Independent Producer Nathan Erasmus explains how to get your project off the ground

Gravy Media, founded by Nathan Erasmus

Nathan Erasmus is a writer, animation producer and the founder of Gravy Media, an independent animation production facility. FLIP asked him to talk about the tricky business of getting new independent animated projects off the ground.

FLIP: You are an independent producer of animated films - what does that involve in practice?

Nathan: It varies from project to project, but first it always involves finding an idea I'm passionate about. Initially it's a creative job, pulling the team together, working with the writer to develop the story, developing the visuals, and the business plan. After that I become a traveling salesman, attracting investment and pulling in the executives and sales agents to help make it happen.

FLIP: How did you get into the business?

Nathan: Since I was a kid I always wanted to make animated movies. I figured a good entry point would be music videos and initially I collaborated with a song writer called Kristian Leontiou to create the music videos for his (then) new album One eskimO.

One Eskimo

Gravy made two videos independently; they won some awards and then Warner Premiere saw them, liked them and expressed an interest in financing the brand if we could show them a treatment for the series. We spent the next 6 weeks writing and editing the series treatment. It didn’t have dialogue but the visual story had an arc through the various chapters. We created a bunch of mood boards to present alongside the story, and subsequently Warners invested in making the series.

FLIP: How difficult is it to get an animated feature film off the ground?

It's more difficult then a series of shorts as there are so many more elements to consider. It can take years to perfect the world and the story - which can be a time consuming and expensive process. You really have to love and believe in the vision and the people you work with, as committing to produce an animated feature film is like entering into a kind of marriage.

FLIP: Can you tell us a little about some of the projects you are working on?

Nathan: Gravy Media has a slate of 3 feature films. We are developing My Haunted House which I'm making with director Alex Williams and a very talented writer called Tim Lebbon. It's an animated comedy for kids - a faux horror film. It's an original story with everyone's favorite monsters - think The Blues Brothers meets Monster House.

My Haunted House

The second film on our slate is called Roze and The Robots, a Science Fiction animated feature with a strong musical influence based in cyber punk London. I'm producing and directing this alongside the musician and co-creator Jamie Catto, and we plan to make this straight after My Haunted House.

Roze and the Robots

The third film on our slate is a stylish period drama called The Doctor. As this film is based on a true story I can't say too much about this at present apart from it's a very inspiring untold story and we're planning for this to be the third film we produce. For this film I'm working with a talented musician/producer called Raiomond Mirza and the script is being written by Kevin Hood, who wrote  Becoming Jane.

FLIP: You set up Gravy Media, a UK based Production Company. What projects has Gravy produced and what are you most proud of?

Nathan: I set up Gravy Media with school friend and mobile game developer Phil Menni. Aside from client and services work, Gravy is primarily a content creation company. I'm proud of all our babies, the ones that are released, and the ones in development and about to start production.

One eskimO was our first original creation so that was an important milestone for us. Phil and Matt Latchford (Matt designed the One eskimO characters) began a side project called Forest Folk which at present is an iOS educational virtual pet. But the characters and the world they inhabit have so much potential, we'd like to expand the app and turn it into a TV series.

Forest Folk

Most of all I'm proud of the teams we work with on the different projects. Gravy Media might be a young company but we've attracted world class talent with many years of experience in Hollywood and major studios, so it is these people I am grateful for and most proud of, who are helping Gravy achieve our vision.

FLIP: What are the highs and lows of independent film production?

Nathan: It's the best and worst job in the world. The best days are when we reach a creative or commercial milestone, or attract Oscar or Grammy winning talent to a project. It's a natural high that keeps us buzzing for days. The low points might include - for example - spending thousands on a script that is not up to standard, and having to replace the writer. It is hard to see development money spent on something we cannot use, and it's also a horrible feeling to have to let someone go for the sake of the project moving forward. In moments like those, being an independent producer is a tough, lonely job. However right now I'm pleased to say we have a solid writing team in place with story consultants and script editors from Pixar and Disney and I'm fizzing with gratitude at the way the stories are progressing.

FLIP: What advice would you offer to anyone who wants to make their own feature film?

Nathan: First you need an idea you are really passionate about. The reason I am making the films I'm making is because I want to see them and no one else is making them. Don't do it for the money, do it for love because it's likely you will end up spending more than you make, initially. When I got into this business I thought I could write the scripts myself, as I'm an ideas person. But if, like me, you are dyslexic, joining a writing course can feel like joining a self harm group.

I would recommend working with the pros. If you don't know where to start then buy some books on independent production and script writing to get a basic understanding, and connect into your local film making groups or screen agencies to meet like minded individuals, writers etc.
For me this was Screen South; they helped me a lot when I was making the psychological jump from music video series to feature films.
 
Making a feature, especially an animated feature, is a team game. It is at these agencies and groups that you can get constructive feedback and build a core team. If you are already in the industry, an animator or the like might have these contacts. Then, once you've got a story - ideally a script - and some concept art, you can take the basic package to a producer. The more ground work you do initially means the less work they have to do and the more likely they will be to take your project on.

A good producer will have the relationships to see if it's a project the sales agents or broadcasters will want to pick up and help you package it properly. Even if you fail to attract a producer, you can always take it to the business markets yourself and see if you can generate direct interest with sales agents (but make sure you know who your target audience is), then the producers and grant bodies can come afterwards.

For animation, it is unlikely you will get investment unless you have a proof of concept trailer demonstrating the quality of the full artistic vision. If you have generated market interest, have a great script, or have an experienced producer on board, then the grant bodies can most likely help you with the cost of this trailer.

Ultimately there is no written recipe for success; the main thing is to have a strong vision, a good story and belief in the project, then persistence and hard work will make the rest fall into place.

(Editor's note - For more interviews with animation producers, see our interview with animation legend Don Hahn, read what Claus Toksvig has to say about producing independent animated films, and see what Paul Harrison has to say about financing animated TV Series....)