A Conveyor Belt of Problems
Great we are green lit. Bring on all of the problems. More money means more responsibility. But it is a great place to be. After a long month of nothing but pitching, team Erzulie finally raised the minimum amount of money to go into production. This means we can hire the team, rent the equipment, secure the locations, and spend lots and lots of money. Let the problems begin. We are ready for them. Or are we?
Transcript
Christine Chen 00:15
Sometimes you wish it were boring. Just a little bit too many surprises
Adam Rani 00:33
And we are shaking baby. This is the get Reelism podcast episode 45
Christine Chen 00:47
45
Adam Rani 00:47
I am Adam Rani.
Christine Chen 00:50
I am Christine Chen.
Adam Rani 00:56
We did it. We're here Christine.
Christine Chen 00:59
We're here.
Adam Rani 01:00
What do you want to talk about today?
Christine Chen 01:02
Let's talk about what greenlit means.
Adam Rani 01:11
What does greenlight mean to you Christine?
Christine Chen 01:13
Okay, so Payten just came in so that's good.
Adam Rani 01:21
You need to vamp for a little bit, you need to set it up.
Payten Brewer 01:25
We don't have enough money; it is some but not enough.
Adam Rani 01:31
No money, not enough.
Christine Chen 01:36
So green light means we get to make the film like film it that we can pay for people to be there for some of the equipment and maybe some of the food but that's about it
Adam Rani 01:52
Yeah, in a nutshell
Payten Brewer 01:56
Hello.
Adam Rani 01:57
Hello, old friend of podcast Payten Brewer.
Christine Chen 02:04
The doggy.
Payten Brewer 02:07
Come here. Sorry.
Adam Rani 02:09
We got a special appearance by a by a dog. Yeah.
Payten Brewer 02:17
How are you?
Adam Rani 02:18
I'm great dude. I'm gigging you know we're here doing this fucking shit live and shit we got the Facebook's we got the Instagram’s five people in our in our Instagram. Let's get it Welcome, everybody to the Get reelisms podcast let's just do another intro fuckin Christine. From the top. This is just how this is just how we roll. So, you're gonna introduce yourself after Christine Payton Cool.
Payten Brewer 02:49
Cool.
Adam Rani 02:51
Yeah. Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Get real. This podcast episode 45, I am Adam Rani.
Payten Brewer 03:08
I am Payten Brewer.
Adam Rani 03:11
We're here ladies and gentlemen. This is it. Christine is making a film we're in originally, season three and two episodes ago. Christine was depressed that she didn't know she was gonna be greenlit. And now we're here and she is she still depressed.
Payten Brewer 03:36
Can you tell her that we are making a movie like so put together and it's just like?
Adam Rani 03:44
Me? I'm not put together I'm falling. I'm half COVID I'm still COVID Boy, I'm falling off the seams, ladies and gentlemen.
Payten Brewer 03:52
It is just what it is.
Adam Rani 03:56
Yeah, it's just what it is. Christine? Uh, so your new feature has been greenlit. What does that mean in terms of the entire production?
Christine Chen 04:11
What greenlit means, it sounds very positive. And it is very possible greenlit means that we get to make the movie, but there's many processes when it comes to making. So, there's prep. And then there's the actual movie time when you're on set. But there's this whole other place that people forget about, which is like postproduction, editing the movie.
Payten Brewer 04:40
It is when the movie actually comes to light, it becomes a movie.
Christine Chen 04:44
Everybody just thinks about, hey, you're on set. That's cool. And it is though it is one of the most fun part of making a movie is being on set. But there's this whole other world that people forget about. That also requires funding. So greenlit just means that I didn't have to push my dates. And I get to be able to film. But also, that means that there's this whole other chunk that we haven't raised money for. It's freaking us out. So that's why we are doing crowdfunding and everything and I keep having to tell people like no greenlit mean that we're good. We're not good. We are not.
Payten Brewer 05:26
I think because it just sounds like such a positive term and it is a positive term like it's great like yeah, we get to be on set. But then it's also like, actually halfway there
Adam Rani 05:38
For you to film
Payten Brewer 05:39
We are halfway there.
Christine Chen 05:41
It is a song, is there a song?
Adam Rani 05:46
Yeah. It isn't song. Living on a prayer Bon Jovi. Come on, guys.
Payten Brewer 05:53
That's right. Yeah, we're halfway, it is bon Jovi
Adam Rani 05:56
I Just said the song twice. living on a prayer.
Payten Brewer 05:59
Prayer halfway there. Oh, man.
Christine Chen 06:01
That's great. That is the theme of our production. Halfway there. And it's been up.
Adam Rani 06:04
It is going to be the title of our episode, Bon Jovi.
Christine Chen 06:17
So, I'd rather be here than where I was in previous episodes. So halfway there.
Payten Brewer 06:27
We're halfway there right now, tell him about the to do list.
Christine Chen 06:34
I am just like to do list. More to do lists. More to do lists. So um, make COVID questionnaires. Brands. Check on contracts. Yeah. Auditions we have how many auditions now?
Payten Brewer 07:05
Over 500 requests that need to come through.
Adam Rani 07:11
Would you think these are good problems to have though, you guys.
Payten Brewer 07:14
What
Adam Rani 07:15
Would you say? You can't hear me? This is the problem. I thought you guys couldn't hear me I've been talking for like five minutes and there was no response on the other side. Yeah, okay.
Payten Brewer 07:33
We love you. Sorry.
Adam Rani 07:46
We were talking about greenlit.
Christine Chen 07:48
What were you saying we didn't hear?
Adam Rani 07:50
It's okay. It's meaningless. So, I know it's okay. It's fine. It's meaningless I made a Bon Jovi joke and no one no one got it. Let's move on. To late day late and a dollar short lady, let's get into it green. You have a to do list you have like 35,000 pages of things to do. And auditions to sit through. Yeah. How was how was all that? How's All that coming along for you guys? Like are you guys like, are you guys nearing the finish line or
Christine Chen 08:36
Feels like, hey, we knocked out something on the list, but then like 10 things. and we'll back up one more thing for like 10 things pop up. So, I feel like on a conveyor belt. I think of the JIFF where Lucy and the Chocolate Factory, and she's like wrapping the chocolates.
Payten Brewer 09:01
That's what I want to do eat my problems.
Adam Rani 09:05
Listen, food. I feel like food solves a lot of fucking problems. I feel like when you're in pre-production or production of anything, diets just kind of go out the window.
Payten Brewer 09:21
The problem is in our situation like we would never eat something. You know what I mean? Like, always be eating. Yeah, exactly.
Adam Rani 09:32
Something quick, so you guys can get back to work and shit. Yeah.
Christine Chen 09:38
I knew making feature films without much money is hard. But like it's really hard.
Payten Brewer 09:49
I think the hardest part too is there's just so many problems you just can't spot them, you know, from a mile away like and it's everything.
Christine Chen 09:57
Yeah, it's like little They're not big problems on the grand scheme of things. It's just a lot of problems all at once. Little tiny frogs, little, tiny pebbles in your shoe, everywhere, everywhere like little, tiny bubbles, and then you just like to beat down all the time, just like me. They're not third hole things like, oh, you got to change your plan again, or like
Payten Brewer 10:21
Somebody forgot to fill out a contract.
Christine Chen 10:24
Yeah. Or like, oh, we estimate this cost, but it's actually three times as much like, okay, like, just like, No, I'm totally Yeah. Try feel the same way.
Adam Rani 10:40
Oh, it is a friend of podcast, Kelly Pena, shout out to her.
Christine Chen 10:45
So, I think I ended the month. I just, I literally just talked to my friend who's also lovely. She's kept a track record. She's done some stuff that's had success. Like she says the same thing that like, raising money is the shittiest part. Like it doesn't get I mean, it doesn't get easier because you're not your budget skipping, right? So, you're still trying to read a shitload of money. And people are like, you know, that's so much money. And you'd still try and convince people.
Payten Brewer 11:19
Yeah, but then you also have to, like, keep in mind that you're employing over 40 people. And you know, renting spaces and renting vehicles and renting process. So, it just adds an act unnatural. And you're like, oh, wow, I see how quickly you can spend $150,000.
Christine Chen 11:39
Yeah, and you want everybody to feel taken care of Yeah, like, all right. Like, it's totally, we could just feed our crew and shit. But like, we don't want that, because we care about.
Payten Brewer 11:50
Well, um, it's just like, you know, you also have to think about how much of my asking team so how, you know, how much am I going to give for all their sacrifices as well. I mean, it's such a collaborative effort, you want to make sure everyone's doing. So, you just feel like honestly, the mom of like, 5000 children. All at all. Yeah.
Christine Chen 12:11
We're, like, moms, co moms, now the mom of 40 kids, yeah, they all have their personalities, and all have their wants and needs. And you're all you know, wanting to do the job. stuff or that to do their job, you know, and so it's not their fault that they like, need certain things, and it all costs money. And they have to have that certain thing.
Payten Brewer 12:41
And you know what, this is the thing that's gonna happen, we're gonna get on set, and then we're gonna do it, like pre-production. This is so fun for me. And then we'll do it again. And then we'll be like, oh, I remember why we got so stressed out the last time. That's just part of the process.
Christine Chen 12:57
Yeah, I really learned a lot, just raising money. So, if anybody cares, and needs to raise money, their first one rule is time is bad. When it comes to between when your investor says yes, and when you have all your chips together for them to just transfer the money. Like, time is not your friend. Because during that time, things can happen like life, or like they've read. They've had lots of time to think about the decisions. And then they're like, oh, shit, why did I say that? I wanted to commit this amount of money. Maybe I shouldn't do it. Oh, I have all these bills. Never. You know, so. So that is the first thing. If you're going to raise money, make sure the LLC is done. You had to talk to your top lawyer, make sure you have
Payten Brewer 13:52
If you're if you're dealing with tax incentives, get it done on the front side, even asked for investors because it's such a different view. We spent a good chunk of our week just wrapping up our tax incentive stuff, which was just like so much time we could have spent on ABCD.
Christine Chen 14:12
So have everything ready. Because while you might have been only saying yes, you go like this, here's your contract, sign it right here. I mean, please sign right now. You know, because if you don't do that, then life happens or whatever happens in life. Um, you know, off two to three, just investors just right off because they said yes, then time passed because we're getting our feet together or trying to get it together or whatever. And they had time to think about it and regretted there I guess your fires in bed fires major buyer's remorse. And then you were like, never mind.
Payten Brewer 14:54
That is where you're really, again, like going back to the child metaphor like the investors are like the baby You want to be a got to tend to quickly when you say cry, you're there with a pacifier.
Christine Chen 15:07
Quickly or they will go squirrel. And then then it's over. getting their attention back is but not possible. Because there's also when your investor, there's millions of opportunities out there of things that might be worth your time more so. So, you'd like to think that your projects and most importantly.
Payten Brewer 15:32
The other problem, I think, we find it too, is when you work every single day, you forget about things like weekends and holidays and things like that. So, you start to be like, why isn't anyone here, oh, it's Sunday. That's why like, you know, it becomes you just really get into this like, work time situation where you are just eating and breathing.
Christine Chen 16:02
Yeah. I literally work, then it's my turn. Then I'm like, oh, I guess you should go to sleep. I go to sleep and wake up and come right back. Same thing back and forth, back and forth. Right. I've been taking care, I didn't take a shower today, because I had to get myself to do so. In everything.
Payten Brewer 16:26
I meant to text you this morning. Like, we're at the point where the only thing holding my hair out is dry shampoo and hair spray what we got going on.
Adam Rani 16:35
And Lack of sleep.
Christine Chen 16:38
So, but yeah, so that's cool. Have all your stuff ready before you approach investors.
Payten Brewer 16:47
So, I every night, I've been like writing my journaling. Today. Have you been doing something similar? Or?
Christine Chen 16:55
No, I've been following my head. But that's a good idea. I might what time to write in journal.
Payten Brewer 17:01
I literally forced myself to write before I fall asleep like this.
Adam Rani 17:08
These are important. I do the same thing.
Christine Chen 17:12
Yeah.
Payten Brewer 17:14
Cuz, you forget, you know, like,
Adam Rani 17:15
Here's the thing. It's just like, if you're not going to take an hour of your week to do therapy, at least do something that is just going to nourish your mind, like something like journaling. And I know Christine's smiling because she's like, you'd go fuck yourself. That's bullshit. But I'm telling you, Christine, it helps. It truly helps. Like, you just have some sort of, like outside thing that you can just put your thoughts and two cents into. And then when you read back your journal, it's fascinating, because I didn't realize how angry I was a year ago. You know, I mean, I started looking back, I'm like, Shit, I was pissed off. What the fuck?
Christine Chen 17:54
If I write things down, I, I definitely writing what I'm grateful for. Because I think it makes me feel better. Just realize it.
Adam Rani 18:06
Yeah. But if you have a journal that's just about your thoughts, and it's just Christine Chen, reading it and writing it. That's it, no one else. No one else has any outside influence. It's just you your thoughts. And that's it. It's endless. It's boundless. So, if you really want it like pissed, like, if you're pissed off at somebody, and you thought of 1000 ways to kill them, write in the journal. Like, it's so it's cathartic in a way. I don't know, that might be me.
Christine Chen 18:33
I just have a lot of things like goals and, and definitely grateful. Yeah, what am I grateful for? And endowment helps. Wow, I was really grateful for you.
Payten Brewer 18:48
I know, I experienced this when I was doing when you're two weeks out and filming, and you are the captain of the ship, and there's no one else to turn to. You have no choice like that. You just you just work and keep working. You just keep plowing ahead. Because if you stop everyone else stops. So, I can totally understand like not having the time and just be like I'll just have to reflect on your choice, you know?
Christine Chen 19:21
That's and it's like running it's running a business. That was the hardest thing about starting my own business before and I wish I always had other people with me and said yeah, stop everything. You know, so if I if I'm if I'm not out there, like I could tell we got busy doing actual film stuff and both of us had no time to post or social media or whatever about our outfit. In like a cave. Like nobody knew about it for a bit like and then the moment we were like, oh shit, we need to do it. Then like people started
Payten Brewer 19:57
Felt like donations?
Christine Chen 20:00
Yeah. And so, it's just it's hard because both of us are juggling so all the time all at once. And that's just the beauty of low budget filmmaking. Multiple.
Payten Brewer 20:19
Not just for this project. And I know both of us have other projects going on outside. So, trying to balance all of it. And not leave your hair is interesting.
Christine Chen 20:36
Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. That's crazy. I, I swear, like I'm getting before it was like, here's some surprises. Let me just world was like tossing me, constant surprises. Hey, this happens. And then you might not have this accurate. This and that, fucking universe. Now I'm getting. Here's a really good pay gig. Here's another really good paid gig. And here's another really good paid gig. Are you sure you want to do your film for no money? And you're not getting paid? And here's a gig for like, $500 a day for like, a month? And I'm like, yes.
Christine Chen 21:22
Yes, yeah.
Adam Rani 21:24
So, it's testing my FOMO now, and making sure like, do you really want this? So? Yeah, I just turned down like three or four weeks.
Christine Chen 21:36
Yeah.
Payten Brewer 21:37
I had to push. I had like five that I was like, I can't do it until June, like for just you know, it is a full-time job.
Christine Chen 21:47
Yeah, it is a full-time job.
Payten Brewer 21:50
It's not fair to treat it as anything less than that.
Adam Rani 21:54
No, not at all. There are too many people. You know, there's, there's too many people for you to just be like, you know, I'm just gonna take the day off. It's like, Yeah, but the business still needs to be ran and you still got X, Y & Z to do plus 1000 Other things on the list to do and if you're going to push it till tomorrow, that's tomorrow's problems.
Payten Brewer 22:13
I really love it when everyone collectively is like, oh, I have a problem. Let's turn it in. Because it never happened. Like, you know, when, like we are spaced out, just like five people come to you with a huge issue. Yeah, and I think that's what makes it so Stressful. Yeah.
Adam Rani 22:35
So, you also get the infuriating people who will talk to you.
Payten Brewer 22:40
Everything's wrong. Everything's okay. Everything is terribly wrong.
Adam Rani 22:46
Do you think part of that is included with the people who can easily answer the questions themselves, but look to the director or the producer to answer all these? Listen, I don't believe in such thing as dumb questions. But you guys tell me if I'm wrong. There is such thing as a dumb question. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me I'm wrong. You fuckers don't want to say
Payten Brewer 23:23
Okay, so I normally funnel most of that?
Adam Rani 23:29
Yes, and your patience is high for those people.
Christine Chen 23:37
All of them are good about being self-sufficient in answering. I've been on plenty of sets. But that is the case. I'm very aware who those people are very aware that that's probably not something I
Adam Rani 23:54
I love those people.
Christine Chen 23:56
But I'm, I'm just lucky that I had the luxury of picking people are very self-sufficient.
Adam Rani 24:07
With competency.
Payten Brewer 24:08
feel with this project, more codependent than ever, only because I came in sort of late. And so, there's a lot of things that I am sort of catch up on my previous decisions and things like that. So, I feel so bad because I call her way more than I normally would have just like, hey, I said this, or are we good with that? Like is that but you know, but, um, so I think honestly, I'm more so. Internalizing for myself like, am I asking dumb questions right now? am I wasting? You know,
Adam Rani 24:42
that's that was constantly flowing through my ears, especially working on your set. Payten, like, like the 9000 questions I had in my head. I'm like, Can I answer 8000 of these? I don't think I can.
Payten Brewer 24:55
Yeah, sometimes you just have to be able to
Adam Rani 25:00
Just ask. You know, yeah, yeah. But there's people who over ask and they just they abuse asking
Christine Chen 25:10
dumb questions are I mean, there are, it's just hard to say because the thing is I, it gets to become a dumb question when I don't realize, realize that I didn't answer that question for that specific person. But I may have answered the same question for you see, right. Yeah. person doesn't have context as to, hey, seems already been asked this question. Right.
Adam Rani 25:34
That's a good point.
Christine Chen 25:35
Yeah. So, I have one of the answering that question. Oh, that's a fucking dumb question. But, but it's like, but it's not for that person or that person, you know, but it's hard because I can't remember what questions or who or what anymore? Or like, who knows the full story, or who has the most recent draft the script or who has the, it's just a blur. It's just a blur of questions, the more of a to do list, and to do lists, won't stop growing.
Payten Brewer 26:11
We got around a downhill slope of it. And it actually ended up ramping.
Christine Chen 26:15
Ramping up. We're like, we've got this year that we haven't tested.
Payten Brewer 26:22
And that's the thing. It's like, I mean, before we were greenlit, we were like working our asses off to make sure that everything was like, crossed and dotted and ready to go. And then it was almost like a second word agreement. That's when people started to hear and things started to fall apart. So, I don't know if there's really any way you can plan around.
Christine Chen 26:48
Yeah, I don't know, either. It's like I said, Yeah, because we worked really hard to get to have all the answers. And we had a lot of time to do that. Yeah, January through April 1, you were prepping, prepping, prepping for the perfect moment we just decided to ask now.
Payten Brewer 27:19
That was the biggest thing is like why wasn't this asked months ago?
Adam Rani 27:22
Right? All these idiots asking today, when this is five months ago. Problems? Yeah.
Christine Chen 27:29
When there was stress on my mind, why didn't you do ask that.
Payten Brewer 27:34
When we have the time to like, thoughtfully work through that together. Now it's like, rushing just to try it.
Christine Chen 27:44
Yeah, we're just trying to survive. And now we're getting like, a lot of questions are like, Well, shit, like.
Payten Brewer 27:51
There was something the other day, she read an email, she looked at me and asked what it means. And I was like, I don't know. And we were just like dumbfounded for 25 minutes about this one thing that we still don't really have.
Adam Rani 28:07
And then yeah, and then I bet you guys feel like idiots too, because you're rereading that same exact email nine times. And you're just like, I did something in this grammar. It doesn't make sense.
Christine Chen 28:17
I guess. I always say go back to the relationship. It's like, you think everything's fine. The relationship is progressing. And everybody seems to be happy. And then it's like, you're like, Okay, we're married. Then it's like, oh, shit about this person. Oh, my God, where's this pop up? You know, and they're like, why didn't you tell me this while we were dating? Yeah, I know.
Adam Rani 28:40
I didn't know this person smelled bad.
Payten Brewer 28:44
Well, there's also some other problems where we're like, literally, everyone else is fine with this. Like, why is this a problem? Yeah.
Adam Rani 28:55
That's too much. But do you think though, like, you being greenlit, Christine, that it's sort of like, I don't know, it’s kind of like legitimizes your validation that you're making a movie? You know, I mean, like,
Christine Chen 29:09
I think I actually no but a lot of these things are popping out now is because as indie filmmakers, we're so used to be and, and so often that we will end up on a project that gets, you know, from us that that doesn't happen, because all sorts of different funding processing forces or teams, or whatever it is, is lucky enough. Our deadline first, literally, on April 1, being like holy shit.
Payten Brewer 29:51
Like 7pm or something like that. I mean, that was our day, because I turned on it. Right. So um, we made a plan like, hey, if we don't have anything valuable first notify us. So, we were I was literally tracking email when she called and said, Okay.
Christine Chen 30:14
Yeah, and because I think a lot of people and get it reserved doing actual real work until that the greenlight because we've all been on the private side and get a lot of work done. So. So yes, it's just been greenlit poses a new set of problems. That's all. It's good to be here to get through the first hurdle. But it's also like, Hey, we're not past fully past the hurdles yet. You know, now we have a set.
Payten Brewer 30:57
I would say least, comfortable at least.
Christine Chen 31:04
And, you know, people say, how did you so fast, and in my head, I'm like, it didn't take that it was not fast.
Adam Rani 31:12
No. And I got five episodes of podcast to prove that
Christine Chen 31:16
Professional shark pitcher for a good three weeks. But what I am saying is that I didn't know filmmaking. All I did was I had meeting, meeting, meeting and meeting for seven days a week, for three, four hours for four weeks. Just kidding. Just like, it was one back to my Cutco knives, sales time, that's like, I've got to say, working for Cutco prepared me for the pitching. Because what it taught me once again, or lesson for anybody who's raising money is that it is a number, it is extremely difficult to predict who is going to be your audience is going to ask me in this is extremely difficult there. I talked to people who are like, really well off, like, they definitely will. And they don't, or talk to people who are like, and they or they reached out to us and you're like, hey, I want to help invest real, really, you know, type thing. So. So your kind of have disputed where everybody is in perspective. And we go in kind of like thing everybody is a is everybody could be the one. When you go in and you do your pitch and do the best you can you forget about it. And then you come out with an ask. And hopefully that asked is do you know anybody else that might want to listen? What? Or if you have any questions, please consider investing. Right? At the very least please donate. Yeah. Very nice. Please go to Zack. Here's what they say in sales that there are three levels. The first No. And he said no. In the third. No. So we put our or profit. So, our last No, is to share. Campaign guys, please, for the love of God to share. Like that doesn't cost you any money. That's like, the lowest tier. Right? So first, is it would you like to invest? 150,000? No. Great. How about 25?
Payten Brewer 33:52
And then there's this sub which is would you be interested in creating a pot of people who want to make the minimum?
Christine Chen 34:01
Then just share it with us. And or and then finally, tell me who else might listen here to hear us pitch. So yeah, it's going through all of that. And for the most part it is people cared enough to listen. They will fall in. I think that's the so many want to share. Somebody wants to go in but yeah, it's pitching. I don't have a rich uncle that gave me money to make this film. You know, it doesn’t have to be so nice. I have had to actually last, our last podcast taught me personally get over the issue of asking my Asian community. Because I've logged in in as a no, my parents don't support what I do. So, I can, if I can ask my parents and I can ask the entire Asian community for help. I got over actually asked my dad and he did. Like that was a huge for me. I don't ask and so it's just, it's, it's so hard asking. Because, yeah, you're begging people and hoping that they will be easy with debt
Payten Brewer 35:58
But another thing is, there's like investing various, you know, sure components, like, you're just saying, this is what could happen, but it can also do this. But I hope you like the stories as much as I do. So, it's like, you're really just exposing your heart every single time you go and talk to someone about you.
Christine Chen 36:21
But I'm really good at pitching now. Although I saw more pitching people do this. Okay. We're always learning and two are pitches tomorrow. And I had a pitch this morning. Pitch at Night. Still, still still trying to get the $150,000. So, when we say greenlit don't think that means we are good to go, we are not.
Christine Chen 36:55
It's like, great, we can just barely make it to the finish line.
Adam Rani 37:01
Yes, just validating the fact you are thing.
Christine Chen 37:04
Yeah, we can, we can film the film. Yes, yeah. So, we still need to edit the film, to make music to all that other stuff. So, and we only say that I'm here. Like, it sucks, because I am having to tell, like the middle of our wardrobe or something like hey, consolidate your order. Because that $6 shipping, if you pay it multiple times, that is equal to some, some snacks that I can purchase.
Payten Brewer 37:41
That quickly becomes 200 300 $600. That's how, like.
Christine Chen 37:49
That's something that you use in daily basis really don't use rater, by having to do the team, ourselves. And it sucks, because it's stuff like, oh, let's put her accurate preferred seating, because we want to be comfortable. And I'm just like losing my mind. These are my facts like $20 more. That's my call. The thing is I hate being that person who has to go to that extreme. But that's how tight independent low budget filmmaking. We have barely enough to do really anything.
Payten Brewer 38:32
That's why it's so important, honestly, that your team does have a high level of integrity felt when you say, yes, this works. No follow through with whatever. But it is what they need. Because, you know, for us having to switch a flight or having to book a hotel room that really makes the biggest difference in terms of like, oh, that is a full That's dinner for everyone. You know what I mean?
Christine Chen 39:01
Yeah. So, it's just it's that's the part. If you're making your own feature, whatever makes you pick people on the team. Understand that? Luckily, I have, they all see how stressed I am. We are every single day trying to get things to work. So, like when I'm talking, please, please, please, please, please take this budget. In five, the minimum you can possibly have, she doesn't take. She really tries to work versus, you know, maybe people could have been on bigger sets and have the luxury to do whatever they want may not be as aware in as considerate of the budget, which is you know, what they're thinking about the project we're going to do first Next thing, next advise people who care about money. I'm not making money. You're not we're, yeah. We're losing money. I'm putting, yeah, I put in my own money. So yes, we literally care about the product that we most people are on this project our colleagues and money because from a ratio prop, the ratio of time to what they're actually making, you're probably making like five sets, you know, per hour because of how much more time your committee, which that could change. But anybody who is trying to get there so this is what happens.
Payten Brewer 41:02
I accidentally had the audacity to say to proceed like I'm here I'm thinking about writing a film with a one to $2 million budget and it'll be sacked.
Christine Chen 41:25
I was like how?
Payten Brewer 41:39
You should have seen the sad eyes that I got.
Christine Chen 41:47
I was like how you can raise 2 million dollars; I can't even raise 300.
Adam Rani 41:55
Can't wrap your head around that. Yeah.
Payten Brewer 41:57
The great thing though, is like if you find people you get the opportunity to create. And that's nice. And I feel like that's what we're. And I think that's why so many people. So, because they love and respect the team. Which is awesome.
Christine Chen 42:20
Yeah, I mean, there are a lot of people are on bored. When is it the earliest, I can show up, and I like to hang out with you guys? Yes. That's the coolest. That's awesome. Because
Adam Rani 42:39
I mean, that's what I look forward to in any film set before pay. I always ask who else is gonna be on this set?
Christine Chen 42:45
Yeah, remember, I told you I was like, ah, you like it's fine. It's excited to work with you and decide you need something. And I was like,
Adam Rani 42:59
because yeah, because I realized in this year of COVID, and stuff, I only worked a couple of projects. I mean, I worked on the last thing I worked on was your thing Peyton, it was the reshoots. And that was the last job I had. And the fact that I could just be back on set with people that I love and people who taught me, you and everyone else and so many other people, Kelly, Roxy, like so many rad people who we worked with and who you worked with your entire film career is coming together and I don't know that my that's the best part to me. But I know to a lot of people did tell me to go fuck myself. You know? The pay is better and shut up. Like you know, I love everybody else. But I money is where it matters. And trust me, it is. But I don't I'm not in this business. Because I want to make money. I'm in this business because I want to be a storyteller. Yeah, but that might be just me. I don't know.
Christine Chen 44:01
I mean, I get like everybody needs money.
Adam Rani 44:07
Absolutely. Yeah.
Christine Chen 44:10
There are people are definitely for you. But it's just, it'll be fun to relisten to some of these podcast’s years from now.
Adam Rani 44:39
I mean, I already have you listening to like, even last year when we first started our couple of episodes, it was probably the funniest podcast I've ever recorded in my life with Christine because Christine was just like, Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna work ever again. I think this is it. I think I think I think I'm done. I think I'm not gonna Any work and this is it for me. And I'm just like, Christine, relax. And then sure enough, you got all these jobs and you're making a new feature under your belt. That's fucking what and that's understandable a year, mind you. When 10 months ago, Christine was just like, yeah.
Payten Brewer 45:21
That's the great thing about Christina, though, is that anytime that she feels like she's not getting anything external, she just isn’t, well, then what can I create? And then that automatically just makes everyone want to work with her because she is resourceful. And she's not going to rely on people for opportunities, but she's going to depend on herself. I think that's one of the huge components of her personality and her character that have brought this whole crew together is because they all know like, it doesn't matter. If she only has, you know, a nickel, Christine is gonna make a movie, like it's gonna happen. So, buckle up, because, you know.
Christine Chen 46:03
We're gonna force it exactly. We are going to make it.
Adam Rani 46:06
Yeah, and you better fucking believe we're gonna be on schedule, too, because I know no one else that knows how to be on schedule. I mean, yeah, no, I'm saying like you've I worked with Listen, Payten, I know you can agree with me on this. We've worked with like directors and first ladies who just truly are just like, what are you doing? Like is like, Yeah, well, we're supposed to shoot this thing. But I guess we'll wait till lunch. And maybe after this, I don't know what to do for Magic Hour. So, I don't know. It's just like, if you were on that set, Christine, you would rip your hair out and flail your soft yourself across a cliff, you know, like you just get?
Christine Chen 46:48
I think what it is, is perspective. It's like,
Adam Rani 46:51
yeah, or in competencies. But yeah.
Christine Chen 46:56
Right. I know how hard it was, it is to be on other side. We don't have perspective, it's easy to just worry about yourself. So, records that are display. Schedule, what is because they don't, we didn't really understand how difficult it was to get back together with this kind of budget. And to get all these resources together. You know, as I have immense respect for people like Payten, she, I asked her to come on this project, because I saw her acknowledging your regular job, she knows the elements that if you're under she's done the work of what goes wrong. I think, fortunately, being a director is one of the positions that you don't necessarily need to have any credentials. If you have money, or know people with money, you can literally go on to it and just direct and be director.
Payten Brewer 48:07
Same for acting. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think there's so many people. And we have this conversation every day where it's just like, wow, that the lack of common sense and just a respect for other people's time. It's baffling, almost, especially when you start to like, either interview or hear from people who've been in industry for more than five years, and this kind of behavior is still going on. It's just, you're right, you do have to become a PA, you do have to work crafting, and you do have to be the sanitation, right. Like you really have to know, every job and the amount of work that goes into that.
Christine Chen 48:52
Yeah, or you will take it for granted. In that's what I think when I have worked with people, my biggest pet peeve is my see that somebody is being taken and that somebody hasn't didn't earn that role. And therefore, they don't understand how hard it is for everyone else to get what they are taking.
Payten Brewer 49:33
It's a full-time job. And then it becomes exhausting. And then you're just you find yourself waiting for the shoot.
Christine Chen 49:40
Yeah, so that's, I think that's the things. That's why I'll take somebody whose wrapped up and somebody's who has been on the top all the time, is to say, I want to know that you don't have to work. I want to know that you know why all these departments So, I'm coming at it being like, I know how much time and effort for both of us, I've done to try to get what little money that we have. I don't excrete that amount of money with the utmost respect and infuse it to the most efficient way that I possibly can. Because I don't have that's not something I'm just gifted with, like, like, I know how hard people work their asses off to be able to be given me lead, because I know how hard it is for me to make $1,000 or whatever. So, like, I'm so makes me so appreciative. When somebody goes on, you're proud of this draft and give me 100 Whatever it is,
Payten Brewer 50:49
I bawled my eyes out last night because we have a really hard day yesterday. And we ended up getting like 250 and a lot of those people were unexpected people and it was just that generosity. It really does mean it makes the whole process because it's like.
Christine Chen 51:13
I cried too.
Payten Brewer 51:14
Yeah, you just you just get to that point where you think like oh, this we're not going to get the money until we have that you get if you're overworked and stressed like we are you start crying.
Christine Chen 51:33
Yeah, I am just highly emotional all the time now. Yeah, no, I my people that I policy for and I did a I did a Facebook Live. And then I see mom donate a thousand dollar. Because it's like, I know how hard it is to earn anything. And for somebody to just trust me give that to us. Like, is my goal. So, I think that's the part that continues to keep up our spirits and continue to make us want to move forward and do the best that we possibly can just because people out there believe in us to do that.
Payten Brewer 52:33
And I don't know about you. But after that happened, I was like we literally want to get down for bed. And then that happened for more hours because I was it it's because you feel like you have the least, I can do is like, you know work for your money. Yeah, yeah.
Christine Chen 52:50
Same. Yeah, that's why I knew us to my ass because like, I know how hard you know how our investors or to earn that money to be able to invest in our project. Every so I'm going to do the absolute best that I can to make sure that we do. So that's I think that's out of your ups and downs in this department is so cool to see. We do get that person's like Yeah, I do this. Hey, like I'm in this project. Yeah, so what I like we were so added with from my business school class, in his buddies, his brother and his friend Dustin. They have a company that their goal is to help small businesses and people who are trying to raise money, raise money to be interested in my product. Remember, you know, we want to make sure you get when you don't have dates. So not so I know. Uh huh. Cool. And then and then in there like so how much is that and sold them all right now it's about 75 Give or take like, I need another 75 to really do. Now you have it. And I still didn't it registered music. Some conversations. Now you can tell your team if you're making a movie
Payten Brewer 54:57
And I was like oh my god, because like I kept, you know.
Christine Chen 55:04
This is life altering thing that you're doing for a bunch of people, like me changing my life, but more importantly, TV 40 other people that are involved in this film their lives. In my eyes, I personally cannot wait for the day, I could get to that point. Do that. Because I know what that feels like and how grateful you know, someone would be able to do that. That's awesome. So, if you all the other investors and all the people who continue to share, we don't take this for granted. Every time you share something every time anyways, because I hit new patients on Facebook.
Payten Brewer 56:05
Oh my gosh, yeah.
Christine Chen 56:10
Yeah, it's really making my day. And it makes her stinky to where my team are falling, building, sharing, telling people or helping out in some way. This is all we have something to say. And we want to bring together the best people at their jobs and have fun, work hard. But long-lasting relationships. Hopefully, then, successful networks, films, millionaires, I will like for people to do that for somebody else. So, when one thing is ready to make your 2 million dollars remind me that's inside here. All me every single day. And we're work for nothing. And no.
Christine Chen 57:28
You'll be like, as long as I can. Be there. And then you'll be like, actually, you know what I said don't have to do set, actually. Well, okay, I think a really cool thing that we don't talk about a lot. Is our guaranteed distribution. Yes. So, I think that's something that should go into because it's so rare and so cool. And I don't think most people realize 90% of films that are named don't have guaranteed distribution. So
Christine Chen 58:17
yes, ah, yeah, no, I, I got lucky because I had. Again, this is why you maintain relationships and people. Three people that I know from separate, worlds collided, and they had a distribution. And they've been following my work since 2008. They, collectively, last year, asked me, hey, if you ever make a film that is thriller, horror, know your work. So, we will we want to support you. And we will give you a distribution. And that's what happened. They weren't exactly said that. They did that I came back and I say oh, really? Well. I have this crazy idea. Swamp mermaid. And they're like, cool, we'll write up the contract. And they'll figure it out. Holy shit. Yeah. So, um, the guaranteed distribution. What they have provided us, if all fails, they want to buy the film in Harper's channels. So, they've also to show how much is what has given us in sales into who will go and first try to sell it and see what we can get for it. And then our fallback plan is our hearing our distribution, so it's like, you're going to win Either way, it's just cool that these awesome people are leaving the console. Leaving my work to do that without even seeing anything. That's like, what's rare? Is that what I have? We don't We literally don't have anything. It's an idea to spirit and women through this universe that is. I mean, don't get that illusion have crazy, right? Yeah. So that's, that's pretty cool.
Payten Brewer 1:00:43
So, the movie is coming out whether you like it or not.
Christine Chen 1:00:49
So, my deadline is I got to have a finished film by the end of July.
Payten Brewer 1:00:55
Which is why we're still reaching out so much. Because yeah. Yeah.
Christine Chen 1:01:02
So, so we got to have all the money by then, basically. And so, we're just pushing it with dragging it. We are going to push it over the finish line. No, one where it'll be dragging us sometimes, and sometimes I'll be pushing me, because I like it's not gonna work. Like we're gonna
Payten Brewer 1:01:24
We are going to make. I think I texted you. Every day. I got this
Christine Chen 1:01:32
And I was I was so depressed. Yeah. Because I had I had a pitch to like 12 13, 14 people and the way it said yes, and I was so depressed, and then he was like,
Payten Brewer 1:01:46
It's gonna it's gonna be good. If you just say that. You're gonna get it. You're gonna get it. Oh, my God.
Christine Chen 1:01:53
Yeah, yeah. Diana was saying the same thing, we went on a walk to like, don’t try to control. Just feel that you're going to get it and manifest it. Oh, my God. I'm trying to manifest. Yeah, it's like I'm pushing you while you're depressed and everything because I'm going to help you manifest it.
Payten Brewer 1:02:24
Yeah. It seems like this week. She's been pushing me out. Yeah, it's us like today. There's so much going on. Yeah. So much.
Christine Chen 1:02:52
But, but again, it comes down to this. We are completely utterly grateful to be in this position. Because when people say how much and this is why we are working our butts off. Because we go too fast. So yeah, Erzuliefilm.com. That's the cue to donate. Because we are greenlit but that means we're not there yet. We're halfway there. That's the that's the.
Payten Brewer 1:03:29
Halfway there, living on a prayer.
Payten Brewer 1:03:33
Yeah, please get us fully over.
Payten Brewer 1:03:38
And also, I think the other thing that's important to remember is we're not just looking for donations or investors we're also looking for sponsorships so if you know a local business, who wants their product featured in a film contact us we are looking for that we have some awesome perks and benefits for those types of companies. It's like our biggest goal to make sure that our local communities involved and to show and promote local Louisiana products because so much very classic roots coming from Louisiana. And this whole story is like a love letter to using that. So, it's just really important that you know, even if it's something like you know someone who makes really great candles, or lip balm, or suitcases, or shoes, like doesn't matter what it is cool toys, we don't care, like reach out to us because chances are we will
Christine Chen 1:04:34
Yes, we already have an awesome there's an awesome incredible design. We are already featuring her jewelry in the show. He has a few pieces that Hero Pieces that are the actors are wearing so very excited about that. Well so we have been So, I know we know. Yeah, here, there's some like products like skin products in here. The next thing that we're really looking for right now is those three snacks, water kind of stuff. So, you know anybody with connections to like HGTV. It all really is helpful. Any little thing like just having one meal sponsored means that we can knock down $500.
Payten Brewer 1:05:45
And also, just like if you know, someone who has an extra budget pain, maybe five masks, and you're not using Yeah, we'll use it. If you have like those huge jumbo things. We'll use it you know, there's really, there's not really anything we wouldn't take exactly what you think.
Christine Chen 1:06:06
Oh, yeah, I'm Jim Decker. Let me borrow his Yeah, like, big as palpable. Yeah, we need that for Prop so yeah, great. Ralph brewery is sponsoring us from tree port Louisiana. So, their cans get to be in our film and we're really excited about that and we get to have their beer so but yes.
Payten Brewer 1:06:32
We have a lot of beer drink you get this film.
Christine Chen 1:06:36
We are looking for a tequila sponsor. Some more alcohol sponsors Yeah, I'm trying to I'm trying to get a hold of me anywhere for a hat that floats so yeah, there's in the scene. Yeah. So, um yeah special. Whatever Please We need that but really food and we will come to you that yes. If you're even if it's like your environment, you're like wow, I can make a meal please. Yes.
Payten Brewer 1:07:30
Or even like cookies or you know whatever. Anything? Yes. I think we made our point but help us please Yes.
Christine Chen 1:07:48
Is there anything we didn't list bug spray swamps we could use that as well.
Payten Brewer 1:07:58
Just start going through your pantries and stuff Yeah, yeah all right.
Adam Rani 1:08:17
it's okay I'm just because you guys can't hear me so that's why I just I want to wait until everybody's good
Christine Chen 1:08:23
we have a lot to say no. Say
Adam Rani 1:08:26
Say it all. Come on. So how are we feeling you guys I mean, do we want to take this plane to landing. Or what do we do we got another 20 minutes on us. What do we what do we got? What do you need guys? Tell me
Christine Chen 1:08:54
Multiple ways to support doesn't involve just now.
Payten Brewer 1:09:03
We have two weeks before we are personally in Louisiana boots on the ground. So honestly, just as much as possible. We welcome the support for these Alright,
Christine Chen 1:09:26
I think I think we've begged think for a while but we're excited we're making a film to be awesome Erzulie.
Adam Rani 1:09:38
Erzuliefilm.com Ladies and gentlemen. Um, yeah, that says this has been a I mean there was nothing else you guys want to bring up. I got some notes here. Just being greenlit and being greenlit doesn't mean that covers everything to do lists are never ending the needs and wants cost money and everything costs money. And yeah, greenlit basically in a nutshell means the legitimation of validation that
Christine Chen 1:10:11
That means we have to film.
Payten Brewer 1:10:18
but the other thing we have guaranteed distribution so no matter what this film is coming out and it's going to be amazing and we have some incredible PR from some local artists coming out that will be really excited to share
Christine Chen 1:10:38
They say making a movie is fun.
Adam Rani 1:10:58
AHA the 10% of this podcast is how grateful we are of being in the film industry and the other 90% is nothing but shit talking it's just how it's just how Christine is breaking down I'm kidding I'm kidding. Oh my God All right, we got it in this no one is laughing at my joke’s Alright ladies and gentlemen, this has been getting reelisms podcast I'm gonna go kill myself after this. And thank you so much for tuning in. We appreciate you guys. And yeah, we are Erzulie is greenlit erzuliefilm.com Please donate you mean minimum $35 You guys, okay? Whoa, what am I supposed to do here? Invest.
Christine Chen 1:11:53
Do what you can if you can't, share anything you can, snacks. Sunscreen bug spray water shoots and the list goes on