PRODUCERS' Corner

Comment

Comment by Mark Dissette on May 27, 2009 at 7:43pm

I've been working in television/film and theater for the last 30 years in Denver. For the last 12 years I've worked as a Producer for STARZ! a national pay service with 18 channels. I've produced over 1,800 spots for STARZ and earned 4 Telly awards. I've done fight coordination for 30 years I'm a published author I taught production 1 and post 1 for 4 years at the Colorado Film School. I've been acting for 30 years as well for theater and camera. My latest project is a feature length documentary on PHAMALY the physically handicapped actors and musical artists league. The trailer for the film is posted here under "come look at the freaks" and it has just won a national Silver Telly Award.

Comment by keith landon on April 3, 2009 at 3:29pm

I've been an indie television producer/director/editor the last 4 years and I have an idea for a reality show that I've gotten permission to produce in the metro Denver facility(ies) the show is based on. Without disclosing too much info, the show's main premise is basically the same as "Survivor", "Apprentice", etc in which contestants perform and get voted out with a winner/winners being given free access to a particular type of training in a particular foreign-based sport that is taught locally. Though this particular 'reality premise' is not new, it appears that the subject of my show is.

I would like to talk with interested producers or others who may be able to engage in producing/financing/etc the intitial show in hopes of shopping/selling it to a company or network that can lead to production of a series. Any help or advice is appreciated.

keith landon
landon4551@yahoo.com

Comment by Danny Diaz on January 20, 2009 at 10:49pm

Just wanted to introduce myself. Danny Diaz.

I'm currently making the festival run with my new short The Drama Kids. The trailer is uploaded to my page. We shot all over Downtown, St. Mary's Glacier, Historic Western Hotel on the Western Slope, Smoky Hill High School, and Dunafon Castle. Lots of fun.

We recently took home the Best Family Film award at The Vine Shorts Fest in Santa Monica back in November.

I'm looking forward to chatting with you guys and girls.

Danny Diaz

Comment by Tanya Ishikawa on January 19, 2009 at 9:56pm

Hi, Colorado filmmakers,

I am producing a new show, tentatively called Colorado: On Location, through Denver Open Media that will appear on Comcast Channels 56, 57, 219 and various web sites starting in March. The show, tentatively a monthly 30-minute program, features filmmakers, film projects and independent film screenings in Colorado, and I’m looking for your contributions and support.

Please e-mail me at i.tanya@comcast.net if you have a film that is either shooting or screening in Colorado in February or March, and if you have a Colorado-made film that is going national (distribution or in theaters) this winter or spring. Actually, that will help us set up who to feature in the first show, but we also need to set up our show content for future months. So, if you have information on films shooting, screening or going nationwide in April, May or June, please e-mail me about that, too.

We are also looking for additional crew for the show, to help on one episode or several - whatever you have available. Please e-mail me with what crew position(s) most interest you and something about your availability in March or in general, or send questions if you need to know more first. (This is a non-paying gig at least for the first few months, but I will use food and drink to entice you.)

We hope to have a two-hour planning session on some morning, afternoon or evening between Saturday, Jan. 31 and Thursday, Feb. 5. If you want to get in on the ground floor of the show, helping us finalize our general show concept and content, and especially if you have some great ideas for our set and intro/outro, please e-mail me about what dates and times you have available.

As we get more settled in our show details, I will be putting out other requests to the Colorado film community. (We probably could use a creative animator to make a cool intro/outro.) We want this “talk show” with clips and roving reporters to be a fun way to introduce films and film activities in our state to the world, and generate some interest in seeing and supporting Colorado films.

Thanks for your consideration.
Tanya Ishikawa

Comment by Zee on January 19, 2009 at 9:00pm

oh, excellent advice. Thx!

Comment by Darlene Cypser on January 19, 2009 at 8:55pm

The truth is that E&O insurance is very pricey and it is "claims made" based insurance. That means that they pay for claims made during the time period the policy is in force, no matter when the "error or omission" occurred. So it is actually most cost efficient to get the insurance when a distributor requests it, if they do, rather than in advance. For example, if you pay $5000 for a 2 year policy right after you finish post and it takes you a year to find a distributor and negotiate a deal and the distributor wants coverage for 3 years, you are going to have to extend the coverage for another two years for the same price.

Most foreign distributors don't care whether you have E&O or not. I have been successful in the past with getting the distributor to bear the cost of E&O if they want it. This argument can be very successful since many large domestic distributors already have an umbrella E&O policy and it is cheaper for them to add another title to it than it is for you to get an E&O policy on one movie.

Comment by Zee on January 19, 2009 at 8:40pm

Yes, we have several completed features ready for distribution, or nearly so. We always carry liability and inland marine coverage. We want to obtain E&O and thought someone might recommend someone. Thanks! :-)

Comment by Darlene Cypser on January 19, 2009 at 8:27pm

Zee: Do you have a completed movie? You don't really need E&O until you are done and in fact a lot of the movies we sell to distributors never have E&O at all.

If you are shooting a movie what you need is "production insurance" not E&O. What you really need to cover is liability for persons and property and probably for damage to equipment in your custody like rental equipment. The first one is called "Liability insurance" and the 2nd is called (believe it or not) "Inland Marine Insurance." (The history of the name of it dates back to the dates of sailing ships and the need to insure goods after they got off the ship but before they reached their destination.) A lot of insurance agents can get you that kind of coverage. So shop around.

Comment by Zee on January 19, 2009 at 7:09am

Does anyone know where to get the best E&O insurance rates?

Comment by kent gunnufson on December 14, 2008 at 12:33pm

While talking equipment, I've got a mini-Mole kit...4 open face 1K lights, stands, barns all fitting in two Mole Richardson cases...$700. Also separate single lights...

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last