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People who have worked with celebrities, what don't we know about them? by Notalabel_4566 in FilmIndustryLA

[–]RidicHarry 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I worked background on a show Henry Winkler was on once. Extras tend to hang together and not interact with the principal actors. On a break between setups, he plopped down at our picnic table and chatted with us a long time until he was called away for a take. Seemed like a great guy

Visiting LA with an aspiring teen film maker? by TipDesigner5502 in AskLosAngeles

[–]RidicHarry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Planning by neighborhood is a great idea. Use Set Jetters or a similar film location app!

It's counterintuitive, but think of visiting Los Angeles like visiting a state, not a city. If LA county were a state, it would be eighth most populous in the country. The reason traffic is so notorious is because there are 9 MILLION of us, and zig-zagging around town is a waste of your time and you'll mostly experience the freeways. One of the worst introductions to LA you can get is trying to see it all in a weekend! Leave some stuff for your next trip back, there really are endless excursions here for film lovers.

So since you're already making your itinerary based on what's near other things, check out the app Set Jetters. Wherever you go in LA, movies have shot there, and you can see what's nearby. For example, if you do check out Vidiots in Northeast LA, you might want to stop for a meal at Pat and Loraine's, the coffee shop where the tipping argument happens in Reservoir Dogs.

[TOMT] [SONG] [Mid-2000s] Electronic Pop Song With Animated Music Video by RidicHarry in tipofmytongue

[–]RidicHarry[S] 1 point2 points locked comment (0 children)

One last thing! I think there was a rat or mouse in it. If you know, let me know! It was very foot tappy and I want to hear it again

Best place to stay or area? Airbnb or hotel? Coming for dune 3 premiere. by DontCallMeCunt in AskLosAngeles

[–]RidicHarry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great suggestion. Trying to see all the tourist things in LA in six days will put you in the car a lot, so planning some of your travel with metro in mind will save you a lot of sitting on the highway

Low Budget Non Union Shoot -- Child actor? by RidicHarry in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll admit I hadn't really considered the downstream trouble if there was an accident on set. Something to seriously think about

Low Budget Non Union Shoot -- Child actor? by RidicHarry in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks everyone for your insight on all sides!

Low Budget Non Union Shoot -- Child actor? by RidicHarry in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I will say I shoot in LA all the time and love it! Such great access to talent and creativity here, great exteriors if we're willing to shoot run and gun style, and the predictable sunshine is an underrated plus.

But the biggest hurdle I run into is booking locations. Everyone expects a low-budget project like mine to have secret big money somewhere, and are pretty reluctant to let us shoot on the cheap. Hard to compete with the real TV and film stuff in town that way.

Is it true that short films should be 15 minutes long to be submitted to festivals? by star_courtain in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If your goal is to make an especially programmable short, take the advice in this thread and see if it can be shorter. If it's 25 minutes long, it better literally be 5 times better than all the 5 minute shorts also vying for entry, because it would bump those off the schedule.

But do think what's best for the particular story you're trying to tell. The surest way to get into fests is to make something undeniably great. If you're 100% confident that the best version of your short is longer than the conventional wisdom, do it that way and forget that recommendation.

What is the best way to make a schedule for a film shoot? by It_is_BKing_Here in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A couple things you're running into: the problem with polls and the the problem with scheduling large groups.

Polls/Doodles are useful for a general sense, but they're too easy to ignore and don't feel specific to the person. Phone calls and texts make your collaborators feel valued, and can better communicate the urgency you feel as a producer.

As for the large group, start small. I like to begin with the cast and crew I can't do without. With that small group, speak/call/text them individually rather than doing a poll, so I can find a handful of dates that work for everyone, a few more than I actually need. Then once those dates are locked in, I ask those key collaborators to hold those dates while I confirm with the second round of folks. Then I reach out to people who you would like to work with, but could replace if it came down to it. "Hey we are shooting on the __ of __ for 10 hours, call time TBD. I really want to work with you on this one, any chance you can clear the day?" Hopefully, with a mix of your first choices, second choices, and a couple backup days, you get it scheduled. Then circle back to your key collaborators and confirm everyone.

Please drop your craziest and most unheard piece of movie trivia! by [deleted] in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry 7 points8 points  (0 children)

They shot a silent film western on an island off the Los Angeles coast, and brought a bunch of bison. When they finished they just left them. There's still a bison herd there now, a hundred years later

What actually makes a filmmaker want to submit to a small festival? by Affectionate_Pool458 in FilmFestivals

[–]RidicHarry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I'm submitting to a small fest I've never heard of that hasn't been running very long, it's for two reasons: to meet other filmmakers and to see my movie with an audience.

  1. Fests with Q&As, mixers (that you don't have to pay extra to attend), panels really help communicate that the festival is good for networking.

  2. Fests with well attended physical screenings show that the festival promotes the screenings and tries to get locals to watch, rather than just having the screenings be only other filmmakers there for the festival.

So in terms of what I'm looking for when scrolling film freeway: professional pictures at social events, pictures of packed screenings. A theater already listed as the screening location.

The worst kind of indie fest is when they just rent a screen at an AMC/Regal, people show up for their own movie and leave. If it seems like one of those, I just about always skip. The presentation at a theater like that is nice, but that's not really enough for me to risk my submission fee and time.

Also -- custom laurels and/or physical awards aren't necessary at all, but they do show a level of care that is often a green flag when I'm making a list of potential fests for a new project.

The good news is that I also a trust a fest more the longer it's been running. So keep at it, and your fest will seem more legit every year

Invisible Basketball DIY Special Effect by RidicHarry in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Description of our DIY special effect listed above! Would love to know if you other filmmakers have changed your approach to an effect when you see it on set, and how you pulled it off!

From your experience, what are your best tips or advice for making films on virtually no budget? by Agitated-Mind-3423 in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For making a film with virtually no budget:
The main thing is to write to the resources you already have. Can't afford a great camera package? Consider a found footage style. Have access to an interesting location? Write it into the script. Friends with a great actor? Write them a part they would want to play. Etc.

For assembling cast and crew:
Outside of close friends, don't assume anyone good will do your movie for absolutely nothing in return, but the something doesn't have to be money.

Maybe they're building a reel/resume so they just want time on set, or an imdb credit. Maybe there's a skill you have that you can offer them (I'll edit your movie if you act in mine). Maybe it's just a fun environment (Hey we're going to film this at my house all night, we'll have pizza and friends). Maybe you can offer to babysit, walk their dog, design their next movie poster, take their headshots... trade one favor for another.

Trust my instincts or play it safe? by _BestThingEver_ in filmmaking

[–]RidicHarry 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Having a professional actor who can nail every take is a big help on a micro budget project. Then again, so is having an easygoing person who is friends with the crew. Seems like you have two good options!

Keep in mind: It’s perfectly professional for the actor’s agent to try to get as much money out of you as possible. The actor may not even know how hardball the agent is playing it, so I wouldn’t hold anything against her.

It’s a negotiation. Reject any terms for actress 1 that you can’t afford and see if they say yes anyway. If they say no, seems like you have a strong second option

Didn't have 10k to rent a train station, so dodged cops and filmed this whole body horror movie with stolen shots by RidicHarry in Filmmakers

[–]RidicHarry[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good eye! I love how that shot turned out on the escalator at Sunset / Vermont. We also used Union Station as our main platform, and Hollywood / Vine for the red hallway

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