Make My Movie

NZFC / NZ On Air / nzherald.co.nz present... the MAKE MY MOVIE project. Our proud history of profound, progressive & potty thinking: Splittng the Atom / Women Getting the Vote / the Zorb and now we have another world first: the MAKE MY MOVIE project

FAQ

Q. Can I pester you with questions before even reading this FAQ or thinking about things logically?

A. No you can't. 99% of questions we get asked in these situations can be answered if you just take a ten minute breather and think things through.

Q. Why is my entry not published yet? I've submitted it twice already.

A. Entries do not automatically appear on the site when submitted. Please be patient. In fact, wait a day before submitting, re-read your entry, make sure it's the one submission you want thousands to read and vote on.

Q. Can I submit a short film, or a film idea without a poster?

A. No. This funding is for the production of a Feature Horror Film made in NZ by resident filmmakers. Also, you must upload a poster to 'sell' your idea to the public and judges.  We want you to get it right and read the rest of these frequently asked questions and the Terms and Conditions

Q.  Can I change my Tagline or Poster, or edit things after submitting?  I've just had a great idea to make it even better..

A. No. Make sure your submission is complete and you are satisfied before you hit submit. You cannot add to, or edit it once it's been submitted. 

Q. Can anyone in the world enter?

A. This competition is open to New Zealand residents only.

Q. I can’t design a poster, what can I do?

A. Well our question back would be this - How are you going to make an entire movie if you or someone you know can’t design a poster? We understand not everyone has the creative ability necessary to design a poster but we also know that making films is a long and arduous process and it all hinges on persistence. To never give up because of a small obstacle. You want to enter this competition, then find a way to make a poster. Try to keep the poster standard format - that is about 1.5 times high as it is wide. Please do not try and upload a 10Gb poster. 

Q. What is a Logline?

A. A Logline is a brief summary of a television program or film, often providing both a synopsis of the program's plot, and an emotional "hook" to stimulate interest. If it's a high concept idea it should make that very clear in the Logline.  ie. SAW : With a dead body lying between them two men wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer, the men must follow various rules and objectives in order to survive.

Also if you can provide the following information within the Logline even better.

  • Who is the protagonist and what do they want? 
  • Who (or what) is standing in their way? 
  • What is it about the story that makes it special?

 

Q. What is a tagline?

A. A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in film marketing materials. This is what you might use on your poster design. Not all films need a tagline. It is not compulsory. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise a film. ie. ALIEN : “In space no one can hear you scream."

Q. What is a short synopsis?

A. A synopsis is a brief summary of the major points of a written work, either as prose or as a table; an abridgment or condensation of a work. Keep it short and make the reader want to know how the rest of the story plays out. For the love of everything holy, do not giveaway the whole film!  Set the scene, the characters, the hooks and any relationships and the crux of what the plot is. Look at the back of a DVD for a good example:

CUBE: Six ordinary strangers awaken from their daily lives to find themselves trapped in a surreal prison; a seemingly endless maze of interlocking cubical chambers armed with lethal booby traps.

A cop. A professional thief. A student maths whiz. A psychologist. An architect. An autistic adult. The assortment of individuals seems random, even perverse. None of these people know why or how they were imprisoned, but, soon it emerges that each one of them has a skill that could contribute to their escape.

There are unanswered questions on every side: who created this diabolical maze, and why? Personality conflicts and struggles for power emerge as the tension rises. But one thing is crystal clear: unless they can cooperate to work out the secrets of this deadly trap, none of them has very long to live. 

Q.  What sort of movies are you looking for?

A.  Horror films. Creature Features. Haunted House. Dark Fantasy. Comedy Horror, Splatterpunk. Tales of the Occult. Zombie Films. Nature Run Amok. Stalk and Slash. Science gone awry. Serial Killers. Possession. Vampires, Werewolves, Taniwha -  the list is endless

Q. My film has a killer hook that no one has done before. Dude it's so cool I am totes excited about it and I want to tell you but I don't want it stolen!!!!

A.  We have a special place in the Submission Form for KILLER HOOK - please explain what makes your hook/twist/concept so mind-blowing and that you can't share it with anyone else.

Q. Does the idea actually win the money or the person/team?

A. Well an idea can’t really go into a bank and withdraw money, so any funding will go to an individual or company with a bank account. But we get what you mean. It's a combination of the two. A great idea will usually come from talent. We just want to make sure they can execute that idea. There's also a bit of paperwork to sort through and maybe a DNA sample or two before the cash gets to you.

Q. Can I submit with a previously completed script?

A. Sure you can. Blow the dust off your horror version of Titanic and scale it back to ultra low budget. Make it a dinghy movie, like Hitchcock's Lifeboat with cannibals.

Q. If I submit my idea on here will someone steal it?

A. Sorry to break this to you but your idea is probably not an original one. There will be 1000 other people in the world with that very idea in their head at this exact moment.  It’s really about what you do with that idea. You could sit on it forever and never do anything, or you could put it out there and see what happens. 

Q. Do individuals/ teams with scripts already written get an advantage?

A. Only in the fact that their idea will probably be well formed. A great idea alone can make it right through to the end if there is talent to back it up. An idea can only get you so far.

Q. Can I enter more than once?

A. Yes you can. 

Q. Is there a minimum age?

A. YES you must be 18 or older

Q. What if I don’t have a producer?

A. That’s okay, you don’t need one to submit. But if you end up winning you’ll need one for sure. MMHM will be Executive Producing your film and if required bring a co-producer on to make sure you don’t run off to Mexico with the loot.

Q. What if I don’t have a director?

A. Again, we can assist in finding one if you make it through to the Top 12.

Q. Can my movie idea be R18, R16, etc?

A. We do have a small obligation to The NZFC that the winning film doesn’t break any laws but until it's classified by the Office of Film and Literature Classification no one knows what rating it will be. This time around we don't have to make it broadcast safe. So unleash the full frontal male nudity folks!

Q. Will you help find cast, crew, equipment, etc?

A. Your producer will be doing that and we will be there for any assistance you may require. We do have Andrew Beattie (co-producer) on hand who has a background in practical FX and has 40 litres of blood if needed.

Q. How does the voting work, do the public play a part?

A. Yes they sure do. Here's how it works

1. Entries are submitted

2. Entrants share their work through social media buttons (Facebook) on the site

3. MMHM looks at all the projects and culls down to a Top 12 by using data from social networks as well as industry advisors.

4. The Top 12 are revealed via nzherald.co.nz

5. The public then say which film they like by 'Facebook Liking' the project

6. The Top 12 are reduced to the Top 5. The project with the most FB likes instantly goes into this Top 5.

7. Then the Top 5 projects go head-to-head and are evaluated.

8. Our panel of experts decide on the winner and away we go. 

Q. Who are the selection panel?

A. A mix of NZFC, MMHM & Darksky Films.

Q. Will you just pick your own favourite?

A. All of this is part of another crazy experiment and the excitement for us is how this is all going to play out. There's absolutely no interest in us playing favourites. We want to hear what the public think, what you think and then see how it all turns out.  It could all end in tears but we’re lucky to be able to at least attempt something unique. It worked out pretty well last time so we're hoping to have some success again.

Q. Is there distribution for the film?

A. The film has a first look sales deal with MPI Media/ Darksky Films for Worldwide. This means that if MPI are happy with it, the film goes on their books and is sold around the world along with their other titles. This is probably one of the best scenarios you could ever ask for your film.

Q. I think I can make this all by myself. Do I get all the cash?

A. If you can prove to us that your idea is able to be executed completely by yourself (an animated feature etc) then yes you’d be in line to get the bucks by your lonesome.

Q. I live in NZ's most isolated town, who will pay my travel, accommodation etc?

A. You can make a movie anywhere. As long as your budget can cover it.

Q. Will I hold the rights to this script when it's finished?

A. Yes you will. We recommend talking to a lawyer like Tim Riley @ Dominion Law if things start getting complicated for you.

Q. Can I pitch an animated idea?

A. But of course.

Q. Can I pitch a documentary?

A. No 

Q. We have questions that aren't covered here.

A. Please drop them on our Facebook page. - https://www.facebook.com/makemymovie