Kenna McHugh is an established freelance writer living in California. Her writing credits include the published book, BREAKING INTO FILM, Film Production book for inner-city kids, three screenplays, seven produced plays and hundreds of how-to videos on the Internet.
"I love the challenge of writing because the end does satisfy the means. The writer is a valuable being. If the words aren't there the message isn't received. It is as simple as that. Give me a circumstance, a theme and away I go at my keyboard."
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Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life takes us on a passage through the Heavens, and then we are carried above volcanoes and then plunge below the surface into the deep ocean.
We see a few of our most celebrated scientific images of all time. I have wondered why we are on this journey with Malick. I don’t think this concept received an answer.
During the movie, we visit diverse locations, including Waco, Texas; Villa Lante; Death Valley; and the Sun. Malick reminds us of space, living things, and the significance of our humanity. Bringing up such questions: Being raised by a violent father and an angelic mother, does it balance a person? Does history shape our existence?
I had the opportunity to watch the movie the other night. A viewing experience that sometimes bewildered me with visual and aural beauty. Almost bored with wandering attention, I was surprised to see dinosaurs in the movie, which I believe was meant to explain why man is so violent, but I’m not sure.
The DVD comes with a 30-minute featurette about the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie. I watched the featurette, and it didn’t help explain Malick’s choice of locations.
“The nuns taught us there are two ways through life: the way of nature, and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow.”— Mrs. O’Brien (Jessica Chastain) in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life”
Death Valley
In the Mojave Desert, located in Eastern California, lies Death Valley. Records indicated the area registers the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. The valley gained fame in 1849 during the California Gold Rush. Its title, “death,” didn’t hold much weight in the era, with only one death recorded during the Gold Rush.
On July 10, 1913, the hottest air temperature ever recorded was 134 degrees Fahrenheit at Furnace Creek, a perfect name for the event. During this period, the desert reached 129 degrees Fahrenheit for five days.
At one point (2.588 million to 12000 years ago), the area was a succession of inland seas called Lake Manly. A freshwater lake that eventually evaporated as the temperatures in the region grew hotter. How this relates to Malick’s movie, I don’t know.
Texas
The second-largest state in the United States is Texas, nearly twice the size of Germany and Japan combined. The large size of Texas brings divergent climatic regions, and rivers form three of its borders. Thus, the state is diverse yet beautiful, with deserts, prairies, grasslands, forests, and coastlines. For this reason, the large state resembles the American South and Southwest.
Source
Villa Lante
The Villa Lante is a historical garden of wonder near Viterbo in central Italy. Construction of Villa Lante started around 1566. The estate has changed owners many, many times since its development. Families lived in the Villa until around the 19th century.
The property is famous for its architectural design and water fountains, drawing thousands of visitors for centuries.
In 1944, Allied bombing heavily hit the estate due to the fall of Rome. In the late 20th century, Dr. Angelo Cantoni purchased the Villa. He managed a very long restoration process. As of 2014, the Villa belongs to the Republic of Italy.
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The Sun
The Sun is a star at the center of our Solar System. It has a mass 330,000 times that of Earth. The Sun emits sunlight that supports all life on Earth and shapes Earth’s climate and weather. Because of the Sun’s godlike nature, it controls Earth’s well-being. Some societies have believed the Sun to be a deity.
Mauna Loa Volcano
Mauna Loa, located in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, is one of the largest volcanoes on Earth. One of the five volcanoes that form the Islands of Hawaii, the volcano has remained active for roughly 700,000 years. However, Mauna Loa’s most recent eruption in 1984 caused no deaths, whereas those in 1926 and 1950 devastated villages.
Hilo, Hawaii, has been built on lava flows from Mauna Loa since the 19th century. Because Mauna Loa is still active and evolving, the volcano is watched continuously for the safety of its inhabitants.
“I film quite a bit of footage, then edit. Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can’t. My attitude is always ‘let it keep rolling.'”— Terrence Malick
Malick: A Hidden Life
I have shown you scenes from Malick’s movie, hoping it helps you understand his overall message about the nature of man and his many forms.
Malick said once, “Perhaps when I have ten films behind me, I will have something worth saying.”
A pivotal part of Malick’s films is the music he uses for the score. We cannot hear his music now; it plays only in the movie, where the soundtrack plays a vital part in The Tree of Life. The visual locations with the significant compositions by the greatest composers, including Mozart, Brahms, Berlioz, and others, experience the nature and grace of humankind.
John Frankenheimer relaxing between camera setups on the set of the Turner Film Production “Andersonville.” | Source
Frankenheimer Came to Northern California
A friend of mine, Kevin, got a job working with one of the industry’s most talented directors: the late John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, Grand Prix, Wallace, and Ronin).
Frankenheimer came to Northern California to do location work for one of his last films, HBO’s Path to War, starring one of the Baldwin boys – Alec. I highly recommend this movie.
Donald Sutherland also stars in the cable movie. According to IMDb, the Path of War is based on a true story set in the mid-1960s: President Johnson and his foreign policy team debate whether to withdraw from or escalate the war in Vietnam.
Gary Sinise Tribute to Frankenheimer
Frankenheimer passed away in 2002 after a stroke. Gary Sinise, who worked with him on three movies, wrote a tribute to Frankenheimer for Entertainment Weekly. Here is an excerpt of that tribute. “He was drawn to dramatic material and found a lot of drama in biographical subjects. His television movies in the ’90s were based on real events or real people, like…the biopic George Wallace,” which was the first of three projects I did with him. The television movies would bring him four Emmys for his direction.”
The movie industry expects people to introduce themselves, network or show their work.
“He had an enormous amount of energy, and at 72 was reemerging as one of the great filmmakers of all time, somebody whose work was as powerful later in his career as it was in the beginning,” praised Sinise.
Catch the movie on Amazon or Netflix.
Getting Noticed in Hollywood
Please consider how my friend networked with someone who can help his career. You are about to learn something about networking in the film business. My friend, Kevin, was inventive enough to network and pitch a local independent film, Ashes, to Kristi, who, in turn, would give it to her dad to view. Kevin was thinking on his feet and taking advantage of a business relationship he had formed while on a film set.
Some may think it was a bit of a bold move, and you would never approach a celebrity like that and be so forward. Why not? The worst that can happen is that the personality would say “no.” Or, you would get kicked off the set, but I doubt that would happen unless you were rude and obnoxious. People in the movie industry expect and accept others approaching them, networking, or showing their work.
The best thing that could happen is that Frankenheimer likes Kevin’s movie and helps him with its distribution, or finds an agent to help distribute the film. It’s not bad that he approached the daughter of a well-known director and producer.
However, nothing came of his contact with Kristi when he gave her a DVD of his movie.
Kevin made his move, and he felt good about his efforts. Later, when he pitches it to another distributor, he can mention that Frankenheimer’s daughter is interested in the movie. It’s called “name-dropping.” It also tells the distribution representative that Kevin hustles and works to get his film known to others in the industry.
Directed by Frankenheimer
“The movie Path to War was filmed at the California State Capitol on Monday. Long Day–7:30 AM until 11:45 PM! “It was an exciting day as I had the chance to work and speak with the director John Frankenheimer and his daughter, Kristi,” explains Kevin. “I was very impressed with Frankenheimer – he demands a lot from his crew, and he definitely doesn’t tolerate wasted time …but when you’re responsible for a 17 million dollar budget project, the pressure is certainly on you to get the job done.”
Frankenheimer stopped the filming long enough to personally thank all of the Sacramento cast and compliment them on their work, “which I found very refreshing, especially from someone of his stature,” adds Kevin.
Working with such a prestigious director was an honor. | Source
Follow up Contact Number
“I had the opportunity to speak with his daughter, Kristi, for a few minutes between set-ups, and Kristi accepted a copy of the local independent film Ashes that she promised to give to her father. She also provided me with the production office number in LA, so I could stay in touch and follow up on his impressions of the film.”
Another smart move by Kevin was to have a follow-up number for Kristi to use later after her dad viewed his movie.
Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton made a great creative team. | Source
Friendship With Benefits
Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton developed motion pictures and television programs, notably the Jurassic Park franchise and the long-running ER series. The two men, who were dear friends working together, are a fascinating story of success.
Dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park”
An acquaintance, a high school teacher, told me about a time he showed his students the movie Jurassic Park. At the end of the film, some of his students thought dinosaurs were still alive on our planet. Not that the students were stupid. The movie was realistic enough to make the dinosaurs appear real in their minds’ eyes.
The movie’s detailed and realistic images of various dinosaurs, along with its story, acting, and sound, created a realistic world based on Crichton’s bestselling novel.
The original movie focuses on a devastating effort to produce and clone dinosaurs for an innovative theme park.
The franchise began in 1990 when Spielberg grabbed the rights to the unpublished book. Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment purchased the rights to the novel.
After four sequels, the franchise flourished, with the first two based on Crichton’s books, and it spawned tons of video games, comic books, and theme parks.
The franchise resurrected Richard Attenborough’s career and bolstered the careers of Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Lauren Dern, Chris Pratt, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Jurassic Park’s motion picture franchise includes a water excursion at Universal Studios theme parks.
The franchise movies alone have grossed close to $ 5 billion worldwide.
Crichton and Spielberg Winning Team
The success of the Jurassic Park franchise indicates that Crichton and Spielberg made a winning team. They invested their good fortune in an American medical television series that proved just as fruitful as the dinosaur movies.
Under the umbrella of Amblin Television, Crichton and Spielberg’s team created the medical drama ER. The show lasted 15 years and won several prestigious awards, bringing together famed talents that I will mention later in the article.
If anything, ER is a lesson in producing an award-winning television show and practically keeping it on the air for years. I am sure students of film and television classrooms study this series in its entirety. They identify and highlight the factors that contributed to the show’s high ratings and large worldwide audience.
Endless drama in an Emergency Room kept viewers glued to the TV.
Emmy Award Winners
The show won multiple Emmy Awards, with 124 nominations and 22 wins, reflecting the caliber of work that stood behind and in front of the camera, launching the stellar careers of George Clooney, along with Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, and Maria Bello.
“ER”
Although I never watched the series as a whole, but as clips from different shows, I tend to shy away from medical shows. ER taps into the intimate workings of an urban training hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its vigilant emergency room.
Every week, fans glued themselves to the television and watched quirky and unique medical professionals save lives in a place where nothing is taken for granted or guaranteed. The emergency room doors open, and another distraught person or persons gets placed in their hands, life or death, within an hour’s worth of television programming.
The series lasted as long as it did because of the talented writers, as evidenced by the final season, particularly in the show’s ending. The arc ties into the earlier seasons, including Noah Wyle’s professional choices and personal life.
Now, Wyle is starring in HBO’s Emmy-winning The Pitt, very similar to ER, but set over one day in an emergency room in Pittsburgh.
Curtain Call
The final season is a curtain call for all the show’s lead characters. They returned one way or another, including those who died on the show.
One point of view about the medical drama is the large cast of major actors who left due to injury, death, firing, or disappearance. Like most long-running shows, I understand that cast members go in hopes of bigger and better careers.
The final season includes movie stars Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance. The main arc centers on Catherine Banfield, the ER’s medical director, played by Basset, and her husband, Russell Banfield, played by Vance. Both are intense and effectively support their respective sides of the issue.
The series ends well, and that is what matters to the fans. The finale is rewarding to those who faithfully followed the multiple storylines.
George Clooney
I am sure you’ll appreciate watching the episodes, knowing that you can watch them again and again since you own the DVD. The cast changing through the years might throw you off, but it is graced with guest appearances from Clooney and other original cast members.
If you still need an emergency room fix on television, there are similar shows that follow ER’s formula, which validates the series even more, such as Grey’s Anatomy, a long-running show as well.
A successful film career starts with you knowing as much as you can about the film business, which begins with reading the trade publications.
Source: Variety
Variety and Hollywood Reporter
Industry Trade Papers — You’ve Got To Read Them
No matter what part of the film business you are interested in as a career, you will most likely start as a production assistant. That is not a bad start because you can work your way up with a solid film business plan.
In all, and no matter what, you must read the trade papers. If you don’t, you are at a significant professional disadvantage because the trades tell you what is going on in the industry. As a production assistant, you need to know what is happening now and what is ahead.
With the trades, you find out what the studios, producers, directors, production designers, art designers, and more are doing. This information is invaluable. You also need to know where the movies are in production.
If you don’t know what is happening in the industry, you will not succeed in the film business.
So, face up to the fact that you should subscribe to both of the trades, Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.
Keep reading the trades and learning the business, and you will learn more about the industry.
If you can’t afford both and they are expensive, subscribe to at least one of them, because they’re lifelines for the business—the who, what, and where of the film industry are at your fingertips.
Advantages of Reading the Trades
As in every industry, there are advantages to reading trade papers. First, as noted above, they help you stay up to date on what’s happening in the industry. Second, by reading them, you’ll be able to identify the industry’s prominent people, the ones who are making the decisions. Third, they provide you with the latest news in your chosen industry. Fourth, because everyone reads them, information published in the trades is frequently referred to, and when people talk, you want to know what they are talking about
Finally, although the best jobs usually don’t show up in the “Help Wanted” sections of the trades, those sections, along with production listings, will provide you with a starting point for seeing what kinds of film business jobs are available.
While it’s unnecessary to read the trades from cover to cover, you should certainly read the main articles and the popular columns and scan everything else. You never know when something you read in the trades will turn out to help build your career, and you never want to pass up an opportunity like that.
How the Trades Help Your Career
Let’s take a look at what it means to be a production assistant who reads the trades.
When a producer comes on the set, they don’t always wear a suit, and you don’t recognize them sometimes. Reading the trades helps you identify influential people in the industry, which benefits you.
One time, a producer came on the set, and he looked like a regular Joe. Because I knew of him, Barry Levinson, I was on top of it and made sure the director and other crew members knew he was on the set. It helped improve the situation, and the crew appreciated my due diligence.
Another example is that a friend worked on the same production that I did, directed by Joe Dante. My friend read the trades and was very familiar with Dante’s work, which made the gig fun because Dante talked to him about his comic book career. He even autographed some of his comic books.
It would help if you acted like a professional before you were a professional. When directors and producers recognize your quality, you gain a positive impression. They make a mental note and are likely to hire you again. Avoid being overly flattering or fawning toward the director or producer; work hard and do your job well.
The most relevant career advice I can give you is to study the trades. Trades help you learn the business of making a career in the film industry.
Film Trades on the Internet
Another cool thing about using the trades is looking for production notices that are hiring. The trade publications are now available online, allowing you to subscribe to Variety, Hollywood Reporter, or both. Please get to know them as an invaluable online source for future work.
Once you are familiar with each trade’s website, you are more likely to get a job in production because you have more knowledge, and knowledge is power. You need to be persistent and never give up looking. Work is out there, and the trades will help you find it.
Production Assistant’s Handbook
There is a book called the Production Assistant’s Handbook, and I recommend it not only for wannabes but also for PAs who have worked on a couple of sets. I work in the business, read it, and learned about talking on two-way radios. I discovered significant insights into working on a film set.
Director and award-winning screenwriter Kari Skogland talked with me about film careers.
Against Guns
Women Directing Film
“Television is a great place to learn the ropes because it is a very schedule-driven, fast, and furious environment; yet, you are expected to be creative,” defines Kari Skogland on how she learned her trade. Her energy resonates as we talk about her pro-gun control movie Liberty Stands Still, her career, and women in film.
“Now, there is some spectacular television. It is a creative medium. Unfortunately for women, it’s a very misogynistic world here in the States.” As a successful writer and director of both television and film, Skogland doesn’t acknowledge the male-driven obstacles women face in the industry. “If you do, you are defeated.”
Originally from Canada, where the industry expects professionals to work in multimedia, Skogland feels fortunate to have started there. “While I was in Canada, I was able to bounce back and forth between TV and feature. Here in the States, I’m more feature-oriented. I do an occasional pilot. I love to do that.”
Kari Skogland
Gun Control Message
Liberty Stands Still, released in 2002, is Skogland’s first film that she wrote and directed. The movie was a budgetary challenge, and she created a unique way to tell a story about gun control and violence, starring Linda Fiorentino, Wesley Snipes, and Oliver Platt.
The idea for the movie came from the Columbine shooting. “I felt that we, as a society, had not really discussed or debated the ‘how’ or ‘why’ of it. I think we’re at a point in our society where we need to debate the role of guns,” explains Skogland.
Sniper Shootings
Skogland commented on guns in general. “Why do we need them as a cultural statement? Aren’t we simply arming ourselves against each other? The second amendment arguments are spoon-fed by the multi-million dollar industries that skew the spirit and intent of it.”
She spoke of another incident, the sniper shootings in Washington (October 2002). “I thought the Washington sniper and pervasive feeling of movies like Bowling for Columbine and mine were starting to bubble and percolate the issue.”
She feels the need for discussion has died off, but comes back. “People seem to squash this issue or seem to be unable to cope with it.”
Financing the Movie
Financing for the controversial film came from the cast, who wanted to make the movie. Skogland feels fortunate she worked with such a stellar cast. Linda Fiorentino, Wesley Snipes, and Oliver Platt made it clear that they helped financially. “To Lionsgate’s credit, they did not try and temper the issue of gun control at all. I had no idea that John Feltheimer, who runs Lionsgate (at the time of the interview), is a very much a gun control advocate. It was just one of those happy coincidences of fate.”
Working with Wesley Snipes
She cast Snipes in the lead role, knowing it was against type. “Wesley is a very fine actor who comes from Broadway. I knew he would be attracted to the role because of the challenges. I like the idea of him traditionally being in the action role. I wanted to surprise the audience a little with him and where we were going with the character. I hoodwink the audience into thinking it looks a little like an action movie and starts to turn where violence is very real and very graphic.”
Guns in Movies
Skogland’s driving point in the movie is, “if you are going to show what guns can do, then you better back it up and be ready to show it. I wanted the audience to be stunned. Each time someone got shot, I wanted the audience to realize that ‘Shit man.'”
She thought it out carefully with herself on showing that guns kill. “When someone shoots a person in Compton — just takes him or her out, that’s it. It’s cold, and it’s not even calculated. It’s horrific. I felt that for me to soften it would be a disservice.”
She wrote the character in a risky situation, so the audience feels torn about Snipe’s character committing an immoral act. “Yet we somewhat understand his position. On the other hand, we hate him for it, and on the other hand, we understand it. I really wanted the audience to be as conflicted as these characters were,” added Skogland.
Flaw in the Characters
The casting of Linda Fiorentino brought credibility to the story. According to Skogland, “Someone who you didn’t know if she was going to love you or kill you and to have the power that made you believe she was saying who she was.”
Skogland wanted a fatal flaw with all the characters, “Where they had made some choices that may have seemed very legitimate at the time, but were ethically unsound in varying forms.”
She offers an example of when Wesley’s character arrives at the moment with the death of his daughter. “His world is shattered, and he is forced to reckon with what his life looks like. He decides to take action. It’s a misguided action; there’s no question about that.”
The misguided action is a two-edged sword where we feel his pain, though we disagree with him. At the same time, we think the same about Linda’s character. Skogland adds, “She is numb to what she is really doing, as we all can be in life, because it is more convenient that way. We discover how she has become this person, and Wesley’s character has to change her mind.”
Arch Villain
Oliver Platt plays Liberty’s (Fiorentino) husband, a gun manufacturer. Skogland didn’t want him to be an arch-villain, but more like an everyman. “You liked him. You felt for him even though you realized this man is not thinking about what he is doing on a global scale. He is not taking responsibility for his community.”
Oliver’s character sees himself as a widget salesman, and he is successful at it, which hits the heartstrings of the overall story.
“Statue of Liberty”
Even though Liberty is at odds with only men, Skogland didn’t plan it that way. “It just happened. Now that you brought it up. There is a sense of her name, Liberty, the nature of her. She is definitely a metaphor for the Statue of Liberty — what we have come to understand as liberty and freedom. “
Skogland analogizes the woman who founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to Liberty’s situation. “One woman stood up and said people are getting killed. Cut to twenty years later, and we now have a complete social and ethical position on drinking and driving.”
She believes the same thing will happen in the movement about guns. “I think women are going to have a strong voice with that kind of sentiment because, traditionally, little boys play with guns. For whatever reason, there is an aggressive factor in boys and girls are nurturers.”
No Hero or Heroine
Liberty Stands Still has no true hero, which breaks the traditional way of making a movie and telling a story. “I wanted to break some of the traditional screenwriting rules in this case and make the story more of a collective story because this is really a morality play. A collective story about how people spiral downward together. There wasn’t a true hero because all the characters were at odds with themselves,” explains Skogland.
The movie ends on an open note. The viewer is allowed to make a moral choice. “That is the metaphor for each one of us. When we walk away, we have a choice. Every one of us has a choice. It only takes one person to start an avalanche of change. Are we going to do something, or are we going to keep hiding behind the Second Amendment as if it says what the gun manufacturers claim it says?” questions Skogland.
Directing a movie from her material for the first time and seeing her name as writer and director for the first time was heartening. “I was able to play the two roles without getting them tangled up with each other.”
As a director, rewriting or tweaking a script is nothing new to her: “I had obviously directed all my own material, unsung. Where my name is not on the writing credits, but obviously, I had rewritten a script or dealt with a scene.”
“Fifty Dead Men Walking”
True Story
Taking another stab at violence, she wrote and directed Fifty Dead Men Walking in 2008, based on the book of the same title by Martin McGartland, who grew up in Belfast and witnessed I.R.A. brutality.
The story is about a 17-year-old young man (McGartland) hired by the Secret Service to infiltrate the I.R.A.
The movie stars Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess. McGartland, played by Sturgess, joins the I.R.A. and gives information to British Special Agent Fergus, played by Kingsley.
The movie won several awards, including the Directors Guild of Canada Direction of Feature Film nod to Skogland.
Fifty Dead Men Walking
Writing Versus Directing
Writing and directing is a powerful experience, says Skogland, “I didn’t find myself so invested in the words that I felt defensive if they needed to be changed. By the same token, playing the writer versus the director, whereas a writer, you know, a scene isn’t going to work unless I do this because the director needs to do that.”
Describing how she writes, “I actually write, when I’m sitting in my room alone, I am definitely in my head, both blocking and casting as I write.”
She admits she directed a lot of mediocre writing. She can see in her head what will work and what will not work. “I know that by virtue of experience, this is something that is going to work, or it just is not going to work. I have to change the writing and change the situation to make it more interesting. As a writer, it has helped very much to spend as much time as I have to be a director.”
Being a woman in the movie business is something that Skogland doesn’t acknowledge. “If it is hard, you can’t acknowledge it. As a female, you hit a glass ceiling. You haven’t a clue you’ve hit it because it’s all behind closed doors. I have certainly felt it. But I have never acknowledged it. I am not about to. I feel like the second. I admit that it is happening. I am facing defeat.”
Women Versus Men
She feels she might sound a little bit Pollyannaish. She offers some sound advice for anyone who wants to make it in the business. “I come from a place where it’s really like saying: I could be too short. I could not know the right people. I could be too fat. I could not have blue eyes. It is always something, and you might as well ignore it all and keep motoring forward. Not letting it get in your way.”
She feels women are starting to make their mark. “The trick is that you really have to know your stuff. For all the women out there, you can’t let an inch slide. You have to be really on top of the business side. We all have to multitask in this particular arena. Fortunately, women are good at it. There should be no reason why we can’t be right up there.”
At the time of this interview, Skogland had a five-year-old. “So, believe me, I know the whole multitasking thing. I write for an hour, and then I have to cope with my daughter for another.”
The filmmaker must hire a competent line producer dedicated to keeping the production within budget.
A line producer leader knows how to coordinate easily with the crew and cast. And keeps the production on a budget. Source: Fox
As the project moves into production, it will take on a life of its own. You must safeguard your creative vision while avoiding getting lost in budget misfortunes. That is where the line producer comes in and manages the overall production flow.
Manages the Physical Aspects of Production
As a filmmaker, you must hire a line producer or take on this role for blood at the beginning of the film’s planning stage. A line producer is an essential member of the production team for the success of the overall production. In general, a line producer manages the film’s budget. Hire the line producer to manage the physical aspects of the film production, as they know the budget and what’s possible. Though rare, Line producers can offer creative feedback on the film and receive co-producer credit.
Since line producers work on location, they work on only one film at a time, unlike other producers. A line producer usually hires essential crew members and collaborates with vendors. They function as head of production, though Line producers are not directly involved in the project’s development. They can play an important role in estimating output and in building investor confidence in the project.
Keeping the production moving forward indicates that you have a reliable line producer.Source: Lê Minh
As soon as all the funds are in place, the line producer supervises the film’s budget planning and the day-to-day preparation and management. Line Producers are not employees but freelance contract workers. The job requires long hours, and the filmmaker must compensate for the hard work. Successful line producers are in high demand because of their experience and reputation. Hiring a competent line producer guarantees successful production.
The line producer handles all the business aspects of the film’s production. The film industry calls them line producers because they cannot start work on the budget until they know what the “line” is between the “above-the-line” expenses, including writers, producers, directors and cast, and the “below-the-line” expenses. It includes everything else, such as development costs, crew salaries, set design, equipment rentals, locations, insurance, construction and so forth.
Line Producer Has Excellent Communication Skills
A filmmaker needs to bring on the line producer as soon as possible, ideally joining the production team at some point in the later stages of development. Based on the script, the filmmaker asks the line producer to appraise the expected production expenses fully. This process includes an extensive breakdown of the screenplay into a solid schedule. The schedule is a timetable for the film shoot showing how long each scene will take to shoot. Starting with the schedule, the line producer can accurately assess the cost of each day of shooting. In the example, a line producer might calculate a 10-hour day for a one-week location shoot as a six-day week and then calculate the same shoot as a 12-hour shoot day. Just taking two hours off each day can save a sizable sum. From there, he prepares and summarizes a budget that estimates the total funding required for a successful production. Based on the line producer’s hard figures, the filmmaker, producer, and executive producers have a set amount of funds to raise to begin pre-production.
Line producers are invaluable because their hard work during pre-production saves the filmmaker time and money. They work diligently for the filmmaker, coordinating with the director, first assistant director, production manager, art director and other heads of department to plan the production schedule and budget and to set the starting shoot date.
Once the film goes into production, the line producer delivers the final budget to the production accountant and transfers day-to-day production office operations to the production manager and production coordinator. Then again, the line producer is still responsible for overseeing all aspects of the production. That way, they ensure they complete the production on time and within budget. The line producer operates a failsafe financial monitoring system to pull this off. The system regulates production spending, materials, and progress. The line producer usually sets aside a 10% contingency in the budget to cover unexpected situations. While at the same time, they spend much of their time coping with figures and resources. They even oversee specific health and safety procedures and sort out and expedite insurance claims. At the end of the last shot, the line producer plans the “wrap,” or the shutdown, of the production.
Indie Producer’s Handbook: Creative Producing from A to Z
The “Indie Producer’s Handbook: Creative Producing from A to Z,” written by a film producer, Myrl A. Schreibman, describes the line producer as the person who assists the team. I use this book during all my film productions. It’s my bible.
Another reason line producers are so invaluable is that they possess an in-depth knowledge of scheduling and budgeting a production. They will manage the whole physical and technical processes of filmmaking. Successful people know everybody in the industry and command respect from the production crew. They are people with incomparable communication skills, such as sound judgment in balancing the creative needs of the director, creative personnel and artists with the available financial means. They are ready for anything, plan for the worst, and offer inspiration for others to do exceptionally well in their work. Like producers, line producers are not liable for complying with health and safety regulations or for setting up health and safety measures. Still, they are required to perform risk assessments in accordance with regulatory requirements. For that reason, they must know how to identify hazards in the production environment, determine the risk level, recommend actions, and review their assessment. Line Producers must also be certified through health and safety courses.
Line producer is responsible for above-the-line and below-the-line costs. Source: David Peterson
Successful line producers have considerable experience in the film industry. Nothing can prepare someone for such a demanding job but working for many years in the profession and gaining the tried and true expertise. When hiring a line producer, a filmmaker needs to understand that the individual advanced to the position by working hard for many years through various jobs, from production assistant to location manager to assistant director. Many start their careers as office workers or errand runners.
Write thrillers, mysteries, and other related crime dramas and avoid writing cliches by following these rules.
Joe Friday: “Just the facts, Ma’am”
Dragnet
Don’t use “Let’s take him downtown for questioning.” Roth writes that real cops never say that.
What is Attempted Murder?
The Crime Writer’s Reference Guide, 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder by the late Martin Roth, is not a book that you read for pleasure on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
When writing a story that requires an accurate portrayal of a crime, you reach for it and use it to describe blood. You’ll need to read it, though, so you know why you write with accuracy and detail a fictional crime story.
Of course, you don’t want to be as dry as a crime report, but you want to write real-life drama.
When you are writing a story that needs an accurate portrait of anything that deals with a crime, you reach for this book and use it for blood.
How to Become a Serial Killer
Take a story about a serial killer. You need to create a profile and look up serial murder in the book’s glossary. Turn to the designated pages and discover that there is not just one type of serial killer, but four. You read the passage in the book, “studies reveal that most serial killers are white males between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five and are usually products of working- or lower-middle-class families.”
Your profile takes shape, and you read on, “Many serial killers are charming, selfish, impulsive, and ambitious. Many come from broken homes or homes where they were abused. Few serial killers express any feelings of guilt or remorse for their crimes.” A brilliant start for a classic character study. Now that I think about it, most of the crime stories I have read or seen in movies fit this profile.
Turn to the designated pages and discover that there is not just one type of serial killer but four.
Writing Crime Dialogue
I enjoyed the chapter on language. It is an essential tool for any crime writer, with terms such as “throwaway,” which refers to guns or clothes the mugger wears and discards to avoid pursuit.
How about “pigeon,” which means victim. This chapter supplies enough dialogue ideas to keep you writing dialogue for twelve CSI spin-offs. Wait, CSI spin-offs are close to twelve and counting.
All kidding aside, you need this book dog-eared and well-used if you write about crime.
How to Write a List of Character Traits
Reading the book filled my head with straightforward ideas for stories and ample characters. What also fascinated me was the character description of cops, including what their lives are like and what they are not like, which sparked a range of ideas. My fingers were itching to click the keys on my keyboard and start writing.
Roth’s book gives you all the information you need to create a crime. You can start with the criminal act, the crime scene investigation, the prosecution of the criminal, and conclude with a life sentence in prison. He offers numerous examples of television shows that accurately portray crime stories.
As an exercise, you can watch a few crime shows and see if the production company followed Roth’s standards.
Listen to the Police Dialogue
Mark Wahlberg stars in Mile 22, a drama about a secret special forces unit within the government. I recommend you listen to the dialogue in this movie. You will hear crime jargon, such as “motive” and “driven.”
Director Peter Berg shoots scenes with a handheld camera that follows agents, police, and special forces as they meet and collaborate to solve the crime.
Although it is a dramatization, you get the idea of what it’s like within a collaborative meeting between police forces.
Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade
Humphrey Bogart
“He said: “I’m going to send you over. The chances are you’ll get off with life. That means you’ll be out again in twenty years. You’re an angel. I’ll wait for you.” He cleared his throat. “If they hang you, I’ll always remember you.”— Dashiell Hammett, “The Maltese Falcon”
Finally, if the chapter you are reading isn’t enough to fill your creative imagination, which is hard to believe, there is a section called “Where do you go from here.” This chapter includes a list of other books on the same subject. You can head to the library and create a new pastime of reading how-to-write crime stories instruction books. “The Crime Writer’s Reference Guide, 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder” is the reference book for any writer about to write a story centered on crime. Even if you have it written, you can use this book to cross-check your accuracy. “Just the facts, Ma’am.”
Before he left us and flew away to new adventures, Oscar starred in many movies, television shows, and print ads. This article shares his story.
Oscar the Parrot
Animal actors are amazing creatures because they possess hidden talents that few of us are aware of. We try to tap into their psyche, but the animals evade us. We wonder how the director gets those animals, like Oscar, to do those cute antics.
The animal trainers work with the director and animal actors. Together, the animal trainers have the gift and help animal actors shine.
Oscar, the parrot, was one of those animal actors. His talent stole scenes from other actors, and his personality caught people’s attention. He passed away, but his recorded performances keep his memory alive.
Talented and Gifted Bird
The film industry lost one of its most talented parrots. It is with great sadness that we report the passing of the star of several movies.
The bird’s last movie is appropriately called A Bird of the Air. Oscar the Parrot had a glorious career and an unprecedented career-spanning live theater, television with Fantasy Island, print advertising, and movies like Home Alone 3.
“A Bird in the Air” – Oscar’s Last Movie
In Oscar’s final movie, he plays a smart-alecky parrot who meets an unconventional librarian, played by Rachel Nichols. Somehow, they disrupt the life of a private man named Lyman, played by Jackson Hurst, who is not sociable. He works the graveyard shift as a security officer, patrolling around in his truck. He became an orphan at four years old when his parents died in a car wreck. He only knows his last name and estimates the year of his birth.
Oscar flies into his trailer and starts talking with words like ‘Shut up!’ and ‘I’m an eagle!” Lyman decides he must find the parrot’s owner. The quest leads him to the librarian named Fiona, played by Rachel Nichols. Over the years, her curiosity and attraction to Lyman from afar finally came to fruition. She offers her help to find the parrot’s owners, whether Lyman likes it or not.
Another animal comes into the story. Fiona’s basset hound makes the whole situation off-kilter. All four begin their search for Oscar’s owner. Fiona unravels the secrets of Lyman’s past and realizes that something about it needs clarification.
Fiona and Lyman go on his nightly security rounds together, and she sees a different man than the one she romanticizes. He has changed since he was a security officer, and she feels uncomfortable about it. As the movie draws to a close, Lyman reconciles with his past and breaks free from his murky lifestyle. They prepare a life together.
True Actor with Wings
Oscar lived beyond his sixtieth birthday, and he did not show his age in his final movie, A Bird of the Air. His fellow human actors adored him and spoke of his professionalism and kindness toward the crew on set. The indie romantic comedy includes some of the best moments for Oscar. His talent shines, and he will always be in our hearts.
“Paulie” the Movie
One of Oscar’s most famous movies is Paulie. The film is about a parrot, played by Oscar, being passed around from owner to owner.
The bird makes friends with a little girl, but they get separated. Eventually, a widow named Ivy buys Paulie. She and the parrot become fast friends, and they agree that she should help him find Marie, who moved to the West Coast. The widow decides to travel in her mobile home.
Slowly, Ivy loses her sight during their trip, and Paulie decides to stay and take care of her. Ivy eventually passes away, and Paulie learns to fly, continuing his journey to find his friend.
Talented Parrot
Oscar made so many movies and helped other animal actors break into the business. He leaves behind a legacy, and no other parrot can fill his feathers. It is a phenomenon of how Hollywood creates a story and adds a parrot, and the whole dynamic of the story shifts.
Oscar worked in the movies before animal trainers became a household word. Oscar helped so many animal trailers, too. He showed them how to guide animals through a scene, so they delivered what the director wanted.
Oscar flew off to find a new place to talk to parrots and entertain people. Rest in peace, Oscar. You are dearly loved.
Do you want to work in film but don’t know where to begin? Here is a way to get your first job in the film industry.
Creating a business plan gets you where you want to go in the film business.
Instant Internship
You may have heard about the old ironies and difficulties of breaking into the film business.
No film experience? You can’t get an interview.
No Interview? You can’t get the job.
No Job? You can’t get the experience.
You need experience to achieve the experience. Trying to break into the film business can go on and on—around and around. Despite all, people do break into the film business, and you can, too.
It takes a simple film business plan.
Film Business Plan
Film production companies look for people willing to work for free because they are new to the business and need experience. They’re called internships and are often part of a formal course of study at a four-year college.
The colleges and universities that offer such internship programs are UCLA, USC, San Francisco State University, the University of Texas, and New York University. If you are interested in pursuing this career path, contact the college’s admissions office for more information. Or, you can Google “film internships NYC” if you want to work in NYC.
Some in the business consider pursuing film production internships a noble move because it suggests you’re committed to the industry. You are intensely committed enough to work for free.
Though the fact is that many film industry jobs require training and a certain number of years of work experience. That is where the film production internships apply. Most professional jobs in the industry do not require a college degree. They need you to be an intern for a time to gain the technical, creative, and managerial skills necessary to function effectively in your chosen film career.
If you are considering an internship in the industry, it would be advisable to prepare for your specific area or areas of interest. If, for example, you’re thinking about interning as an editor, it would be a good idea to take a few editing classes at a film school. Such experience will make you more attractive as a candidate and more valuable once you’ve begun your internship training.
Film Business Jobs
Make sure you have business cards.
Sometimes people get lucky in the film business and fall into jobs, but it doesn’t happen very often. As a rule, if you want it, it will happen, and you will have to make it happen.
One way to make it happen is to arrange an internship with a production company connected to a film school. You can also approach other film organizations, like marketing, law, digital media, or social media. A film production internship is an unpaid position that helps you build your resume, gain experience, and develop industry contacts.
However, internships can be hard to find and nearly impossible to secure due to intense competition in the field.
Offer the production an internship for yourself. This technique works because film production companies are amenable to accepting free help during peak “rush” periods. Some gained employment and kick-started their careers by approaching a production company and asking for work.
Remember:
During such “unofficial” internships, the contacts you develop are invaluable to building your career.
Before you start approaching people in the film business for work, you have to have film business cards with reliable and up-to-date contact information.
Network while learning about working on a film set.
Contacts Lead to Contacts
There are several ways to arrange an internship. Sometimes, people approach film crews while in production and offer to help. While the offer gets refused, it doesn’t hurt to ask. If you’re persistent, the chances are they’ll eventually give in and let you do some work on the shoot. It may not be the kind of work you had in mind, but once you get on a set with a production company, you have the opportunity to meet people who can help you get a “real” job in the film business. And then, pass out your business cards.
Whatever tactic you choose, or try to use, to get your first job in the film business, make sure you keep at it with the right attitude. Odds are you will eventually run into someone who will take you up on your offer.
Once you get an internship, get to know as many people on the production team as you can.
Remember:
Contacts lead to contacts and, eventually, the job you want in the business.
In the film business, it’s all about networking, and the more people you get to know, the more likely you’ll find work in your chosen field.
People make it in the business because they asked, searched, persisted, and finally landed a job on the set.
Where Crews are Hired
In addition to full-time and freelance jobs, there’s a third way you can work in the film industry—for free. It doesn’t sound like a good idea and certainly not something you want—or be able—to do for too long, but it is a way to get a foot in the door.
In fact, there are film productions where crews are “hired” for no pay at all. In such instances, the producer may offer the crew shares in the film or some other form of deferred payment—the chance to make money if and when the movie itself turns a profit. If nothing else, the opportunity to share in the film’s profits serves as a considerable motivation for the crew to do its best and help maximize the film’s chances for success.
Although the arrangement appears exploitative, it benefits both the producer and the crew. How else can a filmmaker with little or no production budget get a team? How else can inexperienced crew members get experience? Ultimately—whether the film is a success or not—both sides get what they want: the filmmaker gets his movie made, and the new crew members gain valuable experience they can add to their resumes.
Working on the Film Set
Making a film career requires patience and perseverance. The production manager says, “No,” don’t take it personally. Keep working at it until you find a crack in the door, and you get your big break.
Here’s a list of funky, silly, and creative hairstyle ideas for wacky or crazy hair days at school, in plays, in movies, and on holidays.
You and your kids can have fun being as creative as possible.
Wacky Hair Ideas
Getting creative with crazy hair days or designing wacky hairstyles for film or theater is so much fun. It is the best part of being a kid at heart. I found many great ideas for girls and boys, but I will only share my favorites with you.
I found it interesting that most of the boys’ wacky hair ideas aren’t very inventive. The girls are much more creative in designing wacky hairstyles.
Pipe cleaner hairdo
1. Pipe Cleaner Hairdo
Blue Skies Ahead shows some wacky hair photos. It’s not a pipe dream because the hairdo is so wacky and manageable to create, yet it fits any crazy hair day. Moms only need to take a trip to the craft store and buy lots of multicolored pipe cleaners.
With that, you put the hair up in a cute, tight bun. Take a bunch of pipe cleaners and twist each one around your fingers until they’re all curly. Then, stick the pipe cleaners around the bun with the elastic band. If you have a lot of really long hair, make several tiny buns, and do the same thing with the pipe cleaners. The cleanup will be a breeze, and more likely, your daughter or son will want to do the same wacky hairdo for the next event.
Each pipe cleaner hairdo is different because the pipe cleaners never bend or attach to the hair the same way.
Spider web hairstyle
2. Spider Web Hairstyle
It’s a bit scary for some girls. If you tell them they look cute, it might work for Halloween night. Or you might have to wait until they are a bit older to appreciate the fun of wearing such a wacky, scary hairstyle.
The expert says it is easy to do. The giant spider web hairdo looks like a classic. You can find the designer through the link in the image.
A&W soda
3. A&W Soda
I loved A&W root beer when I was this girl’s age. I am impressed with this crazy hair day winner. The wacky style looks easy to do. The originator does not explain how to do it. By looking at the photo, I guess you place a hole in the side of an empty soda bottle and string the ponytail through it, so it seems like the hair is flowing into the plastic cup. You clip the plastic container onto the hair with a hair clip.
Our Daily Ideas brought this design to my attention, and I am happy to share it with you.
Doggy hair
4. Doggy Hair
Kelly found this doggy hairstyle for me. The only problem with having the wacky dog facing you is that you will miss each person’s first impression of the hairstyle. Don’t be surprised if a couple of hound dogs end up following you.
I couldn’t find the hairdo’s originator, so I guessed the designer made a super-tight bun and twisted a smaller bun for the nose. She cut a piece of red fabric in the shape of a dog’s tongue. Using a black Sharpie, she drew a black line down the center of the cloth. The eyes and dog ears you can get at any craft store. The eyes can be hot-glued to hair clips and attached to the hair.
Birds and butterflies
5. Birds and Butterflies
Melanie shared this with me, and I think it is so wacky. It is the wackiest of hairdos ever. I am sure it took four hours to create this crazy hairstyle. I tried to find the tutorial, but there isn’t one. I am sure she used wires to keep her hair bent like that, which is fantastic. Only girls with long hair can do this wacky style.
Adding birds’ nests and then butterflies throughout the hair reminds me of French 18th-century hairstyles, but crazier and less symmetrical.
6. Christmas Tree Hairstyle
I love the idea of making a Christmas tree hairdo. It’s a lot of work, but worth it. With the latest easy-on hair dyes, dying your hair green shouldn’t be difficult.
Doughnut hair
7. Doughnut Hair
The doughnut hair fits wacky hair ideas for long hair. Get ready for wacky hair day pictures with this hairstyle. All the hair is up and off the shoulders, which looks comfy. The crazy hairdo comes from Make It & Love It. You start with a ponytail that is super tight from the top center of the head. It would be best if you pulled it as high as possible. Don’t hold back on the gel or hairspray. The hair needs to be slick on all sides.
Find a small colored paper plate and cut a medium-sized hole in the center so the ponytail fits through the hole.
Create a plain bun by using a mesh bun or twist, and then wrap the ponytail into a bun, which is the doughnut.
Create the frosting by cutting a piece of colored fleece, felt, or any leftover fabric. Make sure it fits on the doughnut. Using a hot glue gun, squeeze squiggles onto the material, and immediately press colorful sprinkles into the hot glue before it cools.
You need to attach the frosting to the bun, so take some leftover fabric and cut it into three strips. Using hot glue, take each strip’s ends and glue them onto the non-sprinkled side of the frosting. You should have three loops so that a single bobby pin can slide through and firmly attach the frosting piece to the bun.
Dragon hairstyle
8. Dragon Hairstyle
The hair color with the jewels for the dragon hairstyle at Lou Lou Girls is wacky and adorable at the same time. The creative ladies at LouLou Girls call it perfect for crazy hair day, and I agree. It takes some planning to get this hairstyle done on time.
You will need two hair colors, craft jewels, hairpins, and hot glue. They suggest using hairpins to keep the jewels in the hair. The day before doing the dragon hairstyle, you need to attach the gems to the pins with glue.
In the end, they added bright, colorful hair extensions. I like the idea of wearing this hairstyle to How to Train Your Dragon movies or parties.
4 Colors Temporary Hair Color for Kids, Gifts for Teens, Girls, Boys, Gifts for Kids, Temporary Hair Dye, Hair Color Spray Green Red Blue Purple Hair Dye Hair Wax Color, Instant Color Wax Halloween Party
Four hair coloring waxes prepare me for Crazy Hair days at school. We even use them for Halloween. Easy to color and easy to clean. I can create the hair color my kids want anytime, anywhere—fast. Safe for kids to DIY.
A hairstyle that the boys can do for crazy hair day or wacky hair day.
9. Surfer Dude
Spiky hair is for boys who like to be surfer guys. The hairstyle creates the highest wave, provided his hair is the color of the ocean. You take blue hairspray and shape the wave curl.
Add a little white hairspray to the tips to create a massive wave. The surfer action figure stays on when you apply it to the hair while it is still wet from the spray.
Boys and girls take on the bugs
10. Bugs in the Grass
Green hair spray with short hair creates grass bugs like ants, centipedes, spiders, and caterpillars. Grab plastic bugs at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or the Dollar Store.
Using hot glue, attach them to hairpins. This wacky hairstyle will turn heads on the school day.
The black bugs on the boy’s forehead attach with glue for eyelashes or anything easy on the skin. For longer hair, you can use the same hairspray or gel.
If it’s for a girl, consider using butterflies, flowers, and caterpillars.
Anyone can pull off this crazy hairday style, but you need long hair.
11. Cherries
Dinah from DIY Inspired shared the hair-cherry look. The items you need to make the crazy hairstyle are red hair spray, two hair ties, some bobby pins, a green pipe cleaner, a piece of green construction paper, clear tape, and a black marker.
Take the hair and create two high buns, then secure them with bobby pins on opposite sides of the head. Spray each bun red to make it look like a cherry. Cut a piece of green construction paper into a leaf shape. Draw the leaf veins on the leaf-shaped paper. Bend the green pipe cleaner, fold it into red buns to look like cherry stems, and pin them to the cherries with bobby pins. Tape the leaf to the top of the stem. Make any necessary adjustments to ensure the wacky hairstyle stays in place.
Monster do
12. Monster Do
Even though a boy has the monster hairstyle, girls can do one! Courtney Constable at DIYs.com shared a simple but great way to style your kid’s hair. You need hair wax or gel, green hair coloring, two large googly eyes, and face paint.
Spike the hair up and do so until it’s stiff. Blend in green hair paint while spiking the hair.
Peel off the sticky backing of the googly eyes and place them like eyes in the hair above the face. Using face paint, draw a monster mouth on the forehead with two menacing arms and hands coming from the hair.
Easy Wacky Hair Ideas
If you are like me, you wait until the last moment and see what you have available the night before wacky hair day at school. If you are a planner, then some of these ideas are perfect for you. I have shared some crazy, wacky hair ideas that are pretty easy as long as you have all the materials.
