Hello, all!
I know it’s been quite some time since my last update, and that’s not without reason – beyond all the things going on in the world at the moment (such as the continuance of a certain virus), there has also been a lot going on here at Triple Zero Films. As such, I’m sure you’re wondering what the latest news is regarding my upcoming film, Forbidden Dish.
So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
Status of Forbidden Dish
Over the past year, a lot of work has gone on in the pre-production of the film. This includes, but is not limited to: updated budgeting, crafting additional pitch materials, location scouting, and reaching out to other artists. In fact, the original plan was to begin raising funds and pitching investors last fall.
However, as that time approached, plans changed. While I had – and have – a wealth of materials that I was excited to share (from business documents to Look Books to budget breakdowns), I began to think further about what I would be presenting to the wider world and how that would reflect on the project. After all, you only get one chance to make a great first impression and I wanted to give the film (and myself) the best possible starting point for the next stage of this journey.
Upon much soul searching, not to mention research and market examination, I came to a simple conclusion: that before I start raising funds from any source, I wanted to give people a taste (no pun intended) of both my own abilities and what they had to look forward to in the final film. I wanted people to be able to visually see what my vision for this project was in the medium in which it will ultimately reside. I also wanted to demonstrate – in practice – my ability to deliver on the promises I’m making. As such, one solution became obvious – making a POC.
The Forbidden Dish POC
Simply put, POC stands for “Proof of Concept.” As the name implies, a Proof of Concept is a short film that acts as a representation of the final product. It usually lasts only a few minutes and can consist of an entirely new story set in the same universe of the film, a single scene or sequence from the film, or even a faux trailer (faux, as since the full film doesn’t yet exist, the scenes would need to be purpose-shot for the trailer).
No matter the specific implementation, a POC allows the audience (and investors) to see the concept in action. It also allows them the confidence in the creative team to be able to deliver on the technical aspects of the film. Rather than asking people to envision what the director plans based on still images or text on screen, a realized POC lets people see, hear, and most importantly FEEL the movie – or, at least, a small taste of it.
Crafting a POC also comes with a third, equally valuable benefit to the production – it allows for testing and work with the visual effects, equipment, and workflow. By literally tackling these challenges in a smaller, more focused environment, the creative team can get hands-on experience with addressing and implementing specific solutions to technical hurdles.
Also, while many of the locations and actors appearing in the POC might not be present in the final film, creating the POC does allow the opportunity to potentially find some that might! (Think of it as sort of an early casting call and extended audition for certain actors, roles, and sets.) This is not to say that those chosen for the POC won’t be wonderful in their own right – they very much will. It’s just also possible that the needs of the final film might call for something different.
It’s also worth noting that, at the end of the day, the POC – while a work of art in its own right – is primarily meant to be a visual tool to help in funding the production of the full film. As such, its budget and scope will be far less than that of the final production – otherwise, the same issue of lack of resources would also apply. Despite this, it is my ultimate intention to make something that both I and the crew are very proud of. Something awesome in its own right that does justice to the characters and story that I hope to share with all of you in the full version of Forbidden Dish!
I will have more information on exactly what type (or version) of POC – discussed above – I plan on releasing as we get closer to that time.
Funding the POC
As mentioned, the POC will have a far smaller budget (as a consequence of both time and scale) than the final film. That said, the costs do still exist and are certainly not insubstantial – as anyone who has ever made a short film will tell you.
Making sure the cast and crew are both paid and fed, buying or building props and wardrobe, renting locations, and purchasing equipment are but some of the many expenses that go into creating a visual piece of art (even a short one). As a result, beyond draining my bank account to its limit, I was left with one clear option: use my skills in filmmaking to earn the necessary production funds.
*I was advised by some that I could also attempt to raise funds on online platforms, but I quickly shot down that notion as I would never want to ask others for money without something direct and tangible to show them first – the exact reasons for making the POC in the first place.
So, starting in the next few weeks and months (depending on supply chain delays that are all too common right now), Triple Zero Films will begin producing video content for our local market. This includes, but is not limited to: television commercials, social media content, online video, brand-based website media, and work on other local film projects.
In this way, I will not only get to stretch my creative muscles, but I will also be able to wholly self-fund the costs associated with the production of the POC. Another tangential benefit will come from getting my name and branding even further out into the community and from any additional contacts made, be they professional, business, colleague, or potential investor.
Because of this, you might also notice the addition of a page labeled “Video Production Service” on the website. It will include new information about these services and my portfolio within the space.
What does this mean for Forbidden Dish?
Well, as I hope is clear from all the above, production of the Forbidden Dish feature film is still my primary focus. In fact, everything mentioned here today is in service of that goal. The video production work will help to fund the POC, which will then in turn be used to help raise capital for the full film.
While this does inevitably mean that it will take a bit longer than I would have otherwise liked to get Forbidden Dish made (as funding for the POC needs to be raised in full prior to production; which itself needs to be completed to begin raising funds for the final film), it is also an inevitable consequence of not only this business but – more importantly – of doing things RIGHT. I want this movie to succeed more than anything. I want to be able to share this world and these characters with as many people as possible and to enthrall and entertain all who watch it.
And to do that, I want to give it the best possible chance of success. I want eventual investors or donors to feel connected to the material and confident that I’m able to deliver the best damn movie possible. I want everyone to be as excited as I am about what this movie can be and to take this journey with me.
But I don’t want to ask them to just take my word for it. Despite the thousands of hours that have gone into getting this project where it is, and the mountains of documentation, I want people to be able to see past the figures and stats and technical details – to see the world and the characters and the STORY. To know with certainty that I’m going to give every ounce of myself to bring all this to life. To know that this is my primary driving goal and that I will stop at nothing to get this movie made. And, more importantly, made RIGHT.
Not because I ask them to believe I can…
But because they SEE I can.
So, thank you for taking the time to read this and for any and all excitement or interest you have in this movie. It means the world. I’m so happy to be able to share this journey with you and can’t wait to get one step closer to finally showing you my favorite film – Forbidden Dish.
Chris