Daddy Warbucks?

Some people may think that it takes talent, hard work, and determination to become a successful movie star.  This is true. In some cases however, all it takes is the right connections and cold, hard cash. Will Smith is buying the movie Annie, so that he may remake it with little Willow Smith in the leading roll as Annie. When most parents buy a movie for their kids, they make a trip to Wal-Mart and pick up a DVD. That’s not how it works Smith-style. I must say that just because her father is Will Smith and is pretty much giving her the “hook-up,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that she is not hard working and talented. As many of you know, Willow was recently signed as a musical artist to Roc-A-Fella Records, which was founded by Jay-Z. Most young people are familiar with her hit single Whip My Hair. There are also rumors that multi-millionaire Jay-Z may have something to do with the musical score in the movie. 

Will Smith is hoping to work with Sony for Willow’s movie. The Sony film Karate Kid was a great success with her brother Jaden Smith as the star. Willow is definitely someone to watch out for in the film industry as a potential up and coming movie star. We’ll see how far her first leading role performance takes her. My guess is that with Jada and Will blood running through her veins, she will probably present a great performance. Her brother Jaden Smith has proven himself as a talented actor in multiple films. The pressure is on for little Willow. She has a lot to live up to, with 3 of her family members being successful movie stars. I know the world is waiting to see what she has to offer as Annie on the big screen. 

Budgeting for Filmmaking

          The budget for a film is usually divided into four sections. The first section is the above-the-line costs, which refers to the people who guide the creative flow of the film. Such people are the screenwriter, the producer, the director, the casting director and the actors. The second section is the below the line costs. These are the direct production costs. Examples are the cost of location, travel expenses, and technical expenses.  The third section in a typical film budget is post-production costs. Post-production is anything that is done after the scenes have been shot. Examples are editing, 3-d and motion graphics, Foley and audio mixing. The last section is Other. This could be anything that doesn’t fall into the first 3 categories, from insurance to unforeseen expenses.

            There are several specific elements to be considered when budgeting for a film. The first thing, and one of the most expensive, is the script. If a movie isn’t from an original idea the story rights to replicate that which was already created in some form (novel, play, ect.) may be very expensive. Purchasing story rights can cost over 10 million dollars. The best screenwriters are paid over 1 million dollars to write the first three drafts of the script.  Some are even offered a percentage of the gross profits upon the completion and release of the movie.

            You can see that before production costs are even included, developing a major motion picture is extremely expensive. There are many tactics that filmmakers use to minimize the costs of a movie. One strategy they use is to eliminate night scenes so there will be no need of expensive lighting equipment. They often avoid commercial areas, or film action scenes on early Sunday morning, when traffic is the lightest. There are several things to consider when budgeting for a film. This is just an idea of what filmmakers take into consideration.