The Italian Spiderman Method for Feature Film Production
Want to make a feature film? Have little or no money? Then you’re probably out of luck. Unless you’re Flinders University student, Dario Russo. Dario is the genius behind the parody, Italian Spiderman.
What was so genius about Dario’s concept wasn’t that he made a very cheesy little film – all shot in a day. Lots of film-makers do that. In fact some never move beyond that. No, what was the genius was that he only made the trailer which he then uploaded to YouTube in November, 2007.
1.7 million hits later and he soon had the seed money to make his feature. A mere $A9500 from the South Australian Film Corporation. Now, on a normal film production that would be the budget for the star’s morning coffee fix, but this isn’t a normal film. For starters it will be released on YouTube. In 3-minute parts. Now to be classified as a feature it needs to run at least 75 minutes, so that would mean around 25 episodes, but even there Dario isn’t being conventional.
This is the first episode, and there are plans for nine more. I suspect Dario and his crew will seek further funding once they’ve completed those ten. You see, the genius with this method is that you don’t need a lot of money to make a feature film. And because you’re essentially getting constant feedback from your audience as you’re making it there’s less perceived risk for your financial backers. If it does well they know immediately and can invest more. If it flops then they can save their money.
And because it’s all being shot on 16mm film, then once it is completed, it can be onsold for television or even the cinema. It’s a very clever method. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we soon see even mainstream movies produced under a similar strategy before long. It makes great marketing sense.
About the Author: skribe
Antonio (aka skribe) has recently recovered from pleural empyema caused by pneumonia. He is a film-maker, digital media consultant and social media producer. skribe's clients have included CBS, Evian, P&G, Discovery Networks, Pernod Ricard and American Express. When he is not being a dad to his two boys he likes to pretend that he is a capable PC gamer.Follow him on Twitter, join his Facebook Fan Page and connect with him on LinkedIn or Google Plus.
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