Film Funding, Foreign Rights, The Hobbit and Star Wars

Starting at the bottom has never been easy, but now it's never been so competitive. I've covered the 'who you know' angle previously.

Starting my own company to support untapped talents has given me rewards, but none- financially. That said, I've met and worked with some cracking people and some in the most unlikely of industries. Some of which have gone onto do much bigger things. I know my limits and some of my promotion stuff is beyond what I could ever have produced. 

I received a survey from an individual for a project as part their degree. It was about the UK film Industry pre and post 2008. It's not through trying but I must admit I've never been supported by any UK bodies (and it's a sad for the UK) but all my film has been US funded. Surprisingly, even viable commercial ideas are passed on in favour for 'quirky' films that have 'named' talent attached even though they have little return or success.
     That's fine don't get me wrong art is art and other stories should be told, but as it is the public's money,dramatic bold and different films can be made and can also appease a wider audience. It is a business after all. Again there are lots of angels and opinions on this and once again this up for debate, I'm speaking from my own experience.

My hat goes off to 'self financed' indie-film makers who do there's research and pre-pro and go out - putting it crudely, in simplistic terms, just make it, and make a film well, like David Paul Baker and Oklahoma Ward to name a few. 

Presently, I'm looking to sell some of my foreign rights but it's a back rubbing exercise that I'm just not willing to play.  People talk about being transparent but there's almost no such thing.  So I'll wait until the right sub-agent or literary Agent  comes along. I'm not looking for Michael Landon's Jonathan Smith to turn up and say hey we'll do your horror travel reads in thirty-three other languages, I just don't want another unscrupulous suit to make me an offer.

So when we talk about retaining rights and so on what do we mean?  I've said many times I'm happy for my work to be played with by the right creative people. Sean P. Parsons Terminus was wonderful and I'm proud to have been a part of it.

So what 's that got to do with the The Hobbit and Star Wars? Well if you are are fan of either you'll probably know there's a lot of fan made stuff out there, some good, some bad, some legal and some not. (Never support anything illegal, it costs people jobs, seriously). Those who are fans of the aforementioned and have missed these are in for a treat... These are fan made films in the truest sense and are not for profit or to infringe on the rights of the official films. Enjoy.

Makazie One is set in the Star Wars universe during the time period between Episodes III and IV, an elite soldier has been sent to track down and destroy a known threat to the Empire. http://www.makazieone.com

Award winning unofficial prequel to The Lord Of The Rings dramatising Aragorn &Gandalf's long search for Gollum. This 40 minute film, made by fans for fans is based on the appendices of LOTR and was painstakingly shot on a low budget as a homage to Peter Jackson's trilogy and the writing of J.R.R. Tolkien.