Is it possible to pay to have covid tests done faster for a movie project?

[Happy Lemming]

You can take more than one test...

Do any of those occupations sound interesting??

[ironpony]

The chef one I can sort of see because I do baking as a hobby and people tell me I am good at it.  But I thought it might too high pressure as a career and never seemed interested in it as a career.  Thinking on it.  But the others do not sound interesting at all to me really.  I took all the tests on there so far, and can find more.  But I did have a cafeteria job once, it was alright.

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

I'd print them out and get some input from your parents.

At that point, start making inquires of the Canadian Government and the free education/training classes.  I don't have first hand knowledge of those classes, only heard of them.  That will require more research, e-mails and phone calls on your part.

For the record, my Grandfather was a chef, he seemed to have a happy life and enjoyed his work.

[ironpony]

Oh okay thanks.  But shouldn't I know what job I want to do before getting training and classes?

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

You really need input from the experts there at those training centers.  You may pick something you'd think you might like and there may be some limitation or reason you can't do that vocation.

You need to talk to the employment experts at those Canadian government employment training centers.  They would be a valuable resource for information for your immediate area.

[ironpony]

Oh okay thanks, I'll do that.  Do you think I should make the feature film now though, while I don't have a job because now I have free time?  Or maybe I should wait till covid is reduced more, but I hope something else doesn't pop up later that will make it more of a challenge.

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

I don't think you should make any film.  I think its a complete waste of money and resources.  You don't have your own shelter, that should be a priority over making any film (feature or short film).  You need to be able to earn a living wage, that should be a priority.

Your film making can be a part time hobby after you take care of your necessities and can provide for yourself. 

Again, if after you are able to take care of yourself and your basic needs, then and only then put a short film out on youtube, if you get minimal views, you'll know your feature film would have been a failure.

If your youtube short film goes viral, then you'll have some idea that you have what it takes to make a "feature film".

And yes I did see a great short "thriller" youtube movie.  I'll see if I can find it again.

Edited December 27, 2020 by Happy Lemming
spelling

[Happy Lemming]

Here is the one I liked...

 

[ironpony]

Oh okay, well I have made shorts before but I still want to make the feature to see if I can do it, and feel it would be a better investment than just shorts only.  I guess I feel it's time to move onto the next step.  I can work on a living wage job as well, but I feel those are separate things and should be treated as separate rather than try to relate them, but that is just how I see it.  But I can see about what programs there are out there.  I mean everyone said become a plumber but I don't see myself as a plumber.  Should I, just to get a job with a living wage?

[ironpony]

Yeah that's a good short film.  I didn't like the music as much but that's probably just nitpicking.  It's good.  Well I was told before in my shorts that I need better actors and a better DP mainly.  I would have to pay to have better actors and a good DP brought in.  But I felt that if I was paying for top talent to come in from other places, or if I was going to travel to another place to shoot where they are, then I should invest in a bigger project other than a short film only, and leave it at that.  But that is just what I thought.

[Happy Lemming]

Just now, ironpony said:

Should I, just to get a job with a living wage?

You need skills to obtain a job that pays a living wage.  I think in Canada we determined a living wage to be about $35K.  You can't just find a job that makes $35K, you need a set of skills that are in demand. You'll need to obtain some training/education to acquire those skills in order to command that salary.

4 minutes ago, ironpony said:

Oh okay, well I have made shorts before but I still want to make the feature to see if I can do it...

You don't have the money to make a feature film, so no you can't make it to see if you can do it.  What you can afford is maybe a short film to test the waters.

I know you want to make this film.  I know you want it so bad you can taste it.  But its not going to happen, let it go.

Try to set an achievable goal, like providing for your own basic needs.

[ironpony]

Oh okay.  I will see what short film scripts I can find and maybe I will find something really good.  And I can see about maybe traveling to a place with more actors and crew to choose from if that's best.  And I will see about a job with a decent wage.  I have no idea what, but I can keep looking.

[ironpony]

Well another thing about the movie.  A couple of friends say I have way too much negativity and worry and that I need to think positive when doing it, and I need to have more confidence in myself.  Do they have a point?  I mean one of the filmmakers I helped out made his movie almost the same budget I have, a little more, and got distribution out of it as well, so maybe I need to think positive like he did?

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[basil67]

Thinking positive is a great quality, but you still need to have solid plans for all parts of the movie. Everything from knowing to every single person you need to hire to do various jobs, how much they cost and a budget to show it can work....right through to how you'll market it.   

 

[ironpony]

Yeah.  Well since I was having trouble keeping the budget down, I don't know other fimmakers do it.  I was advised by others to hire a line producer to help with that.  For example, the one film I worked on that got distribution for around the same budget, I look it and wonder how they got all these things for the movie.  But maybe I should hire a line producer for that.  Or just a production manager in general because they can do the managing, while I can concentrate on what I feel I can do better.

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

7 hours ago, ironpony said:

  But maybe I should hire a line producer for that.  Or just a production manager in general because they can do the managing, while I can concentrate on what I feel I can do better.

All of those people cost money... BIG MONEY!!  Don't forget you are going to have to hire a payroll company to pay those employees. And an accountant to pay the related taxes, file the payroll tax reports - PD7A, the unemployment forms and year-end T4 that go with that payroll and payroll overhead.  I'm sure there are business licenses that you have to obtain, business registration forms and the list goes on and on.

Hiring people is not as easy as you think...

[ironpony]

Oh okay, it's just that a few years ago I helped some filmmakers on their movie and they were able to get distribution and they were able to make it for under $100,000. So I guess I feel if they could do it then it's possible maybe.

[elaine567]

10 hours ago, ironpony said:

Well since I was having trouble keeping the budget down, I don't know other fimmakers do it. 

Trouble is you will find many people in "business " have hidden sources of income.
Few are really "self made men", you will find rich parents, inheritances, rich mentors and friends and other sources of income behind them.
They also tend to have networks of influential friends and acquaintances, they know the right people, often through family or college or business contacts.

Film making is just another business, you see others and assume they are on the same level as you. 
But they are probably not.
You are unemployed from a collection of  dead end jobs and live with your parents.
You have a nest egg but that is it, once it is spent it is spent, there is no large injection of cash coming to bail you out.
I would say if you had a series of  short "hit" films on Youtube or even  a few short  films that were  building an audience and a steady and stable career otherwise, then "going for it" may be a risk worth taking.
BUT the short films you did make did not make any splash and your current script about serial rapists has not set anyone who has read it alight either.
Yes, you may be some creative genius who succeeds despite all, but more likely you will join the legions of failed guys who had an idea for a film who nobody liked.
Happy Lemming is correct, at 36 you need to get yourself a solid base before you spend your life savings on a very risky "maybe".
Your parents will not live forever.
 

[Happy Lemming]

7 minutes ago, elaine567 said:

... your current script about serial rapists has not set anyone who has read it alight either.

Is that what this film is supposed to be about??  You do realize that with that subject matter you will be catering to a very small audience.  Most women are not going to want to see this type of film. 

Personally, I like the occasional thriller movie, but if that what this film is about, I'd avoid seeing it.

[ironpony]

Well the film is a thriller about a group committing those types of crimes, and the police's efforts to catch them, so it's sort a hunt thriller, like in a similar genre to The Silence of the Lambs or something like that.

But there are other stories that deal with that type of subject matter that have been successful such as say Law and Order: SVU for example.  I don't have to make that one necessarily but I thought the best script I had access to, that would make the most dramatic impact in some ways.

And yes unlike some people, I suppose I do not have hidden sources of income and have to rely on my 'self made' source of money but is that a bid thing?  Also, what if I only spend half my money or less?

The one film I helped out on was able to make theirs for less than 100K, so if I do the same, I can still have half my money in the end about.  I could do more short films but I need to spend a good portion of money on better actors and a better DP to make a splash, so the money will be spent on that then.  But I was told that if you can only afford it once, make a feature film since they are more marketable.

[elaine567]

 

[ironpony]

Alright so my ex-gf didn't like movies with dark or serious subject matter in, so what?  Those stories are not for everyone.  There are other reasons we broke up and we didn't have enough in common though, and I don't think that was the main reason.  She said she didn't like the subject matter, but when we broke up, she never mentioned that as being as a reason.

Her kind of movies were not kind of movies either.  I think not having the same taste in fiction is normal in a relationship and you do not need to have same tastes.

Edited December 27, 2020 by ironpony

[Happy Lemming]

When you said "thriller" I was picturing something like the film "Sea of Love".

Seriously... don't do this film.

If you have between $100K - $200K in your nest egg, buy a house.

 

[Happy Lemming]

53 minutes ago, elaine567 said:

BUT the short films you did make did not make any splash...

Are these on youtube??

[ironpony]

[edited to remove off-topic part]

 I feel people don't want me to make the movie no matter what the script was.  Even if I chose a different script, people would still say don't make the movie.  So what difference does the script make in people's advice on not making it then?

Edited December 28, 2020 by a LoveShack.org Moderator
edited to remove off-topic part