Screenwriting : Projects in different locations... by Toni Favilli

I'm in New Zealand, where most films get funded via the film commission. It looks for "significant New Zealand content" as a criteria for for gaining funding. That said, they are starting to take a more relaxed view on that, which may see projects getting backing that previously wouldn't have.

Alle, thank you for your comprehensive reply. It is hard when you don't know the people to approach in different countries too. If you live in a country then presumably you can get to know who to pitch to, what the trends are, what the process is, if it is government funded etc.... If ever anyone is interested in co-hosting a website that compiles such info let me know! I am keenly interested in this topic (working internationally as I do), and would love to collaborate. What in particular should one avoid in the UK and AUS? LOL I definitely get the feeling that in the UK, it's not what you do it's who you know. I hope your project gets off the ground! Yes you are a writer, and therefore omnipotent! LOL Keep in touch and let me know how you get on? I probably have a million questions for you, but would like to ask them slowly rather than in one fell swoop ;-) Nice talking to you!

Guy McDouall... Is that why LOTR and the Hobbit went to the US for funding? I bet someone in an office somewhere is eating their hat right now! I do not believe I've seen anything from New Zealand proper...can you suggest something for me to see? Cheers!

Why would you think that. He has runs on the board. NOTHING else matters these days, Or any other "days" you would like to mention NZers know this sort of thing, usually.

Hi Louis, sorry I don't understand your post. Can you clarify what you mean, please?

I think it is the different types of producers, some of the movies made here in South Africa scare me and proberbly would not get taken serious in America,the characters have no voice, but it works for the market here.

Toni - Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit films are a bit of a weird one. I'm pretty the NZ Film Commission logo does pop up at the start of these movies. There was some financial contribution from the commission and I'm believe they would have also provided some additional help with logistics/paperwork. The long and the short of it is that the NZ tax payer did contribute to the financing of these movies. The (somewhat controversial) logic of this is it's ultimately good for the local economy and is stimulating employment and further investment. As I understand it (which could be a little off) the film commission is not like a normal investor looking to make a return, it's a government grant. Good New Zealand films? Here's a couple that have "significant New Zealand content" in keeping with film commission requirements, they're also good films! "Once Were Warriors" and "Whale Rider." "Once Were Warriors" must be over 20 years old now. I watched it again a couple of years ago. It holds up really well and is still very powerful but it's NOT a feel good film. Don't watch it if you're feeling depressed! Also... I have a Film Commission funded short film that I wrote being filmed next month. Obviously you can add that to the list of awesome NZ films to watch as soon as it's done!

I must say with NZ being the location point for Lord of the Rings it must have also boosted tourism, everytime I watch it I want to go visit those areas.

Come over Marilyn. We need more tourism! And yes, you're right. The Middle Earth Films certainly boosted the number of people taking holidays here. Their are businesses that revolve around taking people on tours of film locations.

I hope the tours include novelty goodies like hobbit feet slippers and miniture golum dolls. Have you watched Strike Back, alot of those locations are in South Africa. But I don't think we have really well known locations. They need to expand out film industry alot it is very juvenile at present.

Yep! I hope to be able to jaunt over there next year at some point since I am moving to Singapore! So Guy, am I right in thinking that unless films/projects are funded by the NZ government they don't happen? Or is there another way to make movies in NZ?

Marilyn - I haven't heard of Strike Back. The Last South African movie I watched was Panic Mechanic with Leon Schuster. Should I be trying to get hold of Strike Back? I used to live and work with a bunch of South Africans in London and always thought I make it over there but it hasn't happened. Toni- Moving to Singapore! That's pretty cool. I've passed through it a couple of times but not for years. With regards to your question, the only film I can think of off the top of my head that got made here recently without Film Commission backing was a Western, set in the USA (note the absence of significant NZ content) called Good For Nothing. I believe the producers managed to raise the money privately and were also able to make the film very cheaply. Mike Wallace, the film's director, used to work at WETA and I believe he was able to get a few things done at mates rates and call in a few favors that added a lot of production value. By coincidence, the star of that film will be starring in the short I wrote that's getting shot next month. However, I don't know any of the people that made it and I'm not a producer so I can't answer you questions with total confidence. What I can say is that NZ only has a population of 4 million. So there's only so much film commission money to round and there's no equivalent of Warner Borthers here that can back large projects. I think it's rare that is 100% NZ that gets back by the film commission gets more than 3 mill. Still, this is a little outside my area of knowledge. Marilyn and Toni - I can't guarantee you hobbit feet or anything else if you visit! However, my wife and I live in Island Bay in Wellington and if you ever do ind yourself this neck of the woods feel free to hit me up via stage 32. We live very close to a walk that leads through to part of a location from LOTR, that's used as the entrance to Mordor. What you can't tell from the film is that it's actually right next to the coast where a Seal Colony hangs out in some of the colder months. So, if you come at the right time of year and want to tick of a visit to Mordor and Seal colony simultaneously, I'm your guy.

Well...first off thanks for the info on the film industry in NZ - I am still trying to get my head around how the different countries work at this, and why the USA is such a big pull, when there is such good work going on in some other countries. I am a little disheartened by the UK film industry since there are amazing people ready with amazing ideas and concepts, and not much seems to get off the ground. Our talented people have to look elsewhere for opportunities.... unless you are Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and have somehow managed to make 9 excellent and lucrative TV movies and called them 'Sherlock'! LOL But even so, they are on TV. and funded by the BBC ... wait, why don't they make Sherlock 'movies' instead of TV movies?!!! They have a ready made fan base and everything... Congratulations on your short! I am writing a series of shorts right now, and I am actually finding it a healthy challenge. They are like a mini series of snapshots inside a pub. What is your short about? As for NZ visit, I will certainly add you to the list of friends I would be seeing on NZ, but of course, none live as close to the Gates of Mordor as you seem to be, so I may have to make a special trip! LOL I am really looking forward to Singapore after having been 5yrs in Beijing!

well count me in too!!. I would love to understand the film industry in different parts of the world as for the Indian film Industry its like an ocean but still like exchange views

Hi Adla! You must have some interesting insights into the Indian film industry though? Is Bollywood the only way in, or are there other avenues for film makers to explore? How do movies get funded? How do scripts get chosen? Let us all know! LOL

I will hold you to that Guy if i am ever there. Strike Back is actually british series but filmed on some locations here. It has Sullivan Stapleton acting in it, he has just done 300 (number 2)

Cool. I'm always happy to be held to meeting nice people. :)

Toni I understand what you mean...but I think your question requires a bit of clarification...please correct me if I'm wrong. At least this is my understanding of the terms in the US film industry as explained to me from producers that I have worked with... "Green light" is a term generally reserved for the funding phase of production...also more typical for larger productions (studios & higher end indy's) as it implies that some exec somewhere gave a "green light" to write the check to begin making production expenditures. Crowd-funded or self financed films wouldn't need a "green light" because the production money is controlled by the owner of the project. Whether or not a film is exhibited in any particular country ( referred to as 'markets' or 'regions', sometimes by continent as in "North America", "Asia" so forth) is a Distribution question and is determined by deals struck between the Producers/Owners of the film product and Distributors whose boundaries have limited reach...UNLESS the film is bought by a large enough entity to negotiate "World Wide rights"...which is a much larger figure to negotiate. In the case if LOTR...the studio gave the "green light" for Jackson and his partners to begin filming and the studio, and only the studio control when and where the film is/will be exhibited. Generally, these "studios" are global media conglomerates, but not always. There are some 'production company's' that are large enough to be referred to as studios, but own no production facilities per se, only a catalog of film titles that they have bought or financed and own the rights to. Please forgive me for being didactic, but I thought it important to clarify. Thanks

This may not even be the answer you are looking for... but Guy mentions NZ gov't funding, and most countries other than the USA have some sort of government body that funds films (often through lottery $) (sorry, my keyboard doesn't have a pound sign). This impacts the type of movies that get made, and who can make them. I have sold scripts that were made by Canadian companies, and they have a 10 point system designed to employ Canadians in the key creative jobs. The more Canadians, the more $ and better chance of being funded. Other countries have similar rules in place, because the reason the gov't funds movies is to create jobs for the people of that country. So, as an American I have almost no chance of selling outside the USA (unless it's an independent company not funded by gov't or lotto money). But as a UK writer, you qualify for those UK entities. I believe BBC has some programs and methods to get scripts to them. I have been on pitch panels with BBC guys who contacted writers after the event about their screenplays... so they are looking for scripts from new writers.

PS: Because the USA is all about the money, there's a lot of competition for a handful of jobs... and the scripts that sell are the ones studios think will make a lot of money. Also because the focus is money here instead of cultural considerations, a script has to appeal to the entire world instead of only the USA. For the past 3 decades a USA movie makes about 70 percent of its income from other countries.... so the screenplays have to be something that people all over the world would pay to see.

Mark... thanks for the clarification, and I was referring to the funding for movies, so you actually answered my question! I am just aware that making movies, or at least getting funding for movies, is not the same process from country to country. And as you have so succinctly pointed out, there can be different avenues even within one country to get funding. I am in Beijing right now (soon to move to Singapore) and I know a couple of people here in the movie business. I have talked to them a little bit, and I have been astounded by the lengths people have to go to to get their projects greenlit. I have also learned how uber-fickle the business can be here (I know it can be fickle elsewhere). I was wondering how getting funds to realize a project differs from place to place. Thank you for your comment and please feel free to share more of your insight and clarifications!

William, thank you so much for you comment. It helps a lot to hear what you wrote. I would love to hear more about your experiences from you re the BBC. I have been told several things about the BBC, mainly contradictions, ranging from it's not what you wrote it's who you know, and it depends on who is on the pitch panel that day. How did you get your scripts to them? (well done you!) Is there a guideline somewhere? I have looked at the BBC's 'Writer's Room', and found that interesting, but I am sure there are other ways of getting a look-in. I do not have an agent... moving round like I do makes it difficult to meet with any one, or even knowing who might be approachable to take on someone new. Would that help?

Locations really matter . It makes a difference in the final product !

Hi Stacey, I agree.

So much of our art (recorded or live performance) is based on other people... They used to tell me in acting/theatre school that all you need for 'theatre' is one other person... to be an audience member...and that is true conceptually. But we all know that to progress, both as an artist and in this profession, that is not enough. We need to advance, both in our performances and in the industry. Larger and wider 'audiences'. And that requires , at some point, someone showing their support, in the form of giving money or production funding. But that as well, is out of our control, for the most part. We can seek additional sources, try to get the word out as much as we can, network with new people, 'crowd-funding is a natural progression of this idea. But even then, the idea of funding difficulties is felt at all levels of this industry. Recent 'crowd-funding' campaigns from Spike Lee & Zach Braff bare this out. Even world class film makers feel this frustration. So what is the lesson... WE DO WHAT WE DO. ALWAYS. Keep moving forward. Keep progressing. Keep making your art. The rest will follow and fall into place. The work is what's important and I am a firm believer that IF the work is there, at the highest level it can be...it WILL BE SUPPORTED. JMO

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path; and that will make all the difference.” Steve Jobs

HI Sarah, Would the email be a query letter about my film? Or other questions I might have?

Thank you, Sarah. So, it sounds like it's pretty impossible to even get the query letter read, let alone the script, eh?

great sarah thanks for sharing this information

hey mark the show must go on no matter what

sorry alle, for the bad experiences you have had but alle" the show must go on" no matter what, but thanks for your advice it means a lot becauseI believe in "don't create a wheel, start from where others have left, thank you once again