You’ve been asked to create a budget for the next series your production company will be producing.  If you’re first instinct is to whip out the latest budgeting software like movie magic budgeting – then you would be putting the cart before the horse and find yourself dragging a heavy load up a steep hill, while wearing a pencil skirt in stilettos.  It’s just ass backwards and will get you into trouble every single time.  Listen people – once you’ve dissected the creative, then it’s time to create the schedule.

Take a deep breath, you are about to figure out how to spend millions of dollars to create 6, 8, or 10 episodes of the latest hit cable series.  And if you’re going to do…

Fact of life – things change.  There are those subtle changes that happen over time like growing older.  You don’t particularly notice the age lines on your face until you meet a friend you haven’t seen in years and then the bubble caption over your head screams, “Wow s/he got old, do I look like that!’  Then there are those changes that are not so subtle, the ones, we as professionals live with everyday, particularly in the area of technology

As with all technology, software or hardware, you’re taking a chance that in six months to a year there is going to be an updated  version of whatever you purchased with new bells and whistles you never imagined. Sometimes it makes me want to…

I produce TV and I write book reviews for Barnes and Noble, and I understand what goes into production and what it takes to make a video about a book. It’s not easy; in fact, counting cars as they enter the car wash can sometimes be far more interesting than watching one of these book trailers. Many of them present no more information than dissolving from one stock photo to the next and then offering up the title. They certainly don’t make me think, “I must stop what I’m doing right this second and click the buy button.” That changed when I viewed the book trailer for ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” I was interested, surprised, afraid and most of all curious. Curious enough…

SAG , the Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists may become one union. SAG represent actors who work in motion pictures, television, commercials, industrials, video games, Internet and all new media formats. AFTRA includes performers, journalists and other artists working in the entertainment and news media. Many artists/actors are members of both unions and now there may be a merger. SAG has sanctioned a task force to focus on the merits of joining forces.

In a press release issued by SAG on April 30th , a task force was officially created and instructed to meet with members of AFTRA to develop the creation of a union that…

The long running All My Children and One Life to Live are being cancelled.  I’m just wondering – was there ever a time when Susan Lucci wasn’t on television? The WGAE and AFTRA  are not happy about the cancellations.  It means a huge loss not only for the fans but for the actors, writers, production staff and crew. It seems the public’s taste has changed and they’d prefer to view the real life soap opera antics of the cast of The Jersey Shore or The Real Housewives of (pick a city).

Apparently the public was so outraged they bombarded Oprah Winfrey with a plea to save the soaps.  Unfortunately, one of the most powerful woman in television was unable to…

The cost of a movie ticket coupled with concession stand goodies is more than some people’s hourly wage. But there’s more than one way to see a movie and not reduce your bank account balance by $50.00.  If you’re willing to wait a little over four months you can buy it on DVD.  If you don’t mind waiting a little longer you can watch it On Demand or rent if from Netflix.  If you really aren’t in a hurry you can rent it for the bargain price of $1.00 at your local DVD kiosk.

But the landscape is changing and with those changes come some interesting and not always welcomed competition:

Netflix
The ever popular Netflix received a jolt when a Walmart company, Read more...

The phrases “no worries” and “it’s all good” are bantered around a lot.  I mean A LOT.  I was on a recent production and I must have heard it said at least 50 times in one day, every day for over a month.  I’m not prone to exaggeration and this is no exception.   It seems to have become an industry standard to tell a producer ‘no worries’.  Unfortunately, for me it’s tantamount to saying ‘whatever’.

In the first place – I’m never worried.  I may be concerned or I may be strategically thinking about how to solve a problem, but there isn’t really any problem that can’t be solved.  Ever. Whether it’s the lead actor in the production who’s suddenly stricken ill during filming, or…

There isn’t a production company in the world that doesn’t need extra hands.  Especially when you’re coming down the home stretch of pre production. With last minute script changes, location permits, meals on set to arrange, props, wardrobe, set construction and the like – the final days before actual production can feel like your head is stuck in the spin cycle of a washing machine.  Your budget is tight and as a producer you’re not going to even think about going over budget when you haven’t yet shot one minute of footage.  Interns to the rescue.  However, I’ve found that there are some production companies and producers who not only don’t understand the benefits of an intern but the responsibility that comes with hiring…

On June 22nd ABC  will premiere the new action game show Downfall from FremantleMedia .  You may be wondering how this new game is played.  Allow me to fill you in.

Apparently, while perched on top of a 10-story building in Los Angeles, contestants will race against a clock to answer trivia questions  in an effort to win MAJOR prizes and $1 million dollars in cash. Doesn’t sound too difficult, except for the ‘perched’ part, I’m not sure what that means, but I suspect it’s not laying back in a cozy leather recliner sipping champagne from gold flutes.  But, here’s the ‘fun’ part, while contestants are trying to answer the trivia questions, the life-size prizes and cash move along on a gigantic conveyor belt.  The…

Less you think TV is all doctor shows, crime dramas, and reality fluff – there are some television shows that are attempting to make a difference. The new reality direction is aimed at childhood obesity.  As I’ve noted in an earlier post, obesity in America is an epidemic.  One in twenty-five children is obese.  I know this because:  1) I have eyes and I can see, and 2) An episode I produced for the Real Savvy Mom series centered on childhood obesity. While in production, I was shocked to learn that there are a growing percentage of children under of the age of 12 who are exhibiting symptoms previously only seen in overweight adults.  Symptoms as life threatening as heart disease…