dianafilms

All About Diana Films: Who we are, what we do and how we do it

Who We Are
Established by Francesca Prada, Diana Films was founded to provide high quality talent to creative projects in the advertising and entertainment industry.  Diana Films also remains committed to creating more opportunities for women, emerging talent, and self-identified minorities.

The award winning independent film work, as well the multi-award winning ad campaigns we've produced have all benefited from the judicious and well timed deployment of resources, talent and content.  On message, on time and on budget for 18 years.

What We Do
We serve as a part-incubator and creative engine for most media centric projects, as well as serving production, agency and start-up clients in the film, advertising, gaming, digital media and TV industry.  Our bilingual staff can handle the full cycle of production, supporting clients in need of production services for English and Spanish language projects.

We also develop and produce independent films, advertising campaigns, integrated branding initiatives, documentaries and transmedia projects that put technology in the service of art and the brand story.

How We Do it
Our productions embrace the triple bottom line and make every effort to deploy best practices involving: green production methods, value engineering, effective workflows, leadership development and mentoring.  Many of the projects we've managed had "many tentacles" and in addition to relying on traditional media, we have also used social and earned media (free media) to both promote and in some instances execute the work.

How can we help your next great project exceed expectations?

Services:

• Project Consulting: Production, Marketing and Content Strategy for Media & Entertainment Start Ups, Independent Filmmakers, Documentary Projects, Non-Traditional Marketing Campaigns, Mid-Sized Branding Consultancies
  
  
• Content strategy for Online Ventures including digital content programming initiatives, curatorial services; as well as talent & member acquisition, community engagement and retention strategy 
  
  
• Agency Producing for TV/Radio/Integrated Campaigns in the General and Hispanic Market. We can take your campaign from as early as the research & pitch phase all the way through to QC and site launch and/or shipping/uploading for air 
  

• Producing & Production Services for Commercial Production Companies (Union & Non)

• Script & Story: Consulting & Editing, as well as subject area research & dramaturgy
  
  
• Proposal drafting, bidding, budgeting & scheduling, P & L, marketing and film festival outreach for independent films and documentaries

• Spanish Language Production

• Internationalization
  
  
• Mentoring, Training, Teaching and coaching
  
  
• Directing talent for audio sessions, on camera, live performance or public speaking
  

 

 

 

Advice to the budding producer

Recently I was clearing out my mailbox and spotted this little bit of very simple advice to one of my consulting clients who is busily shaping her first film:

"the real role of producer is leadership, its as much about who you hire as it is about how you set the tone for everyone else. If you're calm and evenhanded, everyone else will be too, ideally, its a subtle thing to do but it helps.

Also, if during the shoot you have the ability to be at least two weeks ahead of everyone in terms of all the things that need to be ready (money, deliverables to funders/backers, contracts, crew, gear, travel, maybe even the food detail needs to covered by you, and who knows what else lands on your plate? LoL)

Sure, you'll have the thorough check lists to double check everyone's work, and because you're ahead of everyone you can handle anything that comes up during production and in post. Since you've planned ahead and you're ready, you'll be fine no matter what comes up. If you can't fix it, you will know (or you'll find out) who can. After the shoot starts, its about staying awake and open to the opportunity and the challenge of doing the best with what you've been given. 

Its all about showing up, accountability and follow through. Ultimately, the producer is responsible for everything that happens from the moment you sign on (and sometimes before); its the people you surround yourself that cary out the tasks, managing them and putting the right resources into play on their behalf, at the right time and the right place, is up to you. Mistakes will be made, make good ones and quickly deal with the not so good ones.

Here's the bullseye: As a producer you're always in the service of the story, the director, and advocating on behalf of the cast & crew.

ok, stay transparent and lead on, trust the process and put in safety scaffolding for everyone to be fearless and take the risks that make good films, great films.

go, Francesca

Every Child is Born a Poet: the life and work of Piri Thomas

Wow, I'm very happy to see this is available.
you can watch this film in its entirety on Hulu, for free.
Its a cool film enjoy it, oh, btw I'm one of the producers.
Very fortunate to be able to share this film with you, it gets better with additional viewings.
Many layers.
I'm kvelling,
F

http://bit.ly/9T3UK

Great Ad from India

This video is a great example of the great ads that fully embrace the specificity of cultural symbols while still relaying universal truths in funny and memorable ways.

TFTD: Zinger

Even the best projects have difficult people, just make sure you're not one of them. Francesca Prada on set 2008

catharsis, comedy and the importance of laughter

without laughter there's no insight and no growth. I've often thought that comedians at the height of their talents are also healers and philosophers. Actors, artists, writers and performers can also be healers and philosophers and in some cases therapists that heal rooms full of people, even if its just for a few hours. Those two hours can be all a person needs to get perspective and be drawn into a greater awareness of the human condition. The role of music just completes the work, as always, music is the glue that enhances and provides its own complementary narrative.

classical gas!!! Funny

User Generated Content Principles

User Generated Content providers have banded together to establish basic rules of the road.

[Sony/crackle, CBS Corp., Dailymotion, Fox, Microsoft, MySpace, NBC Universal, Veoh, Viacom and Disney.]

I wonder what creative commons has to say on this:

http://www.ugcprinciples.com/

Annuale Spot from SNL-parody

Ok, I had trouble breathing after laughing so hard: enjoy!

creature comforts-art