Recently, I finished writing the script for a summer movie that my former youth group member and I have been writing. The plan IS to shoot this film this summer on a limited budget and with a cast of monetarily uncompensated actors. But many factors must fall into place before a single frame can be shot.
This is where the Producer steps in. The Producer, in this case, is moi. It is not a role I relish (yet) but it is a necessary job, in so much as the Producer makes sure that everyone is on the same page and motivated towards finishing the project. Considering the number of wild and seemingly impossible tasks that I've started, and/or finished in my lifetime, I seem suited to this role.
So, over the weekend, almost as soon as the script was finished, the first wave of disappointments started setting in. Sigh. What's a producer to do? Oh yes... Job Description #1 - The Producer must overcome every obstacle.
Many of my actors are now planning to audition for a musical at Pacifica's Spindrift Players that would be in production at the end of September. Or to put it another way, they would be rehearsing exactly when I intend to film. So, my casting challenges have just multiplied. But they are still not impossible, yet.
Also, my prime choice location that I had written the script around is going to be tied up for a Vacation Bible School - the exact same week that I had planned on filming my movie. Hmmm. The location was going to be a challenge to get anyway. Now I'm thinking that if I have to get a new location, and possibly pay for it, I might as well get a good location and guarantee some perks with it as well. Still, very annoying.
On the other hand, I have discovered a new source of possible budgetary money for the film that I had intended to pay for out of my own pocketbook. This investment might even be as high as five grand. As much as this takes some pressure off the film budgeting process (I don't have to sweat profusely as I write zero amounts in areas where I know the spending will probably be fast and furious ;) five grand is still not a huge amount for a film budget. I still have to be exceedingly frugal.
The end result of all this is that while in the past I might have pulled the plug after the first setback, I have now developed the intestinal fortitude to go ahead with my plans until the brick wall looms up and smacks me in the face a few times. And only when I'm sure that I can't smash that wall down, will I call it a day.
Such is the job of producer. That's why we get paid the big bucks. And why Hollywood fears us so much.
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