Rosi Acosta is a Unit Production Manager, DGA, who has worked on over 75 TV and Film projects and over 100 commercials. She is a valued name in Hollywood as a top UPM who's worked on films such as DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, IMPRISONED and many more. With over three decades of experience, Rosi has worked internationally with production companies from US, Europe, Russia and Latin America. She began as a Casting Director 32 years ago in Puerto Rico working for director Marcos Zurinaga at Zaga Films where she became one of the top Casting Directors in the Island. After working as such for a few years, she wanted to expand her horizons in production moving on to work with the most important TV producer in the Island, Gabriel Suau, in Telemundo-Puerto Rico, where she worked for several years in various TV shows and telenovelas. Then her break to become a UPM came when she was recommended to do the job in a Mexican telenovela for Televisa. That was the project that made her realize that working as a UPM for non local productions was her dream come true. Her extensive experience includes teaching, coordinating over 54 workshops and seminars and an active lobbyist on all film related legislation and affairs which have made her a leader in the industry. Full Bio »
A professional budget is essential to every film, TV, and digital production. It's important that you get your financials in check in order to avoid any surprises once you yell "Action!" This will help avoid overages, delays, and frustration on the set. Putting together a professional budget is not as difficult as you think!
Even if Excel and Movie Magic aren't your specialty, that's OK. You can still learn what you need to do to in order to make sure your budget looks professional. For starters, you must make sure that you have all the pertinent production details and supporting information. You need to proofread your work before it's submitted for the production. In short, before you can create a budget that will keep your production on track, you need to understand all the elements that will make is so. It's not as intimidating as you think, and we're here to help.
Rosi Acosta is a Unit Production Manager, DGA, who has worked on over 75 TV and Film projects and over 100 commercials. She is a valued name in Hollywood as a top UPM who's worked on films such as DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, IMPRISONED and many more. She's committed to helping you understand the basics of creating a professional film budget.
You'll examine all the pertinent elements of a film budget so you have a clear understanding of what is considered industry standard. You will learn the basics of Movie Magic software and what support documents you will need to help you prepare a professional budget. Rosi will take away the anxiety and simplify the process of creating your film budget!
This presentation will give you confidence to move forward with a professional level budget to ensure your production goes off without a hitch!
"Rosi Acosta is, in a word, awesome. She is a treasure of knowledge and easy to understand! Incredibly detailed."
- Lawrence W.
Professional Budget Breakdown
Presentation of a Professional Film Budget
Efficient Use of Movie Magic Budgeting Software
What Support Documents & Information You Need to Prepare a Professional Budget
Common Practices That Will Help You Create a Professional Looking/Readable Budget
Tips to Proofread Your Budget Before Submitting It
Q&A with Rosie
Rosi Acosta
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It might often be the first name listed on a movie’s end credits, but a Unit Production Manager isn’t exactly the most known or celebrated role on a film’s crew. However the UPM is one of the most critical and valued jobs throughout a movie’s journey. It’s the UPM that holds everything down, that keeps all of the parts moving and makes sure the business elements are taken care of so the director and other creatives have the support and the space they need to carry out their vision. The skills needed to carry out the responsibilities of a UPM are not only crucial, but can also be lucrative for someone looking to succeed within the film industry. Once you start listing it out, the jobs and expectations of a unit production manager are expansive and seemingly never ending: Building a production bible, creating a budget, drafting a schedule, hiring the team, working with unions, insurance, paperwork, payments, even feeding the cast and crew. To be a good UPM you kind of have to be good at everything. So where to start? What exactly does a UPM do and what separates a good UPM from a bad one? Rosi Acosta is a Unit Production Manager, DGA, who has worked on over 75 TV and Film projects and over 100 commercials. She is a valued name in Hollywood as a top UPM who's worked on films such as DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, IMPRISONED and many more. With over three decades of experience, Rosi has worked internationally with production companies from the US, Europe, Russia and Latin America. Rosi began as a casting director 32 years ago in Puerto Rico working for director Marcos Zurinaga at Zaga Films where she became one of the top casting directors in the Island. After working as such for a few years, she wanted to expand her horizons in production moving on to work with the most important TV producer in the Island, Gabriel Suau, in Telemundo-Puerto Rico, where she worked for several years in various TV shows and telenovelas. Throughout her expansive career and extensive experience Rosi has become one of the most sought-after UPMs in the world. Rosi will delve into the nuts and bolts of the role of the unit production manager and all of the tasks and responsibilities that go along with it. She’ll begin by going over the production management process from a bird’s eye view, from development through production. Rosi will discuss the business elements behind filmmaking and the ways the UPM is responsible for finding the balance between the creative and the financial. She will go over the four major skills needed to be a great UPM as well as the tenuous relationship between the project’s script, budget, and shooting schedule. Rosi will then teach what goes into a production bible and how to create a script breakdown to prepare for production. She will then delve into creating production budgets as well as preliminary shooting schedules. A huge responsibility of the UPM is to plan for contingencies and the unexpected, and Rosi will offer tips and advice on how to make sure you’re covered for everything that might come your way and will illustrate this with examples from her own experiences. She will then teach you about working with the four major unions—SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, and WGA, and how to obtain insurance packages to cover your team and your production. Rosi will then discuss how hiring works on set, strategies to bring on the right team, and common pitfalls to avoid while doing so. Finally, Rosi will go over the common aspects that will make a movie expensive, and what warning signs to look for to prevent your project from going over budget. Consider this a definitive breakdown of what the underappreciated but critical unit production manager actually does. Plus! This is a bonus extended webinar with over 2 hours of information! Praise for Rosi's Webinar: “Super informative; Rosi was very helpful.” -Adam G. “Rosi Acosta was awesome. She is a treasure of knowledge. I definitely got my money's worth.” -Lawrence W. “This was so helpful. I loved hearing from Rosi” -Dana B. “This felt like a Masterclass on the ins and outs of a UPM. I’m leaving this webinar knowing way more than I thought I would. Thanks!” -Jerry C.
Putting together a project can be complicated. The amount of information to sift through, from guild requirements and guidelines to union rules and even whether to go union or non-union can be overwhelming, confusing and intimidating. For filmmakers, producers and other creatives looking to control their own content, navigating the guilds and the unions can be so daunting, it pushes back production and/or any forward momentum your project might have. Allow us to help demystify, simplify the guilds and unions landscape and get you on your way to doing what you want to most, making your film, TV or digital project. With independent productions on the rise, it's more important than ever to know how to handle your budget and schedule accordingly, and that begins with understanding which guilds you'll be working with and how to deal with their rules and regulations. It also means understanding the ins and outs of the unions. Buttoning up all of these important variables early will assure that nothing falls through the cracks, your set runs smoothly, and there are no unpleasant surprises once you hit the distribution and collection phases of your project. Rosi Acosta is a Unit Production Manager, DGA, who has worked on over 75 TV and Film projects and over 100 commercials. She is a valued name in Hollywood as a top UPM who's worked on films such as DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, IMPRISONED and many more. With over three decades of experience, Rosi has worked internationally with production companies from US, Europe, Russia and Latin America. Rosi began as a casting director 32 years ago in Puerto Rico working for director Marcos Zurinaga at Zaga Films where she became one of the top casting directors in the Island. After working as such for a few years, she wanted to expand her horizons in production moving on to work with the most important TV producer in the Island, Gabriel Suau, in Telemundo-Puerto Rico, where she worked for several years in various TV shows and telenovelas. Rosi will begin by giving you a complete, yet simplified look at the guilds and unions. She will pull back the curtain and discuss the ins and outs and pros and cons of working with the labor organizations. Rosi will go over the differences between unions and guilds and help you decide if you should go union or non-union for your project. You will learn the organizations for above the line - WGAW, WGAE, DGA, SAG/AFTRA and PGA, below the line - IATSE, Teamsters and NLRB, as well as other organizations that work closely with them - ATA, AMPTP, MPAA, ASCAP, CSATF, MPSE and more. In addition you'll learn how to become a member of a union or how to become a signatory production. PRAISE FOR ROSI'S TEACHINGS: "Rosi, your 30 years of experience shined through today. You broke down this so it's easily understandable and now I know that my production this year will be union!" - Rachel G. "Awesome explanations of the unions, guilds and organizations. Very comprehensive." - Paul F. "You made this so easy to understand. Thanks Rosi!" - Brandon C. "Putting together my first film as a producer almost made my jump off a cliff. I wish I would have seen this first! What a world of difference it would have made. Thank you, Rosi!" -Marlene D.
Lights! Camera! Collaboration! Learn how to best work with Film Commissions to help produce your project from the former Film Commissioner of Puerto Rico! PLUS! You will receive exclusive handouts to help guide you through the world of production and film commissions. What is a film commission? Most of us have heard that film commissions exist but have no idea what they actually do. Are they a regulatory body? How and why are film commissions broken up by region? And, most importantly, can they actually help you get your film made? In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn the critical role that film commissions play in supporting producers, filmmakers and their local production community. By working closely with a film commission, producers can access a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, helping them create a successful and memorable production. The world of film production can be complex and challenging. From overcoming logistical issues to finding the perfect location and navigating the regulatory environment, film commissions can be valuable partners in your filmmaking process if you know how to utilize them. This webinar will teach you everything you need to know about film commissions so you can take advantage of their support and resources to help you achieve your vision on your next project. Guiding you through how film commissions work is Rosi Acosta, former Film Commissioner for Puerto Rico, Unit Production Manager (UPM), and DGA member who has worked on over 75 film and television projects, including the feature films DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, and IMPRISONED. As a seasoned physical production professional, advocate, spokesperson, mentor, content writer and film commissioner, Rosi Acosta's career in the film industry has been driven by passion and her love of film and television. In this webinar, you will learn the key ways that your local film commissions can help you succeed on your productions including location scouting, how to navigate financial incentives, and the benefits of community engagement. We'll discuss best practices to creating truly exceptional film projects through collaboration, creativity, and active partnerships with film commissions. PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help guide you through the world of production and film commissions. Downloads include: Step-by-step guide to working with a film commission Sample letter to a film commission Rosi will share her vast knowledge of film commissions with you and explain how you can utilize film commissions properly and effectively to achieve your goals. Praise for Rosi Acosta's Teaching with Stage 32 "Rosi Acosta is, in a word, awesome. She is a treasure of knowledge and easy to understand! Incredibly detailed." -- Lawrence W. "Rosi, your 30 years of experience shined through today. You broke down this so it's easily understandable and now I know that my production this year will be union!" -- Rachel G. "Awesome explanations of the unions, guilds and organizations. Very comprehensive." -- Paul F. "You made this so easy to understand. Thanks Rosi!" -- Brandon C. "Putting together my first film as a producer almost made my jump off a cliff. I wish I would have seen this first! What a world of difference it would have made. Thank you, Rosi!" --Marlene D.
Learn How To Close Deals With Investors And Financiers Once You Meet Them From A Multi-Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker Whose New Film, NIGHT TRAIN, is currently #1 on Hulu! ***Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and have access to Shane on email to ask her any questions so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.*** Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details There is an art to the business of fundraising that is essential to understand if you are planning on raising money for your project. How do you first approach an investor for your project? How long does it take for your relationship with your potential investor to develop into a business partnership? What financial projections and creative materials do you need to have already prepared to show them? And how can you ultimately close the deal? All these questions and more will be answered in this exclusive Stage 32 four-part class taught by multi–Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author Shane Stanley. Shane is the founder of Visual Arts Entertainment, a film and television production company based in Los Angeles and is best-known for producing the #1 Box Office hit, GRIDIRON GANG starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for Sony Pictures and directing several Music Videos that landed in the Top 20 on VH1. Shane has successfully raised independent capital for countless films and knows how to make and keep investors happy so you can build the relationship into consistent funding for your projects forbears to come. Shane's new film, NIGHT TRAIN, that he directed, edited, and produced is currently #1 on Hulu! Shane’s recent projects include MISTRUST starring Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actress, Jane Seymour, the surprise smash-hit action film DOUBLE THREAT starring Dawn Olivieri and Danielle C. Ryan, and NIGHT TRAIN starring Danielle C. Ryan and Diora Baird, among many others. Over 4 interactive sessions, Shane will teach you his secrets to raising money to help get your projects made and give you essential tips to maintain a lasting relationship with your investors. You will learn how to target potential investors for your project, how to forge a lasting relationship with them, the dos and don’ts on how to approach business conversations with your potential investor, how to effectively present your business plan, and most importantly, how to close the deal. For anyone looking to make their film or series a reality by raising capital, this class is an extraordinarily beneficial and unique opportunity to learn the art and science of private capital fundraising from an industry pro! PLUS! Shane will give you exclusive handouts to help with your own fundraising. Downloads include: An ASK and TAKE sheet from a sales agent Email templates on how to approach investors Excerpts from Shane’s critically acclaimed book “What You Don’t Learn in Film School: A Complete Guide to (Independent) Filmmaking.” A worksheet on what does and does not go in your presentation Testimonials for Shane's Previous Webinars: "Shane was thorough and encouraging. Easy to listen to and follow. I'll be signing up for other classes he teaches in the future." -Karena K. "Just straight-forward, real, the kind of producer most of us would kill to work alongside." -Clark T. "Shane was relevant, knew what was happening, and could walk the walk." -Chuck R.
As you know, independent film is enjoying a resurgence. Whereas a few years back, it seemed as if getting a low budget indie off the ground was a Herculean task, now, especially with the rise of Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+ and other streaming platforms not only purchasing indie fare, but producing it on their own, lower budget independent films are back in high demand. However, to take advantage of the current gold rush, you must understand what makes an independent script attractive to managers, agents, producers, development execs, financiers and others in a position to greenlight your screenplay. For most writers focused strictly on the craft, the disconnect between a script that gets high marks for the writing, yet still has a problem drawing attention of managers and agents or finding a buyer, is a lack of knowledge as to the current marketplace. It is vital that you understand the creative and commercial realities of the business. Everything else streams from there including all the aspects that you will need in your screenplay to make it a no brainer for the aforementioned gatekeepers and decision makers to want to get involved with the project. With so many screenplays flooding the market, reps, producers, filmmakers, financiers want to choose those screenplays that already have the heavy lifting toward getting the script into production already figured out. James Kicklighter is a multi-award winning writer/director whose work has been recognized by the world’s press, including The Hollywood Reporter, The Times of India, Film Courage and FilmInk Australia. James began his career raising funds for numerous small budget short films, which allowed him to move into award-winning feature films. Most recently he directed The Sound of Identity about the first transgender woman ever to perform as Don Giovanni in a professional opera. The film is produced by Emmy Award-winning producers Russ Kirkpatrick & Andy Kinslow and executive producer Josh Bachove (Lizzie, Yoga Hosers, The Little Hours). James will teach you the ins and outs of writing a producible, low budget independent feature that will draw the right attention. He'll start by diving into the marketplace and how you can research, review, and understand the current landscape. He will then discuss how to choose material, create compelling, deep, and unique characters, and how to write using accessible locations. He will teach you how to optimize the screenplay for production, including some tips and tricks to help a filmmaker and/or producer understand how they can schedule efficiently just by reading the script. If you are looking to control your own material, James will even dive into how to attach talent and modify the script while in production. PRAISE FOR JAMES'S TEACHINGS: "James has style and class to spare. I've taken over 20 Stage 32 webinars and this was one of my favorites." - Theo K. "So much detail and so much information. Makes me look at my scripts in a whole new light." - Amanda D. "I've had so many screenplays that have received Consider or Recommend coverage from executives in this business, but I've never been able to get one of these screenplays launched and I could never understand why. Now I do. The writing is there, but the awareness to a producer's needs can be better. I'm on it. Thanks, James." - David V. "I learned something today. I want to produce my own work. Actually two things. I CAN produce my own work. This webinar was worth its weight in gold." - Martina S. "There’s nothing like listening to one who is passionate and educated on the craft of Filmmaking. James is a voice for aspiring filmmaker's ears. Thank you for the well outlined course.“ - Emeka M.
Learn How To Build Your Suspense From The Ground Up And Craft A Thriller With Earned Twists, Turns and Thrills From The Acclaimed Screenwriter Of M. Night Shayamalian's KNOCK AT THE CABIN and a writer on the upcoming TRANSFORMERS ONE If you're paying attention to the trades and seeing which screenplays and projects are being sold and produced, you know that psychological thrillers are highly in demand. With films like Swarm, the Joker franchise, John Wick: Chapter 4, The First Purge and many more, the industry sees the upside of keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. But the art of writing a psychological thriller is one of vulnerable characters, deep secondary characters, memorable set pieces, set ups, reversals, and earned twists and turns. There's a formula to it all, and those who master these skills win the day. Writing a psychological thriller and creating and maintaining suspense and high stakes throughout takes an immense understanding of the history of the genre. It's a genre based in Hitchcockian roots. One that needs to have certain elements in order to be effective to keep the audience involved, engaged and on the edge of their seat. While most psychological thrillers start off with a well thought out premise, that's all they have. The action starts quickly and then falls flat. In many other cases, the premise is in place, but the writer or filmmaker doesn't know how to get past the jumping off point. You must get your hook in place quickly - within your first five pages - and that takes skill. You need to truly create compelling characters, especially protagonist and your villain, and make them layered in order to support your theme and plot and to assure the audience always knows and is invested in the stakes. To be truly successful at getting your reader's attention, keep those pages turning and set yourself up for an offer of representation, an option, a sale, or financing, you need to understand all of the nuances that make a great suspenseful story before you type (or read) FADE IN. Steve Desmond is one of the best in the industry today writing suspense and psychological thrillers. His most recent feature screenplay, KNOCK AT THE CABIN, was directed by M. Night Shayamalian. He is currently writing TRANSFORMERS: A NEW GENERATION. His short film, Monsters, has played in over 100 film festivals worldwide, winning 43 awards including Best Short Film at the Comic-Con International Film Festival in San Diego and was a finalist at Stage 32's 3rd Annual Short Film Program. Steve filmed Monsters to serve as a proof of concept for his feature script, Twisted Avenue which is now in development. Needless to say, thrillers and suspense are in Steve's blood and the focus of all his writing. And now he's bringing all he's learned along the way to you. Steve will help you build your suspense from the ground up. He'll teach you the ultimate tool you need - the Hitchcock Ticking Clock Method which will help you on your way to setting the vital groundwork for your story. You'll learn how to create a compelling protagonist and an enticing villain. Steve will give you exercises you can use to craft your own characters and give you 5 must have tips on backstory and character confessions to give depth. You'll learn how to hook your reader in the first 5 pages and what the 3 different teasers you can write for your opening. You'll explore the power of murder in your script and the art of a twist ending. He will show you how to craft your script with producers in mind to give yourself the best chance to have your material attractive to the widest audience possible. Steve will go over how you can incorporate visuals into your story and break down case studies of Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en. And, finally, Steve will share some advice on how to get your script on the screen by writing it in a producible budget. You will have a fully immersive experience from a suspense expert that will leave you excited, inspired and confident to tackle your next psychological project. PRAISE FOR STEVE'S TEACHINGS: This webinar was AWESOME!!! I just finished a thriller and now as a result of listening to Steve Desmond, I am ready to do a re-write which I believe will be one of the best screenplays I have ever written. Let's see what happens! - Michelle C. What a thrilling and insightful webinar, excellent!! - Kathleen W. Super helpful information that you don't find in books! - Pamela C. Very useful information - well structured and clearly presented! - Sara C.