Roger Bobb, president and CEO of Bobbcat films, instructed a master class on the Fundamentals of Independent Film Production that proved to be as entertaining as it was enlightening. Attendees walked into the session and immediately received a “producing packet” detailing what would be covered in the class. The packet included a syllabus for today’s master class, a mock call sheet, script pages, and a brief bio on Bobb.
Bobb opened the session with a relaxed and engaging tone that had attendees laughing while still of the edges of their seats. He started with a brief “who I am” introduction before diving into the syllabus, which revealed that the session would cover basic principles of the production process, the basic skills necessary to be a producer, and the basic value of the collaborative process. It wasn’t long before the syllabus was completely out the window and Bobb and the session attendees transitioned into a relaxed Q & A format.
Attendees asked questions that ranged from what producers do exactly (a producer finances, identifies, develops or physically produces a film) to how they make money (they start small, do good work, and establish relationships) to whose money they spend (your own if necessary, someone else’s if you can) to how to get started as a producer (grab a camera).
Bobb encouraged attendees to utilize the resources they have around them when starting out. “Write what you have,” he advised. “If you have a dog, put that dog in the film!” When asked what makes a good producer, Bobb smiled and said, “Knowing how to watch money and how to do everyone else’s job.”
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The questions flooded in and Bobb addressed each one with the knowledge of a pro and the realness of a best friend. He encouraged budding producers to play to their strengths and build a team that was able to do what you couldn’t, because you’re only as good as the people around you. He stressed that, though producers are not technically the most creative people in the room, they do have to be innovative and creative in the way they put the puzzle pieces of the film together.
There was great concern from the attendees about trends in the film
industry. How do black producers get their work sold and seen when the demand seems so limited? “TV is the new film,” explained Bobb. “You have to find who wants to show your type of content and go there.” He also noted that the likelihood of producing a film for television is greater than it is for the big screen, because many TV outlets tend to churn out movies, particularly by black filmmakers, at a more regular schedule.Session attendees got a dose of reality when Bobb said simply, “You don’t invest in a film because you like the film. You invest in a film because you think it will make money. And just because a film doesn’t make money doesn’t mean it’s a bad film.”
The good news is that there are a few avenues for filmmakers who want to pursue a career in filmmaking: commercials, music videos, episodic television, feature films for television or theater, and sitcoms. Bobb told the aspiring filmmakers not to be afraid to start small, just be diligent.A final resonating thought that Bobb shared pretty much summed it up: “The thing about filmmaking is you’re only as good as you are.”
For more information on Roger Bobb, follow @bobbcatfilms on Twitter.
For complete coverage of the 2015 American Black Film Festival, visit www.blackenterprise.com/tag/abff/ or follow along on social media using #ABFF2015. For more information on the films, schedules, and activities, download the BE Events app on iTunes or Google Play.