I will reiterate here that most movies cost so much because most major studios make a nice chunk of their money by supplying services to the movie makers such as craft services at a considerable mark-up. People tend to forget that by the time a movie wraps everybody has already been paid - including the studio. This may sound crazy but movie studios make money making movies. Disney used to run this scam with upper middle class investors such as doctors and dentists who wanted to invest in something glittery like the movie business. These investor groups pumped millions into several successful movies but, after Disney collected all their fees, never saw a dime of profit.
~(no)rave! --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Mr. Worf" <hellomahog...@...> wrote: > > Heheh even craft services can be pricey! Depending on the film, they do > lobster and 4 star service. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 200 people can > be pricey. That is one of the problems with old hollywood though. I think > that at some point the price of making a film here will be so prohibitive > that they will be forced to go back to doing film the indie way. Small > crews, tiny budgets etc. > > I will check out the sites that you mentioned. One question that popped into > my mind is how many sales or viewings does it take to break even for some of > the indie films? I know that in music (which is a very similar situation) a > indie performer can break even with a few hundred sales depending on how > much was spent on the album. There are some people that are doing well > working under the radar. > > On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 6:48 PM, Daryle Lockhart > <dar...@...>wrote: > > > > > > > Great points, thanks for this! > > It should be noted that there is GreenCine.com, the "Netflix" for indies, > > and Codeblack.com is positioned as a "Black Netflix/Amazon". There's always > > an alternative. > > > > I'm really big on internet viewing of movies, but you're right, it's just > > a small part of the audience. > > > > Indie studios agree with you, too. That's why you see Focus Features being > > really aggressive with the marketing of their pictures this year, from > > "Limits Of Control" to "Away We Go". And it pays off because "Away We Go", > > for example, did pretty well for a picture of its size. > > > > Nigeria is VERY lucky that it doesn't have to deal with how to pay a > > Denzel Washington. Essentially, they have an organized porn industry, > > with the top talent making what Paramount spends on craft services per > > picture. > > > > > > On Aug 4, 2009, at 9:17 PM, Mr. Worf wrote: > > > > > > > > Thank you for this post. I agree with a lot of what you said. However, I > > think that in the US, there is a problem with creating the infrastructure. > > There isn't a black netflix or blockbuster. Or even one that specializes in > > indie films. Large studios in Hollywood has a lock on everything that is > > created, and how it is seen. An indie film cannot be seen without the > > blessing of a big player not without some serious maneuvers by the indie > > people. There is also the politics within the indie film world as well. > > (white liberals love to see films about the "plight" of people.) The > > internet can help, but that is only one part of the movie going audience. > > > > Nigeria is lucky because they don't have to deal with all of that yet. > > > > On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 7:24 AM, Daryle Lockhart <dar...@... > > > wrote: > > > >> > >> > >> With all due respect, there IS a Black Hollywood. > >> > >> Maybe we don't like the name, but there is a thriving independent scene > >> with a wide range of artists, from the abstract to the commercially > >> viable. > >> There are many Black independent films made every year that are excellent. > >> And more that need help. Need an audience. Since last year, "Medicine > >> for > >> Melancholy", " A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy", "Hunger", and more have > >> been released, films that are excellent and are not "hood". "Hunger" is a > >> great example, because people don't know Steve McQueen is Black. "Black > >> Hollywood" suffers because Black audiences go see "Transformers" at the AMC > >> when "Passing Strange" is playing at the IFC. > >> > >> It is insulting to say there is no Black Hollywood when Tim Story exists. > >> Nobody dismissed Bryan Singer after Superman. So why do we act like a Black > >> director didn't make two successful Fantastic Four movies? Spielberg > >> couldn't make ONE, and he held the rights for years. > >> > >> It's dismissive of The Urbanworld Film Festival's 10 years to say that > >> there's no Black Hollywood. When I hear "there is no Black Hollywood", it > >> sounds like "there is no hip-hop culture, it's just [this]". > >> > >> It's more than Spike and Tyler. It's the Hughes Brothers, the Wayans, Ice > >> Cube, Nelson George, Latifah...there are quite a few Black people in > >> Hollywood who can walk into a studio and get a picture made. When Denzel > >> Washington decided he didn't want to be in "Unstoppable", Fox made > >> changes, > >> including to the script. to make him comfortable, and now the picture's > >> back > >> on. Denzel's co-star in "Unstoppable" is Chris Pine, who one would > >> imagine > >> could carry this movie on his own after "Star Trek"'s success,0but no. > >> Tony > >> Scott is directing the film, Chris Pine is the co-star, and the project > >> almost didn't happen because Denzel wasn't feeling it. Within this same > >> network, there exists the ability to NOT go to a studio and make a > >> picture. > >> THAT is what makes a "Black Hollywood", its independence, and it's > >> distribution. We've got the distribution. We've got some money. All we > >> need now is a stronger infrastructure, and we have what took Hong Kong > >> 30 > >> years to develop. > >> > >> Comments like the Wesley Snipes one are damaging, not only because there's > >> been more revealed to that story, but it also takes away from the fact that > >> Wesley is in one of the best independent films shown this year at Sundance, > >> "Brooklyn's Finest", which Antoine Fuqua directed and is also written by a > >> Black author. > >> > >> I am currently tracking 10 feature films in Hollywood with Black > >> directors, scriptwriters, and/or producers. That's more pictures than > >> Dreamworks will turn out next year. I am tracking these films because I > >> own > >> and edit TheBlackBoxOffice.com, and as a result, I have heard from close to > >> a hundred camps with stuff in independent production. Stuff that's going > >> directly to DVD. Pilots. Directly to on-demand. There's nothing wrong with > >> that. > >> > >> Nollywood is about independent storytelling. An acquired taste, it's true, > >> but it's presence should be a wakeup call for Black filmmakers. We do not > >> NEED to be in LA. The cost of entry for film production is lower than ever. > >> You do NOT need to rent an expensive camera. Red, or Ruby, or Sapphire > >> camera will do just fine. It's about the story. There were two entries at > >> Cannes this years shot on cameras that COST under $5,000 and were edited > >> on > >> Final Cut. > >> > >> There are even Black owned adult entertainment studios, something that was > >> unheard of 30 years ago. Black Hollywood is the most diverse creative > >> community we've ever had in this country. It's frustrating, because we > >> watch > >> what Hollywood is doing and how much money THEY have, and we don't have > >> that > >> kind of money, but that doesn't mean nothing's happening. IT WILL GET > >> BETTER. > >> > >> And finally, Nollywood IS African. I can't get on a plane from Detroit and > >> go to Nigerians and Ghanians to tell them what kind of stories they should > >> be telling. African people are buying these stories and enjoying them. > >> African people are making them. African people are IN them. Of course the > >> craft will improve. Look, District 9 is African. The issue on that > >> particular point is that Black people have had stories better than D9 for > >> years, but Black audiences act like sci-fi is for white people (hence this > >> list's existence) so no studio gives our stories the light of day. And Gods > >> help a filmmaker if they go TO the community for funding. So, Nollywood has > >> tapped into a formula that works. Gossipy dramas shot on cheap cameras. > >> Shouldn't make Black Americans even blink, look at what we've been > >> READING for the past 25 years. > >> > >> There is a Black Hollywood. It may not be as large as Nollywood or > >> Bollywood, and like a lot of other things that are Black, we may not want > >> to > >> claim it, but it's real. > >> > >> > >> > >> On Aug 3, 2009, at 8:51 AM, Milton Davis wrote: > >> > >> > >> Black folks are so desperate for entertainment including them that they'll > >> settle for less, i.e. Nollywood, urban lit. I see nothing wrong with > >> Nollywood as long as the craft improves with time. > >> The statement that made me laugh was 'Black Hollywood.' Am I missing > >> something? A black hollywood exists? The only persons in 'Black Hollywood' > >> is Spike Lee, Tyler Perry and T.D. Jakes. Wesley will be doing time soon so > >> he doesn't count anymore. (Note to self; when MVmedia blows up, pay taxes!) > >> That straight to DVD stuff isn't much better that Nollywood movies. If I > >> see > >> one more wacky hip-hop comedy starring rappers and strippers I'll scream! I > >> know the Hudlin Brothers and Mr. Singleton are lurking in the shadows, but > >> none of them produce enough work to claim the title of Black Hollywood. > >> I wish there was a 'Black Hollywood.' (sigh) > >> --- On *Sat, 8/1/09, Mr. Worf <hellomahog...@...>* wrote: > >> > >> > >> From: Mr. Worf <hellomahog...@...> > >> Subject: [scifinoir2] Article: African Americans tune into Nollywood > >> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > >> Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009, 4:25 AM > >> > >> Nollywood. I think I am going to be packing my bags shortly. > >> > >> http://newsone. com/nation/ african-american s-tune-into- > >> nollywood/<http://newsone.com/nation/african-americans-tune-into-nollywood/> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! > > Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Bringing diversity to perversity for 9 years! > Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/ >
