Locking the picture
It’s almost over. And about to begin.
We have locked the edit. The time line can no longer be manipulated. There is no going backwards now. We will lock the ‘picture’ next, which is the literal final look of the entire film, (also including some very minimal *VFX ) The final sound mix is simultaneously happening. Our composer, Matt Teacher', is currently putting the finishing touches on the music for the film. In a sense he is one of the people ultimately taking part in designing the overall sound for the film as we are also utilizing his recording studio, @sinestudios to capture *ADR needed to fill in certain holes in the background and ad a few dialogue tweaks.
Ultimately the final FINAL sound “mix down” will be completed by an audio technician at ALKEMY X. ONce the film is complete we get to enter the next and final phase of this experience, selling the film.
How do you sell a movie? We have no idea because we’ve never sold one before, BUT, we also had no idea how to make one either before this, but we figured it out.
We figured it out by making a ton of mistakes. Which is great because the most learning occurs when you make a mistake. Take chess for example. Evidently, you never get better at the game if you never lose. The trick to getting better at that game (and any game) is to identify the mistake you made, take note of it and then NEVER REPEAT THAT SAME MISTAKE AGAIN. When we repeat the same mistakes again and again then we truly never learn anything new and we don’t advance on the playing board.
The initial idea was only to write a screenplay together so we could sell it. That idea that seemed legitimate, reasonable and totally possible to us at the time. That was our first mistake.
No one who bought scripts were buying this one from us because we simply had no track record. What you learn if you continuesly try to get your head around the mere concept this industry, is that no matter how well you put everything together, and plan it and package it,,, ,, a film can still be a bomb and lose money. There’s no garuntees. And that is because Showbusiness, is only half business. The other half is gamble.. Gambling and business’s don’t usually mix well, unless you are the house ofcourse. Within the gambling industry the best gamblers don’t take to many chances, because they do very little gambling,, they work the odds.
We couldn't sell our script because buyers didn’t know the odds on US so they had no motivation to take a chance one way or the other.. The quality of the script didn’t matter, because no one reads anymore, especially in toon town. The Hollywood game is all about your reputation. And your reputation in Hollywood is defined by what you produce. No sane person will risk their reputation over a stranger with no track record. So since we couldn’t sell it, we realized we were going to have to make it.
The point is this (yes there is a point) If YOU want to make films, you have to make films! If you want to LEARN how to make films. You have to make films. So many people will go to college for film and spend 4 years and roughly $100,000 on that entire 4 year experience. And when they walk away from that university they all find themselves in the same spot. They have to make a strong film to get themselves in the game. This game you have to pay to play.
Frankie went to film school for 3 years. At that time of his life he had already sold a show to MTV and helped his older brother write and produce his first independent film. When he showed the film to his class, (an actual 35 millimeter FILM) his film professor approached him afterwords, handed him a script that he had written and said “Can you help me get my movie made? I have Danny Aiello attached to the project!”
That says everything you need to know about the importance of attending college if you want to have a career in showbusiness.
Now, while he learned a bit of film history (something you can teach yourself) and how to cut film with a literal razor and scotch tape. (Which is absolete now) He learned SOO much more making THIS movie, then he could ever have imagined possible…
We are not saying you absolutely shouldn’t go to college if you want to be a successful filmmaker. Just don’t make the mistake of going to film school if it will be at the expense of your first really great film!
*VFX = Visual Effects. *ADR = Additional Dialogue Recording