Day 1 Schedule: Produce & Direct Your Movie | Day 2 Schedule: Finance & Distribution


Over the past decade, Dov Simens' graduates have made films that have grossed more than $8 billion at the box office... And that's just from one weekend of intense learning.

The movie industry is fiercely competitive and has been structured more around "who you know" rather than how much drive and talent you have. Simens' 2-Day Film School evens the playing field by demystifying the process of shooting and producing a film, and then exposes the reality of the marketing and distribution process - all in two intense days of hard facts.

Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Grindhouse), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Chris Nolan (The Dark Knight), Robert Rodriguez and Guy Ritchie are just some of the filmmakers who based their first successes on the quality information they received from Dov S-S-Simens.

This is the premiere film school course of its kind. Dov S-S Simens' 2-Day Film School condenses four years of film school theory and education into two days of essential and practical facts and information. It's a no-hold barred, rapid fire weekend designed for anyone from first-time filmmakers to industry professionals seeking a fresh perspective on the realities of the film business.

 


MAKING YOUR MOVIE 

 Topics include:

Freshman Year: 
 Produce, Budget & Schedule
Learn how to prepare
a feature film package
that you, the first timer,
can make. 

 

 

The Hollywood System

Hiring talent and casting

What is low budget

Purchasing hot scripts

Budgeting and scheduling

Guilds and unions

16mm vs. 35mm v. digital

Filmmaking A to Z

The key elements

Contracts and agreements

Hiring crew

The 1-, 2- and 3 week shoot

Cameras, lights & sound

Screenwriting A to Z
    

 

SHOOTING YOUR MOVIE 

Topics include:

Sophomore Year: 
 Direct, Shoot & Edit
Learn methods you'll
use to direct your
movie cost-effectively. 

 

 

Hiring a production crew

Budgeting tricks

Directing the actors

Directing A to Z

Getting 25-35 shots per day

ADR, foley & M&E

Finishing your film

Renting the equipment

Scheduling

Directing the crew

Directing post-production

Music, score & lab

The answer print

Digital Filmmaking A to Z

 

Go To Top

 


SELLING YOUR MOVIE 

 Topics include:

Junior Year: 
Publicity, Festivals & Awards
Learn how to attend festivals,
win awards, attract distributors
and negotiate deals.

 

 

The festival circuit

Marketing do's and don'ts

Attracting a distributor

Deal memo points

Foreign sales

PPV & VOD windows

Hiring a publicist

Creating a buzz

Sundance & Cannes

Which agent to hire

Net vs. gross deals

Video & cable deals

Maximizing revenues

Studio Dealmaking A to Z
   

 

FUNDING YOUR FILM

Topics include:

Senior Year: 
 Distribute, Finance & Profit
Learn how to finance projects
with budgets ranging from
$5,000 to $5,000,000 and profit.

 

 

Raising production money

Forming a production co.

Securing investors

SBA $750,000 guarantee

Negative pick-up deals

Packaging agents

Securing bank loans

Guaranteeing profits

What to offer

Play-or-pay deals

International co-productions

The 50-50 net deal

Completion bonds

Independent Financing A to Z

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 
 
WHO'S ATTENDED:
 
Quentin Tarantino
Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs

Chris Nolan
Director, The Dark Knight

Guy Ritchie
Director, Snatch, RockNRolla

Will Smith
Hancock, I Am Legend

Baz Luhrman
Australia

Queen Latifah
Bringing Down the House

Kirk Jones
Director, Waking Ned Devine

Emo Phillips
Producer, Meet the Parents

SPIKE LEE
Writer/Director

VALERIE BERTINELLI
Actress/Director

CONNIE STEVENS
Actress/Producer

SINBAD
Actor/Producer

...and more!

 

Dov’s Graduates have...

- 9 Oscars

- 22 Emmys

- 87 Cannes, Raindance & Toronto

- 232 Feature Films

- 345 sold screenplays

- $8 billion in US box office

- 2000+ successful careers

 

and just to name a few more…

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ
Writer/Director - "Spy Kids", "Sin City", "Desperado"

MATTHEW VAUGHN
Producer - "Snatch", "Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels"

BAZ LUHRMAN
Produce/Director - "Romeo & Juliet", "Moulin Rouge"

PHILLIPA BRAITHWAITE
Producer - "Doc Martin", "Sliding Doors"

MICHAEL JACKSON
Superstar Singer

JERMAINE JACKSON
Singer/Producer

MALCOLM JAMAAL WARNER
Actor/Director

JOHN SALLEY
Athlete/TV Host

 

For any questions or
additional information
about event contact:

Jean-Claude
(313) 333-8330

Jenny
(248) 739-6197
Jean-Claude Lewis - Film producer and screenwriter is currently producing the film CP Time. He has also been hired to rewrite and co-produce the film, Blue Sky with Kate Przybytek. Jean-Claude is a staunch advocate and representative for Michigan-based film producers (Joe the Producer), working alongside state and local film offices and councils to help promote the Michigan Film Industry.
Filming In Detroit LLC - Michigan Movie Extras Agency & Film Friendly Locations Database in Metro Detroit area and State of Michigan - we facilitate location services, movie extras, automobiles, and animal talents for motion picture, television, video, commercial, and photography productions in the metropolitan Detroit area. Visit us online at www.FilmingInDetroit.com