First of all, who is the "we" here? Interpreter? Redbrick Filmworks? The vagueness is certainly interesting. (And deliberate, one assumes.) But you also have to wonder why--when the expressed goal here is to get as many people as possible to watch--there is "no advertising budget at all." Perhaps the thinking was that merely using the Interpreter President's connections would do the trick? Then again, it may be that the budget plan for the film was....shall we say, problematic?We’re trying to get the word out, and we hope that you’ll help us. We don’t have a big advertising budget for Becoming Brigham. Truth be told, we don’t even have a small advertising budget for the project. (We have no advertising budget at all.) What we’re relying upon, what we’re hoping for, is that people will watch the series and, we hope, like it, and that they will then share it with others. Will you join us?
Take the case of the classic, 1993 low-budget cinematic success story, El Mariachi directed by Robert Rodriguez. The film launched Rodriguez's career as a filmmaker and was wildly successful and yet it was produced on a shoestring budget: the entire production cost $7,225. Rodriguez accomplished this by using a number of cost-cutting measures--doing the editing in-camera, for example, or using locals as (unpaid) actors. Notably, Rodriguez drummed up nearly half of the budget by "participating in experimental clinical drug testing." Now, compare this to what we've learned about the funding of Bowdlerizing Brigham. The Afore has stated that he went on *six* 5-6 day-long trips, and that his expenses were covered by Redbrick Films. (Whether any of Redbrick's budget came via donations to Interpreter remains unknown, though it seems likely). So, we can assume 30-36 travel days, which might break down as follows:
--Airfare: $450 per flight x 6 trips = $2,700
--Lodging: 36 x $150 per night = $5,400
--Meals: 3 meals per day @ $15 per meal x 36 days = $1,600
All told, simply covering the Afore's expenses on this film comes to $9,720--well beyond what Rodriguez put up to produce a film that has become a cult classic. And as the Wikipedia entry relates, executives at Columbia Pictures liked the film so well that they eventually chipped in $200,000 to get the movie onto film, and then "millions more on marketing." Could it be that Rodriguez's gritty determination played a role in the movies ultimate success? It definitely seems that way.
So, what's the lesson for the Mopologists here? One takeaway here would seem to be a matter of priorities. If gaining the widest possible audience was the main goal, then why not tell the Afore to stay home and instead use that $10,000 on marketing? I mean, is the film really helped by scenes of him sitting around and musing about a conspiracy theory where BY plots to take out Joseph Smith? But there is also the matter of commitment and sacrifice. Robert Rodriguez was willing to put his own body at risk and undergo medical tests in order to generate money for the film. Where is a similar sacrifice from BB's producers? Sure: the Afore has stated that he gives money to Interpreter, but he has not clarified whether any of that money has been transferred over to Redbrick. Meanwhile, we've been led to believe that "running Interpreter" is somehow on a par with a senior mission, and yet, once again, the element of "sacrifice" seems to be missing. What if the Afore gave up some of his travel budget and diverted that money instead to a marketing fund for Bowdlerizing Brigham?
Well, as the saying goes, we all have to live with our choices. But the very clear lessons from El Mariachi are there for any nascent or wannabe filmmakers who are willing to listen.
