Archive for the ‘Production Tips’ Category:


How to Pick a Good Line Producer

Background As I spend many hours scouring the internet (I may have a problem…), I see many different services offering advice or services on how to budget a film. So how do you tell who knows their stuff? Believe it or not, you can’t believe everything you read on the internet – I know; it

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The Future of Film Distribution

So it doesn”t take a genius to state the obvious: The future of film and television distribution is over the internet. How can I be so sure? Several very good hints: 1. Hulu.com I don”t think there is anyone computer-literate that hasn”t heard of Hulu.com. Hulu currently streams films and television content over the internet

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It Takes 10 Years to Become an Overnight Success

I have been getting a lot of questions from people asking about how to even start in the indie film industry (non-acting avenue). While there is no one right way to do it, there are a couple of avenues worth pursuing: Write a Script This is the old “Good Will Hunting” method. Unfortunately, many people

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Louisiana Tax Credit

About Louisiana Let”s start by saying, Louisiana is much more than New Orleans. Louisiana is quickly becoming the “other” L.A. With settings ranging from swamps and marshes to historical cities and southern towns, LA is quickly making its mark on the entertainment industry. The Program Qualified Spend 30% tax credit on all in-state qualified expenditures.

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What Does a Producer Do?

I get this question all the time. So let”s take a look at your various producer credits. While there are no limits to the number of producing positions, they are valuable industry credits and should not be given out too hastily. Executive Producer (EP) The EP is usually either the money guy or the connection

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Puerto Rico Tax Credit

(originally posted 12/13/09 – updates coming soon …) About Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has a generous Film Tax Incentive for filmmakers – 40%. But the first thing to notice is that this is a tax credit. A credit is not the same as a rebate. This credit must be sold on a secondary market. Usually,

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International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)

What”s an IATSE? IATSE is to crew members, what SAG is to actors. They provide standard working conditions, wage rates and pension/health benefits to their members. They are also the union that covers the most experienced production crew members. Like SAG, they are expensive, but can be well worth the expense when your production proceeds

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In the End, It’s Still Just Business

Brilliant Ideas I have lived all over the country and world and have had the pleasure to get to know many unique and immensely talented people. …Alas if it only depended upon talent and unique ideas… The biggest mistake I run across is the idea that “if you write it, they will come.” The problem

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Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG)

(original posted 12/6/2009 – updates coming soon …) Welcome to the fun world of union! SAG is usually the first union that indie filmmakers come into contact with. SAG covers professional film actors and is generally required from a professional quality standpoint. There are talented non-SAG/non-union actors, but they are few and far between and

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Indie Film Budget & Schedule Ethos

I decided to start this site as a resource for independent film makers where ever they may be.  Hollywood is finding it”s grip on filmmaking slipping away as cameras become cheaper and talent continues to flourish all over the world.  However, many still don”t know where to go from the script stage.   For example,

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