You done writing... Now, is it time to pay?

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Group,Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing.They claim they will pay for the top sheet once the screenplay is finished based on the strength of act one and act two. As long as my act three fits the treatment I laid out.Okay, so I have some questions.How much does a top sheet actually cost. I am flattered that they will pay for a professional top sheet, but I am worried about what Ostrow and Company will expect.Info on Ostrowhttp://www.ostrowandcompany.com/about.phpThey seem legit but they do charge a fee.http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/submissions.php[nq:1]From their website...[/nq]"Film Projects In Development Seeking FinancingTo obtain producer's representation relating to financing for film projects in development, scripts and packages please read and follow the submission protocol. Our front desk is open 24/7 and will accept submissions by Federal Express, DHL, Priority Mail or regular mail delivery. Make sure to include a synopsis, script, top sheet to the budget, and any letters of attachment from key players, cast and director. Once all your materials have been reviewed, we will book an one hour telephone conference with you to discuss your goals with respect to your film project to determine if we will work together to arrange financing and ultimately distribution for your film. Please note that the fee to book an hour telephone conference for after your script has been covered and your materials have been reviewed is $325.00 USD. Kindly note the title of your project on the notation section of your check and include it in your submission package. We get many submissions so it is important you call to follow up and make sure we received your specific package. Your telephone conference will be scheduled for approximately two weeks from the time you call to book it.We raise money through private equity, distribution pre-sales, and film funds. Typically, having reviewed your package, we are able to determine if we would like to move forward with your project during our scheduled call. At that time we would discuss what fees would be involved in arranging the financing and ultimately the distribution of your film.Please note: We do not return submitted materials."Okay... I am flattered that some indie producers will pay for the top sheet. But I would have to pay for the submission fee and "other" fees.Am I basically going to be paying a company $325.00 an hour develop my project?I can't afford the first hour... I hear that professional top sheets can cost thousands or dollars so I don't want to snub that offer. Still, I don't know.Anyone out there have info on Ostrow and Company?Any help?Thanks.A.N.D.

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Forgive the typo/grammar snafu
"You done writing" and more...
Sleep... need it... going to bed...
Later.
A.N.D.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing.[/nq]
Personal opinion:
It looks like your "indie players" are pimping for Ostrow and Company. Looking at Ostrow and Company's web site, it strikes that they are vague on "actual" accomplishments.
Under "News and Events" they have a reference to the "Hollywood Reporter", which appears to be an advertisement when you click on the link. (I don't want to be obnoxious, but I could do that.)

They appear (at best) to be a "vanity press" of the film world. They may be able to get your film packaged and looking pretty, as long as you are willing to pay for it.
I'm sorry, but I think I'd run away from this one.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Info on Ostrow http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/about.php[/nq]
Transparently predacious company, infinitely vile woman.

-ml

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[nq:1]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing.[/nq]
If you want to spend money for professional coverage and an infinitesimal chance of getting your foot in the door (as opposed to zero by allowing Miss Shoah to buss you (close-up here: http://tinyurl.com/eeuku )), use scriptshark.
-ml

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[nq:1]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing. They ... that they will pay for a professional top sheet, but I am worried about what Ostrow and Company will expect.[/nq]
I have to be honest. In the almost twenty years that I've been in this business, I have never even heard of a "top sheet" and have no idea what it is or why you might conceivably need one in order to submit your script.
[nq:1]Info on Ostrow http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/about.php They seem legit but they do charge a fee. http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/submissions.php[/nq]
[nq:2]From their website...[/nq]
[nq:1] "Film Projects In Development Seeking Financing To obtain producer's representation relating to financing for film projects in development, scripts ... an hour telephone conference for after your script has been covered and your materials have been reviewed is $325.00 USD.[/nq]
Frankly, the above sounds as if they should call their company, "Stickum, Kickum, and Dickum, Ltd."
You're paying 325 bucks for an hour-long phone call? You could pay for a visit to a top shrink for a lot less than that and if you'd spend that kind of money on a phone call you need a shrink.

So the "top sheet" is supposed to have something to do with budget? What a crock. I've never submitted budget information with a screenplay, and I evaluated thousands of screenplays in my day, and never saw, or expected to see, a budget of any kind attached.

People who are in this business have a pretty good sense of, at least, the below-the-line costs of making a movie at least good enough to be able to place a movie in the appropriate range low budget, low-to medium, medium, whatever.
But ultimately, the budget range is a decision as much as anything else. Clearly, you're not going to make "Star Wars" for three million bucks, but you can take a movie that is moderately budgeted and, if it suddenly attracts a major star, the cost of doing anything relative to that movie abruptly goes up.
Are you going to shoot in the U.S.? In Canada? In Australia? In a right to work state?
Until a production manager sits down with the producers and the director and start answering those questions in a concrete way, there really isn't a meaningful budget.
Kindly note the title of your project on the notation
[nq:1]section of your check and include it in your submission package. We get many submissions so it is important you ... submission fee and "other" fees. Am I basically going to be paying a company $325.00 an hour develop my project?[/nq]
No. You're going to pay them the 325 bucks. They jerk you around on the phone for an hour, try to get you to give them even more money, which if you do, they'll keep you on the hook, if not, they hang up and dial the number of the next sucker.
Let me make this crystal clear. Development companies have development budgets. They do not expect a writer to pay for the development of their own project or to pay anything at all.
[nq:1]I can't afford the first hour... I hear that professional top sheets can cost thousands or dollars so I don't want to snub that offer. Still, I don't know.[/nq]
Unless you intend to produce your own material and take it directly to investors, there is no reason in the world for you to be doing budgets.
When a development company takes it to a financing source, they will work something up, if it's necessary.
But generally, they are looking at the screenplay. They can figure out the broad budget parameters is it a five million dollar movie? A twenty-five million dollar movie? An eighty million dollar movie? without the help of your cover sheet.
Generally, the question that a financing source is going to ask is not, "What is the budget?" as if it were a thing given. Rather they will look at the project and make an estimate as to how much they think the movie will make and on that basis, that determine how much they want to spend.
Then they ask can we bring this movie in on that amount of money?

To which, under normal circumstances, the producer will say, "Absolutely. We can do it."
NMS

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]How much does a top sheet actually cost. I am flattered that they will pay for a professional top sheet, but I am worried about what Ostrow and Company will expect.[/nq]
A "Top Sheet" is the first page of a budget.
Anybody with much production-management experience could guesstimate a topsheet in about an hour. Produced a few student films? Read a script, take an hour, you've got a topsheet. Maybe even less time if they're dishonest.
I was on the fence about whether there was a chance she was a legitimate producers' rep until I clicked the Hollywood Reporter link. That's not a Hollywood Reporter article. To claim so is fraudulent.

Run away.
-Ron

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[nq:1]Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing. They claim ... act two. As long as my act three fits the treatment I laid out. Okay, so I have some questions.[/nq]
Alan Brooks

A with an Underwood
CYA 101
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[nq:2]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring ... I am worried about what Ostrow and Company will expect.[/nq]
[nq:1]I have to be honest. In the almost twenty years that I've been in this business, I have never even heard of a "top sheet" and have no idea what it is or why you might conceivably need one in order to submit your script.[/nq]
I haven't checked out the website New Dawn has referenced, but a top sheet is basically the first page of a budget breakdown that gives the totals for each category listed in the budget and then gives the bottom line cost of making/producing the movie.
In my opinion, New Dawn, you're not anywhere close to finding use for a top sheet. When you are, let us know here and some of us can direct you to reputable people who prepare budgets. Or you can buy Movie Magic Budgeting, play around with it, learn one **** of a lot about how movies are budgeted, then create your own top sheet. The red flag with what I've read in this thread so far and that's not much is that you have to prepare the ENTIRE budget, above and below the line, before you can create a top sheet. So they do the top sheet free? La dee **** da! So who pays for preparing the budget so they can create the top sheet? I say it's time for your track shoes, kiddo!
Caroline

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[nq:1]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring it to Ostrow and Company for packaging and financing. snip[/nq]
A New Dawn, you're smart to dump Ostrich & Con-artists and their "indie" *******. Just do what you're otherwise doing make your short film as well as you can, then network, network, network (with a perhaps little bit more nuance than this: http://bluey.ca/news.html). Like what you're doing now, on newsgroups, and any other way you can think of without spending much more money than the price of coffee or tea. Apart from that, after your film is completed, I think that the only thing you should be spending money on (if any remains after post production) is the price for submitting your film to film festivals.

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[nq:2]Group, Met with those indie players who suggested we bring ... I am worried about what Ostrow and Company will expect.[/nq]
[nq:1]I have to be honest. In the almost twenty years that I've been in this business, I have never even heard of a "top sheet" and have no idea what it is or why you might conceivably need one in order to submit your script.[/nq]
That's pretty naive. Apparently you've never tried to produce or produced. It's the summation of budget sheet on top of a thicker sheaf of detailed sheets about a production budget.
To get a real top sheet you'd have to figure up a real budget. People fake them, however, some times in an educated way based on similar films and budgets, some times just guessing.
ScriptShark wouldn't do squat for you, top sheet wise, as someone else suggested. Ryan Williams was Sean Connery and Ronda Tollefson's development person before running ScriptShark (and he's not so much in charge of it any more) but I doubt he ever prepared a budget in his life.

You done writing... Now, is it time to pay?

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