Coppola’s note about “Tetro”

The following text is to the subscribers of Landmark Theater’s e-newsletter and it’s about Francis Ford Coppola’s thoughts on his latest film “Tetro,” and the current state of his career. For me, as a guy who has created 3 self-financed, personal features and dozens of shorts, and is now trying to tell broader, market-friendly stories, this fascinates me because he’s moving in the opposite direction as I am. Although personal and small to him is reportedly 15 million, and for me it was a few hundred thousand,  but the intention for both of us was the same. And yet, I think it will be nearly impossible for him to make his money back on that budget with a personal film like “Tetro.” And the current box office numbers suggest that.  I’ve posted that data at the very bottom (from IndieWire.)

If I had enough money to self-finance the rest of my life, and never worry much about profitability, would I only make obscure personal films? I don’t know. I might. But I think it would limit my development as a filmmaker, which is also deeply important to me.  If FFC continues to make personal films that lose money and eat away at his wine business fortune, will he get re-inspired to mix art and commerce, like some of his peers are actively doing pretty well (Think: Scorsese, Clint Eastwood) ? It was FFC himself who said having a family as young man provided great inspiration for him to succeed as a filmmaker because he HAD to provide for them. Is this freedom he has now making him a better filmmaker, or is it too easy for him to avoid digging deep?

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Dear Film Club member,

It is a dream come true to be able to make personal films and have them shown in great theatres such as Landmark’s. Tetro is the kind of film I might have been making 35 years ago, had my career not taken an abrupt and sudden turn as it did with The Godfather. Sure, it was exhilarating to find myself an important Hollywood director, with all that came with it. But as the years went on, I found myself trying to avoid becoming a gangster film director, with all that came with that: stabbings, shootings, car crashes and strangulations. It became pretty clear that even if well-paid, a Hollywood director is expected to do what the company who employs him wants. And most times it is a genre film of some type, if not a gangster film, then take your choice between a thriller, a caper film, a romantic comedy (nothing wrong with that) or sci-fi epic (nor that). I found myself dissatisfied, and frustrated over the fact that even though I had made successful films and won plenty of awards, I still would have to go, hat in hand, and beg permission to make something really new.

With Apocalypse Now, I ultimately found I had to finance it myself. Financing movies is a perilous activity, especially when the films are as unusual as I wanted to make. At first Apocalypse Now seemed as if it would bury me—the initial reaction wasn’t good, despite some acknowledged spectacular scenes, but it was deemed too philosophical or worse, ‘arty’—which is the ultimate damning word that can be used on a film. Well, I thought, weren’t most of Ingmar Bergman’ or Michelangelo Antonioni’s films ‘arty but good’? As were the many films of Federico Fellini or Akira Kurosawa? Maybe those films weren’t financial powerhouses, but they stayed with you and were inspirational. And also, they were all different from any other films being made. That in the end is my main criteria for enjoying a film: that I never saw it before or anything quite like it.

Many years went by.

Then, taking inspiration from my daughter who had learned the very same tricks from me, I decided to return to my youth, and realizing that the smaller the budget of a film the greater the ideas of that film could be, began to self-finance the very kinds of films I had hoped to make at the beginning. It was like trying to find my place, after being away a long time. I took a story from Mircea Eliade, Youth Without Youth. When it was done, I found the film audience had ventured even further away from anything other than the pre-made, pre-measured genre films that I had tried to escape from, and now wanted even their independent films to be mini-Hollywood ventures. No matter, I thought, the idea was to find myself and I had done that. Now, the next step was to pick up where I had left off, and write an original story and screenplay, something I hadn’t done for 30 years since The Conversation.

The result is Tetro, which you are about to see soon at a Landmark theatre near you. I hope you will find it moving, as it is drawn from real emotions related to my experiences and life—though not in any way autobiographical. I hope you wish me well on this new career of mine. It was the one I always wanted from the beginning, to be an independent filmmaker, writing stories and making personal films. God knows what will come next!

Sincerely,
Francis Coppola

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[The current marketplace response, from IndieWire]

“Behind “Food” was Francis Ford Coppola’s “Tetro,” released through Coppola’s American Zoetrope. On 2 screens, “Tetro” – based around the troubles of an Italian-American family living in Argentina – grossed $38,169.  Its $19,084 average places it well above Coppola’s last effort, 2007’s “Youth Without Youth,” which averaged only $4,758 from 6 screens. As the film expands and initial curiosity wains, the mildly received “Tetro” might struggle to keep up a promising pace. While outgrossing “Youth”‘s $244,397 seems all but assured, recouping its $15 million budget does not.”

when big directors go “small”

Significant article in the LA Times about several A-List directors (Sam Mendes, Angle Lee, Sam Raimi, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh) with “smaller” films coming out this summer without A-List actors. Although small for most of them is 17 to 30 million! Which leads me to think there is NO WAY they’re going to make thier money back on these personal films. And yet, must be nice to have that much power. But then again, how much power will they retain if they (ponetially) lose a ton of money on their passion projects?

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-smallcanvas7-2009jun07,0,230157.story

Next Online Screenwriting Seminar: June 6

NEXT CLASS: Saturday, June 6th!
(And if there’s enough demand, we’ll add the extra day on Sunday the 7th)

The Basics
– Begin with an idea, finish THAT DAY with a 3 page outline
– Or begin with an outline, and bust it out to 40 storypoints
– Work from wherever you want, we connect by conference calls
– Limited to 5 fellow writers, or LESS
– Choose one day or two
– $195 for just Saturday, $345 for both days

The Action (all times are Pacific Standard Time)

Saturday
– 10am PST – Pitch idea/logline(s), get feedback, pick one to write
– 11am PST – Brief discussion of 15 story sections of a 3 page outline
– Write all day on your own
– 4pm PST – Submit 3 page outline OR wait to pitch your story at 5
– 5pm PST – Submitters and pitchers get in-depth feedback

Sunday
– 10am PST – Check-in and goals for revision
– 11am PST – Open QandA
– Write all day on your own
– 4pm PST – Submit your work OR wait to pitch your story at 5
– 5pm – Pitch final story to group and get in-depth feedback

To Apply
- Send an e-mail to apply@aBetterFilm.com
- Write the subject heading “Writing Cauldron”
- Let us know your ideal dates and your experience level
- As soon as we get at least 2 other compatible colleagues available the same weekends you are, we’ll set up the next session

I Shot a Short Film, Now What?

A friend who’s a filmmaker in his mid 20’s wanted advice about his career situation. I figured this would be a good time to lay out some of my basic ideas about this so that anybody can also learn from his situation, since he’s got a lot of company.

Here’s what he specifically wrote to me:

“After making my first funded non collegiate short film, I realize now how much more experience I need. I suppose this film, which will come in 10 minutes or just under, could be used as a calling card? But realistically, what else can I do with it professionally? Could I somehow turn a profit? Or not even that, sell it for something?

I also have stuff in the works. I have a feature that is not based on the same story but has similar types of characters that is way more dramatic and intense then my short. The script is not yet completed, but how does that relate to my short?”

My response:

Welcome to your career! This part is all about nurturing a relationship with your audiences, and connecting with the industry people who will help you grow your relationship with your audiences.

Here are my 6 specific suggestions…

#1 – Build a Solid Website

* Don’t spend much money on this, but make it true to your style and be sure it feels very professional. Getting a friend (or an up-and-comer) who’s a great graphic designer should keep your costs way down.
* Buy the URL for YourName.com.
* And/or buy the URL for YourFilm.com.
* Be sure the front website page makes it easy for people to sign up for your e-newsletter.
* E-newsletter? Yeah, step up with this ASAP because that’s the key to 21st century distribution. If your current list is less than 100 peeps, a free service is fine. But once you break 100 you might want to consider a professional service like Constant Contact.
[If you do use CC, please tell them I sent you because they'll pay me an affiliate fee!] That being said, there are PLENTY of solid e-mail newsletter services out there so shop around and find the best one for you.
* It’s possible to create a blog or a web 2.0 profile instead of your own site, but it’s probably better to do these profiles in addition to your personal site and movie site — when you find time. And again, the MOST important part of any web 2.0 profile? A way to get them on your mailing list so you can directly connect with your customer base, the rest of your life.

#2 – Clarify Your Next Projects

* Craft your next films into GREAT loglines. Its a pain in the neck, but it forces you to get clear about the core elements of your stories. And it’s the industry standard.
* If you want help with this logline crafting process I emphatically recommend Blake Snyder’s first “Save the Cat” book. This book and his system in general, is clear, simple, powerful and fun.
* Bust out a few more loglines while you’re at it.  One is a good start. 3 to 12 will be smarter, because once you get meetings, why not have 12 chances to advance your career with that person, rather than 1 chance?

#3 – Finish Your Film

* Oh, yeah. The film! Yes, it’s also important to actually do your best work completing the current story. I strongly suggest lots of rough cut screenings and lots of feedback to get to the point where you’re proud of what it is and at peace with what it’s not.
* While you’re finishing it, (and ideally this would have been done sooner) nurture connections to niches who will be interested in your material. Think about your film’s setting, locations, themes, character types, and what types of communities will respond to it for those reasons. For example, “The Tribe” is a short documentary about a Jewish guy who created the Barbie doll and it has sold a ton of copies because it tapped into communities who care about the complex history of both the Barbie doll and the Jewish people. Most shorts don’t make a dime, but these filmmakers found innovative ways to connect with their niches. It’s possible you can do the same. Or it’s possible, you won’t have niches that are easy enough to reach to generate revenue. Then what?

#4 – Screen It !

* Show it to all your contacts. Submit it to fests. Promote the heck out of every screening you get. Have DVDs at your screenings so that people can buy them!! And every event you’re involved in, keep adding names to your e-mail list. When you play a festival, consider sending a mass e-mail out to all your fellow filmmakers at that fest and offer to join their e-mail lists, if they’ll join yours. If you’re concerned about getting overwhelmed by their newsletters, create a new gmail account just for newsletters from colleagues.
* When you finally connect with people who love your film and you’re getting meetings, and they want to know what you’re doing next, you’re going to be thrilled that you’ve already completed suggestion #2, and have great project pitches ready to unleash.

#5 – What If Nothing Happens with My Film?

* Welcome to the world of 99% (if not more) of all filmmakers these days. Doesn’t matter. You’re here because you love it, right? So just keep moving forward. Take your favorite and most marketable logline, and write the feature. Then write a few more features. Lots of people say they don’t even get the real feel for the script craft until they’ve written (and finished) at least four features. I’ve also heard that many people haven’t sold a script until they’ve gotten to their 12th one. Which is a solid 6 years of writing! Doesn’t matter. Just keep doing it because you love it and good things will happen, sooner or later. If you want to give a great energy boost to your screenwriting process, and make it much smarter and faster, Blake Snyder has a killer weekend course, where you start with a logline and end with a 3 page outline. It rocks. I liked it so much I’ve begun my own on-line version of it as part of my mentorship program, aBetterFilm.com. You won’t go wrong with either seminar. Lots of fun, and one of the best things you can do to develop your  craft.
* Or if you’re not really feeling the screenwriter’s path, then produce and direct another short. And/or try some spec tv commercials and/or music videos for your favorite unknown bands. Or maybe create a sizzle reel for a reality tv show. But this time around, you’ll already know to stay active on the web, and keep collecting e-mails, and send out the e-blasts about your awesome adventures of becoming the best storyteller you can be.

#6 – And What if Something DOES Happen with My Film?

* Wonderful! Then you’ve got a different set of challenges. Quality challenges that are actually not THAT different than what you’re already doing, but those details are the subject of another post…

aBetterFilm.com goes LIVE!

aBetterFilm.com fist logo

Clicking on that logo takes you to the one-page site where we send most of the traffic from our marketing campaign, and clicking HERE takes you to the main multipage site.

I’m very proud of it. And I want to give a big shout out to my buddies Brad Helmink and John Rauschelbach who I worked with to create logo and websites. They’re the creative force behind “The Lodge.” Really fun horror film if you happen to be into that sort of thing.

And the other main thing I want to say is please spread the word to anybody you know, and/or any communities you’re involved with. Because it really is a great program for everybody involved and word-of-mouth will make the program fly.

–B

Audience and the creative process

A couple questions came up in my
On-Line Mentorship Program: aBetterFilm.com
and I’m reposting my answers here….

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#1 how much do I think of my audience when I create?
and
#2 what do I do with my ideas once I get them?

The answer to #1 for me, now, is “always.”
I always keep the audience in mind with every choice.
And I also keep myself in mind. My goal is to look for
solutions that seem to fit for both myself and the audience.

BUT, I’ve been doing this for 20 years and I feel very
comfortable and satisfied with my creative voice.
The first 10 years I spent thinking mostly
of finding and clarifying my voice. I wanted people
to like the work, but it was secondary.
I was making money in other ways and
not THAT concerned with connecting with large audiences.
The process satisfied me and the response was icing.

“Schooled” was the first film where I began to care
about how the information was landing on people.
I wasn’t going for a blockbuster, but I did want to
provoke a certain type of response with the audience,
and I was successful in that. When it world premiered
at The MethodFest it was one of the most satisfying
experiences I’ve ever had because after doing so many script
readings and then later on — a bunch of rough cut screenings,
I knew how it landed, I loved the reactions it got,
and I was at peace with the people who weren’t crazy about it.
So I sat back enjoyed the screening, and the reactions.

With the scripts and the TV show I’ve developed since then,
I’ve opened up the scope of my target even wider.
My early work was seen by hundreds of people.
“Schooled” has been seen by thousands.
The intention of my future work is to reach tens of millions.

And to do that I still have to stay true to my voice.
Which means I have to find the “true” choices
that happen to appeal to larger amounts of people.

So the second question is:
what do I do with the ideas once I have them?
I package them. When an idea hits that seems deep enough
to sustain interest in a feature film or a TV show,
I’ll jot down notes about the idea.
Later, if I’m still feeling it, I’ll develop it into a
logline and then to a 3 page outline.

Sometimes I’ll have ideas for shorts too,
and if they’re REALLY compelling to me,
I’ll write them down. But for the most part,
I stay focused on larger scale work.

I have a handful of loglines that I’m ready to pitch
when I have meetings with people interested in my work.
I’ve got a 3 page outline of a film I’d love to direct next.
And I’m working on another outline of a sci-fi action
(triology!) that I’d love to co-write next.

So to specifically answer the question, I take the idea
and I craft it into a package that’s ready to deliver
– as long as it seems there is enough audience interest.

The Watchman

On a scale of: 10-high, 0=low,
I rate it a 7.

At times, I was stunned and moved at the same time.
Like the opening sequence when the classic Bob Dylan song played.
The exploratory movement of the frame, the chock-full layers
of staging within the shots, and the flow of the whole sequence,
— was delightfully staggering to me.

As a visual director, he’s doing things that are at
the level of guys like Terry Gilliam
and Tim Burton
But he’s got a down and dirty sensibility that’s more
like John Milius
Very intriguing.

But while the shot making was at times, astounding,
the over-all story was WAY too long for me.
I would have preferred it to be 50% shorter. Plus, it seemed
mistakenly beholden to the graphic novel’s plot lines
which I know was likely a deliberate choice to
play to the die hard fans of that classic book.
But the sprawl of story threads just confused
and bored me, and I would have much preferred
a stream-lined re-visioned adaption of the story.
I think that would have had a BETTER chance at
delivering the spirit of the book, which is what matters more.

In terms of storytelling craft, I think it was awesome
that they set up The Comedian to have empathy
right from the jump (by him getting whacked).
And yet the rest of the movie goes on to reveal
what a rat-bastard he was, which is a lovely twist!
I was personally thrilled to see that shot of him
supposedly being the one that killed JFK.
It was such a sad and creepy and inventive idea!

Last two things: I got to see the movie in a theater by myself!!
I was the only one in the place.
In the thousands of times I’ve been to the movies,
I think I’ve only had that experience one other time,
and that was during a matinee, this was at night.
But that doesn’t speak well for the revenue flow
for these filmmakers. I think the movie is too dense
for most and that’s why it’s having trouble crossing-over.
Here are the numbers…

And the last thing is that I have a real sweet spot
for Billy Crudup because I used to, sort of, know him
back at NYU. He was in the Grad Acting Dept then
and we played pick-up basketball together a few times.
Really nice guy. I actually invited him and several of his classmates
to audition for my senior thesis film. I never heard back
from him, but did make it with two of his classmates
and it won me the Best Screenplay Award at the NYU Film Fest.

“Serious Moonlight” at TriBeCa FF

One of my favorite friends and collaborators, composer Andy Hollander, has a film that’s premiering at the ‘09 TriBeCa Film Fest, “Serious Moonlight.” It’s starring Meg Ryan as a bigshot lawyer who stumbles upon her husband (Timothy Hutton) cheating on her with a younger woman.

It’s directed by Cheryl Hines from a script by the late Adrienne Shelly, who was a close friend of Andy’s. He also scored Adrienne’s films, the last one being “Waitress.”

The first feature Andy scored was my first feature “Snapshots from a .500 Season” and we’ve been great friends ever since.

Andy is pumped up about “Serious Moonlight,” so check it out if you happen to be in Bigtown during the end of April.

HERE is the link to the NY Times article about the announcement…

Negotiation Hardball

Here’s a link to a post from efficiency guru Tim Ferriss, the best-selling author of “The 4-Hour Work Week.” I’m a fan of his fierce day-to-day innovation tactics. I share a lot of his values, admire his guts, and by coincidence, through a recent e-mail exchange, we discovered we both grew up in the same tiny town, a few years apart.

Anyway, here’s his take on playing the negotiation game at the big boy’s table. It strikes me to be as funny as it is informative, and a delight to read for anybody who loves the nuances of negotiation strategy.

My favorite part is Principle 3: “The Flinch,” and how he checks his e-mail during the gaping holes of pregnant pauses. LOL
Go Tim!

What’s Next?

My friend and colleague David Brownstein of Hollywood Coaching
just sent out his newsletter and it’s got an insightful article about
the on-going process of being in the business, and how there
is ALWAYS a next level, no matter how high or low we are
on the “ladder.”

Another point he makes is how that ladder is quite different
to people inside and outside the business. It’s even different
within the business, depending on a person’s ambitions.
For example, many value the money-makers,
while others value the critics’ darlings and cult favorites.

The article comes at a good time for me as I’m beginning
my On-line Mentorship Program for Maverick Filmmakers
and realizing that the mentees are at a different place
on the ladder than I am, but our process of getting to
our own next step is exactly the same. And that’s going
to make this program even more fun and satisfying for me
than I originally realized!

Anyway, here’s a series of questions in the middle of
Brownstein’s article and a link to the rest of
it on his excellent site:

———————–

“We in the entertainment industry are always wondering “What’s next?”

What’s around the corner?
What’s going to sell in the current market?
Have I made enough money to get out of the business?
Have I made enough money to get INTO the business?
Have I written a good enough project to sell?
Have I written a good enough project to direct it?
Have I made amassed enough power to make a project I really truly love? “

Read the rest of the article HERE.