Filmbase/RTE Awards

Dick Darlington

The next deadline for the Filmbase award is the end of this month. Has anybody gotten one and what's their experience of them been ?

I've worked on a few and they've been good fun but the only consistent factor has been the wonder at how the script has ever been picked in the first place ? Is this just my experience or is it with all the awards ?

People are also generally cool to work with.

Vex Willems

the 27th is the deadline for anyone that wants to know.info here

I have a script but it's a long way of being ready for that. when they say final script what exactly do they mean?

Freelancer

QuinnyKid wrote:

the 27th is the deadline for anyone that wants to know.info here

I have a script but it's a long way of being ready for that. when they say final script what exactly do they mean?

The finished product something you're willing to shoot with.

Keep in mind it's rare to get one straight out of college, you should have some industry experience. It might be worthwile taking it to a smaller production company and getting it made under their aegis.

Vex Willems

Freelancer wrote:

The finished product something you're willing to shoot with.

thats what i though ....but does one ever have a final script, one that you can leave to gather dust until shooting begins?

Freelancer

QuinnyKid wrote:

thats what i though ....but does one ever have a final script, one that you can leave to gather dust until shooting begins?

Sorry but :rolleyes: No script is ever finished, particulary on a short cut where time and money can dictate your script in ways you never expected (i've known people who have had to near abandon scenes because of producers declaring the set unsafe midway through the shoot), but it should be a script that you are confident you can shoot with.

You should have as many experienced players as possible in place, you should try have a DP and editor, a 1st AD, a PM, an Art Director, a recordist all with film experience they don't need to have HoD experience (IE your operator can be a trained focus puller, your editor an assistant with asperations, etc...filmbase is as much about giving your crew experience as the director).

Roaming out of college with your mate DoPing and your other mate cutting it will cut short shrift, you need to understand that a crucial point of the filmbase shorts is to give assistant's HoD experience to give them a chance to move up a grade. Thats a major reason they are subsidies......

It's not just about you.

Devinho

I submitted a script, it was as good as it could have been at the time. No harm getting your script in, sure you never know.

I'll have one going in myself next week, along with a buddy who's script I'm attached to direct, should he get funding. I've entered four times before, first time got nowhere, second time made the initial 25 short-list, last time made the last 10 short-list, so obviously I'm hoping to do better this time!

When I got short-listed I had to then chase around to find an experienced producer to go present the project with me. It wasn't hard - three phone calls and two script reads and I got someone reasonably well known in the industry. That definitely helped at the interview. Not necessary until you get short-listed though, and it's a lot easier to get a producer interested when you can say "hi, I'm one interview short of getting ten grand to make a short"... I also had to put together a showreel, no matter how ****e. My first short wasn't finished so I had to shoot a horrendous no-budget no-talent pile of crap just to show I'd once stood behind a cameraman, and someone threw together an edit of one scene from the short that was in post (a scene I ended up ditching, as it happened). The producer had to put together schedules and budgets and that kind of thing, and between us we had to suggest cast and crew (and have made tentative contact with them too - mine was a boxing film and I had Steve Collins' lawyer chasing him down for a part).

Why didn't I make it past the shortlisting stage? Looking back, it was because I wasn't convinced by my own script. So I couldn't reasonably expect to convince anyone else. This time I am convinced. But we'll see.


Devin

Vex Willems

Freelancer wrote:

No script is ever finished

thats the point i was making...

Miguel_Sanchez

Got funding from the Galway Film Centre last year. It's the same award, just a bit easier to get because there's less applicants to it. Cork is also easier to get so I hear.

I was one year out of college (I directed) and the scriptwriter/producer was straight out of college. We did have an established production company that took us on board and made it with us, so that really helped us in the interview I think. Also though our script was very good; fresh and unprententious. That was the major driving force behind us getting it. They had some doubts about our lack of experience but they went with us and we came through.

I would advise that you get a production company behind you. Filmbase will view it as a safety net, somebody experienced that can advise and guide you through the process.

Remember - it's all about the scripts. A lot of the time the reason ****e ones get made is probably because they've only had ****e scripts submitted. If you write a good script you will find a production company to back you.

In case anyone's interested the short I directed was called 'Slots'. It'll be doing the rounds of film nights and festivals this year and will be screened on Shortscreen on RTE (not sure of the date yet).