Tag: Film

How To Become a Development Producer

How To Become a Development Producer

What is a Development Producer?
A Development Producer is at the front of the development team (or on their own in a small independent company), and is responsible for bringing stories to life, in order to generate revenue for the company by securing commissions with broadcasters.

What is the Job?
The Development Producer has to have the creative ability to come up with new ideas, or to help develop other people’s ideas. However, they also need to have business knowledge and drive as they are responsible for pitching to commissioners who are often hard to please. The Development Producer has to know the idea inside out and must be prepared to answer any questions and queries at the pitch.

If the Development Producer fails to sell the idea in the pitch meeting, they will have to think on their feet and they must present alternative suggestions. Put simply: if the pitch isn’t a success, the company risks not securing any commissions, and therefore not making any money!

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How To Become a Runner

What is a Runner?
For a lot of working film and television professionals, the first foray into the industry was in the entry-level position of ‘Runner’. Whilst it may not be the most glamorous of positions, the role offers an opportunity to gain an idea of the inner workings of a production, make contacts and ultimately get a foot on the ladder. It’s all too easy to dismiss the position of Runner as menial or degrading, yet it is the runners of today that will inevitably be making the television programmes and feature films of tomorrow.

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Film Recommendations From The 2017 BFI Film Festival

Our pick of the highlights from the BFI Film Festival, which took place earlier this month:

Good Time 
Director: Josh & Benny Safdie
Release date: 17 November 2017
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh

After blowing a bank heist, Constantine Nikas’ (Robert Pattinson) younger brother is arrested. In an adrenaline-fuelled rush to collect $10,000 and save his brother and himself, Constantine risks his life through New York City’s underworld, in a spiral of chaos and violence that puts his own life on the line.

“By now, Robert Pattinson shouldn’t have to prove he can act. Cosmopolis, The Rover, Maps to the Stars and The Lost City of Z – they all show that his brooding Twilight days have passed into teen-movie myth. But if doubters still need proof, check out the Pattinson tour de force in Good Time. The title makes the movie sound like a romp. Instead, it’s a hellish ride through a New York night. As directed by the Safdie brothers, Josh and Benny, the movie rips through 100 minutes of screen time like Wile E. Coyote with his tail on fire. It’s electrifying.”
– Peter Travers (Rolling Stone)

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Student View: Independent Cinema & Short Films

There is a lot more to film than watching the latest blockbuster. ProductionBase blogger, Sharon Boyd, looks at the other options that film students should be exploring.

Independent Cinema & Short Films

For students studying film, many of them seem to limit themselves by only watching the latest blockbusters in their local Odeon. They’ll watch the genres, be diehard fans of X-Men and know every scene in The Hobbit, and maybe they know lots of facts about them, but as film students surely it’s important to broaden your horizons and watch films you wouldn’t ordinarily choose.

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