MannIN shorts 2016 courses are off to a great start, interest from a wide ranging group of people from across the island has ensured that all workshops and meetings so far have been very well attended and the feedback so far has been very positive.
Cinematography Workshop with John Craine
“I loved it. Everyone on the course comes from different varying degrees of background and experience so it’s great to all learn and try things out together, to test our own abilities and share ideas. John is fantastic too, he’s extremely patient with explaining things and you can tell he’s passionate about what he does.” Kelly
“The cinematography workshop really opened my eyes to what goes into making a film. I’ll never look at a film in the same way again. That is to say that the illusion isn’t broken, but that the awe has grown. The level of detail that goes into making each shot look incredible blew my mind. John was very knowledgable and extremely patient with a novice such as myself. Thanks again for all sharing the essential knowledge, skills, tip and tricks of cinematography.” Mark
Producers Meeting with Nicky Earnshaw
“A very informative meeting, I was pleasantly surprised by the skills required of a Producer as many of them I use in my day job! Definitely looking forward to giving it a go!” Jo
Sound Workshop with Rob Wingfield
“When sound for film is done correctly it goes unnoticed to the conscious part of our mind. It feels natural. But sound produced improperly can be devastating to a production. It lifts the listener out of the story and makes immersion near impossible. The best way to ensure transparent sound for your film is to capture the performances well on set. This is not always easy.” Rob Wingfield (Workshop Host)
“The Sound Workshop was one of the best courses I’ve ever been on. Rob was extremely knowledgable and was very accommodating to all levels of knowledge in the room, as well as just being a really friendly and nice guy. I’ve learned so much, and can’t thank him and everyone involved enough for sharing everything they know.” Mark
“Thanks again for letting me take part in Saturday’s workshop! It was just what I’d been hoping – Rob did a fantastic job of explaining the ins and outs of the Sound Recordist’s job, giving lots of helpful insights and tips, and it was great to have the chance to put it all into practice – although I’m not sure I’ll think of Oreos in the same way again!” Tim
Acting & Directing Workshop with Lesley Mannin & Gordon Peason
“Thank you for organising another immensely enjoyable Mannin Shorts acting and directing workshop. It was fantastic to be able to experiment with roles that I would not normally be considered for. Lesley and Gordon were extremely generous with their knowledge and I learned a lot.” Louisa
“Many thanks to everyone concerned in organising the Acting/Directing Workshop, it was so good to meet Lesley and Gordon. As well as being hugely instructive it was great fun, everyone who attended the workshop worked so well together and for me personally as the “oldie” of the Group it was a joy to learn from our Tutors [ what a great team ] and to be accepted and involved.” Pam
A big thanks to all the hosts and attendees we’ve met so far and we are looking forward to our Screenwriting workshop this weekend (still places available) and Editing Workshop scheduled soon.
Get in touch to find out more and get involved. Like and follow our Facebook page for up to date information.
We have spent three glorious days shooting the interior scenes for Soul Funk Mixtape – and finished in good time on Sunday.
On thursday evening we had a blank canvass with which to dress the set as a (slightly) abandoned flat. Within hours a transformation from empty hall to chic apartment meant that when the crew and cast arrived on Friday morning we were able to light the thing up and get ready for the first shot.
The entire crew worked marvellously and we rattled through the shots at a good pace. All weekend there were tweaks to lighting, pauses for the crow chorus, motivational pick-me-up’s, mellow drama, slices of fried gold (from the two actors, who were absolutely gorgeous and superb) and tea. Plenty of tea.
So we have footage for the interior and a Badgers Arse cut will be made in preparation for a couple of the exterior…
On the 28th May MannIN Shorts welcomed Production Designer Anisha Fields to the Island to run a workshop. Anisha told us of how she is keen to be working on the Island once again;
‘The Isle of Man is a fantastic place to work – visually beautiful and teeming with talented people, passionate about making film. It’s a privilege to work with the network of people I have met in the MannIn Shorts scheme.’
Anisha Fields at MannIN Shorts
As Anisha is working on ‘Muck’, one of our MannIN Shorts finalist films being shot later this year, the workshop was organised to provide attendees with a rare opportunity; the possibility to not only learn but potentially be selected as an assistants to work within the Art Department on this particular film.
We asked Anisha to explain in her own words what a Production Designer does…
‘ The Production Designer looks after the visual concept of a film. They work closely with the director and the cinematographer to create the visuals, and paint the picture appearing on the screen through set, props and dressing. ”
Muck, the MannIN Shorts film which Anisha is creating the production design for this year, (written by John Craine, directed by Sonya Quayle and Produced by Bev Lawley) tells this story; “Babs is a wife to a frustrated husband and a mother to an autistic son. An incident on the farm forces her into a terrible and life changing choice….“
In terms of the film’s production design, Anisha elaborates,
“It’s a fantastic script, set in the 1950s, and shot in a beautiful farmhouse on the Island. The film is very design led, so it will be an interesting project to work on, and we’re looking for assistants to help us realise our vision for the film.”
Colour swatches give a great understanding of mood and intended tone
Anisha opened the workshop with an introduction to what a Production Designer does, telling us about her background and how she first got into the role.
‘I come from a theatre background, and had never stepped on to a film set until I went out to South Africa to visit a friend who was making a film in Johannesburg. While I was there, I helped out on bits and pieces, and was intrigued by what happened in the Art Department. A few months later someone asked me to design their film for them. I had very little experience, but threw myself into it and learnt a lot. It went from there really..’
Group Production Design Exercise
In the second half of the workshop, Anisha organised a script breakdown exercise, where she split the room into six groups of five, provided them with an untitled script extract, and asked the attendees to perform an initial production design break down. This involved searching for clues within the text to what mood, feeling or messages the visuals within the frame had to portray.
Richard deep in thought
“We learned how to pick out visual clues from synopsizes, scripts and treatments to enable us to put together an idea of the mood of the piece, costume ideas and settings. It was interesting to see the different interpretations of the same script from the different groups that participated. Although we had a few differences, by and large we all interpreted the script in much of the same way and seeing it on screen post production was very fascinating. This is testament to the great script and the great workshop that Anisha delivered.” Richard Hird recent MannIN Shorts attendee
Matthew and others watching the film extract from ‘Blackbird’
To conclude the exercise Anisha showed the group the actual film the scene was from, to illustrate how many of the art direction suggestions the class had made, infact made it to the screen. Here’s a teaser of the actual film we used for the excercise, the Scottish BAFTA nominated film, ‘Blackbird’, which Anisha was production designer on.
The workshop was a huge success, by the end of which, there were 20 newly informed and inspired potential assistants who put their name forward for consideration to assist Anisha. In the coming week, Anisha will select those lucky understudies who will receive training under her guidance benefiting from her expertise.
Pam Smith with her team at the workshop
Rob Smith and Mike Martin discussing the design breakdown of their script
Post workshop we spoke to a few of those who attended about the potential opportunity to work with Anisha;
Adam Morgan
“I think it’s great having MannIN shorts offer these opportunities to help you get into working in film, especially to work with Anisha who has worked on award winning films.” Adam Morgan
Lorna Smith – recent MannIN Shorts attendee
“The opportunity to work on a film with someone like Anisha and gain experience is incredible and I feel very lucky to have the chance.” Lorna Smith, 18
“To assist Anisha on any project would not only be an honour but a privilege where a lot could be learnt. “
Ian Walton & Angelita Inocencio
Katy and Kelly
Selina discussing the production design breakdown of a script
Here’s Anisha’s Top Tips for those wishing to explore a career in Production Design and Art Direction for films…
“Prepare to work hard, get involved with as many projects as possible and get passionate about visual storytelling! Go and see stuff to get inspired – film, visual art, theatre – and get creative. Make sure you are drawing, reading, writing, painting… it all fuels the fire.”
Photos in this blog by Dave Armstrong -MannIN Shorts
On Sunday 18th May, we welcomed the return of Director Lesley Manning to the Isle of Man to run a Directing workshop through MannIN Shorts.
Lesley comments;
“MannIN shorts is very special. It has a strong community spirit to it, its very generous, active and moving all the time. It works really well.”
Lesley Manning Director Masterclass Class of 2014
The day’s workshop opened with an improvisation exercise, getting the the budding directors into an actors mind set. An imperative quality of a director is their ability to understand and communicate effectively with their cast. The class then reviewed scenes from various films including CRASH, after which they discussed how the director blocked out the action with the actors and the camera. The purpose of this exercise was to develop an understanding of how the actors, and their movements support a certain geography of a scene, making sure the character representation within a false environment, creates a believable illusion for the viewer.
One of the scenes analysed during the workshop:- (Warning contains language some may find offensive)
In the afternoon, Lesley divided the class into groups of three and for the next two hours each group had to create three films, directed and shot by each respective member of the team, whilst the other two acted out the parts. In addition to the time restraint, the teams had an added technical challenge to get to grips with; each film had to be ‘edited in camera.’
To close the workshop, the whole group sat together and watched critically commenting on each others work. From the fifteen people who attended the workshop, fifteen scenes were filmed. Not bad for two hours work!
Lesley commented; ‘The scenes that were created were all really very entertaining and imaginative. It was great fun!’
Here’s an example of one of the fifteen films created. All action and dialogue is entirely improvised with the footage taken directly from camera, in sequence.
Following the workshop, Lesley told us;
‘I really hope that from today’s workshop, our future directors from the Isle of Man will think about how to change performance and think about were to put the camera.’
Emily Filming ‘Sean Paul’
…And from speaking with the attendees of the master class, it certainly seems the budding directors are walking away having learnt a great deal. We caught up with a few after the workshop;
What was your favourite part of the workshop?
“My favourite part of the workshop was learning by doing and being given complete creative freedom to come up with something off the cuff. ” SELINA HOOPER Newbie MannIN Short member
Selina filming her actors
“The chance to get my hands on a camera and a couple of actors taught me so much in just a few hours. I’ve heard time and again that film making is about “thinking in pictures” and “telling the story visually”. But the penny finally dropped when I looked through the lens, moved actors through space and chose what to focus on.” Shawn Sturnick MannIN Shorts Short Film Director/ Writer
Shawn, Paul and Emily shooting their teams scenes
Why do you feel it is important that MannIN Shorts brings over talent from off Island to run workshops?
“Bringing over high calibre professionals is invaluable to give us an exposure to respected industry practitioners, where they can teach us how things work in practice, and devote time to training us in practical aspects of filmmaking.” ADRIAN HALL MannIN Shorts Writer and Director
New MannIN Shorts attendee, QE2 student Lauren told us…
“As someone completely new to MannIN shorts and film making this workshop taught me so much. The opportunity to learn about many aspects of directing from directors themselves was truly incredible and my limited experience didn’t matter. Having the opportunity to write, direct and film your own scene is something extraordinary and the skills I learn’t in the process will stay with me for life.” Lauren Wolfendale, QE2 Student.
Checking back footage during the workshop certainly put a smile on every ones face
MannIN Shorts strive to ensure workshops are as affordable as possible, to make sure everyone has a chance to attend. Our friends at Pokerstars subsidised this workshop, in order to make it as affordable as possible for those attending. We asked some of those who attended the workshops what they felt about the value for money of the day…
“The course was of great value! Thirty quid for something that would cost over three hundred in the UK. And as making a short film can be a costly affair in itself, investing in training ensures that the money spent on making a shorty is well spent. ” ADRIAN HALL MannIN Shorts Writer and Director
” It’s massively important for Mannin Shorts to keep being able to bring over high calibre professionals such as Lesley as a wide range of professionals to learn from allows you to gain a real insight into your own filmmaking choices and abilities. Being able to make choices and learn in an environment like that, is an amazing opportunity especially when offered at the prices Mannin Shorts provides them at, due to local corporate sponsorship. ” SELINA HOOPER Newbie MannIN Short member
Here’s a video we created from the day so you can see and hear exactly what went down…
A Little Bit About Lesley Manning
Lesley Manning observing the teams during the Mannin Shorts workshop
Welsh born Lesley Manning started making films at Bristol Art College where she graduated with 1st Class Honours. She trained at the National Film and Television School as a director.
Soon after graduating she directed drama for BBC, among which was SCREEN ONE cult hit Ghostwatch, the highest rated single drama (since Cathy Come Home), voted by Channel Four as the most controversial TV drama.
Lesley directed My Sisterwife BBC SCREEN TWO film strand and won CRE Best drama, Best Asian film award and was screened at Dinard and Brussels film festivals.
2011Leila is the first feature Lesley has written as well as directed – and was a finalist at Austin FFestival, winning Best actress at London Independent FF and Audience and Jury award for Best narrative at United FFestival.
2013 she co-produced and edited the feature length documentary about Ghostwatch – Ghostwatch behind the Curtains.
2013 Lesley has just completed Honeycomb Lodge produced by Myf Hopkins
Photos in this blog by Christy MannIN Shorts
This Blog was created by Emily Cook – MannIN Shorts
On Tuesday we held a Storyboarding 101 workshop lead by Juan Moore– Illustrator, animator and storyboard artist, who was previously on the team of Oscar nominated feature, Chico and Rita.
During the first half of the class, Juan gave an introduction to storyboarding, taught some formatting tips followed by a few practical exercises. In the second half, Juan worked with individuals on their storyboarding for specific projects offering one on one guidance and help.
To make sure you’re the first to hear about future workshops, sign up to our mailing list here.
Here are some comments from a selection of workshop attendees:-
“As someone who has all the drawing skills of a dyslexic caveman, Juan’s relaxed and informative workshop underlined for me, that one doesn’t need to be Van Gogh in order to be able to create good storyboards.” Ben Desmond – MannIN Shorts budding writer/ director
Working on a storyboard excercise
“It was lovely to listen to a professional artist talk about the things that he has done and how he has approached them, and nice little insight into a different life and very inspirational. ” Jennifer Chance- MannIN Shorts Producer for ‘Breathless’ (shooting in the coming months)
“I found the workshop really useful, Juan delivered a very informative session and provided a great insight into the world of illustration and storyboarding for film. I feel confident that I could put the new skill set towards storyboarding my own short films in the future.” Richard Hird – New MannIN Shorts attendee
Hard at work Storyboarding
For those of you who were unable to make the workshop, we caught up with Juan, and asked him a few questions:
1. In a nut shell, what’s your background and experience in storyboarding for film?
“I’m an illustrator and fine artist primarily, mostly working within editorial or publishing work, from time to time I work as a storyboard artist, mostly on shorter projects such as short animations or adverts, I also worked on Chico and Rita which was nominated for an Oscar, but that was awhile ago.”
2. What’s the purpose of storyboarding
“It’s the first visualisation of the narrative, an opportunity to solve any narrative or potential shot problems before production begins and essentially make you movie as still images for the cost of some paper and a pencil.”
Juan Moore (c) Storyboard
3. What are some of the biggest mistakes or misconceptions beginners have with storyboarding?
“I think people see highly artistic renderings on storyboards for big budget films, these are great but if your making it yourself, the images simply need to be understood, they don’t have to be works of art. if your including storyboards in a project pitch then maybe they would need to be a little more polished, but if you can understand them and talk about them well to others, then the job is a good’un.”
4. What resources or tools would you suggest newcomers get to grips with?
“A pencil, imagination and looking at things from different points of view.”
Juan Moore (c) Storyboard work
5. What’s your top tip for someone wishing to pursue a career in visualisation/ storyboarding and concept art for film?
“Draw, A LOT! practice drawing the human form and get to grips with the basics of perspective and communicating movement.”
This Blog was created by Emily Cook – MannIN Shorts
On Monday the 31st March 2014, we held an introduction to directing for short film workshop. Leading the workshop, Christy DeHaven and Dave Armstrong covered the basics of film directing, laying the theoretical foundations for our budding directors who took the class. This session will be followed up with a practical directing workshop in the coming weeks with UK Film Director and Teacher Lesley Manning. To make sure you’re the first to hear about future workshops, sign up to our mailing list here.
The Directing 101 worksop at the Forum
We also invited Sonya, James and Shawn to the workshop, all of whom have gained their first directing credit through the MannIN Shorts Scheme over the last two years. Here are some pearls of wisdom from each:-
Sonya directing DoP Christy on the set of ‘I do’
1. What was your relationship/ background in Directing/ Filmmaking up until you directed your first short, and how did it help your directing experience?
Sonya:-
“I studied drama when I left school and my degree is in Literature which is useful when I’m working on the script and thinking about character.”
Shawn:-
“I’ve been a theatre actor for most of my career. The nature of theatre is that you must sustain a character over the course of an evening until the story is completely told. This now-instinctive approach to scripts helped me keep the story straight, despite shooting scenes “out of order” as it were.”
James:-
“I’ve worked in TV and film for the last 15 years or so in the cutting room, so I’ve spent lots of time around lots of directors and seen how you tell a story. It helped me with the short because my experience has taught me that performance is everything. If you get that right your piece will work. You can have the most beautiful shots but if the performance isn’t right it won’t fly!. That was the the main thing I took into filming so I tried to make sure I’d sorted a lot of the other areas before so I could concentrate on the actors when we were filming.”
James on the set of ‘Benches’ with Camera Crew
2. What do you wish you’d known before embarking on Directing a Short film?
Sonya:-
“That you don’t need to have all the answers.”
James:-
“How much time you need in order to do the job justice!. I suppose it doesn’t matter how hard everyone tells you it’s going to be, it’s still very, very intense!, and I only filmed for two days!”
Shawn:-
“Every career, artistic or otherwise, owns a particular language. I’d have liked to understand a bit more of the jargon of film making.”
Shawn speaking to lead actor Ray on location for ‘Barry Brown’
3. What’s your advice to first time directors?
Shawn:-
“Be kind. Your crew and actors are far less likely to stage an uprising if you are a benevolent dictator.”
James:-
“Preparation. Test as much as you can before filming and have a plan that you can fall back on so you’re not having to fire fight through the shooting process. I’d also surround yourself with experienced people and use their knowledge to help you achieve your vision.”
Sonya:-
“Listen”
At MannIN Shorts.. here are some of our favourite Directors who each have very iconic styles:
Jean Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) – creates from a childlike imagination using vivid colours, quirky wardrobe, characters with characteristics within intricately designed sets
Wes Anderson:- The attention to detail Wes pays in the construction of each frame and shot in his films is astonishing. Each shot is almost a character in itself, and we find Wes often centralises the shot. Here’s a clever little video illustrating this.
Alfred Hitchcock:- The original master of suspense, utilised unusual camera angles, iconic costume and editing techniques to develop his trademark style
This Blog was created by Emily Cook – MannIN Shorts
Ahead of pitching to our panel of Industry Bods on the 16th March, here are the shortlisted writers and their projects. Only 3 Finalists will be chosen from the 6 Shortlisted Projects. It’s up to the Producers of each project now to get these writers and their films through the pitching process.
Ady Hall Writer of ‘Soul Funk Mixed Tape’
Adrian Hall – ‘Soul Funk Mixed Tape’
Adrian Hall has contributed a number of short film scripts to Mannin Shorts. Soul Funk Mix Tape will be Produced by Pam Smith and Directed by Adrian Hall.
What’s the Film About:-
“A shy guy and popular girl finally see past their own social preconceptions, but will they miss their chance to come together when the world is ending around them?’
Gary Tyrer Writer of ‘The Three Legs of Diddy’
Gary Tyrer – ‘ The Three Legs of Diddy’
Gary, a 42 year old, Manx born, self-employed businessman, married with three young children. He has been writing for some 6 years, mainly feature length film scripts. His inspiration for ‘Diddy’ came from the familial conflicts that arise when truths are unearthed after a family member has passed away. Quarterfinalist in American Screenplay Competition and received very positive feedback from BBC Writersroom.
What’s the Film about?
“Mike Davies has just lost his wife. He’s also just unearthed a husband, a baby and a gold satin thong!”
James Franklin Writer of ‘The Battle of Ronaldsway’
James Franklin- ‘The Battle of Ronaldsway‘
James was born and raised in Glen Mona, Maughold. He obtained a BA from Manchester and an M.Phil from King’s College London, both in philosophy. James currently work as Communications Manager for Gresham College, London’s oldest ‘university.’ His writing has been published and performed in a number of places. Since the birth of his son, Finn, in 2011 James has concentrated his research and writing on specifically Manx themes.
What’s the Film about?
The Battle of Ronaldsway:
A group of inept battle re-enactors make a farce of their Viking battle until one person’s determined example rallies them to a common epic finish.
John Craine Writer of ‘Muck’
John Craine ‘Muck’ John, grew up on the Isle of Man, living here until he went to University. He studied English with Philosophy at the University of York before doing an MA at the London Film School where he specialised in cinematography. Since then John has worked as a freelance cinematographer (in both fiction and documentary). He shot my first feature film, Blackbird, in 2011. The film was released and nominated for a Scottish BAFTA in 2013.
What’s the Film about?
MUCK:- Babs is a wife to a frustrated husband and a mother to a disabled son. An incident on the farm forces her into a terrible and life changing choice.
Kev Ford- ‘Chips Cheese ‘n’ Gravy’
Kev Ford Writer of ‘Chips, Cheese ‘n’ Gravy’
Kev works as a radio presenter and has lived in the Isle Of Man for nearly a decade. He was born and raised in a coal mining community in Yorkshire and, when he was labouring in the sawmills and scrapyards, he worked with people whose humour and philosophies would stay with him forever.
Kev has been working in radio for the best part of 20 years in England, Spain and Beirut from which there are a host of stories that he could tell but he ‘doubts they would seem credible even as a work of fiction.’
Kev comments ‘Chips Cheese ‘n’ Gravy is my first attempt at writing a screenplay and I thank ManninShorts for giving us all this opportunity to both learn the craft of screen writing and to experience the thrill of seeing ones efforts germinate and grow into something one previously only dreamed about.’
What’s the Film about?
CHIPS CHEESE AND GRAVY :- “A devoted daughter falls for a Yuppie whose drunken bet goes viral threatening the future of her father’s Chips Cheese and Gravy business”
(king) Shawn Sturnick Writer of ‘Breathless’
Shawn Sturnick – ‘Breathless’
Originally from the USA, Shawn now lives on the Isle of Man. He won the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival’s Best New Writing Award for his short play A Closet Flung Wide Ope’, and was nominated for the Jayne Snow Award in the Absolut Fringe for Beauty. Also for the Fringe, his promenade play The Crown Jewels was performed throughout Dublin Castle and he collaborated on the Bewley’s Little Gem Award winner Luck (now optioned by the Weinstein Company). Publications include: Closet (Samuel French) and Solomon, A Life (Anco Publishing, The Netherlands).
Shawn has also written for RTE’s Fair City. Most recently his play Marry Me won the President’s Discretionary Award at the One Act Festival in Port Erin. He is also an actor having performed in the international hit Blue Man Group, and a director of several plays, musicals and the short film Barry Brown. He will be seen soon in his one man show Prisoner Suite for IOM’s Island of Culture 2014.
What’s the Film about?
BREATHLESS:- “When a grandmotherly spinster and an elderly retiree steal a glance by the sea, a romance is kindled. Flirtation, however, fuels a heated and hilarious competition, as, step by step, a quiet walk becomes a balls out, no holds barred footrace full of dirty tricks, connivances and trampled bystanders.”
Words by Rosie Grahame Having announced our six shortlisted screenplays for 2014, MannIN Shorts are currently running a series of ‘Producer’s Workshops’. In preparation for the next stage of development we’re encouraging anyone who might be interested in the role to find out more and get involved!
On Wednesday evening (12th Feb) we invited Bev Lawley (of Ex-Isle Casting Agency) and Emily Cook (of Reel Vision Film Solutions) to share their experiences and offer advice to any would-be Producers. Both Bev and Emily have previously produced short films as part of the MannIN Shorts scheme and have since taken on their own independent projects.
Producer 101 workshop with Emily and Bev
So what does the Producer actually do?
We hear this question quite often… in fact, before I got to grips with the basics of the movie-making malarkey I remember asking it myself. Like so many roles in the industry, if you’re doing your job properly, you shouldn’t be seen to be doing it at all.
So for those still wondering, the Producer is – the project manager, the puppet-master, the tiny little acorn to the vast oak tree of cast and crew. The Producer will oversee (and assume responsibility for) the entire filmmaking process, from the initial concept through to screening and distribution. It’s worth noting that in the early stages of project development, Producers render ultimate creative control… they can (and have) fired Directors!
The main responsibilities:
– Bringing the team (both cast and crew) together.
– Preparing and managing the budget.
– Raising money (through private/corporate sponsorship, or crowd-funding for example).
– Securing locations.
– Scheduling the shoot.
– Organising catering (a film crew, like an army, marches on their stomach!)
– Managing the legalities of health and safety and insurance.
– Screening and distribution of the final film.
Easy-peasy(!)
A good producer has a varied skillset here are a few worthy traits:
– Diplomacy and strong interpersonal skills to develop beneficial working relationships.
– Knowing your limits, and when to ask for help; delegation is a key task and a supportive framework of team members, (production assistants and/or runners) will be happy to assist.
– Organisation and preparation; the ability to foresee problems and resolve them before they arise.
As part of the MannIN Shorts scheme, the three final films that enter production this year will be made on the Island. The Isle of Man offers many benefits for film production; as well as the varied landscape for locations, the island has a vibrant creative hub, often making it easier to get introductions to people or locations or venues.
As you may have gathered however, that’s not to say that producing a movie on Man is plain-sailing! Overcoming challenges and resolving problems is a regular feature in the Producer’s job, and is part of what makes the role so rewarding. Low-budet movie-making is a skill in itself, and obtaining sponsorship can be a daunting task, often suited to anyone with a background in sales or marketing. Our MannIN Shorts Producers were on-hand to offer some useful advice…
Sponsorship:
When approaching the corporate sector, put together a list of potential businesses who may have an interest in becoming involved with your project if it is addressing a topic that relates to the services they offer. Emily gave the following example with reference to MannIN Shorts’ ‘Barry Brown’:
Members of the Barry brown Production with Sponsors Allmode
“We knew the story would resonate with businesses and organisations concerned with issues relating to war and it’s human collateral. We approached AllMode who hire ex- service personnel to work as international private security around world. They recognised and shared our vision and came on board generously. We had a similar experience with our other main sponsor DoxBond.”
For certain creatve projects, crowd-funding campaigns such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo can provide a huge resource. If the right bods see your work, you can gain immense support both financially and through online promotion of your project.
It is important to explain to any potential sponsor the reason that you are involved with the project. Stay true to the vision of the project; don’t compromise the production values to please someone else. A sponsor is more likely to come on board if you can articulate your passion and enthuse them; excitement is infectious, prove to them that this is a rewarding endeavour.
For most businesses, supporting local projects is tax deductable, so from a purely financial perspective it has great potential for both parties. You could equally offer a sponsorship package, for a fixed price to give the business advertising and marketing opportunities within the film, and credit at the end. Emily advises:
“Think of your fund-raising in terms of what you can offer [the organisation] more than simply what they can give you. Don’t underestimate the value of signed posters, a credit on the film, VIP premiere invites, set visits, access to special material surrounding the film and powerful brand association.”
Emily Cook Producer of Barry Brown
Another useful approach is to look at “payment in kind”, if a company is unable to offer financial support, they may be able to provide a service (such as travel or kit-hire) for a reduced price.
Be resourceful and creative in your approach, and follow through with your promises. Sincerity, politeness and enthusiasm can go a long way.
Hard work? Yes. Stressful? There are moments…!
So why do they do it?
“I love it when a plan comes together.”
(John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, The A-Team)
It’s undeniably encouraging as the project begins to gather momentum. The Producer will see the project from start to finish, and there is an immense sense of achievement when the film reaches completion. To know that you have been an integral part of the process is hugely rewarding. As a Producer, every day is different, with a variety of tasks you will also gain innumerable transferable skills that can be applied to other areas of your professional and personal life, or can be taken to future projects.
Alistair delivering his Producing Tips
Also, if you’ve ever worked as part of a crew before, or if you see any of the behind-the-scenes videos from shoots, you’ll detect an almost tangible creative energy from all involved. The Producer helps to make that happen, too.
Alistair Audsley
Our next Producer’s Workshop was held at The Forum, Mount Havelock Road, the following Wednesday. We had independent Producer (and Writer, and Director) Alistair Audsley flown in especially to join us!
Alistair has experience in producing films of varying budgets all over the world. His short film ‘A Night At Robert McAlisters” became the award winning feature ‘The Paddy Lincoln Gang’ – both of which he wrote, directed, produced and shot in LA. He currently has several projects in pre-production and some in post- and distribution land, so has a wealth of experience to share.
In the meantime, for a look at our Producers-in-action, check out the link below to access the behind-the-scenes video from the MannIN Shorts ‘Scene Stealer’ competition:
If you’d like to read more about low-budget producing, Emily recommends the following publications:
‘How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer Paperback’
Our seasonal Writers Gatherings are well underway, with a great mix of familiar faces as well as some newcomers, and we hope to welcome you all to our future gatherings, screenings and workshops; there’s going to be lots coming up over the next few months so watch this space for more details!
Ahead of the MannIN Shorts script submission deadline, (January 24th) we wanted to encourage any interested writers, those who have written previously and those who are complete beginners, to get together with a view to sharing our ideas and identifying some key considerations when writing for short films.
We’ll actually be holding another Writers Gathering this Saturday (Jan 18th) to help whip those scripts into shape before submission. Any interested writers are invited to bring along one or two copies of their scripts/screenplays, completed first drafts or even a few basic scenes which we can run through, bringing the ideas to life, and helping to identify any adjustments before the initial deadline. Drop in and see us at Thie Ellyn (The IoM Arts Society building, just off Withington Road in Douglas) from 10 ’til 12.30(ish).
– strong characters: not necessarily likeable, but definitely engaging, the writer must know their characters’ every thought and motive, and understand the world from their characters’ point of view. A strong character should be distinct, and it is their journey, their wants, needs, crises and decisions that drive the story.
– coherent story: it is crucial to be clear about the story you are telling, it may seem like an obvious statement, but at an early stage, plotting the beginning – middle – end will form the backbone of your story and a good structure will keep you focused, allowing each scene to drive the story forward. The plot is the route, the story is the journey.
– convincing conclusions: bringing the story to a meaningful climax whilst avoiding predictability can be a real challenge. As a writer it is essential to maintain an awareness of your audience at all times, what do you want to convey to them? What is the emotional response you hope to evoke? A well written ending will satisfy, leaving a memorable impact.
Plot ‘twists’, are a common feature in short films such as the critically acclaimed ‘Gone Fishing‘, written by Chris Jones, (director of the London Screenwriters Festival, who recently ran a two-day workshop on the Island as part of the Film Festival). Although not essential, when used appropriately plot twists allow sufficient deviation from the main story to keep the audience engaged and entertained.
Once the writer is confident in a solid concept, the next step is to condense the story into a brief, clear synopsis, known in the biz as a ‘treatment’. A treatment allows the writer to convey the screenplay in a compelling way, introducing characters and addressing the story arc, highlighting conflict/resolution and plot progression.
Apparently, when hearing pitches for new movies, Steven Spielberg makes his decision based on a two sentence description of the story. As well as a comprehensive treatment, these ‘loglines’ are used as a marketing tool to sell potential scripts to producers (and audiences!) Here are a couple of examples of loglines from successful movies:
Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone:- “Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”
ET:- “A meek and alienated little boy finds a stranded extraterrestrial. He has to find the courage to defy the authorities to help the alien return to its home planet.”
Writing is re-writing after all… so before you start on the nitty-gritty of the script, write your treatment, when your treatment is complete, distill the essence into a logline… and get scribbling!
We’ve heard some great pitches so far, and with that in mind it would be useful to highlight some important criteria when writing for MannIN Shorts:
– budget: (try and keep your production costs to a minimum so your budget remains achievable, and your producer will be a lot less stressed with production starts! )
– location: (although your film doesn’t need to be set on the Island, the locations do need to remain on the Isle of Man; some of the most successful short films require only one or two locations, which also helps to facilitate a smoother shooting schedule.)
– staying in the ‘real’ world: (it’s amazing what we can create with good props and make-up, but minimising the need for special effects keeps costs down and makes small-scale production feasible.)
– cast number: (keeping your cast number small allows the story to stay focused; also, most of the previous film shoots have taken place over two to four days so the smaller the cast and crew, the easier it should be to co-ordinate availability… in theory!)
As part of the Isle of Man Film Festival back in September, we were fortunate to have a question and answer session with writer/director J Blakeson who spoke at a special screening of his film ‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed‘. The film is set almost exclusively in one location, and centres around only three characters, and yet the success of the film lies in the strength of the story, the relentless surprises which continue to keep the audience guessing up until the final few frames. As J Blakeson explained “[the script] is so twisty because plot is free! You’re sitting there in a room on your own and it doesn’t cost you anything to come up with a really good story. If it works on the page, then it should work on the screen.”
His one piece of advice for budding filmmakers and screenwriters was “…take every job you can and learn from every job you do. And don’t give up.” Wise words.
For further info in the meantime, the links below provide some great resources for aspiring writers and filmmakers alike:
On Saturday, a group of Isle of Man based budding writers, creatives and producers gathered as part of the MannIN Shorts film making scheme for a Pitch and Plot workshop kindly sponsored by PokerStars, run by visiting film producer Phil Gates.
MannIN Shorts founder Dave Armstrong commented, ’We thought it was really important to have a session where writers are able to refine their art of pitching their script and discuss their ideas with someone working in the UK film industry.’
The session had a large turnout, where Island based writers and ideas people had the opportunity to talk through their short film script ideas with Phil, who offered in depth advice on the content of their plots and how a pitch can be formulated from their ideas.
A pitch is a concise verbal (and sometimes visual) presentation of an idea for a film or TV series generally made by a screenwriter or director to a producer or studio executive in the hope of attracting development finance to pay for the writing of a screenplay. Dave Armstrong elaborates, ‘Being able to engage the listener with a concise, passionate taste of your story is essential if you ever hope to get them to go on and read your script.’
The timing was perfect for this particular workshop as many of those who attended are currently developing a script to enter into the latest MannIN Shorts ‘Script to Screen’ competition, in association with Isle of Man Film and the Isle of Man Arts Council.
The process of creating a pitch, highlights the areas of a script or plot that still need work, helping the writer get to the heart of the story at the development and writing stages.
Some of Phil’s Top Tips offered during the session:-
At the Workshop
‘Try to work out what the crux is of your story and focus on that in the pitch.’
‘You don’t need to tell me the whole story. If you to pitch to me, simply try to intrigue me enough to make me want to read your script’
‘Short films are about a feeling or an emotion of something rather than telling a full narrative.’
When writing, ‘listen to everyone’s opinion, but don’t follow anyone’s advise, unless you believe in it yourself.’ Co Founder of MannIN Shorts Dave Armstrong elaborates on Phil’s point…. ‘Above all, develop a script the you really believe in, take on board feedback, but remember it is your idea, and fight for your story. All of our comments are only subjective opinions. There are no rights and wrongs!’
A word from some of those who attended the session with Phil:-
Garry Lavin
‘It confirmed my thoughts on how one has to be concise and confident. And fully prepared.’ Garry Lavin
Beverly Lawley
‘I gained from the session that I should submit a script for my idea, as I wasn’t going to and if I hadn’t gone yesterday I doubt whether I would have.’ Beverly Lawley
Shawn Sturnick
‘I walked away with the confidence that it all was possible. Write a story, pitch it, make a film. All you have to be is good.’ ‘I’ve taken away from the session that The pitch counts. Doesn’t matter how good your story is if your pitch isn’t clear.’ Shawn Sturnick
Rosie Grahame
‘I enjoyed the session, felt most inspired by hearing other people share their ideas, making me realise what a talented bunch of folk we’ve got around us. Phil’s advice helped to streamline my ideas and his emphasis on the need for clarity when developing and explaining a story was very enlightening.’ Rosie Grahame
The organisers of MannIn Shorts are always happy to offer guidance and support wherever possible for your film project. Dave Armstrong says, ‘Any time that you would like to run an idea by us-even just to practice your pitch, we would be happy to organise another informal session.’
Phil Gates found himself, ‘totally struck with the group. I was surprised at the imaginative, original and ambitious ideas pitched. I can see how many of those who attended the workshop had previously benefited a great deal from other areas of the MannIN Shorts scheme. I hope that the resulting scripts and films live up to the potential of the ideas flying around the room during the workshop.’
If you were unable to make it to the session with Phil or simply would like to find out some more information on Pitching:- There are some great online resources to help you get your pitch into shape. Here is just one: http://twoadverbs.site.aplus.net/pitcharticle.htm
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