Budget & Comparables
We are putting together a team of highly qualified and skilled individuals that we believe are capable of making a high-quality film that will move audiences and garner serious attention from critics. Here is the basic information of the film and the attachments that we already have.
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Rating: R for sexual situations, violence & language
Language: English
Budget: $2-5 million USD
Audience: Ages 18-45
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Format: We are planning to shoot digitally (as opposed to film) as this will greatly reduce costs and will still look great.
Here is the budget top sheet.
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Rating: R for sexual situations, violence & language
Language: English
Budget: $2-5 million USD
Audience: Ages 18-45
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Format: We are planning to shoot digitally (as opposed to film) as this will greatly reduce costs and will still look great.
Here is the budget top sheet.
All of the films below have garnered multiple nominations and wins, including the two most prestigious awards, the Academy Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. Though worldwide grosses are not always an accurate means of assessing any yields in investments, they are a fairly good indicator.
Here are successful but small budget films with dark content similar in tone to “The Mercy List” from the last decade.
Here are successful but small budget films with dark content similar in tone to “The Mercy List” from the last decade.
Incentives
We will be filming in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The New Mexico Film Commission offers a 25% refundable tax credit for films shot in New Mexico.
They also have a program called the Film Crew Advancement Program where a production company is reimbursed 50% of a participant’s wages for up to 1040 hours physically worked by the qualifying crew member in a specialized craft position. This on-the-job training program is in addition to the 25% film production tax rebate.
New Mexico's competitive film credit, awe-inspiring locations and professional crew will assist us in making a cost-effective, high-quality film.
Read the details on the New Mexico Incentive and Film Crew Advancement Program.
Here's a look at what it will be like filming in Albuquerque.
They also have a program called the Film Crew Advancement Program where a production company is reimbursed 50% of a participant’s wages for up to 1040 hours physically worked by the qualifying crew member in a specialized craft position. This on-the-job training program is in addition to the 25% film production tax rebate.
New Mexico's competitive film credit, awe-inspiring locations and professional crew will assist us in making a cost-effective, high-quality film.
Read the details on the New Mexico Incentive and Film Crew Advancement Program.
Here's a look at what it will be like filming in Albuquerque.
Attachments
- Terrance Zdunich (“Tanner”), actor, fan favorite of cult classics Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil’s Carnival. Has signed Letter of Intent.
- Michael Chieffo (“Marty”), actor, 30-year veteran of dozens of movies & TV shows, including Argo and L.A. Confidential. Has signed Letter of Intent.
- Beth Grant ("Brenda"), actress, veteran actress of over 70 TV shows and over 80 movies including The Artist, Crazy Heart, No Country for Old Men, Little Miss Sunshine and Donnie Darko.
- Jan Wilson, producer, writer and director. Wrote Milo.
- Scarlet Karimian, producer, head of Escargo Productions.
- Scott Uhlfelder, cinematographer, his work has appeared on screen at The LA Film Festival, AFI Fest, SXSW, Slamdance, and Sundance.
- Rami Rank, unit production manager, production coordinator & manager on independent films & television shows such as Help Me Help You, Swingtown, and Showtime’s hit series Dexter.
- Cameron Teisher, editor, Emmy-nominated for Chaz Bono documentary Becoming Chaz.
- Adam Gorgoni, composer, scored indie gems The Dead Girl, Starting Out in the Evening, Blue Car and the TV show Necessary Roughness.
Director's Vision
I’ve been a screenwriter for a long time, and very happy writing scripts with the idea of handing them over to someone else to direct. However, I always knew that eventually I would write a script that was so personal that I would want to direct it myself. A story that is so close to my heart, one that I visualized so clearly in mind while writing it I feel as if I’ve already directed it. As the creator of this story, I know the intricacies of the plot, the characters, their character arcs, the subtle nuances of some crucial
scene details and the emotional impact I want the audience to be left with better than
anyone. This story is my baby, there is no one who is more passionate about bringing it to the screen, which makes me uniquely qualified to direct it.
The story revolves around the questions “is it okay to do something bad if it’s for the greater good?” and “can one change their true nature?” As a drama and psychological thriller, The Mercy List will entertain and engage the audience, but also cause people to debate these questions long after the movie ends. This is the type of movie that will get a lot of buzz due to its flawed but interesting characters and the ethical questions that they face which have no easy answers. Voyeurism is a topic that is rarely dealt with in films, particularly when it is the hero of the of the story that struggles with this issue, not the villain. And it seems to be a topic that many people are fascinated with, even though they don’t know much about it. Our film explores what goes on in the mind of the voyeur, and the issues of shame and guilt that go with it. Anti-heroes like Tanner are particularly popular lately, as we've seen with TV shows like Dexter and Breaking Bad, and movies like Shame. Audiences love them despite their massive flaws and questionable behavior and root for them not to get caught.
I wrote this film with the lead actors Terrance Zdunich, Michael Chieffo and Beth Grant in mind. And I am humbled and thrilled that all three of them have agreed to play Tanner, Marty, and Brenda respectively. Watching these wonderful actors bring these complex and nuanced characters to life will be a joy to watch.
This film will have a gritty, realistic look to it similar to Winter’s Bone, The Wrestler and Monster, all of which were Oscar nominees/winners. Though considered a drama or psychological thriller, The Mercy List has elements of humor and charm. And above all, it is a character-driven piece with huge potential given the skill and compelling screen presence of the lead actors and the extraordinary reception these types of indie films have recently received. In the past several years indie films of this type have been heaped with awards and word-of-mouth buzz, which in turn increases the audience and box-office profit.
I am proud of the script and excited to direct this film.
Jan Wilson
The story revolves around the questions “is it okay to do something bad if it’s for the greater good?” and “can one change their true nature?” As a drama and psychological thriller, The Mercy List will entertain and engage the audience, but also cause people to debate these questions long after the movie ends. This is the type of movie that will get a lot of buzz due to its flawed but interesting characters and the ethical questions that they face which have no easy answers. Voyeurism is a topic that is rarely dealt with in films, particularly when it is the hero of the of the story that struggles with this issue, not the villain. And it seems to be a topic that many people are fascinated with, even though they don’t know much about it. Our film explores what goes on in the mind of the voyeur, and the issues of shame and guilt that go with it. Anti-heroes like Tanner are particularly popular lately, as we've seen with TV shows like Dexter and Breaking Bad, and movies like Shame. Audiences love them despite their massive flaws and questionable behavior and root for them not to get caught.
I wrote this film with the lead actors Terrance Zdunich, Michael Chieffo and Beth Grant in mind. And I am humbled and thrilled that all three of them have agreed to play Tanner, Marty, and Brenda respectively. Watching these wonderful actors bring these complex and nuanced characters to life will be a joy to watch.
This film will have a gritty, realistic look to it similar to Winter’s Bone, The Wrestler and Monster, all of which were Oscar nominees/winners. Though considered a drama or psychological thriller, The Mercy List has elements of humor and charm. And above all, it is a character-driven piece with huge potential given the skill and compelling screen presence of the lead actors and the extraordinary reception these types of indie films have recently received. In the past several years indie films of this type have been heaped with awards and word-of-mouth buzz, which in turn increases the audience and box-office profit.
I am proud of the script and excited to direct this film.
Jan Wilson
Marketing
Creating great buzz around a film is essential for its success these days, and this is especially true for indie films. Buzz can begin before a film even starts shooting.
Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, is an effective (and free!) way to get the word out about projects and gain attention. This has already begun before we've shot any footage and will continue as we film with photos and stories from the set. This method is particularly effective when you have someone like Terrance Zdunich on the project since he already has a large fan base. This helps build buzz for the film before it’s even been shot.
We already have a Twitter account and a Facebook page where fans can discuss the movie and we can keep them informed on screenings, events and any news about the film. We already have many fans, and many are already Tweeting about the movie and excited to see it. Terrance has over 20,000 Facebook “Friends” (fans) and over 7700 followers on Twitter as well as many loyal fans who visit his website and blog.
We will do whatever we can to get the word out and generate interest in our film -- before we film, during and after - including live interviews and panels, print interviews, Q&As at screenings, etc.
Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, is an effective (and free!) way to get the word out about projects and gain attention. This has already begun before we've shot any footage and will continue as we film with photos and stories from the set. This method is particularly effective when you have someone like Terrance Zdunich on the project since he already has a large fan base. This helps build buzz for the film before it’s even been shot.
We already have a Twitter account and a Facebook page where fans can discuss the movie and we can keep them informed on screenings, events and any news about the film. We already have many fans, and many are already Tweeting about the movie and excited to see it. Terrance has over 20,000 Facebook “Friends” (fans) and over 7700 followers on Twitter as well as many loyal fans who visit his website and blog.
We will do whatever we can to get the word out and generate interest in our film -- before we film, during and after - including live interviews and panels, print interviews, Q&As at screenings, etc.
Distribution
We plan to take this film to the best film festivals, namely Sundance, Toronto, Berlin and South By Southwest in order to obtain distribution and get good word of mouth going. However, crossing our fingers and hoping for a lucrative distribution deal is no longer a smart filmmaker's Plan A.
The old distribution model of a regular theatrical release is broken. This mainly consisted of hoping and praying that a distributor picks up your film, shows it in a theater and then releases it on DVD months later. Alternative distribution is the way of the future and we fully believe this is a great Plan A. If Plan B happens and Harvey Weinstein comes a-callin' with a lucrative distribution deal, we will definitely answer that call with a yes. However, most distribution deals these days are not very lucrative for the filmmakers or the investors. The answer to that is self-distribution, now know as alternative distribution. The filmmakers keep the rights to the film, except perhaps we can find some foreign distribution offers that might be worth exploring.
We have already geared our Facebook and Twitter campaigns to guide fans to the 'stay in touch' page of this website where anyone who is interested in the movie signs up for an email mailing list. This will be the basis for targeting our fans who want to see the film, whether it's in a theater, VOD (video on demand) or buying the DVD.
Whether we get a distribution deal or do it ourselves, current marketing research is showing that "day and date" releasing is a smart and profitable way of releasing a movie. Please take a look at this excellent (and short!) article the explains the "day and date" approach. In short it means that a film is released in the theaters, available for purchase on DVD and viewable via VOD on the same day. This enables the filmmakers to capitalize on all the buzz they've generated all at one instead of trying to sell their DVDs months later when the buzz has died down and their potential audiences have forgotten about the film. Contrary to what industry experts initially expected, this approach of having DVD and VOD options available at the same time the film is in the theaters did NOT diminish the box office profit, but rather boosted it and increased the buzz. The first "big" movie to succeed with this approach was Margin Call (starring Kevin Spacey) and it is a good film to look at and dissect it's day and date marketing campaign. Arbitrage (starring Richard Gere) also used day and date releasing to great success. Take a look at the marketing case studies for both Margin Call and Arbitrage.
Day and date releasing also drastically decreases piracy, which is a big problem with indie films. If we have a lot of fans wanting to see the film and they live in a country where it is not released or even a small American town where our film isn't playing, they will not want to wait months for the DVD release. These are people who WANT to pay to see our movie, why would we not give them the means to do so? If we don't, they are likely to pirate it, which takes money out of the investors' pockets. Day and date releasing solves this problem. Someone who lives in a small town where indie films might not play can still see it at the film's height of popularity and buzz.
Even if we don't get a lucrative distribution deal there is another way filmmakers can make sure their films get seen in a theater: filmmakers can "four-wall" a theater. This means the filmmakers rent a theater for a flat fee and show the film themselves, keeping all profit from the tickets sales for themselves. This is also a great way to get the film seen if we don't get it into any film festivals. However, this can be a risky endeavor for the filmmakers. Luckily companies like Tugg are revolutionizing the four-walling method. Via Tugg, the filmmakers choose the theater they want, and decide how much profit they need to make in order to make the screening feasible. They get word out about the screening to fans, fans sign up for pre-sales for the screening. Tugg keeps track of all of this, calculates how many seats need to be pre-sold in order for the filmmakers to make their desired profit. Only if and when this amount of pre-sales is reached is the theater booked and the fans are charged for their tickets. The theater gets paid, the filmmakers get paid and the fans get to see their movie, everyone is happy. Often times these four-wall screenings are turned into "events" by having the cast and crew appear for a Q&A, to sign autographs and just meet the fans.
Thanks to our growing email mailing list and 'fans' we will already have, finding the audiences for these four-wall events and DVDs and VODs will be built-in by the time the movie is completed.
This is our Plan A. We are ready to do Plan A, even though it's a lot of work. If Plan B rears its head with a nice big juicy distribution deal, well, fantastic, we'll go to Plan B. But we aren't going to pin our hopes on Plan B....we're going to make this movie a success either way.
Treatment and Script
Email Jan for the treatment and script.
A PDF of this information can be downloaded on the "Downloads" page.
