I'm thrilled to share about my new film -- HOME MOVIE! … And while I'd love you to see it, it hasn't been made yet … so we have time for dessert before we head to the theater …
But as people have begun asking me a variety of questions about it, I thought it would be worth a Blah-ugh! entry to share some answers and give people some understanding of why I'm putting my lovely neck on the line to get this film made …
Q: Jarret, please tell us about HOME MOVIE. Is it a personal film?
A: In part. The main character--Samantha Hughes--is based on my mother, who was also an alcoholic Narcissist. For many years my uncle, Chuck Liotta, urged me to write about her but I could never find the right angle … Then this idea just came to me and I KNEW I had found it!
Q: And now you want to direct it? Who the hell do you think you are, Orson Welles?!
A: No, no, but I have this vision for this film. It's like I can just see the thing in my mind, shot by shot, and hear the dialogue and I just KNOW how it's all supposed to look to some extent. One writes a script to try and capture it, but really that's just a roadmap--a sort of blueprint to building this vision, this whole multi-sensory film.
The exciting part of film making is that then others add dimension to it--the actors, the cinematographer, etc. And that's even more thrilling, because as much as I know HOME MOVIE is an awesome film in my mind's eye, those that I'll work with will make it exponentially better!
Q: But why do you need so much money? I mean, a $225,000 production budget? What the F***!?
A: I want it to be made at a level of quality worthy of theatrical release, and this requires the proper equipment and the people who know how to operate it. For one day alone--one shooting day--we're going to need a DP (director of photography), ideally two assistants for him, a sound man, a lighting director with two or three assistants, hair and makeup people, a production manager, a couple of production assistants, and probably others I'm forgetting. These salaries alone quickly add up to a couple thousand AT LEAST, followed by equipment rental (another thousand or more) …
Then, in order to have quality actors, you need to pay them, provide food … Then there are costumes, location costs, props, transportation … Just ONE quality shooting day can easily add up to six, seven thousand!! … And we need 20 days minimum! PLUS there are peripherals like production insurance, and--
Q: Alright, alright!
A: The good news is one can make deals with weekly rates, and find generous equipment rental houses that may give lower rates for an independent film … Ideally we get favors with free locations …
When I shot my first movie in my hometown of Westport -- HOW CLEAN IS MY LAUNDRY -- several local generous businesses actually donated food for the production, including my buddy Rich Herzfeld who runs Chef's Table … But potential favors aside, there are still substantial costs a production has to meet in order to create the scenes and shoot them at their best …
Q: Yeah, but $225,000!
A: It's important to understand the perspective, wherein big Hollywood movies have literally 60 or 100 people or more on the set, and shoots can easily last 60, 80,120 days and more!
Q: Speaking of Hollywood, are you going to have any actors I've heard of in this?
A: Quite possibly. One famous actress, in fact, read the script and LOVED it and said she would consider doing it … But that's all talk unless we can get the shoot funded.
Q: Okay, but what if you DON'T raise this money with your intrusive Indiegogo campaign … (Pestering all your friends and fans -- Indeed!) What if you only get $3,000 in contributions?! Are you going to return that money, you bastard, or just spend it on a vacation?!
A: Depending on whether we fall short of our goal, and by how much, it will change the immediate plans, but WE WILL BE MAKING THIS PICTURE IF IT TAKES 10 YEARS! (And I'm saying that all in caps!) Every cent of the money raised will go toward this production and is NOT going into my pocket. If we fall short I'll probably take it upon myself to consult with all my contributors and discuss options, just to keep them in the loop … It may be we decide to shoot several scenes to augment the fundraising, which may have to continue in other avenues …
But we're still a long way from worrying about that right now!
Q: You seem very passionate about this.
A: I am and I can't overstate that! This has my dream for many, many years. And while I've made two feature-length films already -- HOW CLEAN IS MY LAUNDRY in 2002 and THE ACTING BUG in 2009 -- I've always envisioned taking it to the next level …
But I didn't want to do that until I was READY, until I had a script and project that I KNEW was special and that could potentially have some commercial success.
Q: And now…?
A: Again, HOME MOVIE is THE DREAM PROJECT! It's a fantastic story, a sharp, funny and engaging script, but it's also a perfect vehicle from a production standpoint. I can make for a relatively tiny budget, mostly in one location. I believe I can shoot it in 20 days and still come out with a topnotch killer film that I know in my heart of hearts people are going to want to see and will respond to …
Q: Alright, Jarret, you've babbled enough. Thank you … And again, if anybody wants to get involved …?
A: Check out THIS LINK to the Indiegogo site … And please be sure to watch the trailer … It ain't bad!
Q: Alright, alright. Thank you! Now get out of my chair …
