There is no Business like Show Business

Film making is a craft that helps artists channel our experiences and share them with the rest of the world from our own perspective. Unfortunately, like the famous film title, “There is no business like show business.” The truth of the matter is that films get made because of the producers behind them who actually deal with the business side of the craft. Yes, there is a business side to film making. I had the pleasure of interviewing Duran, a Colombian artist that produces, records, and edits all his films and music. The purpose of the interview was to find out more information about the negotiation process and how the business requires an artist to be able to understand the process. 

“ It is all about the people you know.” These were the first words that came out of his mouth as I asked him how he got to where he is in his career. Although he is not internationally acclaimed, Duran just signed a contract with the Warner Music Group and is in the process of starting his second tour. He is very well known across the south of the Equator, and he attributes his success to his social skills. Duran continued explaining that “...the music business is like any other type of art, if you want to get exposed, you need to be exposed.” The truth of the matter is that the more people you know, the bigger the chance is for any type of artist to find that one person that can make things happen.

We also talked a lot about emotions and how to deal with other people’s reactions. Art is subject to criticism and sometimes artists do not know how to deal with it at the time of the negotiation process. Duran explained something to me that was very clear as to why this happens. He said that the problem is that as artists, we are so attached to the work we do that we become the work. When people criticize something you do, things are normally not taken personal. But go and criticize somebody’s baby, or somebody’s house and you will find an entirely different reaction than you would by criticizing something else. “We become so attached to our creations that when a producer tells us to change something, it’s like a stranger telling a mother to have plastic surgery on her baby.” The best way to deal with these types of situations is preparation and acceptance. If you prepare yourself to face the worst when it comes to other people talking about your work, there is a better chance of understanding that the criticism is towards the piece and not the artist. “ It is always important to be able to tell the difference between you and your work...” Duran had several things to say, but in conclusion he made it a point that in the moment of making a deal, people want to talk about money, not talent. So in the long run, they are not criticizing your work, they just want to commercialize it; which is their job. “Otherwise, we would never need producers.”

When making a business deal, it is extremely important for artists to understand our role in the process. In the long run, the producers have that business side that some artists don’t quite understand. “The good thing is that I know a lot about music and a little about business, I always look forward to making business with people that know a lot about business and a little about music.” This is the most important lesson of this interview.

As artists, we must understand the business and negotiating process in order to understand both sides of the table. This will help every negotiation to run smoother and with less conflict, which is ultimately what both parties desire.

So I leave you with this note my dear filmmakers, hoping that you go out there and negotiate your way up the Hollywood ladder.

Getting to know your Audience

For over 130 years, filmmakers have been trying to find equilibrium between transmitting their art and entertaining people. There seems to be a very thin line that separates a film from being merely entertainment to being a work of art.  Who exactly is responsible for classifying films into one category or the other?

There are several opinions regarding this matter. Some people say its the Academy, others conspiracy theorists assure it is the government. I say it is the filmmakers and the viewers who are responsible for the categorization of a film. This goes beyond our personal preferences and it all happens in one place, the human brain.

I am no expert when it comes to the study of the brain, but I do have the ability to observe and analyze people. This hobby of mine has led me to the following conclusions:

1)   People do NOT like change.

2)   People do NOT like surprises.

3)   People do NOT like what their close acquaintances do NOT like.

This last conclusion has its exceptions to those who are leaders in one way or the other; as for the first two conclusions, it is a fact of human psychology. Where I am going with this is that at the end, no matter how much technology advances or time changes, we will always like and dislike the same things in general.

This is one of the main factors when it comes to the classification of a film, since people can only take so much “art” before a film becomes unappealing to the common eye. On the other side you have the filmmaker, the artist of the show. As filmmakers we want to explore, to try new and different things. The problem is that the economy in such a mess that we cannot afford to take these risks because we need to eat. Ambiguity becomes an issue since an artist gets caught between the choice to satisfy him or herself, or satisfy others.

The truth of the matter is that whether a filmmaker produces a film for an audience or for themselves, it is up to the viewers to decide whether or not they like the movie. For those who think it is the Academy, they are wrong.  There have been several procedures that the Academy follows in order to determine a year’s Best Picture.

The latest report on this matter states that the decision is based on what the people like.  Here is an article by Variety’s John Anderson that discusses this topic at a deeper level.

Film is an art that we have decided to create. Whether you are a filmmaker that wants to express personal emotions or entertain other people, you are going to be categorized based on your talent to tell a story. Regardless of the Box Office and Hollywood productions, in the long run what matters is that you get enough people to prefer your film to others.

With this I leave you, dear filmmakers, to prove to yourselves and the world that film making is more than a business; that it is about people. If you look close enough you will find that in one way we all think alike. Study the people around you, look closely at their taste and figure out how much you can push the limit before they give up on your film. It is a matter of trial and error, but at the end, it will all be a benefit to your growth as an artist. Take that risk and explore your horizons, you will find a balance between making yourself and others happy.

A Brief Review on Media Online Businesses

The online business model is becoming more valuable as the days go by. Ever since great companies like Facebook and Netflix established a standard for a multimillion online business, entrepreneurs around the world are orienting their models to the World Wide Web. This is not a coincidence, online businesses are on such hype because they work!

Technology has allowed us to reach what we thought was unreachable, and we have explored and surfed the internet to such extent that we have come to perform daily actions through it. Letters became e-mails, the playground became video games, newspapers became tablets and television, and film became streaming. Every type of business is taking the leap forward to catch up to the Internet’s fast pace. People can shop around the world and communicate through social networks; but they also visualize that it may be easier now to start a business than it has ever been.

Competition along online companies is a topic of concern to our society, specially those that provide entertainment. Netflix is a great example of a corporation that has made a great impact on American society. Before, we used to drive to a Blockbuster, pick up a couple of movies with the family, maybe some popcorn, and head back home to have a good time. Now, Netflix provides a variety of shows and films that can be watched instantly from the comfort of your home. This corporation had the ability to obtain over 8 million users in ten years, but made a risky decision that may cost them their victory over Blockbuster. Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings announced in September the split of Netflix into two companies: Qwikster, a DVD shipping company and Netflix, an online streaming company. There is still some confusion amongst users about whether or not this split is happening, but the news and the sudden increase of prices have cost Netflix a loss of over 800 thousand subscribers.

Netflix CEO Announces Company Split, Issues Apology   

by Newsytech

This may just be the perfect moment for Blockbuster and Dish Network to get back on the market with their new partnership that allows Dish Network users to obtain a Blockbuster Movie pass for streaming content as well as DVDs and Games by mail. For more information about this partnership click here.
Netflix had not seen a loss this big in 7 years, since their largest drop in stock price until Tuesday October, 25, 2011 when they closed their stock at $77.37 according to the following article:

With this I leave you, the independent filmmaker, to analyze and comprehend the turnover that is happening to our generation of film making. This is a new era, and it is up to us, filmmakers of this generation, to adapt and explode the new resources that have been given to us. We are a community, and we must stand together like one.

Television's impact on society

Although film is the reason we became creators of entertainment, it is important to understand what the world is watching and more importantly what they want to watch. Lauren Zalaznick, NBC Universal’s chairman, is one of the most influential women in television. She held a TEDWomen speech about the conscience of television. 

In this talk, Lauren Zalaznick exposes a deep study on television for the past 50 years and reveals that television is in fact a reflection of society.
 

It is real to say that society has made a vast transformation about the way they perceive media and television. Entertainment stopped being enough amusement and reality television changed the way people interact with their TV shows. Putting it in a simpler way, TV is no longer a part of the day where a family gets together to share a common experience; it is a part of the day where a family gets together to have conversations about what is happening and to express their piece of mind.
 

Television is no longer a form of expression for the writers and creators, it is a form of expression for the audience. As Lauren Zalaznick showed in her presentation, the statistics are there. People want to have a voice, they want to be heard. We, as entertainers have the responsibility to make sure that these people are getting what they want. Does this mean we have to compromise our creative skills? No, it means we need to exploit them more, and figure out a way to make the artists and the audience happy.
 

This TEDWomen talk opened my eyes as a filmmaker and exposed me to a world of opportunities that I had not seen before. So do not think that everything has been done, and that there is nothing new you can’t bring to the table, because there is! If you open your mind and think outside the box, your career as a filmmaker of a new generation has just begun and there is no limit for your creations. Share your ideas with others, create content evaluation groups, showcase your work. Start creating a community for your content and if it is good enough, people will do the rest for you. We have been blessed with the advantage of social networks and tools that make our own marketing easier and cheaper than ever before.

Enzian Film Society

The film industry has a great amount of branches that allow it to stay on the top. There are all kinds of societies that vary in size. There are the big societies such as the Academy of Motion Picture and Arts Sciences (Oscar) that have a great impact on the industry; and smaller ones like the Enzian Film Society, which have other types of influence in the industry.

Although the Oscars are one of the most important recognition in the film industry, it is because of smaller societies like the Enzian Film Society that films are able to get exposure to the bigger names. The Enzian theater is located in Orlando, FL. This theater is host to a series of film festivals that include the KidFest, Brouhaha, Jewish, South Asian and the Florida Film Festival.

On their website, there is information about each one of these festivals from which I would like to highlight the Florida Film Festival. This festival has received visitations from great talent such as Glenn Close and John Voight and is an incredible way to expose new films.

This brings me to talk about the Enzian Film Society in more depth. This society is a great way for people to start networking with other interested fellow filmmakers and to explore all the different aspects of film. At the Enzian, there is food, drinks and movies. This little independent theater has the capability to attract all kinds of people with one same interest: films.

The goodies of being a member of this society are amazing, since you not only get to have discounted tickets, but free tickets to some screenings, free popcorn, a reserved table to have your food while you watch films, and specially the opportunity to purchase advanced tickets to the Florida Film Festival. Members also get recognition every year for participating and supporting on the festival.

It is very important for new coming filmmakers to take the steps necessary to get our names and our brand out there. If you become a person that can sell yourself and your talent, you are all set. All you need is to get out there and start talking to people. So do the homework and research what tools you have, what societies are nearby and join each and every one you can. Read about films as much as possible, watch them, and breathe them. This is the only way you are going to get wherever you need to be.

10 Steps to Make a Film

Making a film is a process that has many steps. Whether the script is 10 or 180 pages long, the basic steps are the same. The variation of steps is equivalent to the length of the script so: The longer the script, the more steps need to be taken to make it happen; and vice versa.

10 Basic steps to the completion of a film:

Story, script, finance/producers, pre-production, casting, marketing, production, post-production, Special effects and graphics, and distribution.

These steps have the following relationship:

Copyright Paula Navarro 2011

It is important to understand that there are steps that cannot be accomplished without the fulfillment of another. This can be called a dependent task. To find out more about constructing a network diagram click here. 

We have already discussed the story, so within this network diagram, there can easily be a separate one for each of the tasks. The story’s diagram would look the same but with the steps discussed about developing it.

In the future, I will break this down in increasing detail until we have the exact method for developing a film. Think of these graphics as a “To do list” where all the steps you need to take are drawn out. There are several ways you can organize your tasks, but knowing what to do is already half the battle, so never forget to plan what you are doing before executing your idea; otherwise, it is most likely to become your biggest nightmare.


If you do not plan, unexpected problems arise that are going to require you to come up with an unexpected solution. If you do plan ahead for possible errors, you can easily plan ahead for possible solutions and your work on the run will be much easier.  Project planning is one of the most important things you as a developer must understand. If you want to know more about how to make your project successful, read more about project management.

Remember that making a film requires your time and attention. Films have never been made by themselves. It takes hard work and perseverance to achieve your goals, and since you are already putting your effort into it, you might as well give it your best shot. So, start planning your great idea and if you follow the steps, it can become a reality. The next step will be writing the script.

Filmmakers United Film Contest Winner

Here is the winner for the filmmakers united contest. 

This is a very well made piece of art. Although there is not much of a story, this short shown not only a great production value, but a style that comes from the director. The direction of photography is gorgeous and the light was used well to portray a dramatic effect.

Overall, very well made short. Hopefully we will see more from director Graham McCowen.

The Plot

The first step you are going to take in the journey that is making your project real is the characters that will tell the story. There are different types of characters in a story. There is the protagonist, the antagonist, the sidekick and the “normal” character.

The Protagonist: Is the main character of the story. We as an audience will see the story through this character’s life. A good way to create empathy with your audience is for your main character to have a character flaw and have him try to overcome it.

The Antagonist: Is the character that will do everything in his/her power to stop the protagonist from achieving any goal. This is the character your audience should hate.

The Sidekick: Is the character that will stand by the protagonist’s side for the story. Sidekicks do everything they can to help the protagonist reach the goal.

The “Normal” Character: All the other people that might have minimal contribution to the story as a whole. They are the rest of the world.

Although these are some of the most important characters, you as a writer can go into more character detail. Here are some more types of characters. 

Once your characters are created and have a life, you must set your story plot.

What story are you going to tell? What are your characters going to go through?  The plot of your story should consist of a series of events that have movement and change. These events should be increasing milestones that your main character should go through until reaching a climax and resolve the story. There is a lot of information out there that can help you have a better understanding of the plot and its creation. 

The plot will consist of 3 acts and 5 parameters: Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.

Click the link for more information about the StoryPlot

The story is the central point of every idea you may have regarding the making of the project. You should try do what you think has a positive effect on the story and avoid the things that cause negative effects for the story. Once your story idea is clear, you can proceed to get into details that will tell this story.

Check Out Fellow Filmmakers

There is a site called Filmmakers United that just hosted a film contest. Check out what other filmmakers are doing to get some inspiration. Inspiration is the first thing we need in order to start making ideas come true. It is not the equipment, its the creativity!

 I personally enjoyed this one called L'Odio. Check it out. 

On this short film you are able to appreciate not only a great story structure, but the production quality required to have a professional product at a low cost.

Filmmakers United is a growing community that focuses on the networking of filmmakers around the world in order to create projects with several people.

It provides the opportunity to see what other filmmakers need to do and what they are doing to make it true.

It also provides the opportunity to create a profile so people are able to see you as a person as well as a processional. Here you can list your interests and skills which will help others find you if they are looking for something specific that you can bring to the table.

Welcome!

Hello fellow Filmmakers! Welcome to the Leopard Lilies Community Blog, a place where we will share everything about film making. Films are an art and they can be made in several ways. However, there are steps to getting started in the film making career, we will help you get started.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at anytime through any of our social networking services.

Now, lets get started!

Here is my latest documentary. Hope you enjoy and give me your piece of mind about it.