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First off, let's talk a little about getting ideas into your head before putting them on paper. How you get your ideas may affect how you want to present them. We all know you can sit down and write a script for a film from your imagination, and the film can start from there. But this isn't the only way. This certainly isn't how a collaborative film like The Point came about. I strongly urge using alternative approaches in making your early films, because often it is a way of getting original results while working with a limited budget. You can do a reality-based project, you can write a script for actors (i.e. cast first), you can find a great location you can get for free and base a script around it, you can find an interesting camera style or special effect and write a script that takes advantage of it. The more you base your script on elements that you have easy access to, the more problems you will have solved going in, and the easier your film will be to pull off. If you have two friends who are great actors and there's a beautiful rundown bus station down the block, and you have another friend who's got a steadicam rig, try to work all these elements creatively into your script. Work with what you know and have. I'll bet that your film feels more fresh and personal and original because of it.

If you're struggling to find an idea or you have only a vague idea of what your film is about, there's also lots of ways to push it forward without just staring at a blank computer screen. I will often find a few friends who can act and go out with a video camera and start improvising ideas for scenes, or work on new ways to shoot things, or search for interesting locations. In making The Point, each workshop would begin with each of the teens having to submit an "idea of the week" - some dramatic scene, or emotional state, or visual, or location, or character that they witnessed or experienced in the last week that they think is worthy of putting on film. Once you get out there and look around, you'll be amazed at what you find - things you could almost never imagine sitting and staring at your blank piece of paper. I am a big believer in supporting your imagination with tons of observation and practice. This is how your imagination grows.

At the end of the day, you have to make your film a "reality" and the earlier you start injecting it with reality, the better off you are - especially when you don't have a 50 million dollar Visual FX budget.

The more real you make your project to yourself, the more real you will be able to make it to other people, and this gets back to how to write a proposal and present your ideas to others. My proposals are usually successful because I support my ideas with tons of "reality." Whether it's a photo essay of the neighbourhood where I want to shoot the film or a DVD of sample scenes that I shot or a collage of images from books and magazines that give a visual reference (its called a 'look book'). I want people to understand my ideas, but also to feel them, and the more reality you have brought to your package the more people will be able to get into the ideas behind your film.

Your ability to talk, show and sell your film idea speaks volumes about how ready you are to make the film. An extreme example: I was once very nervous about getting financing for a somewhat experimental project that I wanted to shoot on 35 mm, so I went out and shot the whole film on video, edited it, added music, and basically finished a rough version of the film on video and submitted it with my application. I got the financing. I just wanted to show them that my ideas weren't too far-fetched to accomplish. It worked and I got the funding.

Proposals and Pitches

 

Getting Your Idea Out of Your Head and onto Paper

(Based on the Proposal 101 workshop by Patricia Kearns)

If you've got an idea for a film, you probably want to get started right away. But, before you launch a project, you'll want to make sure you have a clear idea of what you are doing and how you're going to do it.

 

The Film Proposal

Proposals can do two things: first and foremost they are a tool to sell your film - to convince people or funding agencies to give or lend you the money you will need to complete it. But they may serve other purposes too, like helping you clarify your ideas.

Mostly, though, the proposal is a way to convince an organization, a teacher or a selection committee that you have a great idea, that you know what to do, that you are creative and that you will finish the project.

Proposals vary, but there are some things that are always important to include. Here's a list of components that are found in many proposals:

  • Introduction and summary.
  • The purpose of the film, the need for the film. In other words, why this project.
  • Who is your audience?
  • Why you're interested in this project.
  • Brief treatment - a description of your creative approach.
  • Production plans and timeline.
  • Key personnel.
  • Distribution plan (where the film will be shown).
  • Funding strategy: who you plan to approach for money.
  • Support materials - letters of support (from people who would use the film, i.e. teachers, public libraries, etc.), press clippings (about the topic), work samples (other films you might have made).

The next few pages will walk you through each section of a proposal in detail.

 

(But first, a few words about research)

Your research is crucial to your credibility. Find out if there are other films out there that are similar to yours. Look into key facts related to your subject, your markets and your distribution plans. Fact-check everything. Just because there's another film like yours out there doesn't mean you can't proceed, but you do need to figure out how your film will be different.

If you make incorrect claims in your proposal, it could make your readers wonder about what else is wrong with it.

 

Pitch Sessions

One good way to generate initial interest in a project is a pitch session. These sessions are organized by various funding agencies, distributors and film festivals, and give you a chance to get up in front of a group or people and briefly pitch your film idea.

Youth film festivals often host pitch sessions, and they can help get you started on a project by connecting with people who can give you the money to help make it happen.

In a pitch, you get a short time (usually under five minutes) to outline what your film is about and to answer questions. You'll have to be prepared! Memorize your logline - a one- or- two-sentence description of the project, and anticipate the kinds of questions you will be asked. (If you've written your proposal before the pitch, you'll be even better prepared to sell your idea.) Be concise - and creative: the pitch is your chance to really let people know what you're planning and how you'll carry it off.

 

The Proposal: Introduction and Summary

A clear statement is a good way to begin. Here's an example of a first sentence. It was written by Patricia Kearns and is from her a proposal for a film that eventually was released under the title XS Stress:

Out of Sight... Out of Mind (working title)
This is a proposal for a half-hour documentary for youth about surviving adolescent stress without going off the deep end.

Make sure that you include this key information early in your proposal: title, length of film, type of work (documentary, drama, experimental, etc.), subject matter and intended audience.

You may think that you can't really capture what your film is about in two lines. If you really can't, that probably means the ideas are not clear. You may meet people who are interested in helping you make your film and who listen to many, many pitches. They will need something short and snappy, and you should be ready to provide it.

 

Purpose

There are many reasons you may want to make this film.

  • To document a subject to preserve knowledge.
  • To reveal something about the subject.
  • To give the viewer a certain experience.
  • To advocate for something.

Here is an example of how you describe the purpose in the proposal. It immediately follows the introduction.

The life of an adolescent is arduous. Teenagers are people in transition -- and a new identity does not come without pain. Modern adolescence is a juggling act. Many teens work at low-paying, high-stress jobs. And homework must be done to get that coveted spot in university. Then there are friends. And the pressure to have sex. And the need for sleep. The goal of Out of Sight... Out of Mind is to help adolescents cope with stress and stay mentally healthy. After having met with many youth, I believe I can make a film that explores these issues and show positive strategies that work for them.

 

The Proposal: Brief Treatment

a description of the approach

A treatment is the story of the film told in plain language, uncluttered with all the technical jargon.

A film is more than an idea. You might have a great idea, but the treatment is where you show how it is going to be turned into a film (it's also an opportunity to think about why your topic is best presented as a film instead of something like a book or a magazine article or a podcast).

In the treatment, describe the style, method of presentation, mood and shape of the film. Make your writing as visual as possible. Anyone reading the treatment should have the feeling of actually seeing the film. The treatment lets us know what style will be used in shooting, how you will approach the subject(s), what the major events are.

What approach will you take in presenting the story? Will it be surreal and impressionistic? Understated? Will you use a lot of saturated colours? If it's a documentary, will it be treated in a dramatic style? Are you going to use spoken dialogue, interviews, commentary/narration or both? What kind of sound and music will you use?

Here's an example of a brief treatment:
Using a collage approach, this film will explore the themes of stress, anxiety and depression. Blending together a variety of material, techniques, looks and sounds, the film is a mix of in-depth interviews with the three main characters describing compelling events in their live; quick-paced comments from a chorus of many teens and a quirky performance by juggler Joe Cobden, used to emphasize, punctuate and provide good transition material for getting from one section to the next.

Humour will play an important role. Never trivializing the difficult issues teens face daily, a humorous approach provides comic relief. Teen penchant for irony will be used to good advantage in the Chorus. This savvy group of youth uses their voice to share with the viewer their collective and individual experiences of stress, anxiety and depression.

In visualizing this film I see a collage of vibrant, intense colours, a wacky background for the Juggler, ironic locations for the Chorus, dramatic studio set ups cut with more natural environments for our main subjects.

There are a few more elements to include before you are finished your proposal.

 

Production Plans

Where and when will you produce the film? What major difficulties might you have to overcome during production: equipment, special permissions to shoot somewhere, or making sure that your crew is available on that occasion that you must shoot?

Don't try to minimize or cover up potential problems you might see. Instead, list them along with how you plan to deal with them.

 

Key Personnel

Filmmaking is a team activity. Talk briefly about yourself and the main members of your crew (director, cinematographer, sound recordist, editor), showing that you are competent and able to make this film.

Just starting out? You may not have many credits to list. Try to hook up with some experienced crew members, and talk up the qualities you have that you think will convince people to give you a shot at making your film.

 

Distribution Plans

Show that you have given some thought as to how the film will be seen once it is done. It could be simple and local (organizing a screening in your school or showing it to groups that you belong to) or something more complex. See the Marketing section of this site for more.

 

Funding Strategy or Resource Search

If you are looking for money, you can draw up a budget showing how much you will need to make this film, and to demonstrate how you plan to finance it, listing all the sources you will approach. Think beyond cash. Look for loans of equipment, such as the school's camera or access to a computer and software for editing.

 

Support Materials

Showing previous media work you have done can make a good impression - photos, Web sites, etc. If your film is about something that has been covered in the newspaper, submit articles. Letters of support from mentors, consultants or individuals who are helping you with this project are great.

Conclusion: Sending out the Proposal

You're nearly done your proposal. Now is a good time to review why you've gone to all this trouble.

Your proposal has to convince people that:

  • There are good reasons why this film should be made.
  • You know exactly the kind of film that is needed/that you want to make.
  • You and your team are the best people to make it.

How long is the proposal? The best rule is to be as brief as you can but be complete. About three pages should do it.

Have someone read over your proposal before submitting it. An extra pair of eyes that can spot mistakes is always helpful.

Got your project accepted? Congratulations! You're one huge step closer to production, but you're not quite done with the paperwork yet - you will likely need a longer, more detailed treatment or shooting script. (If you're actually lucky enough to have had someone give you money based on an idea for a dramatic screenplay, now you've got to sit down and write the script.)

If your project is not accepted on your first try, ask for feedback. Maybe there's a problem that you can fix. Rework the proposal, incorporating the changes that are required and resubmit. Don't give up. You will make your film. Good luck!!!

Sources

Here are the sources Patricia Kearns used to put together this workshop on proposals:

Douglas, David, The Dirt on Documentaries, www.nfb.ca/xsstress, National Film Board of Canada, 2005.

Hampe, Barry, Making Documentary Films and Reality Videos. Fitzhenry and Whiteside Ltd., 1997.

Robiger, Michael, ed. Directing the Documentary. Second Edition. Stoneham, MA: Focal Press, 1992.

Rosenthal, Alan. Writing, Directing and Producing Documentary Films. Southern Illinois University Press, 1990.

Warshawski, Morrie, Shaking the Money Tree, Michael Wiese Productions, 1994.