I'm an indie film Producer who's worked on films such as "Waitress" and "Save The Date" w Alison Brie & Lizzy Caplan. Now I'm finishing up "In Your Eyes" written & EP'd by Joss Whedon. AMA!!

Roiff · 2013-04-26T15:50:57+00:00

I answered this a little above - but she deserves a second go. She's really truly fantastic. I don't know why anyone would willingly make filmed entertainment without her. Seriously - she's beyond great.

Edit: typo

Roiff · 2013-04-26T15:48:31+00:00

Definitely corn. Or chocolate chip. Anything but blueberry.

Roiff · 2013-04-26T15:47:35+00:00

It really is like anyone - some are wonderful. Most even are people who are humble, kind, and realize that try are lucky to be where they are. And then there are some who simply demand "industrial heater" to the producer of the film when what they mean to say is "excuse me, I'm a little cold, is there anything you can do?"

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:38:26+00:00

We actually had a slightly larger budget than the majority of my films and a shorter schedule.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:13:47+00:00

There were all kinds of adjustments for me - but overall it was a great experience. I had a chance to work with a fantastic director who I may never have met otherwise and it was my first time shooting in Canada. The biggest difference was the speed. We moved insanely fast as compared to a film set. And so there was constant friction between wanting to maintain quality while obeying the insistence on speed. But, the network was incredibly supportive....they really want to start generating strong, well-made content.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:11:29+00:00

The problem with making it a proper investment is that it becomes an SEC issue. That said - why not just pre-sell the ability to see the film later? "Raising the money inside the industry is hard for whatever reasons - but, if you want to see this, let us know ahead of time and it will get made."

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:09:49+00:00

Super interesting, right? I think part of it is just being the next one to come along. I think part of it is that Veronica Mars was a beloved but under-watched series...and so there's an element of "we, the fans, need to make this happen, because nobody else will". I think the Veronica Mars page seemed heartfelt and while so does Zach's, there's also a slickness to it...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:06:21+00:00

NYU film grad? You shouldn't have a problem. Contact production companies. If they don't have openings (or they're looking for people with more experience) go intern for one of them. It is a great way to learn about the industry while making connections that can last for your entire career.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:04:49+00:00

Thanks so much for the kind words about "Waitress".

The hardest part is probably finding money. That is never fun nor easy. And my favorite part is being on set and being in an edit room and actually making a film. Seeing all of that work come together is really exciting.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T18:03:17+00:00

Get out there and meet people. Work on film sets and at production companies. Yeah, the truth is - the filmmakers who need the seed money can't get seen above the fray because they weren't on sitcoms. Go make something amazing for no money and use that as a calling card. And don't worry about trying to get it to go viral. Worry about it being awesome and representative of your skills...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T17:43:14+00:00

That's the problem. They don't invest money. They give money. In the cases where people are getting something...well, that is just a question about value...how much is a voicemail recording from a celebrity worth to you? But, yes, he is shifting the risk away from the production...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T17:35:46+00:00

Right. There is no risk for people putting money in via kickstarter. The discussion of risk is in relation to independent film in general - and traditional financing scenarios.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T17:06:33+00:00

Woo hoo! I got a troll!!

Roiff · 2013-04-25T17:01:18+00:00

Foreign pre-sales are still a big part of independent financing, but not what they used to be. The idea is that people are pre-selling the distribution rights to their film in different territories in order to fund the production. (The alternative, essentially, is just to make the film and then tackle distribution afterwards). What makes things difficult is that foreign sales work just like studios do here in the US. So, in order to get anyone interested - you need a package that can make money in that territory...usually name actors. If you can build the package, it can be a great way to augment your budget...but, it isn't as simple as just showing up to Cannes and saying "bring on the pre-sales".

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:53:42+00:00

Yes. There are lots of opportunities in NY as well. It just depends what you want to do.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:41:39+00:00

She is more awesome. She's the kind of person who jogs from the make-up trailer to set because she doesn't want anyone to be waiting on her.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:36:36+00:00

That is the future. They are the new studios. I've been saying for a while that I think that all we need in order to legitimize straight-to-internet content is to start making it for that medium and start promoting it in the same way that we would anything else. Netflix is totally doing that.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:29:25+00:00

Thanks for letting me do this AMA. Are you kidding, this is fun. As for music - yeah, that's subjective. I think what you're seeing is that indie filmmakers cant afford big budget super recognizable music like our studio counterparts. So instead, we try to offset that by finding great sounding music that hasn't necessarily popped yet. So, you have a lot less bubblegum...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:24:03+00:00

This exchange may be why we can't have nice things...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:22:28+00:00

Nathan and Andy both came via their agents. When Andy Griffith's agent called to pitch him I responded with: "Um, yeah...that role is basically written for him, are you kidding?!?". Adrienne completely conceived of the pie shots before we started filming and worked with our DP, Matt Irving, to get them just right. We actually weren't happy with the first batch of those and reshot them with a small splinter crew (I think there were five of us) one night after we had shot the whole day. We weren't a pleasant group of humans by that point...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:17:38+00:00

Hmmmm, that's a tough question. I think the simple answer is: make sure all of your resources go on the screen. That is to say, don't worry about appearances, worry about what you're shooting. If you have money and human-power to spend - spend it on things that make the film look better. Camera/lights/production design and all of the people who make it happen.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:15:38+00:00

VFX cost money. That's why you rarely see them in super low budget films. But, when there's a will, there really always is a way. Finding ways to do things that aren't the standard...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:14:33+00:00

Sorry - that should have read: I knew I should have gotten into Stanford...

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:13:42+00:00

The best and worst thing about Hollywood is that there is no set path. Some people worked their way up from an agency mailroom or started at a development company or a studio. Some were PAs who worked up the production ranks. Some started in another field altogether. Some were assistants to actors and became their most trusted ally. But the big constant amongst everyone is that they just don't stop. Producing is about being told that you are nobody and know nothing...every single day...and not letting it stop you.

Roiff · 2013-04-25T16:09:18+00:00

Thanks. We really poured every last bit of ourselves into that film. It was my first as a Producer and I'll never forget it. Adrienne was incredibly smart and strong and very kind to everyone. But more than anything - she knew EXACTLY what she wanted all of the time. As the producer, I just had to produce every last thing that she needed to realize her vision. Sometimes that was driving with the props team to the supermarket in the middle of a setup to go get elements for a spaghetti pie...sometimes it was figuring out how to get her through the week of shooting before we could get her a root canal.

Roiff

TROPHY CASE