Just a quick post today folks from my lunch break. I was doing some reading yesterday on the BBC's film-making guide (link below) with regards as to what I would need to make a Mancattan DVD or secure a release. As originally suspected, but long ago blown away by enthusiasm and our "just-get-on-with-it" attitude, Mancattan is legally ******.
We have no clearance or copyright for ANY of the logo's, places, icons, photographs or quotes in the film. The thorny issue of defamation and using Woody Allen's name (if he and he alone took offence to it, even though we have made a fan film praising his work) plus the fact we have no papers signed for anything makes this all very difficult.
Still, because I am brilliant, I am going to try. First stop is to get the blessing and go ahead from everyone in the film. If they're all OK, same with the bands, then the locations (Manchester at least) and so on. If I have to re-cut the films with blurs over every logo, then I shall do so and make a point of it.
I was more than happy to let Mancattan lie after the Premiere. But people seem to have fell in love with the idea of it. They want more. And so the DVD is now in production with documentaries telling the story behind Mancattan and so much more... Bearing in mind Mancattan took 2 years, I wouldn't bank on me finishing this anytime soon! But it is on the go.
My current workload is taken up by "Karma" my next short film. And bearing in mind all of the above, this is being done properly from the get-go. The lovely people at North West Vision and Media are helping me track down a location, and I begin rehearsals with the actor's next week. Learning what I have from Mancattan, this should be a "proper" film in all the legal sense of the word, and so the tax-the-creatives "fascists" that could be lurking out there (or maybe they exist just in my head) can get stuffed this time round. Karma is coming at you; soon. Ish.
Quick shout out to Paul A and Paul B for the excellent theatre production of "Raving Beauties" at the Salford Studio last night. Excellent show, highest professional standards throughout. It is invigorating and inspiring to have met so many like minded people in recent months, who are all on the same creative "lets-do-it-for-ourselves" wavelength; looking back, doing Mancattan on our own was sheer madness. The future is looking bright as I hope to work with all these wonderful people soon. In short; life is good.
READ THIS FOR THE COMPLEX TANGLE OF FILM STUFF YOU WILL NEED SORTING IF YOUR FILM STANDS A CHANCE OF EXISTING IN TODAY'S LEGAL MINEFIELD...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/Filmmakingguide
