My first feature film at DVinfo.net

Dick Mays · June 20th, 2011, 07:23 PM

A little update for my DVC friends. We are doing a little project, that should lead to our first feature film. Thought some of you might be interested. Here is the link.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Richard Mays — Kickstarter

The Conceptual Acting tutorial features the two actors we have cast as Mr. and Mrs Shelby, for those of you familiar with the book. I hope this doesn't get pulled by Chris as SPAM. I am only posting here because I consider many of my fellow DVCers to be friends.

Dick

Bill Thesken · June 22nd, 2011, 12:45 AM

Mr. Mays, wishing you the best on this project. Is Kickstarter the best route, or should we send a check direct to your production company? It has to be max PG rated for us to consider. -BT

Lorinda Norton · June 24th, 2011, 09:24 AM

This is such a great film idea, Dick! Wishing you all the best.

Dick Mays · June 27th, 2011, 02:42 PM

Bill,

The short film is the first ten minutes of the feature film. The funding is for the short. Once the short is complete, investors get to see the first ten minutes, done on a tight budget, to determine whether they want to invest in the feature. The feature will probably be PG-13 rated, no nudity, but their is a violent scene where Uncle Tom is flogged. There is also a romantic reunion scene between an escaped husband and wife, but it will be tasteful. While I believe the feature would be a PG-13 film, the short will be PG.

Kickstarter does not allow equity to be given to project backers. However, if we do get to make the feature film it seems appropriate that the people who backed the short are somehow taken into consideration. We are thinking about ways to do that. That's all I can say about that.

Thanks for your interest.

Dick

Dick Mays · June 27th, 2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorinda Norton

This is such a great film idea, Dick! Wishing you all the best.

Thanks Lorinda. Did you get a chance to read the script?

Jeremy Doyle · July 17th, 2011, 07:19 PM

Congratulations on getting funded. Can't wait to see the first 10 minutes!

Dick Mays · July 23rd, 2011, 03:00 PM

Thanks Jeremy for your support. We will begin shooting on Labor Day, Sept 5th.

Lorinda Norton · July 25th, 2011, 10:00 AM

Very happy for you, Dick! This is really exciting. And no, I haven't read the script yet, but it's supposed to be 100 degrees in the shade today...sounds like a good time to sit indoors and do that. :)

Cole Seidl · August 10th, 2011, 05:57 PM

Benji and I just completed primary photography on our first feature yesterday. So I offer my condolences knowing what you are about to embark on.

But in all seriousness, congrats. I'm glad to see you taking this on.

(Fun fact, we used an antique copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as a stand in for Aristotle's "Metaphysics" in our film.)

Dick Mays · August 18th, 2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole Seidl

Benji and I just completed primary photography on our first feature yesterday. So I offer my condolences knowing what you are about to embark on.

But in all seriousness, congrats. I'm glad to see you taking this on.

(Fun fact, we used an antique copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as a stand in for Aristotle's "Metaphysics" in our film.)

Cole,

Congratulations! Are you keeping everything secret and under wraps? I'd love to know all about it. I'm going to go the whole "open book," approach, blogging and everything as we go along. Share with us what you can. Horror stories, budget, unexpected obstacles, etc. etc.

See you in Cannes!

Dick

Cole Seidl · August 28th, 2011, 04:28 PM

Hey Dick,
We're not really keeping everything under wraps, though we haven't made a huge effort to give information to people too. We were quite understaffed, so our main focus was simply on actually getting the movie done. Managed to take a few production stills too though.

We actually shot the whole thing for $4,000 which was a suicide mission. Shot it all on the T2i from a script I began writing Freshman year of college.

The biggest problem was the scope of the film was pretty big (half the film takes place in the south of France) and trying to make it work with limited budget and crew was difficult.

We also realized making films is a lot more fun when we're the ones doing the acting. Actors are what truly make directing "work".

Kevin Spahr · September 16th, 2011, 11:32 AM

"Kickstarter does not allow equity to be given to project backers. However, if we do get to make the feature film it seems appropriate that the people who backed the short are somehow taken into consideration. We are thinking about ways to do that. That's all I can say about that. "

The reason you can't do equity is the S.E.C. has very strict rules about selling "investments". Having people fund your movie in return for a share of the profits can very quickly cross the line in to a violation of the law.

I would suggest you do a bit of research on this subject because the penalties can be rather serve.

Bill Thesken · September 17th, 2011, 04:58 PM

"Having people fund your movie in return for a share of the profits can very quickly cross the line in to a violation of the law."

Isn't it normal to have investors fund a movie with an agreement to share the profits?

Kevin Spahr · September 18th, 2011, 05:45 AM

When it is done legally.

I'm traveling right now but I'll try to post a link on Monday that really does a good job of explaining the law on this issue. It can save you a lot of trouble...

Kevin Spahr · September 20th, 2011, 03:47 PM

I couldn't find the article I was looking for but this one explains some of the issues:

Film Production: Financing and Investment Issues | Experienced Chicago Intellectual Property Lawyers | Saper Law Offices

The other option is to start a business with your investors but that gives them a say in how things are ran. This could open the door to all sorts of unpleasant issues...

June 20th, 2011, 07:23 PM	#1
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	My first feature film A little update for my DVC friends. We are doing a little project, that should lead to our first feature film. Thought some of you might be interested. Here is the link. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Richard Mays — Kickstarter The Conceptual Acting tutorial features the two actors we have cast as Mr. and Mrs Shelby, for those of you familiar with the book. I hope this doesn't get pulled by Chris as SPAM. I am only posting here because I consider many of my fellow DVCers to be friends. Dick

June 22nd, 2011, 12:45 AM	#2
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Re: My first feature film Mr. Mays, wishing you the best on this project. Is Kickstarter the best route, or should we send a check direct to your production company? It has to be max PG rated for us to consider. -BT

June 24th, 2011, 09:24 AM	#3
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Re: My first feature film This is such a great film idea, Dick! Wishing you all the best. __________________ Lorinda

June 27th, 2011, 02:42 PM	#4
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Re: My first feature film Bill, The short film is the first ten minutes of the feature film. The funding is for the short. Once the short is complete, investors get to see the first ten minutes, done on a tight budget, to determine whether they want to invest in the feature. The feature will probably be PG-13 rated, no nudity, but their is a violent scene where Uncle Tom is flogged. There is also a romantic reunion scene between an escaped husband and wife, but it will be tasteful. While I believe the feature would be a PG-13 film, the short will be PG. Kickstarter does not allow equity to be given to project backers. However, if we do get to make the feature film it seems appropriate that the people who backed the short are somehow taken into consideration. We are thinking about ways to do that. That's all I can say about that. Thanks for your interest. Dick

July 17th, 2011, 07:19 PM	#6
Jeremy Doyle Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brainerd, MN Posts: 287	Re: My first feature film Congratulations on getting funded. Can't wait to see the first 10 minutes!

July 23rd, 2011, 03:00 PM	#7
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Re: My first feature film Thanks Jeremy for your support. We will begin shooting on Labor Day, Sept 5th.

July 25th, 2011, 10:00 AM	#8
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Re: My first feature film Very happy for you, Dick! This is really exciting. And no, I haven't read the script yet, but it's supposed to be 100 degrees in the shade today...sounds like a good time to sit indoors and do that. :) __________________ Lorinda

August 10th, 2011, 05:57 PM	#9
Cole Seidl Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 126	Re: My first feature film Benji and I just completed primary photography on our first feature yesterday. So I offer my condolences knowing what you are about to embark on. But in all seriousness, congrats. I'm glad to see you taking this on. (Fun fact, we used an antique copy of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as a stand in for Aristotle's "Metaphysics" in our film.)

August 28th, 2011, 04:28 PM	#11
Cole Seidl Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 126	Re: My first feature film Hey Dick, We're not really keeping everything under wraps, though we haven't made a huge effort to give information to people too. We were quite understaffed, so our main focus was simply on actually getting the movie done. Managed to take a few production stills too though. We actually shot the whole thing for $4,000 which was a suicide mission. Shot it all on the T2i from a script I began writing Freshman year of college. The biggest problem was the scope of the film was pretty big (half the film takes place in the south of France) and trying to make it work with limited budget and crew was difficult. We also realized making films is a lot more fun when we're the ones doing the acting. Actors are what truly make directing "work".

September 16th, 2011, 11:32 AM	#12
Kevin Spahr Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 451	Re: My first feature film "Kickstarter does not allow equity to be given to project backers. However, if we do get to make the feature film it seems appropriate that the people who backed the short are somehow taken into consideration. We are thinking about ways to do that. That's all I can say about that. " The reason you can't do equity is the S.E.C. has very strict rules about selling "investments". Having people fund your movie in return for a share of the profits can very quickly cross the line in to a violation of the law. I would suggest you do a bit of research on this subject because the penalties can be rather serve.

September 17th, 2011, 04:58 PM	#13
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Re: My first feature film "Having people fund your movie in return for a share of the profits can very quickly cross the line in to a violation of the law." Isn't it normal to have investors fund a movie with an agreement to share the profits?

September 18th, 2011, 05:45 AM	#14
Kevin Spahr Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 451	Re: My first feature film When it is done legally. I'm traveling right now but I'll try to post a link on Monday that really does a good job of explaining the law on this issue. It can save you a lot of trouble...

September 20th, 2011, 03:47 PM	#15
Kevin Spahr Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 451	Re: My first feature film I couldn't find the article I was looking for but this one explains some of the issues: Film Production: Financing and Investment Issues \| Experienced Chicago Intellectual Property Lawyers \| Saper Law Offices The other option is to start a business with your investors but that gives them a say in how things are ran. This could open the door to all sorts of unpleasant issues...

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