I'm Fraser, 23, from Glasgow. And I am a filmmaker.
So far in my film career I've made two short films and a web series. I've spent a total of £3150 making those films and the web series.
In Scotland we have two filmmaking bodies - Scottish Screen, who are supposed to support independent filmmaking talent in Scotland, and G-Mac, who do the same but have less money.
Obstacle number 1!
I took one of my short film scripts to Scottish Screen and I applied for the short film fund of up to £25,000 to make it (like I'd ever need that much!). So I did all they asked - filled in the forms, did the proper budget (if i were to pay people and pay for equipment my 5 minute film would cost me £12,000!) and sent them the CV of my cast and crew. A few weeks later Scottish Screen finally got back to me and said "Because you have not been funded by any other schemes such as digicults and cineworks, we can't support you."
Obstacle number 2!
So I then looked into digicults and cineworks and I found out their deadlines are in November... not great when I want to make my film NOW... rather than sit about not doing anything for the next 5 months. However I've seen previous digicults and cineworks and they don't tackle the genres I want to work in when it comes to making films.
The only other alternative is private funding. Finding people outwith the film industry, who has money, and is willing to give you money to make your film. Always a joy.
Right now I'm trying to find people to sponsor my short film, and I need a minimum of £300 - that's just to pay the cast and crew's travelling expenses, food, and tapes to actually shoot the film. Surely there must be some people out there who can help me...right?
You can read about my short film, "Two and a Half Minutes" at http://www.twoandahalfminutes.tk
Anyway, I'll keep you posted.
Moving on to my subject header!
While I'm working on Night is Day, and my short films, the ultimate goal is to actually write and direct a proper, full length feature film. Yet another impossible task in Scottish filmmaking.
Different filmmakers tackle different genres - there's comedy (example http://www.pondlife.moonfruit.com), horror (example http://www.thebench.moonfruit.com), drama (too many to link to!) and fan ficton (example http://www.treasureofthetemplars.com) and that's fine, good luck to them, I hope they do well.
Now don't get me wrong, there is no such thing as an original idea anymore, but like my filmmaking God, Sir Tarantino, you need to take a genre you love, and put your own unique spin on it.
So I am.
I'm taking a genre I love - swordfighting - and turning it into a small adventure feature film.
I already wrote a draft for it a year ago and I tried to get it made, but due to a lack of reliable people and funding, the film collapsed and I went on to make "Night is Day" instead. I've had a year to think about it, seen where I went wrong, and now I'm stripping the script and starting over with a more simple concept, and fewer characters.
Now getting this film funded will be a complete nightmare, but I'm going to write a short film which will be a prelude to the actual film, and use the short to take around and try to raise the money to shoot the feature.
I've only wrote 2 pages of the actual film, but I'm going to let you see it and you can let me know what you think.
I present the first two scenes of "The Journey"...
FADE IN
1. EXT – WOODED AREA – DAY
The sun shines down through the trees down to the clean grass.
LIAM, in his mid-twenties, tall, wearing jeans, trainers, and a blood-stained blue shirt, stands with his back to us.
We pan down to the right to reveal that LIAM is holding a SAMURAI SWORD which is dripping with blood.
The blood leads to a dead body, ALEX, with his sword lying next to him.
LIAM flicks the blood from his sword and takes a deep breath.
We go back up and we see LIAM looking down at ALEX’S body, there’s remorse in his face.
LIAM bends down and looks around ALEX’S neck until he finds a STRING NECKLACE, LIAM snaps it off and takes a SILVER KEY from it.
LIAM looks at the key and he becomes totally fixated on it.
LIAM closes his eyes.
1. EXT – WOODED AREA – DAY
The sun shines down through the trees down to the clean grass.
LIAM, in his mid-twenties, tall, wearing jeans, trainers, and a blood-stained blue shirt, stands with his back to us.
We pan down to the right to reveal that LIAM is holding a SAMURAI SWORD which is dripping with blood.
The blood leads to a dead body, ALEX, with his sword lying next to him.
LIAM flicks the blood from his sword and takes a deep breath.
We go back up and we see LIAM looking down at ALEX’S body, there’s remorse in his face.
LIAM bends down and looks around ALEX’S neck until he finds a STRING NECKLACE, LIAM snaps it off and takes a SILVER KEY from it.
LIAM looks at the key and he becomes totally fixated on it.
LIAM closes his eyes.
LIAM
(quietly)
Four to go.
ANNABELLE
(off screen)
It won’t be easy.
FADE TO:
2. EXT – LIAM’S HOUSE – BACK GARDEN – DAY
2. EXT – LIAM’S HOUSE – BACK GARDEN – DAY
TITLE
3 MONTHS AGO
LIAM looks slightly more innocent, his hair is a little shorter but his clothes are the same.
He is standing next to his father, JOHN, who is roughly twenty-years older than LIAM.
JOHN and LIAM are both holding their swords.
LIAM starts to move around his dad, spinning his sword in his hand.
JOHN smiles.
He is standing next to his father, JOHN, who is roughly twenty-years older than LIAM.
JOHN and LIAM are both holding their swords.
LIAM starts to move around his dad, spinning his sword in his hand.
JOHN smiles.
LIAM
Don’t go easy on me.
I need to learn.
JOHN
Don’t worry son…
Don’t go easy on me.
I need to learn.
JOHN
Don’t worry son…
JOHN runs at LIAM and their swords clash.
LIAM uses his strength to break free of the stalemate and runs the sword past JOHN’S chest, but JOHN jumps back and slashes the sword at LIAM’S head.
So there you have it :p
