Don L. Kirk's Lounge Discussions

I would really like to create a production company? I don't have any money or experience but I have a few ideas. Any suggestions?

it's simply.... spend your own money. Here's the deal... There is no way, absolutely no way, outside an act of God or winning the lottery, that someone is going to simply give you money to make a movie... UNLESS: 1. You have a proven track record , 2. you are marketable/bankable, 3. You have a solid COMMERCIALLY VIABLE script. and 4. You have your project together and truly ready for funding. So how do you get there? It's easier than you think, but will take more work than you think. The first step. Write a FEATURE LENGHT movie script that you can AFFORD to shoot. What? You can't afford to spend any money... well start making film friends and building relationships...( you'll need the anyway ) Help them, and you'll learn how to make movies by working for others, even for free and you'll be building savings in the "favor bank" for your film. Anyway, back to the film issue: Shoot a low cost movie, It's what I call an "In the Box Movie" - basically you write a script that takes place in near real time, in a BOX ( a hotel room , a car, a phone booth, an apartment, a film vault, a bank vault, a small business etc ) You can shoot one of these for under $10K.... probably less. REMEMBER - IT MUST BE A COMMERCIAL MOIVE - not the one you might WANT to shoot, or your fav, or even one that inspires you or tells the story you are dying to tell.... It just has to be commercial. I'll explain why in a second. Show your stuff... either your writing, and/or your producing, and/or your directing skills and make a nice solid quality low cost film. THEN - here's the important part... why commercial? Because you need it to MAKE MONEY... not much , but it has to make money... to make money it has to be sold, to be sold it has to be commercial. Because agents and distributors only buy commercial films. Once you've made and sold your low cost movie and it's made some money you can go to investors and say the magic words... Yes, I made a movie for $10K and it made $100K ( doesn't matter if YOU personally ever make a dime, the movie has to make money. This makes you a successful, film maker with a track record.. Now go to your friends and family and people you know and do it again , this time for $50K with the same rules.... You can go to friends and family for $10K or $20K, you can toss in $10K of your own, you can go to companies and land some product placement ( if not for money , then at least for Craft services supplies a,etc. ) Make the $50K COMMERCIAL film and payback the investors with at least a modest ROI. NOW, you have a track record and are marketable/bankable... Now start talking to the bigger guns for $250K to $500K.. Once you've delivered on that one. you are ready to go after $1M or so.. Do that and you'll be making a living making movies. It's extremely hard time consuming work... This is NOT an easy industry... No one is going to toss you $5 M USD to make your amazing Script... Ain't gonna happen. Hell , no one is going to give you $100K.. unless you already know them. Why. Because you have NO track record of making movies that make money. If you aren't willing to mortgage you house, sell the car and go into debt ( all of which I DO NOT RECOMMEND) then you don't believe in your project... if you don't believe in your project enough to throw in money. why in hell should a complete stranger do it? Stop looking for the bucks for years with just about zero chance of success....... Instead - make a movie you can afford, right now, and get started in the right direction. Once you've make a couple low budget project that are COMMERCIAL and have MADE MONEY , you will have learned how to put a project together, you will have a track record, you will have made connections, and you will b marketable/bankable... and the doors will open.

I produce several of the world's top rock tribute artists. These include tributes of Freddie Mercury/Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, John Fogerty and Jim Morrison. I'm looking for music in the original's style, that the tribute artists can record and sell; as their own; yet in the style of the original artists. As an example, in the style of Freddie Mercury, music could be Rock, Rock Opera, or Opera. Especially in the cases where the original artists are deceased, yet still extremely sought after, continuing their style could create an entirely new market industry in music composition. Please connect and contact me. In the case of my Jimi Hendrix tribute artist, he's so close to Hendrix, I believe he could easily create a new major music sales market. Thank You. Don L. Kirk - owner Don L. KIrk Productions

I'm in talks with the City of Seattle for me to begin producing a yearly Jimi Hendrix Birthday Concert & Festival; and I'm looking for ideas. I have Jimi's Image (Jimi Taylor looks, sounds like, plays like, acts like the real Jimi Hendrix. He also has the exact model instruments & amps as Hendrix had. I am considering bringing in other top tribute artists that are tributes of other major musicians, a collection of Hendrix video's, to play in a theatre, have a musician meet musician event, of course food, etc. I'm looking for other ideas some of you might have; and opinions on what I just stated I'm considering.