Screenwriters are often told to go out and produce their own projects. But there’s just one question: Where do you start? for ghost show The horror-comedy mockumentary series from showrunner Preston Garcia and showrunner Brennan McNichol began with the popularity of TikTok.
ghost showPublished weekly on the free streaming service Plex, it tells the story of a group of non-believers who hunt for ghosts in the hope of getting rich quick from eccentric clients. Garcia and McNichol, who co-directed the show, faced the unique challenge of making a low-budget series that already had an audience.
this ghost show The pair sat down on Zoom to discuss turning ideas into completed works, accepting creative constraints and finding distribution outlets for their standalone series.
create ghost showfoundation
Garcia’s initial thoughts ghost show What started as a TikTok skit went viral in less than a day. Garcia began writing the series after pitching the series to McNichol, a pioneer of content creator-led projects in the industry.
“We sat down and wrote a 14-page script, which was very short. I thought we would do 10 episodes,” Garcia said. “That was the original goal. We knew it was going to be improv, so we didn’t get too hung up on the ideas we wrote down. We just knew they were the blueprints.
With the foundations in place, the pair began looking for a budget and thinking about how to thrive within the creative constraints they faced.
“I took an unconventional approach to this, which was to write down what you wanted to make,” McNicholl said. “I think the best content comes when you write what you really want to do. Of course, I think, no big crowds, no explosions, no theme parks – you still have to have some guidelines. But I think Try not to limit creativity too much within the budget and then we go out and raise money.
While McNicholl is experienced in raising funds for promising productions, novice screenwriters looking for connections and funding to make their projects a reality can check out ScreenCraft’s ongoing competitions. Horror projects are successful no matter the budget, and the ongoing ScreenCraft Horror Competition can help you find the right people to get your project off the ground. But if you’d like to fund your non-genre project or complete a production, the Film Fund Grant Program can help by providing $30,000 in grants and prizes to winners.
But finding a budget is only a small part of filmmaking. Once you have the funds, it’s time to kill your darlings.
Read more: 5 Ways to Live on a Screenplay Budget
Embrace creative limitations
“So we raised $150,000 for this, and once you raise $150,000, you really have to work backwards from the budget,” McNicholl noted. “We said, ‘Okay, what’s reasonable? What are our absolute fixed costs?
Garcia enjoyed creating killer content without a budget, and McNichol accepted the challenge.
Once fixed costs were determined, the pair began cutting expenses to fit their vision within their budget. They work with skeleton crews, in limited locations, with simple effects, and rely on local communities.
“We often start from the budget and work backwards — here’s the money we have, here’s what we want to do,” McNicholl said. “You have to edit along the way, but sometimes you get really creative with locations. For example, we can shoot the outside of a building when we can’t shoot the inside. A lot of it depends on the schedule.
this ghost show Staff work 10 hours a day, trying to squeeze in as much time as possible. Despite limited time and budget, McNicholl and Garcia managed to balance their creative vision with the practicalities of production.
“I always ask ahead of time, ‘Later in the day, when we get to this point, how long will it take to complete the setup?’ so I know when to leave a scene,” McNichol said. “Some directors will take 20 takes to get the perfect moment, but we rarely take more than two or three takes — unless it’s a super important moment.”
“Brendan and I are the kind of people who might argue over a joke and five seconds later one of us is like, ‘Oh, man, that’s a good idea. My bad,'” Garcia added . “Open communication is our motto. I’m very creative and say, ‘Let’s just do this joke. Trust me, you’re all going to hate me now, but in a few episodes, you’re going to be glad we did it.’ Both have confidence in each other.
Read more: “Beyond” How writer/directors adapt to misfits
“Ghost Show” (2024)
Package yourself for success
Being a screenwriter doesn’t always mean you choose your own original script, no matter how good the idea is. Sometimes you have to invest in yourself to make your project a reality. The end result may not be a six-figure deal, but it can open new connections and doors.
this ghost show duo emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels happy to contribute.
“What helped us was that our cast and everyone on the team cared about this project,” Garcia said. “Everyone is having a great time on set, and when that happens, people want to promote it, go to premieres, and talk about it. I think Plex saw that and found it attractive, and that Helped us close the deal.
“What I’ve been focusing on for the past four years is creator-led projects,” McNicholl said. “Creators have loyal audiences who want to see them succeed. Many are extremely talented and can not only develop but thrive on these platforms. The key is to do it well with the right talent and a quality product Plex watched every episode before it ended, which was the most important factor in the show’s success.
Whether you’re connecting with other writers and filmmakers on Coverfly or attending film events, there are many ways to find a community eager to help you realize your vision. The days of production can be tough, but the results are worth it.
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There’s a good chance your good idea is indeed a good idea. If no one is ready to take a chance on you, then it’s your responsibility as a creative to build a portfolio that shows decision-makers that your great ideas are worth paying attention to. One way to do this is to photograph the project yourself. Yes, there will be limitations, but that’s part of filmmaking.
Does your project end up on a streaming platform, e.g. ghost show Or as a stepping stone to a greater connection, bringing your project to life can lead to great things.
Ghost Show is now available on Plex, with the final episode premiering on October 29th.
Read more: From a producer’s perspective: How to think about budget, genre and distribution
