What is a ‘genre’
Nobody likes to have their movie put into a box, but a genre is just style of movie whether it’s a comedy, a romantic comedy, a horror film, a teen slasher film. Genres can get more and more specific as you want them, but they’re basically about: What kind of movie...
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Tags: B movie, Ben Lyons, Fiction, Film genres, Genres, Horror film, Little Miss Sunshine, Love Story, Narratology, Slasher film, Theme
Posted in Independent Film | 6 Comments »
How do I find a ‘cast’ for an independent film
When you want a cast for your independent film, get the script to anybody who is willing to read it. Whether it is a big Hollywood star and you are trying to approach their agent directly, or dealing with a casting director. Usually if you...
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Posted in Independent Film | 6 Comments »
How do I determine a budget for my independent film
Independent films can cost one dollar to fifty million dollars. The reason why it’s an independent film is because that’s where the money is coming from. But Is it coming from somebody who is guaranteeing distribution? Or is it coming from somebody who is hoping...
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Posted in Independent Film | 9 Comments »
What is ‘post-production’
Post-production is when a film is being edited. It’s when a film is being scored, the music components are getting put in the film, and audio things are being checked and balanced out. Sometimes, the actors have to come back during post-production and do ADR, which is when they do voiceovers and...
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Tags: Apocalypse Now Redux, Ben Lyons, cuts, director, Film, Francis Ford Coppola, head, Independent Film, Paramount films, Person Communication and Meetings, producer, Robert Evans, The Godfather, The Godfather Part III
Posted in Independent Film | 4 Comments »
What is ‘location scouting’
Location scouting takes place during the pre-production phase of a film and it’s when you go out there and try to find the places where you’re going to go out and shoot the movie. Location scouting is really about approaching businesses in the city where you’re shooting the film, or wherever...
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Tags: Ben Lyons, Empire State Building, food, Hospitality/Recreation, Location scouting, New York, New York City, producer, Scouting
Posted in Independent Film | 3 Comments »
What is an ‘independent film festival’
There are really two types of independent film festivals, in my opinion. There are the big festivals where films are being sold to studios and to distributors. Of course there’s the Cannes Film Festival in the South of France every summer and there’s the Tribeca Film Festival, and Sundance....
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Posted in Independent Film | 8 Comments »
What is ‘production’
Production is when you go out there and make a movie. It’s from the first day of shooting to the last day, and on the final day, the director says, “It’s a wrap.” Production is the actual nuts and bolts, getting all the material you need to then go to the editing...
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Posted in Independent Film | 7 Comments »
What is a ‘production company’
A production company is the one that’s really going to be able to go out there and help you make the movie. They’re going to help you develop the script if you sell your script to a production company or are working closely with a production company. They’re going to...
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Tags: Adrian Grenier, Ben Lyons, Brad Pitt, Che, director, director of photography, editor, Entourage, Film, Film genres, films, Hollywood Classics Network Inc, Human Interest, major actor, News, Photography, regular director
Posted in Independent Film | 7 Comments »
What is an ‘independent film’
An independent film is a movie that is made without the help of a major Hollywood studio to distribute it. It’s a film made without distribution that is just being made, and then they’ll try to sell it so it can get seen. It’s independent of a studio which would...
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Posted in Independent Film | 6 Comments »