Business Plans with Kevin Geiger and Kathleen Kennedy

Kevin Geiger is an artist and film producer.  He is known for works such as “Reign of Fire, Species and Chicken Little.”  He has become as instructor on the methodology and the business of feature films.  One point that Geiger makes is that organization is a key point in developing a company.

Geiger has not been very active in terms of IMDb since he debuted as the producer of “Roads to Home.”  He has had a very dynamic career in the film business.  In 1995 he did computer animation work on the film “Species”” and digital artist on “Reign of Fire.”  He has had a good work history as CG supervisor at Walt Disney.  In 2009 he co-founded a small animation company named Magic Dumpling.

Geiger has a four part video lecture on YouTube about independent film business plans.  After watching said videos I took away from them these points…

The most important point that I came away from these videos is that as creative people we always have our creative pitch and it is wonderful, but don’t’ forget that you have to have an equally impressive business side of the pitch. 

He then talked a lot about the business side of the business plan.  When developing your funding pitch you need to have an accountant.  They want to know how they are going to get their money back and how you are spending the money they are going to give you.  He suggested to get an advisory team and to pick carefully and to not pay them because then their advice becomes tainted.  Which I thought was a very interesting point to take into consideration.  

He also talked about your investor pitch and that if you cannot do it in ten slides then you don’t know what you are talking about.  As he says “boom, boom, boom and then your done.  As anyone creating a business plan knows or should know there is a lot of preparation involved and you need to spend time on it to do it right and then do not deviate from that plan, unless things are not working out then to reassess your plan.

He then talked about the research part of the plan.  Ask the question, how will pay to see this movie and are they going to so.  Do research on about 5-6 other relatable movies and see how much they make and other similarities to your film.   

Lets change gears here a little from the business side to the creative side and talk about Kathleen Kennedy.  She is an American film producer whose net values is about $150 million.  She was born in California and went to San Diego State University and majored in telecommunications and film.  She started working at a local television station and worked her way up to production coordinator.  After which she produced a talk show and then moved to Los Angeles to do more work in film.  Her first job was a secretary position with Steven Spielberg.  She quickly moved to the production end of film.  She then co-produced “Poltergeist” and was then the primary producer on “E.T.” and the “Indiana Jones” series.  Since than she has gone on to produce a number of “high profile projects” such as the very first “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List.”  She then formed her own production company, but moved on to co-chair Lucasfilm, Ltd.  She is now the president of Lucasfilm, Ltd. 

In an interview with Hollywood TV she talks about the business of film in Hollywood.  She talks about how to be successful you have to protect your characters and allow them to grow.  When she is looking at a movie to produce the thing that she looks at are great characters that have a hopeful message that instills values.  She also likes personal and dramatic films.  She also says that film markers need to take responsibility in what they make.  You also need to have a steady stream of product and to always be a part of the hiring process.  Her last piece of advice was to be honest with yourself and have strong values. 

    

Instruction Not Included Indie Film Markers

As the article found in Forbes states, “if your white and speak English you probably didn’t even know,” Instruction Not Included existed.  This is a Spanish film about a playboy who finds himself with a baby and enjoys fatherhood.  Instruction Not Included made 8 million at the box office and 20 million total.

 

Now, that’s not a ton of money by major Hollywood film standards, but it’s a big deal achievement because Latino cast is featured and it is mostly in Spanish.  Instruction Not Included is not some artsy film, it stars Eugenio Derbez who is no only a big star in Mexico, but is a hit with Latino American audiences.  The studio hit the ground running with the marketing campaign with television spots, press tours and billboards, to name a few.

However, if you don’t watch Spanish television you missed the hype.  Millions of people watched this movie and now it’s on the way to making a nice little profit.

Forbes estimated back in 2012 that the American Latino market is worth about 1 trillion.  There are many American companies that are reaching out to the Latino market but “their efforts are still a work in progress.” 

Pantelion Films, who produced Instruction Not Included have a hit formula on their hands when it comes to marketing to the Latino population.  What the studio is doing is targeting a smaller niche market.  This makes me think what other niche markets are out there?  Is it possible for small independent studios to find a niche market of their own and capitalize on it? 

I know I am asking more questions then giving answers, however I feel the resolution is a resounding YES!  Come on indie filmmakers find that market.  I know it’s out there and capitalize on it.  You just have too beat me too it…

Slated.com

For the independent filmmaker, having the money to make our aspirations come true on the screen, most likely means finding a financer.  Well, I came across this website called Slated.com that matches filmmakers and investors.  This could really be handy for a lot of us.  I am not saying that there are investor just standing in line waiting to hand you money.  You still have to dazzle someone.  However, they have a lot of investors that are willing to take a look at a well prepared package. 

There is an investment community out there that exemplifies millions of dollars.  Now, not all of it is ear marked for films, but some of the money is.  Slated offers a wide range of individual’s, film financiers or large financial institutions. So how Slated works is, your profile is distributed to financiers looking for a film like yours.  Slated uses technology to put your movies out there to a responsive audience.

Let’s face it, us in the independent film industry done have what they call a “bankable” name, so we are stuck building off the reputations of others.  There is a lot we need to do when making a film, find talent, sales agent, industry support and lastly distribution.  Slated goes deeper then just financing.  They help get your film notice by having “sales agents, packaging companies, talent, festival scouts, to name a few.”

They go a step further, they review your project and will “work with you to enhance the market suitability and industry prospects.”  Slated uses it’s team to “keep investors and the industry” apprised for your progress.  Sometimes it is hard to get your film the recognition it deserves until you get that A-list actor or what not, so investors are notified and that may be just what you need to get the investor you need. 

I encourage all of you too check out Slated.com, it may be a valuable resource for your film. 

Hannah M. Frank Resume

Hannah Frank, Graphic Designer, Photography, Full Sail University, Saginaw Valley University, Kirtland Community College
 

Southgate MI, 48195 
734.250.2397 
hannahmdesigns@hotmail.com
www.Coroflot.com/HannahM 

Education:
Full Sail University, Winter Park, FL
Master of Business Entertainment 2012-2013
 
Saginaw Valley State University, University Center, MI
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Emphasis in Graphic Design and Marketing Recognized on Dean’s List; Christmas Trim Shop 2001 to 2005 

Kirtland Community College, Roscommon, MI  
Art and General Education 1997 to 2001 

Experience:
Freelance Graphic Designer, 2005 to Present
Design concepts and execution of corporate identity, posters, advertisements, promotional materials and print services for local and regional businesses and organizations completed within budget and on time; Provide custom photography services, including on site wedding photos 

Save My Home USA, Madison Heights, MI
Loan Modification Processor 04/2009 - 09/2009
Worked with customers to determine the best path to either resolve foreclosure, or mitigate the effects of foreclosure; Helped clients determine the appropriate strategies to help them keep their property and to get back on track. Assisted in dealing with many different lenders, provided information on avoiding scams that may cause clients to lose their home and explain how to avoid predatory lending 

Office Central Office Supply Store, West Branch, MI
Graphic Designer and Sales 2005 to 2008
Design concepts and execution of advertisements, identity, brochures, posters, promotional materials and invitations; Assisted with design of business website and maintained website; Customized logo and letterhead for local transportation authority; Assisted in marketing company and events to the public; Operated high speed copy machines, large format printer, Risograph and binding machines; Provided stellar customer service; Managed inventory, purchasing and trained newly hired 

Kirtland Community College, Roscommon, MI
Student Worker 1999 to 2001
Print Shop, Educational Technology Department and Library
Operated copy machines, printing press and binding machines; Designed fliers for Educational Technology Department;Website design 

Volunteer Work:
West Branch Creative Arts Association, West Branch, MI  
Designer May 2008 to October 2008 

Design and Technical Skills:
Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, CorelDraw, QuarkXpress, Microsoft Word, Excel and Power- Point, JavaScript, HTML and XHTML; Proficient with MAC and PC platforms; Thorough and meticulous; Able to work under pressure and stick to a deadline; Capable of doing a wide range of styles; Photo retouching and manipulation; Excellent knowledge of design and typography; copy and binding machines, large format printer; screen printing; multi-line telephone 

Distrbution for the Independent Filmmarker

I enjoy making films, but one aspect that has pleged me for some time is, how do I distribute the film after it is made?  As Jerome Courshon of The Wrap says, "film distribution isn't a sexy subject."  He's right, it isn't.  It is the one issue that directors and prducers avoid untill the last possible moment. Distrbution only becomes "sexy" when you get the "big fat check."

 

So the question is, "how can you achieve succesful distrbution when you don’t get offered that multi-million-dollar deal?”  According to Courshon there are three aspects to distrbution.  Number 1 is take the film to all major markets.  You want to explte each market, theatrical, Blu-ray/DVD, VOD, internet, foreign, and television.  You want to start with the thearters and work your way down.  Something independent filmmakers are doing is skipping markets and going right to the internet and that is a mistake.

Number 2 split the rights up among more then one company.  When making deals split up the right to your film among more then one company.  This is a stagtagy they have been using since that late 90’s.  What you do is make a deal with one company for Blu-ray/DVD and so on.  What ever you do don’t make an “all rights” deal.  It could kill you, unless you are getting a big check in advance.  Number 3 be aware of what has happened with other online platforms in the past two years, “and leverage this maturing market correctly.”  You need to undestand the history of digital distrbution.

If when you go to distribuate your film and hold these three principals to heart and take the correct actions, there is no reason you will not see a return on your film.  When excuting these steps don’t be lazy or avoid learning and understand your target market.  You can see real results using this approch. 

Source http://www.thewrap.com/movies/blog-post/road-distributing-your-film-not-hard-you-think-114136

http://eccentricsyndicate.com/independent-film-making-3-quick-tips.html

Crowdfunding

Lately film industry people are using crowdfunding sites to raise money for their film endeavors.  In exchange for money you donate, they will give you an autographed postcard or in the case of Spike Lee he will take you out for dinner and to a Knicks game, depending on how much you donate.  One thing Hollywood people can’t do is give you royalties on the movie if it hits big.  Well that is about to change.  Obama put through a law in April of 2012 to make “equity crowdfunding."  This is an attempt to help the depression like era that we live in. 

There are a lot of crowdfunding sites out there like Kickstarter, probably the more popular or at least one of the first.  Well, Kickstarter has no plans to start equity crowdfunding, but there are some sites like Indiegogo who does have plans to start equity crowdfunding and they will have some competition with other sites.  There are a lot of rules and regulations that go into this new law.  Such as you have to have a $1 million dollar worth and your annual income has to be more then $200,000.  Which make for about 9 million American who qualify.  There are allowances for people who don’t make that much money. 

According to Jason Best, “it opens up access to a lot of capital for filmmakers.”  Think about all the people out there who want to make a film but can’t, well this is one way that they can. So even with all these new limitations that Obama put in to effect there should still be about $4 million going to filmmakers in the next four years.  That is a nice chunk of change.   You may not know this but in the US there is about $30 trillion dollars in savings and investments, so if crowdfunding can get 1%, that translates into $300 billion and that may friends is a lot of money.

Film Distribution

A question that is probably on the minds of a lot of filmmakers, is after I make my film, how do I distribute it?  Good Question.   There are a few options.  You could get an agent, self-publish it, film festivals, try to get a network to distribute it or try to get a distribution company like Lionsgate to distribute it.  But what is your best option? 

The first option is an agent.  You have to convince them that you have a good enough idea and that they should try to sell it for you.  You can then always send your film to a film festival in hopes that it gets picked up and wins some awards.  The nice thing about film festivals is there are a lot of industry people who see it and may want to help you distribute it. 

One popular avenue is self-publishing.  There are many sites out there that offer services for you to self-publish.  One in particular is Createaspace.com, they make it so your public can buy a DVD or download your movie.  However there a lot of questions that you need to ask yourself and the list is long.  For starters, do you keep the copyright?  When do you get the royalty checks?  Can you use more then one self-publishing company?  These are some and I mean some of the question you need to ask yourself. 

One of the more involved avenues is distribution through a company like Lionsgate or a television network.  However there is a lot to consider, such as profit sharing.  How much are you willing to give up.  The question beg another response, can you do better on your own?  A studio such as Lionsgate has the money to promote your film and can distribute to a wider audience.  So there is a lot you need to take into consideration when it comes to what avenue will work best for your film.

How to be a good Product Manager

Jeff Lash says, “if you wan tot be a good product manager, do everything yourself.”  As a product manager you have the final say on pretty much everything.  You are the one answering questions from salespeople, writing press releases, and pouring over details with others.  Being a product manager takes a lot of your time, but that is the name of the game.

One way to be a good product manager is to delegate as many activities as you can to others.  You have a team, and as a team member, more then that an effective team member, you give product knowledge and responsibility and some decision-making responsibilities to other team members.  By doing this you, as the product manager, can focus on the strategic role of product management.

When it comes to being a product manager, it’s hard for you to balance the “strategic and tactical priorities of product manager.”  Just like is any other job the day-to-day tasks can take over.  Consider the metaphor of focusing on the trees instead of the forest.  Well a product manager sometimes focuses on a single “piece of bark.”

Being more strategic and less tactical is sometimes easier said then done for a product manager.  So it comes down to a product manager being a strategic role.  Everybody wants you to do everything.

The truth is, the product manager, “can and should be giving the necessary direction, context, and guidance to allow other people to accomplish these tasks themselves.”  Product managers need to teach their team to be self-sufficient in many ways. 

You have to be careful what you say yes to.  Ask yourself, is it forward thinking and strategic.  So it comes down to thinking about your role, as the product manager, as being strategic and focused. 

Artist Managers

Some could say that “artist look to the manager to take the chaos of a perspective career and organize it into the prospect of success.”  ~Paul Allen

Managers are involved in counseling artist on issues connected to their careers.  Traditionally, mangers focus of shopping for record deals for their clients, and then help them circumnavigate through the deals and more.  In todays, time the role of a manger has progressed into a much more hands-on method.  They help clients reach fans directly and assist clients in running their own recording, publishing, merchandising and performing or touring.  Most mangers are in the area of sponsorship, branding, merchandising and/or licensing. 

Like a lot of things in the music industry, the role of an artist management is changing.  Artist managers must understand their role is business development.  It’s more them just getting their artist signed, rather they should be developing and unlocking value for their brands, basically business development.  Due to the fact, that most managers do not have the proper business training. 

There is so much that an artist manger has to do.  The most important role in shaping their career and keeping the artist frantic lives running smoothly.  The more knowledge the artist manager has the better the manger will be.  A manager should know and have contacts at record label’s, publishing companies, booking agencies, promotion services and publicist agencies.  A manger will also need to communicate with people who provide technical services. 

A manger may make suggestions for enhancements inn a recording or help with instrumental characteristics of the music.  In general they supervise the creative process.  That can mean getting the band together for practice and assessing material the band makes.  As said before an artist manger needs to be a businessperson who has organizational skills.  The manger will have to work with publicists to invent the artist image.

What to be Concerned About...

Entertainment Law Update.  Sometimes when going to court you will get clarification of requirements of what is lawful and what is not.  YouTube vs. Viacom; Viacom states that 75% of what is shown of YouTube is copyrighted.  This comes to the point of whether or not YouTube has willful knowledge or blindness.  It comes down to what you can prove and whether there was enough evidence. 

Podcast are something a lot of businesses use to promote themselves.  The question has come up, should podcasters have to pay for licensing and how much do you charge?  Is there a royalty they need to pay?  This is something that I would be concerned with as a business owner because if you make a podcast for your business, what infringements might you incur?

Another issue that might arise is making sure that the people who sign your agreements have the capacity to consent.  Think of the person who does the Girls Gone Wild videos, he filmed a girl that was only 14 year of age.  There are a lot of question that came up in the court case.  This makes me think of when film children do they have the capacity to consent? No.  So what do you do? 

Jon Ipolito: How to Hack Copyright for Fun and Profit.  Sharing, is it good or bad?  That is the question that Ipolito asks.  He states that there are media giants out there that control the Internet.  He also states “cheating is the pedagogy of the internet.”  The Internet is a super charged environment that circulates media.  He then goes on to discuss keeping your eyes on your own paper and that universities spend millions of dollars a year on trying to derail cheating.  He mentioned how they use the website TurnItIn.com to check if there is plagiarism. 

There is also digital arts to consider, and how people have recombined it into new material.  We have access to everything and no one controls it.  This makes me think of my own business of film.  After you create it, who stops people from spreading it all over the Internet.  In this day and age of YouTube, everything is out there.  You make a digital footprint and it is hard to erase.

Siva Vaidhyanathan: Copyright and Copy Wrongs.  Vaidhyanathan talks a lot about open source and no longer being able to do what we wish to do.  Does the creator need to have a license is one of the questions he raises and what should be the policy?  Even though the courts have given Hollywood everything they have asked for in the last 10 years the system is just not great.  People are frustrated.  Even with all the regulations out there, there is nothing we can’t get.  People should be able to build off the abilities of others.

He raises a lot of good questions, but really does not have an answer.  The questions I have to be concerned with is, how does it affect my business?  Even with all the copyright regulations out there in place people still violate the copyright infringements and intellectual properties.

Industry Liabilities

The Law and Controversy of Copying DVDs

There has been a heated debate about the copying of DVD’s and the digital conversion of them to general consumer software.  On one side, the film industry does not want movies recorded, copied or re-sold which is their privilege as copyright owners. On the other side of the coin, the consumers have the right to back up their movies once purchased, as they see fit.  There is rationalization to both sides.

The consumer is right and on the other side is preferred privileges to the copyright owner.  Both sides are right on some level but when it comes down to it the law is the law.

Personally if you are only using it for your own use, then you should be able to do what ever you want.  This means there should be no loading it up the YouTube or selling bootleg copies.  If you are only using it to have a backup then the consumer should be allowed to copy music and DVD’s. 

'Glee' Airs 'Baby Got Back' Cover Despite Copyright Controversy

The teen musical drama ‘Glee,’ aired their own version of “Baby Got Back”, even though there was protests that the arrangement was taken from the internet by Jonathan Coulton.   Coulton even went as far as posting on Twitter that he was upset and was quoted as saying “‘Glee’ “ripped off” his composition of the song.”  He was in the right by legally purchasing the rights of the lyrics of “Baby Got Back.”

In my mind this is completely wrong.  In film and television you need to have permission from the people who own the copyright on the song.  In the long run, getting legal permission protects you and your film or television show.  If you are going to go to all the trouble of making a film or show, then you need to have all your T’s crossed and I’s dotted.  Otherwise, you take the chance of not being able to show what you make.  Not to mention all the legal trouble that you will get in.

POY Finalist Photo Taken to Win Art Contest Leading to Copyright Controversy

MiniSpace.com held a competition for the best photograph.  A 23 year old from France won.  But did he?  Come to find out he took someone else photograph and manipulated it.  MiniSpace.com says that he manipulated enough of it that it counts as his own.

To me this doesn’t seem right.  Taking someone else’s work weather it is a photograph, movie or song and twisting it to make it your own is wrong.  Now music artist take song and remix them.  Hollywood moguls take old movies and make them new again, but first they get permission.  That is the key you need to get legal rights o whatever you are remaking as the case my be. 

Works Cited

              

1.     The Law and Controversy of Copying DVDs by, TopTenReviews Contributor < http://dvd-and-video-to-ipod-software-review.toptenreviews.com/when-everyones-right.html>

2.     'Glee' Airs 'Baby Got Back' Cover Despite Copyright Controversy by, Chelsea         Stark http://mashable.com/2013/01/25/glee-baby-got-back-jonathan-coulton/

3.  POY Finalist Photo Taken to Win Art Contest Leading to Copyright Controversy by ← William Eggleston to be honoured at 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

The 2013 World Press Photo Exhibition

 

Branding

Marketing is very important to the success of any business these days.  One important part of marketing is branding.  Branding can be identified as "name, term, sign, symbol or design.”  You need to understand the needs and wants of your costumers.  You need to do research on what your costumers again need and want.  Branding is a fundamental need to your marketing campaign, one that you don’t want to miss.  It is essential.

With so many companies out there you need to be above the rest.  There is more to branding then just logos and pretty designs.  It is about interaction and claiming your voice.  First you can start by determining what your business is known for.  Think of a certain product or service that stands out.  You need energy behind your brand.  

You need to interact with your audience.  Keep in mind what your brand will look like in 5 years or 10 years.  Don’t be too specific or too generalized.  Being too general overthrows the purpose of having a brand and being too specific prevents the brand from expanding the market.  You need to have consistency in your brand to keep your customers coming back.  The effectiveness of your brand will keep them coming back.  A strong brand is again essential and invaluable to your marketing campaign. 

There are two types of branding personal and internal.  Which is right for your company?  Personal branding can be an indication that this person is an expert in their field.  Personal branding is simpler then company branding mostly because it is easier to sell what you believe in.  So by becoming a pro or expert in your industry you got the handle on personal branding.

You can spend so much time coming up with a marketing plan, and by messing with logos and taglines.  Marketing starts from the inside out.

Product Management

What’s the secret to building products people want to buy?  Well, first you should understand what product management is.  In a few words product management is building, helping, simplifying, collaborating - (sometimes) crying and leading.  So weather you are shipping websites or watches the goal of product management are the same, “helping a team build a products that’s loved by the company,” says HunterWalk, former director of product management at Google.

There are questions you have to answer like who is also making you product, who is buying you product and what are their needs.  So you need to spend more time on sales and marketing.  Hard marketing are activities that engage the customers.  Hard marketing is the essence of what product management is.

“Product management becomes critical when your prospective customers need you to sell them more then one thing in order to become paying customers,” says Alan Ying of Growth Factor.  It’s hard to do product management well, because executing product management takes such organizational tactics “that good intentions almost never make it out the other side intact,” continues Ying.

Product management is successful when a team, one team that reports to one leader this team must work with sales people, support staff, developers, business developers, accounting, legal and marketing.  When a company starts out product management is mostly performed by the founder, because he or she has the strongest product vision.  As the company grows so should the product vision.

So by being the founder of your product start becoming a whole Product Manager.  Start thinking end to end.  Learn everything for the sake of your product and then do everything for the sake of your product, because it’s your baby.  Don’t expect others to raise it for you.  So as it has been said, suck it up.  That’s right suck it up and do your job really well.

Interviwe with Doug Ranie

Doug Raine has been in the film industry for 30 years.  He has worked in a variety of production positions, mostly as an assistant director. His first film was STARMAN and his most recent film, THE LIFEGUARD premieres this week at Sundance in the dramatic competition. Some of the nicer films he has worked on were THE PROGRAM, GHOST AND THE DARKNESS, MEN OF HONOR, and REIGN OF FIRE. His first feature as writer/producer/director, FROM A PLACE OF DARKNESS has won a few awards including “Best Horror Film.”

Question 1: When dealing with people you don't get along with how to you separate the person form the problem?

He has knowledge of all the jobs in the film industry, even though he may not know all the facets of every job, he knows enough to get through problems that may arise. If he doesn’t get along with someone, he makes sure they have all the information to get their job done. If they have trouble getting their job done, he then strives to make sure problems don’t arise… even if that means more work for him. Raine say’s that “the main objective is to get the film done in the safest and most productive way.” 

Question 2: When dealing with Objective Criteria how does 3rd party standers help you in negotiations? 

Raine utilized experience from past films as the “3rd party standard” in dealing with Objective Criteria in negotiations. He usually relies on two or three examples to back up his side of the negotiation. However, he also tries to remain open to the big picture that the other person may be offering.

Question 3: How do you avoid dirty tactics and deal with them in negotiations?

He has found that being upfront and honest works the best to avoid dirty tactics. Again, he will back up his facts with examples from past films. Often, in talking with someone in a negotiation… if you listen to them you may be ale to determine their knowledge and their honesty. This information helps him decide if he wants to work with them. 

What can Product Managers Learn from Film Directors?

Lets discuses “Blade Runner,” Ridley Scott didn’t run the camera, or write the screenplay, he even didn’t act in it, but he did make sure that the “vision” of Harrison Ford’s character caught our “emotions and our intellects.”  Again, he was responsible for the vision and to make sure it all worked together.

Just like any project there is always somebody, lots of bodies, telling you what you should and shouldn’t do and this can work against you when it comes to making decisions.  So, when it comes to the keys to success it is better that one person takes the rains rather then a whole bunch of people.  Product managers share the same vision as film directors do with three key experts, “business director, experience director and technical director.”  When it comes to the limitations of the vision, the experts are allowed to be creative.

Just like in any other professional setting, workers know what their position is and they stay there, the same with the film industry, they do not hinder someone else skills.  The director has so much on his or her plate that they need to know the crew is doing their job, so the director can keep his attention on the “big picture.”

It’s not up to the camera crew to decide what shots need to be filmed or not.  The director is responsible for the budget but the camera crew would be consulted on the difficulty and the cost.  Think of the famous speech that Rutger Hauer wrote in “Blade Runner” this is a demonstration that it takes more then one person to make a film, but a “creative team.”  A creative team, which uses all professionals to the full degree of their creativity.

It is comforting to see that the word ‘vision’ is being used in the film industry again.  Think of the vision it takes for a software company to come up with a new product, like the AppleiPhone, it encourages feelings to think about what can be done.  It is easy to lose your vision, so you need to be carful.  Because this “vision” the director has is the “key to success.”  He or she is responsible for the image and should only be restricted by the budget.