By Any Means Necessary

Funding a no budget production is really about spending your day job paycheck here and there. More memory for the computer, maybe you need a new camera, more tape stock, a piece of costuming, etc. It's 50 bucks here, 100 bucks there. And it really does eat up the paycheck especially after the normal bills, groceries, and lately because of gas prices. If only there was that little extra bit of cash to throw at the production monster. Some little side dough to help fund your no-budget vision.

The next Monster Cops feature is budgeted at $275,000.00. Suffice it to say I'll be doing some major fundraising for that one. But before that I'll be making at least one monster cops short film for no money, which really means out of my paycheck. Total Budget is about $1,000.00. I've got most of the equipment and props, but for what I need to accomplish I need much more, and I need to do some upgrading hardware and software wise. Which means a few chunks out of the paycheck week after week. Luckily I've found a great source of extra income to cover some of that needed funding.

I've posted about metacafe before, which has helped pay the occasional bill. If you're a video maker and you haven't heard of Metacafe's Producer Rewards, then you need to learn more about it. Especially if you have any tips or tricks or hacks about almost anything, make a video about it and you could start earning some bucks on Producer Rewards. Here's the one that's made me the most.


Paper Rose - These bloopers are hilarious

ExpoTV.com has been the real deal for me. With Metacafe you really have to have something clever, or something with a hot chick in it. With ExpoTV you just have to review something on video. Anything from house hold items, electronics, DVD's etc. I've been doing quite a few DVD reviews. I have an extensive collection so I've been going through stacks of DVD's and recording myself talking about it. ExpoTV is really trying to become the one place you can come to get decent feedback about any product, food, travel, excercise gear, you name it. They pay a certain amount for each video review you post depending on the product. You can make between $2 to $10 a video. And then you get 1 cent per view on top of that. They send you your payments monthly to your paypal account (if you don't have one get one.)

For each DVD review I do I make 5 bucks a video. You don't even have to do any fancy editing, but you do have to show a sample of the movie to give it a full review. Most people just talk to their webcams about the product and then they point their cameras at a nearby TV and show a clip of the movie. For me I have to edit. I enjoy making videos too much, and I always try to keep it close to professional looking and decent quality as possible. Always good practice to keep up with the moviemaking skills. I shoot mine on a high quality camera, I record sound with a lapel mic, I set up the lights, I edit the video including actual snippets of the movie or trailer, I use graphics, and occasionally my own original music. Here's an example below.

Beverly Hills Cop DVD Review



There's usually a cap on videos you can post. Right now it's at 75. So if you can clear 75 video reviews at about 5 bucks a piece, then thats an extra 375 bucks in your pocket. And I have a blast making these vids and it's helped fund this short film. Here's one of my favs.

300 DVD Review



And expoTV actually sent me an ExpoTV T-Shirt for my efforts on my Shaun Of The Dead DVD review. Thanks ExpoTV. Although the sound seems to be a bit off on this one. Oh well.

Shaun Of The Dead DVD Review



Do me a fav and check out my other DVD reviews on ExpoTV here. The more you watch them on site the more views and money I can make, and the more you can help me fund these indie movie projects. And give it a try yourself.

It's Called Death Bed, The Bed That Eats People.

The title is taken from Patton Oswalt's current comedy CD.




It's hilarious. And I really mean that. No really. You should get you a copy. Click the pic to get your own.




It's actually the first comedy CD I've listened to in a while that isn't Eddie Izzard, and I've been listenting to everything Izzard non-stop for the past 6 months.




Right now Glorious is in the rotation and is probably my fav. However I have noticed that the DVD performance is different from the CD performance. Same act different performances. They each have different little nuances that make them funny, but I think I prefer the DVD performance. It's the way he says "covered in bees." It cracks me up.




If you love Eddie Izzard and Tetris, then you should definitely check out his official site. It's pretty awesome with everything a website should have, plenty of things to waste your time. http://www.eddieizzard.com/home.izz


New ExpoTV video. This time I'm talking about HELL NIGHT on DVD. As you can see by the freeze frame below they are obviously trying their best to make me look like a big doofus. This freeze frame is by far my fav.




The audio seems to be a bit out of synch and the video lets a digital fart at the end. Other than that, another ExpoTV review DONE.



Looks like we're winning again on OUR STAGE. The other trailer is currently in 6th place in the COMEDY category. Check out the nifty banner they now provide to help promote ya. Feel free to click and vote for us.





And as you can see below, it is, once again, The Paper Rose video. I'm pimping it out again seeing as it's reaching enough views to pay out more money. I've already been able to pay some bills with this video. God bless making money through online video. So watch it a whole bunch a times will ya. And tell your friends.



Paper Rose - The top video clips of the week are here



As far as the production front. Many many projects in the works. Many are work related. And a few career related. But always for fun. Still pimpin the Monster Cops. Still gearing up for that next feature. Much more later.

Basic Paper Engineering

Here we go again. I do play with paper alot. It's what I turn to help me think. it also helps that people like to watch them on Metacafe. This one has inspired a short movie idea. Enjoy.


Pop up Talking Puppet


Pop Up Talking Puppet - Funny bloopers are a click away