Afternoon all,
This is our first blog and I guess a bit of a mission statement.
We haven’t won anything. Don’t really want to. We want to have fun making original, challenging, dangerous, adventurous, humourous, flaw ridden films that have a degree of character. Something to talk about. We want to help talented up-and-coming and professional film makers, writers, actors, make the best films possible through our One Fat Cigar website and most importantly get their work seen by the public.
How? We like to think of this site as a one-stop-shop. A piece of Film Making Equipment. Put up your (feature/short/ad/music video/tv drama) project, when you have just an idea. A script, something before a script. Post the fact that you need a writer for your idea. Make a new friend and get something written. Blog about it. Video or otherwise. Do a bit of finance raising, then crew and cast your film. Cast can even apply with their showreel, so you can see what they’ve done and how good they are, invite them to audition perhaps or just search and find them, or get a Casting Director to do it for you. Likewise for Directors and Film Makers. Attach them to your project, make some more friends and they too can post blogs if you want. And all the time, the film loving public are becoming fans of what you’re doing, following your work, getting updated about it. And they know it’s real – direct from the real film maker, because they can see you on camera.
In pre-production, upload images, stills, moving pictures, interviews, location reccis, artwork. Don’t let us know everything, we want to be teased. We like working titles, maybe we’ll give you an opinion on it.
In production, we want to know how you’re doing, setting up shots, make-up, out-takes, interviews with key team people, talk us through the kit you like. Maybe a DOP blog, there’s a piece of cinematography we just love. More stills please. More trivia.
Take us through post, show us trailers, let’s talk with the Editor, Director. How are you getting on with a distributor? Maybe we need to pool the support of fans, get them shouting. If a distributor is smart, they’ll be listening anyway. If they’re not the more film makers on here doing it, the more they’ll have to listen, the more fans there are.
Most of all we all love characters… which is why we become fans after all. Show us yours.
About Us….
We’re friendly, say hello! If we can help we will, or suggest ways we could do something better? Tell us. We might like it and do it. We’re also quite small, so bear with us while we add features that you want and we want for you… we’re just starting and with your support we’ll get better.
Ross and Craig, co-founders, One Fat Cigar.
P.S. Someone asked about the name. When anyone makes it in the film industry, all we can ever remember seeing is the stereotype of someone smoking a ridiculously big cigar. Think Wolverine. We’re hoping some of you are already doing that and others will be shortly – making the best films possible.
Things to do…
Sign up for our 8 week free premium membership trial
We're doing well...should be up soon!
Tags: actors, best films, directors, fat cigar, film fans, film network, film production, film promotion, independent film production, independent films, writers
Congratulations and good luck! It’s great to see guys like yourselves doing something many of us probably wish we had the b*lls to do, yet never actually get around to doing. To tell you a little about myself, I studied writing and directing (in England) and hope in time to raise funding for my film short/feature. All the best. Dean
Good luck guys,
Looking forward to seeing what you guys have come up with!
Cheers,
Simon
Can’t wait til One Fat Cigar is up and running! It’s going to be a great resource for up and coming filmmakers like myself.
This looks familiar- oh yes, like when I first and finally got serious with my filmmaking and outright producing- nice to know there are others who are still just as hungry as I am despite many years of bashing my head against the walls set up by those who smootch up and those with the connections! I say MORE INDIES! MORE POWER! arrrrr arrrr arrrr! Sorry. got off script. may happen again. my bad. Let’s all have at it once more till its sticks on the screen for good!
Hi Guys,
best of luck Ross and Craig x
Brilliant Idea can’t wait to get involved! Good luck with it all.
Making a movie is like the old Steve Martin joke about how to be a millionaire and never pay taxes: “First, get a million dollars. Then….”
By which I mean the financing is the tricky part. Everything else is ridiculously easy in comparison. I look forward to whatever help you have to offer in getting financing.
Fantastic! There are LOTS of new ideas and endeavors to be completed This & next year…!
Lets all gather together to make them happen!
-Grabo
Brilliant. I was waiting for the launch. I want to get a fat cigar when I succeed. I am serious. It is not impossible, but a little time consuming.
Hi guys. I’m a filmmaker originally from New Zealand, now living in Melbourne. Have worked on a lot of short films and a few indie features. I am 3 months away from shooting my first feature film, on the Sunshine Coast, of Australia. Titled “Just Like U” . It’s about a young man with Downs Syndrome, and his friendship with a young woman, and the trials they go through just to maintain a friendship. Some very touching moments. I came from a photography background, and moved into film in 2000. Starting with camera work. Love film to bits. I’m looking forward to seeing how your site developes. Check my website at http://www.cannondigitalcinema.com All the best.
Hey guys! Great idea! Are networking nights where everyone says ‘yes wouldn’t it be a great idea to make a film’ then goes away and ums and ahs about it alone reaching their sell by date?! I’m an actress, my website is above, but we’ve had real success with our indie film ‘Schrodinger’s Girl’ recently – just back from San Diego, where it got into the official selection of Comic-Con’s independent film festival, so check us out and support British film! http://www.abigailtarttelin.com/blog
Best, Abby x
Break a leg, fellas! There can never be enough movie industry resources out there, IMHO.
I’m a screenwriting stay-at-home dad in the midwest. Who says you have to be on the coast in the US or in London to break through? Okay, everyone says that. I’m not listening, however!
Sounds like you’re building a new F-book/M-space for movie industry folks. Only, with a way to store and share resources. Can’t wait!
Its a great idea guys.
How do we make an indie movie stick? We all know when you’ve got no bloody money its the aesthetics of the picture and Hollywood sound design and orchestral composition that we can’t compete with so this almost pins us to certain genres of film. Try to make a sci-fi with 50,000 pounds successful and you might get 5mins of quality footage toward your film.
If the producers want thier Indie films to survive in the realms of the big league (or make any profit from them in these web downloading days) then a great script is a must as is a realistic budget and you have to aim for cinematic release. Every one liner or minor role within the picture must be cast to perfection!! The audience knows when they miss out on the full Hollywood effect and with character believability so if your on a back foot with the overall look and sound design then you need to strive to make the way its shot, acted and scored very different or damn near perfection.
No matter how much we all talk about making features ultimately its money connections that are going to get a film off the ground and onto the big screen… anyone can set up a production company now and make a movie, in fact last year alone the independent film market has increased through the Brit Films catalogue 3 fold!!… We have to ask ourselves with all honesty how in gods name do you promote it without knowing the big chiefs in the big tee-pees?? The proof doesn’t necessarily always have to be in the pudding… you can always bluff your way in (Look at Colin the zombie movie!!)
Phillip Pullmans “The Butterfly Tattoo was a low budget indie film made for 250,000 Euros under dynamic entertainment limited directed by Phil Hawkins. It didn’t hit cinema release except for two screens for 3 days in Los Angeles as a tester for popularity. When it went to dvd some 3 months ago 250,000 people downloaded the film in less than 48 hours. In all honesty the indie film market without cinema release could be a bad financial move. Some of us don’t strive to make film for financial gain but a successful well watched movie will surely be a profitable one.
Bring on the Finance and make this pic LOOK and SOUND AWESOME!!
Sounds interesting.
What will be your point of difference to sites like Talent Circle or ShootingPeople that do similar things?
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the question!
We’re different from both of those that you mention for a few reasons. First, our plan is to distinguish between Aspiring Film Makers (using this in the generic to cover composers/writers/actors/crew etc.), Pro Film Makers and Professional production houses. So for example, Pro film makers could choose to crew from only Pro members for example, or could post a runner position to everyone if they choose – afterall aspiring film makers need experience and we know that most Pro’s are happy to help out others. Pro film makers can also choose just to receive info about positions from other Pros so no one will be bogged down with opportunities, just those that are relevant. Hopefully this gets round the problem that are found on other sites… so Aspiring talent can recruit and crew for their own projects and Pro’s can also cast and crew theirs – while helping support each other and becoming fans of each others work.
So that’s one differential. Secondly our aim is to help build a fan base for a project with the public (which we can only do, of course, with the support of the film making community). So by going from script to screen, blogging it, giving behind the scenes interviews etc. our community and film lovers can sign up and become fans of a film makers work – with things like status updates etc. (probably, integrating twitter at some point after launch) so that they can see what you’re doing and follow a film maker day to day, and on a project by project basis.
Finally, we’re hoping to make a bit more of the casting process so actors and talent can rise to the top and be seen. As a film maker, its great to be able to watch a showreel online to see how good someone is (we’ve had a lot through on student ambassadors applications) and how they might fit in the role offered.
We’re not saying the above is going to work perfectly from day 1 (clearly it won’t!) but we’ll do our best to try and do things in the right way. We don’t have the resource of those other sites, but with the support of film makers, actors, writers, composers we should be able to recruit more people to our team and make the site as good as we can get it.
Hope that helps!
Best of luck, you guys! Very much looking forward to your site.
Have a very exciting film project that I’ll tell you about as soon as I’m allowed to talk about it in the open…
Great to see some innovation from you guys! I wish you all the very best of luck and shall be keeping a close eye on your progress….
Love you, love your blog.
We as film makers are artists, and art is war!
[...] to their mission statement: We want to have fun making original, challenging, dangerous, adventurous, humourous, flaw [...]
I love this website. You guys seem really inspired & down to earth, that’s something this industry really needs. I am an actress but have worked behind the scenes too and know the blood, sweat and tears that are involved in independent film-making! We do it for the passion… and hopefully the monetary rewards follow.
I wish you lots of luck with the launch and I would love to collaborate with you in the future. Bring on the Cuban’s!
Ellie
Yeah, Keep the good information comming, we need more authors like you!