How to Shoot a Feature Film in 15 Days
REMINDER
It's Introduce Yourself Weekend at Stage 32! Head over to the Introduce Yourself section of the Stage 32 Lounge and let everyone know who you are, what you're working on, your dreams and aspirations. And be sure to peruse other member's threads. You never know when you're going to make a connection that changes your life!
Webinar hosted by: Stephen Mitchell
Director, Producer, Author
About Stephen Mitchell: In 1980, Stephen founded an entertainment industry think tank labeled The New Hollywood Studio System in the guise of a repertory company for film and television. He authored the Action/ReAction technique for actors and founded a film school with curricula for writers and directors. Stephen supervised the group until 2001. In 1985, Stephen launched his cable TV series (Interview). The series, lauded by critics, attracted a cult following that included Oscar, Emmy, Peabody and Grammy winners. It attracted buyers for Stephen's story ideas and generated a first-look deal for him with TriStar Pictures. In 2001, Stephen wrote How to Start a Hollywood Career Without Having to Go There: An Instruction Manual For Actors with Kathi Carey. He was a CableAce Awards judge for nine years. Over the years, Stephen has made a dozen independent movies none of which are on IMDB, but that's a story for a blog post and will be part of the discussion in his webinar for Stage 32. Stephen is producing a documentary on the Ferrari 250 GTO, one of which he used to own. He produced Carrera Panamericana (1950-54) and was a co-producer on Addiction Incorporated with Charlie Evans Jr. (The Aviator). He is currently producing a DVD series Elys'ee Wednesday: Drive! and a TV series Tennessee Long Haulers. Last year, he wrote his first novels, Ignorance is Bliss, and Ray D. Shosay's Journal: Dispatches from a (junior) suite in Paris and is now writing a book about his Ferrari GTO which is worth forty million dollars and is currently owned by Ralph Lauren. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Stage 32 presents a webinar by Stephen Mitchell on how to make movies using a logical, if unconventional, approach that will establish your brand as a filmmaker and accelerate your career.
There is nothing like having a movie producing credit to separate you from the crowd. Whether you are a writer, director or actor, the quickest way to move your career forward is to produce a movie. Find out how to get it done while everyone else is waiting for Divine Intervention.
Stephen Mitchell
This is an special webinar event exclusively for Stage 32 members.
What You'll Learn
What You'll Learn:
- Why 'If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, there's no point to being Muhammad" should color everything you do as a filmmaker
- How to use an actor's brand in order to make your film more compelling (or how to brand the actor if he or she doesn't appear to have one)
- Why you must film your truth rather than your story
- How saying you're sorry is better than asking for permission applies to the art of independent (and not-so-independent) filmmaking
- Why it is better to film out of town regardless of where you live?
- How to get impossible-to-get locations for your film shoots
- Why are budgets extraneous
- What to do when you discover that your leading actor a) gets a much shorter haircut a week into production or that b) he can't act
- Find out why a book on marketing will be the most important book you ever read about advancing your film career
- Why the senior dictate in Hollywood isn't "It's who you know" but rather "It's who knows about you."
- Why you should know your own brand as a filmmaker before you shoot your first scene
- That everything you put on the screen sends a message and how to make sure it is your message
About Your Instructor
Stephen Mitchell
FAQs
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32.
Q: Do I have to be located in a specific location?
A: No, you can participate from the comfort of your own home using your personal computer! If you attend a live online webinar, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar.
Q: What are the system requirements?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you attend a live online webinar, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar. If you cannot attend a live webinar and purchase an On-Demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to rewatch?
A: Yes! After the purchase of a live or On-Demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the audio recording, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year!
Testimonials
Testimonials:
"I originally started working with Stephen as an actress, but he very quickly decided that I needed to learn writing, producing and directing. I protested, at first, but boy am I glad he insisted. Under his guidance and mentorship I learned everything I use today in my career as a filmmaker. To date, I have had two films go out worldwide on the festival circuit that I wrote, produced and directed, both of which won numerous awards and accolades and the second of which was in the pool to be nominated for an Academy Award in 2011. I currently have two more films that are just starting their festival journeys, along with several projects in development. Stephen's approach combines real-world practicalities with proven techniques, so you're not just learning a methodology taught from a book or a classroom, you're learning practical, useful tools that you can immediately apply to your own work." - Kathi Carey, Stage 32 member, Actress/Writer/Producer/Director
"I had the opportunity to work with Stephen on EW:Drive! and really enjoyed the way he approached directing. His natural ease behind the camera put all of us in front of it at ease while driving some very expensive classic supercars. Stephen knows how to bring out the best in a moment and let the performer's personality shine through, while highlighting the important points in the storyline. I think I speak for all of us involved when I say that I look forward to filming the next episode with him!" - Kira Gurnee, Stage 32 member, Actress/Producer/Director
"Stephen Mitchell is a lover of cinema . From my chats with Stephen, I have learned so much about the magic of cinema, especially about the subliminal on the screen and breaking down scenes that make audience members swoon--from acting, directing, producing and writing. He has enriched me with breakdowns on blocking, cinematography, actors actions and reactions, to branding and why is important and how to connect with as many constitute groups in the audience as possible. Stephen is an encyclopedia about movies, from old Hollywood to the new and beyond, mixed with interesting stories about the industry and the stars themselves! Take a webinar with Stephen and you will walk away much wiser and entertained!" - Rachael Wegener, Stage 32 member, Actress/Producer/Director
"The gift of being around and working with Stephen is not only to witness how his brilliant, avant-garde mind works but to also be the beneficiary of his innate filmmaking intelligence." - Tom Gurnee, Stage 32 member, Actor/Writer, author of Moving to L.A. for Acting
Relevant Tags
Share with friends:
Questions?
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Intro to Shooting on DSLR
Learn directly from John Keedwell, a 30+ year filmmaker who has worked in over 65 countries! Many here on Stage 32 like the idea of producing and shooting your own movies, and often you may have a very limited or no budget available. You will therefore often need to compromise and work around obstacles and challenges. In this webinar I examine both the benefits of shooting on DSLR's and I also take a look at some of the challenges they often throw up for the filmmaker. Shooting a movie on a DSLR often requires different additional accessories and lenses to turn it from a stills camera into a camera capable of consistently recording high quality moving images. I take a look at some well-known movies where a DSLR has been used, and examine how they have been used there. DSLR's don't work exactly like a moving picture camera. It is a stills camera that happens to have a feature to record a sequence of video. As a stills camera they work really well and make great images, yet when it comes to shooting anything more than a few movie clips they all have flaws in operation. While these limitations are not impossible to overcome, they can become significant tiresome issues when shooting for extended periods. I examine the ergonomics and functions of DSLR cameras and how they can often hinder the smooth operation and camera movement possibilities for the filmmaker. It’s better to know and examine this now than before you get on set shooting. There are cameras available now that are less expensive and do a much better job of helping filmmakers, they still have the large sensor cinema "look," yet have better ergonomics, monitoring, lens choice, better dynamic range and resolution, and have more functions to support filmmakers. We’ll explore that as well. At the end if the webinar you will be able to: Know why a cine lens differs to a stills lens, and if it will affect your production The best way to record sound with your DSLR-It may not be what you think How to control your focus and depth of focus How to monitor your output for consistent results Know many of the benefits and potential pitfalls to avoid of shooting with a DSLR.
6 Pitfalls To Avoid When Working With Tax Incentives
As the Vice President of Three Point Capital, Viviana Zarragoitia is one of the most prolific financiers who routinely lend on tax incentives, both domestically and internationally, on independent films. She is aware of the rules and regulations of tax incentives in many jurisdictions, and have spoken on numerous panels about tax credits. In this exclusive webinar, Viviana will be teaching what producers should be aware of when working with tax incentives. Although there are minor details that change within each state/country, there are some overall issues that come up in each jurisdiction that producers should be aware of when taking advantage of tax incentives for their film/TV project. These include, but are not limited to, things such as: corporate structure of the company applying for the tax incentive, making sure that costs in-state are qualified spend, working with tax incentive offices during pre-production, production and post-production, submitting final costs in a timely fashion, working with production accountants/CPAs on tracking qualified spend, working with lenders and filing tax returns to claim the incentives.
The Power of Instagram For Your Creative Career: Best Practices to Stand Out
Exploring the latest best practices to optimize audience growth for personal/professional work on the world’s fastest growing social media platform, Instagram. Are you harnessing the power of Instagram to promote your latest series or movie? Whether you’re working on a story for TV, Film, or Digital, every storyteller must use the power of social media, to promote and share their work...and currently, the best place to start your outreach is on Instagram. Over the past two years, Instagram has quickly become the fastest growing and most relevant social media platform in the world. In this course, you’ll learn: How to create your personal brand, optimizing #hashtags to be discoverable in search, using 3rd party applications to optimize your reach, fundamentals of tagging and geolocation, best practices for reaching out to Instagram influencers, creating a social posting schedule, and harnessing the power of Instagram stories and Instagram LIVE.
How to Write, Produce, Shoot & Distribute Your Micro-budget Film
Learn directly from Tatiana Kelly who has produced 12 independent films including Wristcutters: A Love Story and The Words (Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana), and The Procession. The barrier of entry for the micro-budget / DIY / indie filmmaker has never been lower, making the landscape of independent film more exciting than ever. With box office and VOD sales at an all time high and more distribution opportunities than ever, independent films are enjoying a resurgence. Throw into the mix that many studios and larger production companies are committed to producing numerous micro-budget films each year (see Paramount Insurge) and independent producers such as Jason Blum (Blumhouse) have made a living in the space, and the demand for films with micro-budgets has never been higher. Additionally, many creatives are taking matters into their own hands by making micro-budget films as a calling card for their talents. Some examples of micro-budget films include Napoleon Dynamite, Halloween, Clerks, The Blair Witch Project, Mad Max, Eraserhead, Open Water, Catfish, Saw, Once, Pi. Story and style win the day as a result of the passion and dedication put into micro-budget films. If you are a screenwriter, producer, filmmaker or any other creative that values control of your story and film and has decided to write, develop, shoot or distribute a film in the micro-budget space, this is the webinar for you.
How To Recoup Your Film's Profits Through Collection Account Management
Nowadays many independent film and TV productions that have multiple parties involved are looking for the best way to recoup profits on a completed project. One of the best ways to assure the parties involved with your film (producers, investors, financiers, sales agents and talent) see their returns is to have a collection account in place. A collection account is an account in the name of a neutral third party who receives revenues generated by an independent film or TV project on behalf of the multiple beneficiaries from local distributors. This process is called collection account management and is an effective tool to guarantee that the beneficiaries receive their share of the revenues. The beneficiaries include producers, investors, financiers, sales agents and talent. Often times financiers, production partners and international sales agents put a collection account up as a requirement before even boarding project. During this webinar we will explain the functions and benefits of having a collection account in place for an independent film or TV project, how collection account management is set up and which parties should be involved in the entire process. We will further discuss the allocation and distribution of revenues, how to put together the Recoupment Schedule, and the importance of signing, or being a beneficiary to, the Collection Account Management Agreement.
How to Work the Film & TV Markets
Have you ever been to these industry events? Film: The Cannes Film Market, The American Film Market, The European Film Market TV: MIPCOM, NATPE, Real Screen What do you really know about these events? Do you know how projects really get bought, sold and funded? Do you know how to work these markets? Strategically? Do you know how to best position and pitch your projects to the industry - to move your career forward? This Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, How to Work the Film & TV Markets is taught by former IFTA liaison for the American Film Market, Heather Hale. In this jam-packed webinar Heather takes independent filmmakers, television and digital content creators on an online tour of the circulatory system of the global media landscape. She is breaking down the entertainment industry’s trade show circuit – where content is bought and sold around the world, year after year. Heather demystifies these markets, makes them less intimidating, less confusing and less overwhelming. She shows you how to strategize and navigate these events, making them far more accessible, productive – and fun! She contextualizes her state-of-the-art, from-the-trenches insights into immediately implementable practical advice if you’re hitting the markets, and even if you're not. This webinar highlights the most significant annual entertainment industry events around the world, dossiers all the players you will run into. You will learn how to best work with them before, during and after the market. She reveals the elements that establish the market value and predict profitability of entertainment properties – and how you can raise the bar for your own projects to be more successful. You will walk away knowing how to make the most of your investments of finite funds, time and creative energy attending markets. Take the step to optimize your odds for success in this mainstream, business-to-business market ecosystem!
Register / Log In
