Calling all Film Makers

[Clearlight]

Calling all Film makers
ClearLight Films is an independent production company formed in Canada by a group of Irish film-makers. We are currently in the process of settting up a secondary production back in Ireland for lo/no budget films.
We are hoping to set up a core group of talented and passionate people in all areas of production and strive to achieve the high standards of movie making we have set for ourselves.

Most of our crew will be staying in Canada, while a couple of our writers, directors and producers will be returning to start the company from the ground up.

So we are throwing an open call out to all film lovers in all departments. We are looking for those people that love film making, are hoping to expand their experience or are just starting off and need to get a foot in the door.

Actors, directors, DoP's, and writers. Everyone, everywhere. We will be establishing contacts over the next few months, and discussing future projects with all those interested. Once we return, we will be offering and sharing our complete production and post-production facilities with all those film-makers who just want to make films. This includes high-end HD camera's and miniDV camera's, lenses, full lighting and sound equipment, dolly's, cranes and good ol' tripods. We also have the newest editing software and top of the range computers (G5 Mac's with FCP). Now all we need are people with the right love of film-making.

Inital projects will be lo/no budget so we are unable to offer anything in the way of immediate pay. We also do not offer bull****, that's why we are mentioning it now. But, as we said, we have the equipment, all we need are talanted people who love film-making and want the experience and the chance.

So for any and all positions please get in touch with us. Please include your current resume, and if you are an actor a headshot as well if possible.
Writers please feel free to send through synopsis or treatments of any scripts you are working on, though do bear in mind we will be looking to begin with short films (25 pages max), with a preference for horror, thriller and comedy. Though great scripts of any genre are more than welcome!

Send all C.V's, questions and enquiries to Paul at "paulneary@clearlightfilms.ca"

And please check out our website:

www.clearlightfilms.ca

Thanks for reading, and happy film-making.
Paul.
ClearLight Films.
production@clearlightfilms.ca

[Hugh O'Brien]

Am I aright in assuming this is too good to be true? I just can't tell anymore

[Devin]

Too good to be true would be "we've got loads of money..."

[C.Jennings]

Not bad...... not bad at all..........
Horrors!... I must be dreaming....

[Hugh O'Brien]

Originally Posted by Devin

Too good to be true would be "we've got loads of money..."

Still, give them your ideas, they get made in Canada and you never know (that's assuming my ideas are any good ). But sure maybe they're genuine. Time will tell.

[Clearlight]

Hey folks,
Sorry I didn't respond earlier (see, not just a spam every website thing). Too good to be true would indeed be "take our bags and bags of money".
Like it says all our initial capital will be used to purchase equipement for Ireland. Canadian equipment won't work, so we can't bring anything we have over, such as our NTSC cameras and different current redheads and blondes.

So we could give a couple of grand to make a few average looking films, or use it to rent out a nice 35mm camera for one single feature and put all our chickens in that basket as we cross the road counting them, or we do what we decided.

Buy a very nice HD panasonic camera with all the P2 trimmings, with a couple of Canon XLS's on standby, mayyyyybe a DVX100. Add a little Macintosh custom G5 (or two) and buy all our own booms, mikes mixers and then the all important lights (with a portable generator for the lovely outdoors). AND transportation and office costs; then find people with a passion and work with them to start a proper industry (we don't like small challenges). Saving a little money for budgets (food/transport/accommodation etc)

Oh, and we might just be able to get the RED camera (red.com), but don't quote me on that just yet.

We're setting up at the end of the summer. Then we'll try and get 2-3 shorts done before the end of the year. Then we'll focus on our horror/thriller niche ,although all good scripts and films are welcome obviously, its just that they are the easiest to make logistically.

As for influences out there, in regards horror we have a love of Asian extreme (OldBoy), classic 70's psychological horror and grungy modern thrillers (Se7en). I personally want to make zombies and war films. Maybe The Searches or Unforgiven.

Hope this clears it up. I'm not always able to check here so if you have any questions let me know at paulneary@clearlightfilms.ca.

Thanks.

[quinny]

but ye do have bags and bags of money...

[Clearlight]

Originally Posted by quinny

but ye do have bags and bags of money...

Not after we buy all that stuff no...

[Jason Butler]

Hey Paul,

I've an idea for zombie type horror film that you may be interested in. I've got a rough synopsis that needs some more work alright but a nice idea I think. I'm not a big horror junkie so would need some input to move it forward.

That's long and tasty equipment list - surely you could buy less and rent more and you could afford to pay your crews a bit? Would think myself that then you'd get maybe better and more serious crews? And you'd feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Apart from that, welcome to the site if I haven't said it already!

[Aaron]

Hi Paul,

Winter's Dream looks really interesting. Been toying with a short horror that sounds like it has a similar air to it? Stills look great (just got broadband at home here and checking out long list of unvisited links!). It's great to see a list of movies dedicated to the horror genre - The Pack sounds cool too. Any available to view online? Coughing Fit??? Still looks really cool.

[Clearlight]

Originally Posted by Jason Butler

Hey Paul,

I've an idea for zombie type horror film that you may be interested in. I've got a rough synopsis that needs some more work alright but a nice idea I think. I'm not a big horror junkie so would need some input to move it forward.

That's long and tasty equipment list - surely you could buy less and rent more and you could afford to pay your crews a bit? Would think myself that then you'd get maybe better and more serious crews? And you'd feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Apart from that, welcome to the site if I haven't said it already!

Well the goal is not just to make films, it's to make a solid industry. Personally I like making films, making money is not my goal, so I want to help all the other people on our little island who want to make films. That means not going short term, saving money to film one feature movie in an attempt to get myself noticed, but long term. Buying equipment so that it's available to everyone, and not paying one single crew (who already make a living doing it) on one single film but making a dozen or more shorts with a hundred talented beginners who just want a shot and a chance. That would make me feel all warm and fuzzy, especially if it leads to everyone making money down the road.

Yes I am well beyond idealistic.

I love horror and zombies, I'm also incredibly blunt in my reading or screenplays (part of the job over here), you can just ask my associate who has to pass his own scripts through my blender. However my suggestions have always been taken on board (yes that is my own trumpet I am blowing on, sorry).

Jumping right into a zombie feature might be a little much for ClearLight off the bat, but I'd love to help you out anyway I can in getting your screenplay up and running.

AARON: Thanks for the imput (whats The Pack bytheway? I don't think that's us!?). Winter's is being edited at the moment alongside Coughing Fit, and the editor had a nightmare over the Christmas period so they are a bit delayed. But once we have them locked we'll be putting up trailers, and maybe stick a couple on a seperate link. A few of the festivals we are entering into have strict rules that shorts can only be premiered on the festival circuit.
Coughing Fit is about 8 minutes, last i checked Winter's Dream is hitting 10.

[Aaron]

Hi Clearlight,

Been checking my history and can't find "The Pack" in there anywhere! I blame lack of sleep and too many windows excitement in my new broadband connection!

Regarding the strict guidelines about festival screening releases - I'm just always so tempted that when a film is done just to lash it out and get it seen - do you think that it's a bad idea (especially with the likes of YouTube and MySpace) to upload movies and screen them online? Seems to be the way to go (or maybe better under the guise of a limited personal showreel on your own site, as in clearlightfilms.ca, for instance). Surely loading your own movies onto a online forum on your own website is entiteld - viewers know that watching a film in an audience at a theatre (with perfect sound and pic) is different form the online experience, and are willing to pay for such leisure?

Or are they? This may seem like rambling but I've raised a question within myself - just shot a short, nearly finished editing, am entering into a competition. Do I upload to my own site before the winners are announced? Or does it even matter? Clearlight, obviously you've found that it may hinder judges decision??? I'm interested to know the why's and why-not's?

Love your idea of making films along the same lines as "The Searchers" and "Unforgiven" - such great scripts, great cinematography and great movies! I like the cut of your jib.

[Clearlight]

Originally Posted by Aaron

Hi Clearlight,

Been checking my history and can't find "The Pack" in there anywhere! I blame lack of sleep and too many windows excitement in my new broadband connection!

Regarding the strict guidelines about festival screening releases - I'm just always so tempted that when a film is done just to lash it out and get it seen - do you think that it's a bad idea (especially with the likes of YouTube and MySpace) to upload movies and screen them online? Seems to be the way to go (or maybe better under the guise of a limited personal showreel on your own site, as in clearlightfilms.ca, for instance). Surely loading your own movies onto a online forum on your own website is entiteld - viewers know that watching a film in an audience at a theatre (with perfect sound and pic) is different form the online experience, and are willing to pay for such leisure?

Or are they? This may seem like rambling but I've raised a question within myself - just shot a short, nearly finished editing, am entering into a competition. Do I upload to my own site before the winners are announced? Or does it even matter? Clearlight, obviously you've found that it may hinder judges decision??? I'm interested to know the why's and why-not's?

Love your idea of making films along the same lines as "The Searchers" and "Unforgiven" - such great scripts, great cinematography and great movies! I like the cut of your jib.

Hey Aaron,
The festival circuit is a tricky thing. An associate (es I'm oh so business) of mine won a festival...in Italy...for his film shot in Italian. He's Canadian through and through,a nd can't speak a word. Another guy I heard of had his short expelled from a festival because his producer was not a Canadian as was required by the rules.
In short, festivals differ. Find what your aiming for and target that. Some people love to use youtube and so forth as a free and viable plug for their film. Trailers or entire shorts are commonplace, but the view of such works is what can be determental.

As advertising, great. (Sandy Collora and the creators of "405" have started career's from their excellent shorts on iFilm).
For some festivals, excellent.
For public interest in future works, possible.

But the issues with youtube and so forth is that it seems to degrade the picture in the eyes of the audience. No matter the short, it's free, it's "only" on youtube and it's therefore not that good. It may seem petty, but keep in mind your Kubrickian masterpiece is one click away from a bunch of backyard farting games.

Public access means there is no allure to the film. It's viewed as "good" but "not good enough to make it past youtube".

Having a more focused, limited, trailer pique's interested, even if the trailer is misleading as many of us have fallen prey to. With shorts, trailers are near impossible to create without giving away anything. Hence most successful shorts are either brilliantly twisted at the end or have a fantastic production value. I could name two trailers for Irish shorts I've seen in the last forthnight that look unbelievable. Without hype, they are two of the most incredible pieces I've seen in years....I would mention them but we are talking to the creators and want them all to ourselves!!! Only kidding, check out Silent City and A Lonely Sky. Fantastic work I'm sure you'll agree.

On ClearLight's website we'll be uploading trailers, interviews, behind the scene's, scripts and everything BUT the finished film (to be fair they run at 8min+ each). An additional link will be available for those who wish to have a copy G-Mailed to them or even "private youtube" (i think that's what the kids are calling it nowadays).
Basically send an email and ask. It may seem simple but it's the very effort that makes it worthwhile for the viewer. Just as the simplistic clicking on youtube diminishes the worth of the product, the more effort (to a point!) that a person needs to put in to get a film makes it more worthy of careful examination. Not to mention that if you have done your job right, people will want to see it if it is good. The highest honor a film recieves is when a person leaves home, travels to the cinema, pays for a ticket and watches your movie.

So, in summation of a long winded ramble (i do apologise), how you promote your film is based on one thing alone; How good do you think it is?


As for your other comments, my jib says thanks. Have you taken a look at "FALL" first though? I really don't want my ad campaign to overshadow my work. After all I might just be talking a great game! Please let me know what you think, on or off the forum I don't mind. I didn't post it for ego boosting but to be critqued as everyone else!

[Devin]

Didn't someone from here attend a workshop late last year about selling one's film, and come back to relate that one of the most important things to do is NOT put your short up on YouTube?

[quinny]

I think this is the thread Dev Clicky here see Jay's post

I agree, I wouldn't put a short online either as I think it would damage the credibility... maybe after a year of so

[Aaron]

Hidden somewhere in my past was the idea that surely it's okay to upload your short to your own webspace (ie. one that is owned and registered by you/your production company?). I can see the flaws in the whole YouTube route, I think my mind was just poking at the question first!

"one click away from backyard farting games" - that's fantastic, it's given me an idea for a short! I saw "Silent City" and "Lonely Sky" on the big screen in the IFI and they really do rock! The fx and sound design in both films is amazing, and the trailers show them off well.

Fair point about the online promotion - you've put alot of effort into giving the viewer every bit of info except the finished product, which seems a good way to go. I guess my question was really to do with where exactly the "industry" is going, considering the leaps in technology and the availability of faster broadband? Theres a similar thread going on here:

http://www.filmmakersnetwork.ie/foru...read.php?t=659

with a member putting a film together based on an interactive film studio. There's so much change going on I just feel like I should be using the technology more, and then get frustrated with all the conflicting advice? I think you put it well though - it all depends on how good you really think it is.

[Clearlight]

Originally Posted by Aaron

Hidden somewhere in my past was the idea that surely it's okay to upload your short to your own webspace (ie. one that is owned and registered by you/your production company?). I can see the flaws in the whole YouTube route, I think my mind was just poking at the question first!

"one click away from backyard farting games" - that's fantastic, it's given me an idea for a short! I saw "Silent City" and "Lonely Sky" on the big screen in the IFI and they really do rock! The fx and sound design in both films is amazing, and the trailers show them off well.

Fair point about the online promotion - you've put alot of effort into giving the viewer every bit of info except the finished product, which seems a good way to go. I guess my question was really to do with where exactly the "industry" is going, considering the leaps in technology and the availability of faster broadband? Theres a similar thread going on here:

http://www.filmmakersnetwork.ie/foru...read.php?t=659

with a member putting a film together based on an interactive film studio. There's so much change going on I just feel like I should be using the technology more, and then get frustrated with all the conflicting advice? I think you put it well though - it all depends on how good you really think it is.

The industry is getting fast. Fast and digitised. Basically it's turning into a computer game. I firmly believe many "top" directors will soon be creating video games. Perhaps not Martin Scorsese but certainlg the more ballet-violence loving directors such as Michael Bay or John Woo. Once they grasp the huge battle/fight/chase/explosion/scope that a game can create they will be all over that like a rash.
Also the mentality is different for newer directors. Directing in film is a craft and art and requires you to tell a story. Video games require you to entertain the player. It must make sense, but the game does not need a 3 act struture or story beats, it just has to keep you playing. Connecting a good story and a game has resulted in the largest franchises in video game history (Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Hitman, Metal Gear, Halo).
Unlimited budgets and total control over the acting, design and flow is a hugely appealing prospect.

In how this affects film as we know, films have to get fast and look great. And they will. Technology is roaring ahead, we are making leaps in computer processing power that exceeds every previous leap....combined.
Digital technology, such as the RED camera and the Genesis will eventually hit the Holy Grail and look as good as 35mm without also looking "fake".
Advances in wireless technology will mean the film is simultaneously put onto a hard-drive on the camera (for safety) and broadcast via satellite to the editors and mixers, perhaps half a world away.
Editing, sound design and mixing will be only a handful of people and they will no longer have huge bulky machines or even orchestra's in some cases. Film turn arounds will soon be slashed.
Digital's ability to be manipulated will allow numerous "prints" to be tried out so the director can pick the right tone for the film. Contrast, sharpness, colour grading and sound will be totally controlled.
As for digital effects, they will reach the realm of believability within the next 5 year I suspect. By that I mean you will not know if i was a stunt or not. Yes, that good.

So what does all this signal? The market is going to get big. Regular "indie" guys will be able to make films that have the quality of the Hollywood releases. The genre's accessable will now include sci-fi, period and monster horror's on a frighteningly large scale.
Instant distribution of these films on websites and DVD. Once the film is made it's out, hype will be incredibly important as there will be no waiting time anymore.

What is one to do? What is my advice?

Read the Illiad by Homer. Then try Shakespeare's Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. (There are many more, but this post is already long enough!) Why? Because these are STORIES, actually these are GREAT STORIES. They are fantastic and imaginative and still brilliant and enthralling.

Stories last. Technology is only a tool. We needed a great plot before we could make dinosaurs, before we even had moving pictures, and we will need great one's after. Just because kids sitting in their bedrooms can produce something that looks like Star Wars or Blade Runner does not mean they will be anywhere near as entertaining. And that's the key, most video games and (crap) movies seek to distract their audience.

The best stories entertain, and the great one's? Magic.

[Clearlight]

Hello to all out there.
Apologies for not being able to regular contribute more to this excellent site in the last year or so. However I have recently returned from my exile abroad and now I think it's time to get moving on this whole making films thing!

To update you on the situation I was proposing in the above thread. Our intial investment is not where we have liked it to be, many of our associates have either remained in Canada/US or taken up lucrative jobs making features. (How could they!?!).

However, the company under the presidency of my very skilled and determined colleague is reaching a nice level here in this country. Our general goal is a sort of co-op set up with many different investors but with few people really having to be bothered with running the company. So a lot of creative talent around a core of single-minded (and bloody) producers.

As it stands we currently have 2 HVX 200 high def camera and a spanking new set-up with Final Cut Studio 2. Once May rolls around we will be adding a lighting kit (or two) some generators (for those pesky outdoor/night shoots) and hopefully a job arm or a matte box.
The company is a legal entity and will have insurance on all the equipment and projects.

To clarify, as an investor I have put my money in but I don't really want to be involved (my choice) in the actual running of the company. The contracts, the promotion, the festival submissions. I just want to be on set and directing. And that's cool. The equipment is booked out in advance and therefore there's no squabbles over who will be using it when. It may be a co-op but it's being run professionally with a proper structure and organisation.

We hope to also rent the equipment out whenever possible for as cheaply as we can. I personally want to help people make it, to make films. Compared to the North American industry Ireland is a dead donkey. There is no real set up for the indie film maker. This site is one of the few shining lights and seeing as it has no specific purpose that makes it all the more remarkable and important. So we have some plans to streamline things and also expand the attitude towards the indie filmmakers!

But with such a low degree of filmmaking assistance the co-op is there to provide the kind of things individual filmmakers just can't get. I know myself that scrounging several thousand together for a camera and editing suite/computer, even of the lowest grade would take a long time indeed.
So we've calling for more people to join and get involved. To get access to the equipment they need, to make the kind of films they want and to have a real community to work with. It also means we can get involved with more projects or just get a credit (which is almost as good!) on certain projects.

No beating around the bush, after the main core have put enough money in, it was decided that a minimum investment would be required to make things even and also to help balance out the shares. The minimum would be 1,000 and that would buy a certain amount of shares that would give the investor a return on all profits made by any part of the company.
It's not a killer amount and certainly a lot less hassle than getting all the equipment oneself.

Questions are sure to arise! But are of course more than welcome. Please feel free to post them to the thread or to send me a PM. If need be you can send me an email. production@clearlightfilms.ca.

Best of luck and happy filmmaking to all.
Paul Neary.

[judestynes]

Hiya Paul

Any room for an aspiring armourer. Trying my best to get into the film making world but thats turning out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be.
Anyway, I'd love to get involved with what ever projects are or maybe going on.

All the best................ Jude

[Sean Wallace]

Nice to see you back Paul ! have ye based up around Dublin or are ye elsewhere . I'm looking forward to seeing a few from your stable over the coming years .