Didn’t you also coin the saying: Think. Don’t think. Know when to do both. Great list. And though on time and on budget are important, no one ever viewed a film and their reaction was, “Hey, I bet that was on time and on budget.” Never.
There are so many good ones in this list, but I found myself feeling a little drowned by the volume of aphorisms! As you know, Ted, I really like this one: “Murphy was a Filmmaker; they discovered their famous law trying to make their movie. This tells you that you need to prepare many contingency plans for the many things that will inevitably go wrong. But you can have confidence that, in preparing those plans, you will find creative solutions and, by chance, magic!”
Well, I was asked recently on a production what the different duties of a producer are, and I explained that there are many different kinds of producers on a film: a producer, co-producer, executive producer, supervising producer, line producer, associate producer, etc. and by the time I had finished they were just as confused as when they asked me the question. I described myself to them as a creative producer that entertains solutions, because I work in the creative aspect of a production from beginning to end, from conception to worldwide distribution and the genre I work in is the "solution genre."
Of course, then I had to explain this new genre to them, but it was much easier to do than explain the job of a producer.
HOW DOES THE NEW "SOLUTION GENRE" COMPARE TO THE OTHER FILM GENRES
1) A SOLUTION FILM OFFERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WE FACE EVERY DAY.
2) A SOLUTION FILM CAN OFFER A SINGLE SOLUTION TO A SINGLE PROBLEM OR MANY SOLUTIONS TO MANY PROBLEMS.
3) A SOLUTION FILM CAN TREAT A CONCRETE SOLUTION, LIKE A PRODUCT THAT SOLVES A PROBLEM BY WEARING IT OR USING IT.
4) A SOLUTION FILM CAN HAVE A MATHEMATICAL SOLUTION, A POLITICAL SOLUTION, AN ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTION, A PSYCHOLOGICAL SOLUTION OR EVEN A PHILOSOPHICAL SOLUTION.
5) A SOLUTION FILM TAKES PLACE IN THE MODERN DAY... THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD.
6) A SOLUTION FILM IS CLOSEST TO THE DOCUMENTARY. IT IS A MELD OF THE DOCUMENTARY AND THE NARRATIVE FICTION FILM.
7) IN A WAY THE SOLUTION FILM IS ALSO LIKE THE DOC AND THE HORROR FILM IN THAT YOU DON'T NEED NAME ACTORS OR A BIG BUDGET TO MAKE A SOLUTION FILM.
8) IN A SOLUTON FILM, RECOGNIZABLE FACES AND SLICK PHOTOGRAPHY COULD MAKE IT LESS REAL AND BELIEVABLE TO AN AUDIENCE.
9) THE SOLUTIONS ARE THE STARS OF A SOLUTION FILM.
10) WHILE A COMEDY IS INTENDED TO MAKE US LAUGH AND A HORROR FILM IS INTENDED TO SCARE US, THE SOLUTION GENRE IS INTENDED TO UPLIFT, TO INSPIRE, TO MAKE US FEEL THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
11) "LEE'D THE WAY" THE FIRST SOLUTION FILM, WILL LEAD THE WAY FOR OTHER TALENTED FILMMAKERS TO WORK IN THIS NEW GENRE.
12) A SOLUTION FILM IS MORE THAN A MOVIE, IT'S A MOVEMENT, A MOVEMENT FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.
Didn’t you also coin the saying: Think. Don’t think. Know when to do both. Great list. And though on time and on budget are important, no one ever viewed a film and their reaction was, “Hey, I bet that was on time and on budget.” Never.
Damn, this list made me proud to be a Producer. There is so much joy, struggle, distilled wisdom and inspiration in it.
Thank you
Tania Chambers
Feisty Dame Productions
Accurate. Even as a crew member I see these a lot.
Spot on! Love this list!
There are so many good ones in this list, but I found myself feeling a little drowned by the volume of aphorisms! As you know, Ted, I really like this one: “Murphy was a Filmmaker; they discovered their famous law trying to make their movie. This tells you that you need to prepare many contingency plans for the many things that will inevitably go wrong. But you can have confidence that, in preparing those plans, you will find creative solutions and, by chance, magic!”
I want to work with the 7, 17, 18, 19, kind of producer! Dream big. But, also 20!
And I'm really feeling 33.
Quite a list. Thanks for sharing it.
One I find usefull: Be a producer-vampire, always rise from the dead.
Well, I was asked recently on a production what the different duties of a producer are, and I explained that there are many different kinds of producers on a film: a producer, co-producer, executive producer, supervising producer, line producer, associate producer, etc. and by the time I had finished they were just as confused as when they asked me the question. I described myself to them as a creative producer that entertains solutions, because I work in the creative aspect of a production from beginning to end, from conception to worldwide distribution and the genre I work in is the "solution genre."
Of course, then I had to explain this new genre to them, but it was much easier to do than explain the job of a producer.
HOW DOES THE NEW "SOLUTION GENRE" COMPARE TO THE OTHER FILM GENRES
1) A SOLUTION FILM OFFERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WE FACE EVERY DAY.
2) A SOLUTION FILM CAN OFFER A SINGLE SOLUTION TO A SINGLE PROBLEM OR MANY SOLUTIONS TO MANY PROBLEMS.
3) A SOLUTION FILM CAN TREAT A CONCRETE SOLUTION, LIKE A PRODUCT THAT SOLVES A PROBLEM BY WEARING IT OR USING IT.
4) A SOLUTION FILM CAN HAVE A MATHEMATICAL SOLUTION, A POLITICAL SOLUTION, AN ORGANIZATIONAL SOLUTION, A PSYCHOLOGICAL SOLUTION OR EVEN A PHILOSOPHICAL SOLUTION.
5) A SOLUTION FILM TAKES PLACE IN THE MODERN DAY... THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD.
6) A SOLUTION FILM IS CLOSEST TO THE DOCUMENTARY. IT IS A MELD OF THE DOCUMENTARY AND THE NARRATIVE FICTION FILM.
7) IN A WAY THE SOLUTION FILM IS ALSO LIKE THE DOC AND THE HORROR FILM IN THAT YOU DON'T NEED NAME ACTORS OR A BIG BUDGET TO MAKE A SOLUTION FILM.
8) IN A SOLUTON FILM, RECOGNIZABLE FACES AND SLICK PHOTOGRAPHY COULD MAKE IT LESS REAL AND BELIEVABLE TO AN AUDIENCE.
9) THE SOLUTIONS ARE THE STARS OF A SOLUTION FILM.
10) WHILE A COMEDY IS INTENDED TO MAKE US LAUGH AND A HORROR FILM IS INTENDED TO SCARE US, THE SOLUTION GENRE IS INTENDED TO UPLIFT, TO INSPIRE, TO MAKE US FEEL THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
11) "LEE'D THE WAY" THE FIRST SOLUTION FILM, WILL LEAD THE WAY FOR OTHER TALENTED FILMMAKERS TO WORK IN THIS NEW GENRE.
12) A SOLUTION FILM IS MORE THAN A MOVIE, IT'S A MOVEMENT, A MOVEMENT FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.
I think it is time for you to launch your newsletter, Firsty!
Well, I have launched my Substack, if that counts. It's called "Entertaining Solutions."
“Love deeply, lead with kindness, and the chop the infection off at the foot.” ----- really feeling this one today. Thank you for sharing these ❤️