?
- I direct in Russia and you mentioned Hitchcock. My favorite. What is your favorite directing choice of Hitchcock?
- If a director hasn't done their 6 months of planning prior to a crowdfunding launch, but has still managed to raise one third of their goal in the first week, is the campaign still at risk of failing?
- Any suggestions specifically for crowdfunding a musical theater project here in LA? I'm the writer/director and this is not with an established theater, btw. Hoping to have it at a nightclub as dinner theater
- Can you talk about the new SEC regulations that were passed for filmmakers to be able to raise equity funding online?
- Hi RB, I'm sure you've had this question many times and it goes back to the earlier question, what would you describe as effectively networking online?
- Your book? What is it going to be about? When?? Very interested in the business area of this industry.
- RB, how did you get started with your first writing...and looking back...if there was one thing you would do differently, what would that be?
- Do you suggest editing a script "down" from an R rated script to a PG-13 version, even if it goes against our writing style?
