Categories
Truly Free Film

What Would You Do In This Situation?

Let’s say you produce a prize-winning director.  And they just won a very big award.  They have a story they wrote that have wanted to make, and now they can basically write their own ticket to do whatever it is they want to do.  This story has the possibility of casting big stars and shooting in glorious locations.  You know it will be a fun shoot, and well funded.

The question is not whether you do that movie or not.  Of course you do.  You’re going to get paid well (which is rare these days), and have some real fun working with people you like in a place you have always wanted to be.  What could be better than that?

The question is what happens when the film is finalized in terms of picture and sound.  What if the film is just not good?  Not up to the director’s previous work?

Categories
Truly Free Film

Revealing Producer / Director Joke

Vanessa and I were invited by Michael Hausman and Sandy Lieberson this past month to teach in Cuba at the National Film School.  It was a truly great experience and we look forward to returning soon.  The students were great, as were our fellow instructors.  In addition to producer legends Sandy & Mike, we were joined by Uruaguayan producer Fernando Epstein and Argentinian Producer Veronica Cura.

We were there to discuss film producing in the 21st century.  At the center of producing, remains the relationship between producers and directors.  It is always a hard thing to explain or even to capture. It doesn’t seem to have evolved that much since the dawn of cinema.  I felt Veronica got close when she told this joke (fable?).

A man on board an air balloon realizes he’s gotten himself lost.