OSCAR GIVES TO INDIE’S AGAIN
February 27th, 2012
The clouds rolled in early Oscar Sunday morning in LA, what did this mean for the global awards show?
The numbers tell us this award show has been down with viewers, but the A.M.P.A.S touted a huge “billion” viewers internationally. I’d love to have that many viewers on any one of my productions! So, that wasn’t any concern.
The Red Carpet didn’t disappoint those looking for glamour. With overcast sky’s, colors popped and as most of us know, an overcast sky is a shooters best friend.
But, what really got my attention was that 17 Golden Oscars were presented to Independent films. Yeah, Independents!
Once again, an independent walked away with best picture! “The Artist”, somewhat an abstract film (by MPCI standards), did come through to catch the attention of the Academy voters. This $15 million dollar film was creative enough, to adorn Hollywood’s top honor. Just think if they had $5 million more, they could have added sound and color! (Just joking…I think?).
“The Artist” will make all it’s production money back and make a handsome profit for the investors, it will be remember for the type of film it is and make some unknown actor’s move to the front of the Agent’s casting roasters. Admittedly, I didn’t have it on my winners list. But, I understand the challenges developing movie projects whether it’s in France or in Hollywood. What I really can’t imagine is pitching the story to a studio and telling them the film will be shot in black and white with only two lines spoken. I just can’t image, it’s truly an Independent. Obviously, they got beyond that hurtle and went on to win. Congratulations!
Hugo was another independent film, produced and directed by Marty Scorsese. [I get to call him “Marty” for the abuse I had to take from him when I worked on the remake, “Cape Fear”, but the pay was great.] Hugo was a $170 million production budget experimenting with 3D or stereoscopic cinematography. Although, a few scenes missed the mark, with objects vanishing or becoming transparent in a move, the story was all the things that take an audience into a fantasyland without leaving their seats. The film hasn’t come close to making it’s production budget back, but I’m sure in time, will become a true classic. “Hugo” was on my winners list and I applaud the end results.
Oscar has an interesting taste, a flavor lost by big studio productions. “The Help” was booked at a $25 million budget and grossed some $160 million, although it was produced by Dreamworks and distributed by Disney, not an Independent. Good stories will always be the winner in filmmaking. Everyday I’m working my contacts to raise the funds to produce our good stories, because I believe in magical storytelling.
Making a film at a budget so costly is many times a red flag. I’m waiting to see ‘The Long Ranger”. Disney has agreed to pour a huge amount into a franchise they hope will yield the return (about $215 million plus production budget). The Director wants to have a real train wreck in a scene, with real trains! In a time when computer animation can clone actors on screen and Disney has ownership in PIXAR, go figure. As a Disney stockholder, I hope the film with Johnny Depp isn’t a real train wreck, like the Dreamworks financial blunder “Cowboys and Aliens”!
That’s the difference between an Independent picture and a studio movie. Independents have to have a great story, “bust butt” with limited funds or use new technology to get someone to give it a look. Studios have the stock market to fall back on as they gamble all day long (and they do) on projects they can make into a line item in their portfolios.
Once again, the sun sets on what was once known as the Kodak Theater and this year’s winners and almost winners. Actors have again glorified their standing amongst their peers and agents, while the unions have added to their coffers. The Independent Producer, are at it again, another day of phone calls to investors and believing in a project, getting ready to bring their magic to the screen for your entertainment. And That’s the REEL STORY…!