The Cost of Film Making

[Willy]

So what does it cost to make a film?

Some people will swear it costs almost nothing. Go on holiday, shoot footage, edit it and add music. Film.
Others will speak of travel expenses, catering, prop and costume hire, crane hire, generator hire and so on.

Dave

This morning I received the AMMA Monitor, the magazine of our American friends. The main article : "Who is an Amateur and Who is a professional ?". It has been written by Walt Gilmore, the AMMA-President. In fact it is an everlasting discussion, but Walt's last sentences are very essential. He writes :

"All in all, it is not the cost, rich production values or scope of the video which is important (although these things can influence the audience and/or judges); it should be the story and the creative telling that ultimately prove which is the "Best Picture".

Good article, Walt.

Maybe you already know that Peter Rouillard and I myself are making a film about the Bailick of Guernsey. I've just come home. Guernsey was wonderful. Herm and Sark were breathtaking. Good stuff for the film. Wonderful photography thanks to the weather. The palm trees were glowing in the sunshine... I had to walk and walk up and down with my tripod. It was heavy in the muggy weather. Peter and I met our actress again. We still needed a shot of her. We talked about the production process. It was very useful/interesting that we met again. Is not simple to make an internationally made film. Of course this is not a film for the Guernsey competition. For BIAFF OK, or for AMPS, etc...

Now I wonder ... Imagine that Peter and I are selling the long version of the film in order to raise funds or to support the organisation of the the Guernsey Lily Competition. The more money you have the more you can spoil your friends who enter their films and who attend our most friendly competition in the world. Would that be wrong ? I don't think so.

[Mike Shaw]

Now I wonder ... Imagine that Peter and I are selling the long version of the film in order to raise funds or to support the organisation of the the Guernsey Lily Competition. The more money you have the more you can spoil your friends who enter their films and who attend our most friendly competition in the world. Would that be wrong ? I don't think so.

You raise an interesting point there.

Suppose I and a few others see an amateur film that we'd like to have a copy of. Do we expect its creator to give us copies for nothing?

It is only small fry, but I have given away now, free, about 2 dozen DVDs with just 'Remote Control' on it, to people requesting 'please let me have a copy so I can show my wife/parents/neighbour/etc. Its not something I would or could charge for and DVDs are cheap enough.

But a longer, more interesting, more creative piece of work. What then?

[Willy]

Now I wonder ......
?

Some time ago our Mayor asked a price for a new film about his town.The previous one was made by me. I didn't charge anything. That's because I am very naive.This film was shown in our town very often. Everybody seemed to be very enthousiastic. It was screened each time when the new inhabitants were invited for a welcome drink at the town hall.

Florent Vanopstal "The Insect Man" won the competiton for the new film. He will earn 6,500 euros. As the Mayor told me that he was willing to pay 30,000 euros for a film made by our regional TV-channel I asked my friend Tony Jacobs to make a super film. He even asked Koen de Bouw to be the actor. Koen was the actor in the Alzheimer film that was nominated for an oscar in Hollywood. However, Tony's offer (12,500 euros) was rejected.

An other blow for my club though we would not have earned one penny. The film had to be finished in three months. The members of my club wonder if the Insect Man has not received footage from the regional TV Channel to make that film. Fairplay is not something Belgian. It's only British !