Golly, you leave the blog alone for a couple of months and then two things come rushing in at once…
Firstly, we are very proud of the poster drawn up by the artist Bruno Cavellec (more of his art can be admired at hiw website – Bruno Cavellec). This poster adds just the right amount of mystery and intrigue.
And the second piece is the wonderfully atmospheric trailer completed for the film.
Haunting and evocative and a taster for wanting to know more, more, more…
Hide and Seek has been made with bags of enthusiasm, oodles of ‘called in’ favours and a number of very generous patrons and small businesses on the Isle of Man. Through the fantastic efforts of our Producer, Debs Gwinnell, we have made this film with private monies.
The world is changing – and, in particular, the world of film making is changing. Equipment to make a film is more affordable and the route to distribute your film is a mouse click away, old paradigm’s are crumbling and filmmakers are sharing successes and failures and adapting to new ways of thinking.
Unfortunately, it still costs to make a film.
Despite the best intentions of all involved, crew need feeding, HMI lights need renting, the perfect props and production kit need buying and festivals need entrance fees.
But, as filmmakers, we don’t want funding. Nope – not a solitary cent. What we do want is financing. Financing isn’t about giving money away, it’s about wanting something in return. Financing is making an investment. And for the financing into a film we give a defined return on investment (ROI).
The business model for short films has changed – and we can now go back to investors with facts and figures and make good our promises. We can show how many people have seen the film (stats from Youtube, Vimeo, Futureshorts and a wealth of other platforms that can host short films). We can detail how many festivals to which the film has been submitted (acceptance and winning is not guaranteed. Although with the right amount of money – well, anything is possible!). We can provide the associated media exposure, the accolades and praise, the local goodwill. All with the financiers name attached to the end credits of the film.
We don’t want funding. But we do want financing. Financing is taking responsibility for the money that we have garnered from Investors. And for that investment we can give facts and figures on where and how the money was spent, and the results. The number of viewers for the release, the result of festival entries, and the associated media exposure.
As well as taking the investor along the magical road of making a mini movie!
As the edit for Hide & Seek moves from the rough cut to the finer, choicer cut under the careful scalpel of the wonderous editor, a filmmaker’s eye slowly turns to the glitz and glamour of Festivals.
Now, I’ll hold my hands up here and say that I’m not a big fan of festivals. However, it’s only right that we look at submitting Hide & Seek to a few of the select festivals out on the circuit. It helps with publicity to get a few laurels on the film, and allows for a certain satisfaction for the crew, cast and sponsors to submit to a number of festivals. Gives the film a sense of completion.
Withoutabox.com is a central source for filmmakers and festival organisers – allowing one to contact the other and deals with much of the administration process. Perfick.
I’ll update our festival entries once the final cut is complete (and naturally the premier showing will be someplace on the Isle of Man for all and sundry). We will probably choose a few glamorous film festivals – and perhaps a few niche ones to build a buzz.
But the festival submission process is a lottery – and Chris Jones (maker of the goddarn beautiful ‘Gone Fishing’ shortie) gives us a breakdown of his submission trials and analysis. He did well with a scattergun approach of many entries and won a fair number of those that accepted the film. Lessons which we intend to learn from his submission co-ordinator Sara Morrison.
And it goes without saying that we will be submitting to the couple of Manx festivals throughout the year 🙂
Because, despite the efforts of the scriptwriter, or the talents of the Director or the dreams of the Producer, the film is made within the edit suite.
Whatever the intentions and the hopes of the cast and crew – they have had their go. The film has been shot and wrapped and everyone has gone home with a smile on their faces. But now the hard work begins. Now the editor rolls up her sleeves and gets stuck in and makes the efforts of the cast and crew into the best damned film she can.
This is the time the editor pulls out her top hat full of tricks and starts to cut the short film to wring out the essence of the film, reach for the heart of the story and select the best performances so that the absolute best film is made from the material available.
This is where the magic is made. The shortie film comes to life and the results will amaze. The editor is the unsung heroine – but then, we don’t do it for the praise. We do it because we get to watch the entire footage, to build the film and to create the end result that will be a wonder for the audience.
Laura M – –
I’ve been in the film industry for over 10 years, in the production side. I have worked on over 20 film and television productions brought to the island by Isle of Man Film/CinemaNX but my activity now is in feature development, alongside London-based partners, concentrating on script development, packaging, financing etc.
Earlier this year I was asked by Dave, Christy and Phil to come on board the Mannin Shorts scheme, in the role of initial script assessor to help the writers on development of their screenplays, before their formal submission to the UK for judging. The next thing I knew, my inbox was fatter to the tune of 30 submissions, in all shapes, sizes and forms. Armed with my notebook, pencil, post it notes and military strength coffee, I plunged into a myriad of worlds created by some very diverse local talent, and visited many places in those few days (I think Michael Palin might have struggled to keep up). My travels included medieval versions of the island, the sinister London underworld, a Manhattan park at lunchtime, an Gilliam-esque city suburb, a very macabre warzone, a wedding day full of surprises, and a secluded beach hosting a wardrobe!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this initial assessment process, and was very impressed by the overall standard of material, some pieces really hitting the mark. They offered a strong testament to the creativity that exists on the island and gave solid foundation to the Mannin Shorts goal of promoting our burgeoning film-makers. I subsequently met with all the writers to give my critiques, and produced my short list of the scripts that I felt carried the most potential. It was very pleasing to discover later that, when the scheme’s UK Judge, Screenwriter and story analyst, Danny Stack, made his selection, we pretty much had the same results.
Very much in my choice list was Ady Hall’s HIDE AND SEEK. To me, it really worked. The structure and pace were there, telling the story of Alice, a character I could really believe in, irrespective of the bizarre world where she found herself. Indeed my notes to Ady were minimal to say the least. The emotional core of the story was established from the get-go, the psychological journey she found herself on, and the way it was presented, really made me want to follow it with her. . And as for that denouement …I had my own idea of how we would ‘fade to black’, but I have to confess I was surprised, and laughing out loud for a good two minutes. No, not the ‘LOL’ we see in text messaging and hastily sent emails, when we know damn well the sender is sitting poker faced at their keyboard. I was Laughing. Out. Loud…..
When I’m asked what I look for in a script, of course I study story, structure, pace, flow, but my primary focus is ‘character’. It’s possibly something of a cliché but when assessing characters, and their ability to tell a story, I need to be able to laugh with them, cry with them and punch the air with them i.e. they must be well drawn, believable, with depth, soul, emotion. If I don’t believe in them, it doesn’t matter if the story is set in period London, the Planet Zog in the year 50 trillion or anywhere (or time) in between. I have to believe, in order to attach, and in order to care. And I cared about Alice.
There have been very strong arguments presented as to why certain individual members of the production structure are the most important in bringing a film to fruition. And indeed, they are all absolutely vital to the process. But to me, it all starts with a strong script. Compelling plot, structure, ‘heart’, and characters you can attach to. Without them, there is no story to capture, no vision to create. You might argue that this is all very obvious, not exactly rocket science, but bear in mind there are thousands of screenplays out there, but not necessarily thousands being made.
It’ll come as no surprise to learn, that when Ady, Debs Gwinnell, Laura Jones, Lynda Reiss and John Craine came together earlier in the summer, to begin prep on HIDE AND SEEK, I was thrilled and excited that one of my choice favourites was about to be achieved. I was even more pleased when they asked me to come on board in an official capacity. The cast and crew recently spent 4 days in and around Douglas, bringing Alice and her upside-down world to life. It was a lot of hard work, very long hours, and many challenges, but all that was tempered with a team that formed an enormous bond. No airs, graces or egos, just a great shared passion and purpose, ‘can and will do’ attitude’, and a really positive atmosphere. Exactly how it should be and a great launch for the whole Mannin Shorts initiative.
And I can’t wait to see the finished result.
— Rob Craine
The principal photography was completed on Tuesday evening dead on time – and so the Hide & Seek short film shoot, which took four days and a number of locations, is ‘in the can’.
We celebrated the end of the shoot with a few drinks (and cake!) for the extensive crew and cast – and can now let the dust settle before cracking in to the editing, grading, preparing marketing materials, tweak the SFX, and all the necessary post-production gubbins to turn the raw footage into the watchable shortie.
Now that the film is shot – we will be able to bring you details on our road to distribution, including the festivals we intend to submit to – and the date we will release Hide & Seek on a ‘tube near you.
— Ady
And all goes well!
Please check out the photo’s of the first day’s crewing activity on the Hide and Seek – Short Film facebooky page – for your ‘like’ and your linklove 🙂
— Ady
Because without the Producer – none of this will ever get off the ground. The Producer is the organiser, the fixer, the negotiator, the one who holds the purse-strings, and she who must be obeyed!
Producing a film is a multi-tasking nightmare and it takes a special kind of person to be able to produce a short film. They are the business side to the film making and have to (often) reign in all the creative types with the practical and the sensible and the permission slips.
A good producer will elevate the short film from the words on paper to the final product on screen. Working closely with the Director, they will ensure that visions can be achieved (with minimal compromise) and that the final cut will be to everyone’s satisfaction. But her job doesn’t end there! The Producer will then bring all the marketing materials together and begin the hard slog of getting the film out to an audience. Festivals, screenings, online exposure – the Producer will then get it out to you, the lovely audience, for your viewing pleasure.
— Debs
Links on Producing (few and far between)
Backstage Business – how to be a Film Producer
Indie Film Producer – Adventures of an Indie Film Producer
Cineman – A Producer knows all the tools in the toolbox
Directing is the most important part of making a short film because without it there is no clear vision of the end product. The vision has to be explained well to everyone from the start. If not people will get confused and start going off at tangents.
If you are certain what you want to achieve people will believe in the project. You may not be able to do a lot of what the crew does but it is your vision of the end result that counts.
They will (hopefully!) buy in to that and assist you in the whole process.
Also casting is vital and it is the director that does that. Casting the right people for the right roles is so important – considering not only an actor’s talent/look but their personality. It is so important that they are directable and not set in their way of doing things – but at the same time not need things to be too prescriptive.
— Laura
And here are some links to information on Directing a film
A Guerilla Masterclass – Chris Jones excellent scheme
Lights Film School – Film School with good examples and blog
Marshall Neilan – Brilliant advice from the oldies
London Film Academy – Enroll and learn
Action Cut Print – Filmmaking tips
You know I’m right. Writing the script is where it all starts for any film – and particularly a short film. A short film with it’s brief story to tell – the writing has to portray the idea in 10 mins or less.
Nothing appears on the screen without it coming from the pages of the hallowed script – and so writing is where it all begins. The twists, the turns, the character arcs. The script is the baby in the short film process.
Writing a short film is also a lonely process – but luckily there are a few websites and communities out there to share the knowledge, share the processes, and share the pain.
Scriptwriting in the UK – Danny Stack writes about writing in the UK
John August – John August writes about writing (and Hollywood) in the US
Wordplayer – Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott share hundreds of articles
Mystery Man on Film – If you can find him – articles on the process.
Write Here, Write Now – Lucy Vee Hay writes about writing and production in the UK
TwelvePoint – Scriptwriter magazine
— Ady
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