From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to Create a Successful Independent Film

by Dov S.-S. Simens

Book Overview

From screenwriting & budgeting to marketing, Simens provides encyclopedic, precise, & creative instruction for putting your vision up on the screen.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446674621
• ISBN13: 9780446674621
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Chicago Producer Raves

I am a producer-director with over 50 local and 30 national commercials under my belt. I have gone to film school, spents 4-years and wasted (now in retrospect) almost $120,000. Why? Because I should have read Dov's book for only $18.95. For "FROM REEL TO DEAL" gives more practical, realistic information about how to break into the film industry with your initial independent feature film then I acquired after 4-years at NYU Film School. If this book was available when I was in film school, and I had read it, I guarantee you I would have dropped out of NYU and launched my feature film career. Thank you Mr Simens for giving the real information about how Hollywood and the Film Business truly works with respect to independents. Buy this book!

spend he $12 or screw up your film

Like everyone else, I agree that this is a straight to the point book and I'm telling you to read it. I could'nt put it down. Yes it is that good. Some people on here claim that they went to USC or NYU and learned nothing but theory. I always thought these schools were decent since some of the big shots went there but I went to Columbia college which supposibly is the best film school in chicago. This is the scoop on going to film school: You first must take theory classes(watch old movies, silent films yatta, yatta!! Along with an asthetic class. Then you take classes like development and screenwriting which arent what they seem. Columbia teaches this thing called Development and pre-production which is nothing more but a class to take up time and steal your money. You learn how to write a treatment. Thats all you learn. Even my teacher called it BULL SH**. YOu can learn how to write one in 10 minutes from a book or someone. The screenwriting course is a joke for the teachers dont know how to teach. THey will teach you what a program like Final Draft will do automatically for you maybe even better. Then you take a production class which is the only class that you will make a short film in. WAIT! Columbia gives you a world war 2 film camera and a 750 watt light kit and tell you to go make a film with it. Yup that is what you get for $20,000+ a year. So what happens in this class? You actually learn how to make a crappy film "BUT YOU LEARN". THen comes the confidance part of school. They will get a Yokel called a top advisor to come to you and his advice is to take sound classes because there arent too many sound people out there. Boringest job out there. And then he tells you that if you just work really really really hard then you just might get paid. For years I watched all those poor students' faces as each of them were convinced that they will never be George Lucas! I got angry. Very angry and I chose to fight the system. This is the bottom line. All you need to do is take 1-2 production classes where you make a short film. Then you need an open mind and listen to those who work in the industry. But listen to only those who are positive. Film school teachers are not professionals. They are past film students from the school they teach at who have no [...]. This is why they lecture film and not make films. You go to school to network with other students. THATS IT!! you can do this for free just walk in, no one will stop you. the security guards are just there for display. If you want to prove me wrong spend $80,000+ on a film school and 5 years later visit me and tell me that I was right. I'm not bashing these schools but FACT: all of these schools will admit to you that they are just a business. SO shut up, buy this book, Robert Mckee's book "STORY", "film director's intuition" and directing actors" Now watch me, i'm going to be a millionare this year thanks to being open minded and listening to the right people. Good luck and God b

Excellent Book - Correction to Barry Timmons' Review

The book is excellent, and I highly recommend it.I also wanted to point out that Barry Timmons review was a bit unfair in that Dov does in fact discuss Offering Memorandums in his book in Chapter 12: Form a production company (do your legal work).I have to agree with Barry that it is not a very comprehensive look at the legal process, but Dov does make it clear that you will want an attorney to prepare the memorandum as part of your start up of a production company.To Quote from Page 95: "Additional work you'll want the attorney to do is to prepare the paperwork to properly solicit funds (chapter 14) from investors. This will include creating a limited partnership (LP) or a limited liability company (LLC); establishing an escrow account with your bank; and preparing an 'offering memorandum'. He should charge no more than $2,000 for this."Again, this is in no way comprehensive, and I can see that if you arn't familiar with offering memorandums (I happen to be) it's easy to overlook this brief mention. Still, I thought it was only fair to the author to note here that the information is actually in the book, albeit briefly mentioned.That being said, take heed from Barry's example. You may want to review the SEC's Regulation D for private placement memorandums prior to getting an attorney. It's available on their website at www.sec.gov.Best of Luck to all the filmmakers out there!

THE REEL/REAL DEAL ON HOLLYWOOD

Wanna produce, direct or write a movie? Buy Dov's book. Period. This 400+ volume should cost $100,000 dollars on the open market, 'cos that's what it's worth, in valuable information alone. You've all heard how film schools like USC, UCLA, NYU all teach film theory? They do. And it's a waste of time, unless you wanna teach theory or study theory in Hollywood. If you wanna make movies, forget those $80,000-dollar film schools, take Dov's 2-day course, and start your career in film producing, directing, shooting, lighting, writing, selling, dealing, financing, etc. If you can't do your own film after taking his seminar or reading this gem, then stick with your day job and tell everyone you "tried."Dov's book, FROM REEL TO DEAL, is transcribed from his seminars, so it sounds VERY conversational, like he's sitting right in front of you, while you kick back in a comfy wingback chair, and he's showing you everything you need to succeed in Hollywood. It feels like your own private lecture, and it's not the typical college lecture, either. This man stimulates, drives, energizes, empowers. He shows and he tells. What's most important in Dov's book is that he cuts to the chase and leaves out the film-school theory. This is a practical approach to film making, from A to Z and beyond that jumps right into (abbreviated list):1. Producers: who they are, what they do, how they do it2. Indie vs. Studios: which one are you? Do you have the money to write those 38 different checks during preproduction, production and postproduction? 3. The SCRIPT: it's gotta be great! Dov shows you the formula all the A-list scripters use, the TOP SECRET one with all the plot highs and lows that stimulate an audience4. Registering and Copyrighting your work: you only need it if you're going to court. Just make the movie!5. Forming your own production company: set up an LLC, get partners, option scripts, etc.6. Financing: call on those wealthy dentists in town, the ones who donate to the ballet, theatre, symphony. They don't get back anything from those entities, do they? Tell them how they'll make a mint from financing your movie. If not dentists, call lawyers, other doctors, wealthy grandmas!7. Budgets: what it REALLY costs to make a movie in Hollywood! I mean, the REAL DEAL here. How much producers, directors and actors get paid for each type of budget; how much film stock costs; how much the belwo-the-line talent costs, etc.8. Equipment and Film: how to get the best deals with a little haggling, and how to get them to help you find a great crew. 9. Sound and Lighting: finding the best sound and lighting technicians, with their own equipment, and what to look for in each type of worker10. Directing: a crash course in how to talk with and move those "movable props" called actors11. Production Crew: how to find the best, hire them for cheap, feed them well, treat them like gold, and have them do the best jobs for you12. Postproduction: picture editing, sound editing, music score,

amazing information

The book is amazing. Here's why. I spent 4-years and probably over $100,000 at USC film school and this stariaght and to-the-point book taught me more filmmaking how-to info in the first three chapters. From learning Screening, to Budgeting, to Financing, to Directing Mr Simens has it all here in easy to understand sentences. As a BONUS Mr Simens gives an amazing chapter-by-chapter list of who to contact (complete with adresses, phone numbers and e-mails) and what to say when you have them either on the phone or on the web. Imagine calling a big agent and he answers the phone. What do you say. Easy just turn to the chapter in "From Reel to Deal" and you'll be in control. This book is a MUST READ especially to any adult who thinks that they are missing something by not attending a 4- or 2-year film school. Now that I have read Mr Simens's book I am ready to be the next female Tarantino or feminin Spike.Thanks Dov,If I'm ever on the podium there'll be a thank you for you.Jane Smithson