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Personal View Feature Film Collaborative project
  • 536 Replies sorted by
  • atticusdatticusd

    I like Vitaliy’s trailer idea. It would give us something tangible at last. Only problem I see is that it would be complicated to have every director involved in a trailer. For something narrative there’s not enough seconds to have everyone involved.

    In any case, if we go with the treatment approach to choose the writer, we should, by all means, establish some rules: Format of the treatment, maximum and minimum lenght, extra material (ie.: a couple of scenes, etc),...

  • RRRRRRRR

    That sounds good, Imaginate.. I remember @thepalalias offering to be an editor.

    IMO; once we have selected the script to go forward with (the writer, and then the editor) we should give the writing team a couple of months at least to go as far as they can with the script - and maybe then open up for comments rather than more voting.

  • ImaginateImaginate

    Philip Whitcroft, Martin Lancaster and myself will attempt to submit a beatsheet/treatment each for the March 1st deadline. As soon as I have some solid Ideas ill post an invite to a google doc if any of the other writers have some ideas to add or comments. In my case I have the time to work on an outline and assist with writing notes for and giving feedback to other writers but I wouldn't have the free time in March April to put in the hours that will be necessary for that first draft.

  • RRRRRRRR

    So, we have at least 2 now who will work on it. I think one or two more should suffice!

    And yes, I agree with @atticusd that we can't have the script writing process too complicated.. IMO we should give free hands to the writer and editor (whoever it is) to develop the whole thing as soon as we have decided on a particular writer or team of writers. I suggest that if there are someone who wants to collaborate and write as a team (I have bad experiences with "forced" collaboration), they should start now at this point to create the treatment together..

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Guys, may be us eother approach. Write first complete script for short trailer (30-45 sec) and make it from start to finish. After this is all goes good use same poeple and tachniques for whole thing?

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Well, I for one will take a crack at it.

  • ImaginateImaginate

    I think March 1st is a good cut off date to vote on a number of potential plot outlines. The vote should only be a week max... March 8th.

    As to the format of the treatment, leave it up to the writer as long as it covers the main plot points of the story. I prefer to outline my stories in beat sheets and then write a more detailed treatment once the plot points are hammered out.

    I would suggest to collaborate on each others stories and pass notes back and forth on each others stories as to make each one as strong as possible before the vote. Google docs seems to work well, it lets each reader make individual comments on particular words or sections. We could also have a place just where random idea, images or music tracks can be written down or uploaded to add to the creative flow as some of these stories are being thought through.

    Who all wants to be writing outlines for this next phase? or at least want to collaborate and give notes?

    I dont think a writer or team can be chosen until the story outline is chosen.

  • atticusdatticusd

    Don't worry @paginate! This things happen all the time in the forum world. ;)

    I like your approach. I only fear that with so many stages (not so many for a conventional project but maybe too many for an online collaborative thing like this) the project will get stuck in development hell at some point. In any case my suggestions for choosing the writer (or writing team) were probably too simplistic anyway. Maybe an intermediate approach would be the right thing to do. I don't know. Let's hear what the rest of the guys have to say.

  • paginatepaginate

    Sorry, atticusd. I didn't mean to bypass your message. Yours came in while I was writing mine, and so appeared to follow yours when I hit "post reply."

  • paginatepaginate

    As for suggestions, S t o w a w a y is only very loosely traced out; it is nowhere nearly as developed as two of the others that were in our top five. Perhaps that was its appeal? One senses the potential in it. Our imaginations run wild with the potential. I think that the story needs to be clearly delineated before any attempt at a screenplay. It is like a well-crafted, crystal bottle that plays with the light and makes its contents look exquisite and appealing. We still need to agree upon the wine (the contents) that fill that piece.

    imo... we should got by RRRR's recommendation and settle on two or three writers, (and yes, even an editor, and probably a "show-runner" type to act as chief producer to oversee all the stages, departments, and total story development and execution. As for the writing, imo, we should (1st) pick those roles and get the writers to work on their own webpage, to agree on story amongst that group; (2nd) get the core writing team to agree on an outline to present to the total group; (3rd) after unanimous approval, move to drawing out definable beats to the story; (4th) upon group approval, move to write it out as a treatment (i.e. a short story); (5th) upon approval, reform that story into a rough-draft screenplay; (6th) upon that approval; develop a 1st draft screenplay. At this point, as feedback continues to come in from the total group, the two or three writers can keep refining the screenplay into second, third and final drafts. Perhaps hiring out professional proofreaders would be advantageous at this point. Meanwhile, once we have a 1st draft -- the show-runner and the directors can start to plan out the how-to process. (This could be done now, at this pre-screenplay stage, but I think (a) story must be king and (b) whereas the details of the participants must always be considered -- such as ability, access to budget, or not, experience, geography, etc. -- this should not necessarily dictate story: story should be crafted only with those things in mind, not the other way around).

    I think the power of this project comes from its (nearly) sheer originality, from its democratic process and from the zeal of its participants. We should protect that to see this through to the end and to maintain or enhance its inherent appeal. Nevertheless, I think to elect a show-runner will be necessary to keep this ambitious project from unraveling and to ensure that it remains coherent and unified enough to be competitive in the motion picture marketplace. To avoid the (fear of a) show-runner evolving into megalomanic that derails this, a sound choice as to who that person should be can be tempered with a group commitment to keep the story as king (as opposed to any one person being in charge just for the sake of being in charge). That show-runner would have to be accountable to the story. The story would have to dictate all of his/her choices. And all along, the group is agreeing on the story.

  • atticusdatticusd

    Wow guys!

    Thanks a lot. Having my concept chosen by people like you feels like a prize in itself. How about something like this for the next stage?

    1) Interested writers submit a 1000-2000 words treatment and a couple of scenes (possible deadline: March 1)

    2) We choose our favourite treatment via a new poll (possible deadline: March 15)

    3) The writing process begins and at the same time we start securing assets like directors, editors, etc

    By the way, I'm interested in writing this motherfucker. So, if you let me, I'll submit my treatment, or whatever we decide the potential writers should do, along with the rest of them.

  • RRRRRRRR

    My suggestion is to sound out for interested writers to develop the script! If we can narrow down 3 writers who'd like to work a bit on it and then we see what we like the best?

    At the sime time, it would be good if we discuss the question of who should edit - maybe interested editors can step forward at the same time? @thepalalias?

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    just FYI, I believe everyone gave it a "thumbs up", if I am reading results correctly . . . it was unanimous. It sure does feel great to have one that everyone really does like. So what's next? Suggestions?

  • thepalaliasthepalalias

    Congrats to @atticusd on coming up with the concept. It was one of the two I voted for in the final round (along with my own, of course :).

    Looking forward to this next stage of movie.

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    The clear and official concept of choice is “Stowaway” Fiction (Original by @atticusd).

  • ImaginateImaginate

    Time for next steps with the project. Lets post the results of that last poll and discuss way forward.

  • paginatepaginate

    Hey. I'm one of the later-to-join writer-directors to join in on the other wiki site, and just realized that this one was also available. It seems like this site is more user-friendly than the wiki site. At any rate, whatever help I can be with future story development, I will. Please let me know where I can jump on in here and get involved.

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    How's the voting going, chaps?

  • ImaginateImaginate

    I agree with the idea of one complete script. Were are building something here and without actual blueprints there is a lot of speculation, but when all the different departments of a filmmaking team get a script in their hands that's when the magic starts to happen and the gifts of the various individuals start to shine.

    I have very specific thoughts on story and screenplay development and although this process has been a little bit chaotic I've learned something about how different people in different parts of the world look at the same problems or challenges. I see this collaboration as not just WHAT gets produced, but HOW its made, and that process should be just as rewarding as the final product.

    Rather than absolute dictator I'd go with the concept of Showrunner http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrunner with a small core of leaders who have a vote and say in key strategies and decisions. There should be a 'second in command' or VP selected to carry on if the Main Showrunner is incapacitated for whatever reason. So yes a single person with a clear vision for the story, but kept in check by a core group who support him but also align things should they become derailed.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Imaginate

    If you ask me, you need exactly the opposite. Not the ideas collaboration, but selection of one complete story (just with not all details). First draft of the script, I say.

    And use your different skills and free time to make this. With author of ths script (or his representative) being absolute dictator for main decisions.

  • ImaginateImaginate

    Here's a thought about the preproduction stage. What about the idea of having a crowdfunding campaign where each of the production teams can raise cash for their own perspective budgets. The idea of having one main campaign site, with multiple pitch videos of each of the teams... and different package donation perks for each of the countries or teams represented. When the campaign is finished we could divide funds as per packages sold, in addition to track the donated money via referral links .... The reason for a crowdfunding has two purposes, the obvious need for production funds and secondly to raise awareness and begin the marketing process for this film even while its in production so we have an initial grassroots market and fanbase for when the film is complete. There is going to be some hardcosts when the film is complete, the deliverables that a distribution company is going to need when it gets to that stage. I'm not trying to get too far ahead of ourselves when we can barely get enough people to even vote for for the concept of the film, But I'm interested in hearing some thoughts from you guys in how you were going to handle some of the costs of production and if any of you have had good or bad experiences with crowdfunding?

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    seven thus far.

  • TomasoTomaso

    Where to find the poll?? Sorry found it now!

  • atticusdatticusd

    @B3Guy Poll taken. How many are we so far?

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Please take the poll if you have not already. There are only 5 responses sofar.

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