San Francisco...NOT

[Doctor Who?]

Here's some of the conclusions me and a few local (L.A.) friends came to regarding how Wiseau wasted money making The Room.

He went into Birns & Sawyer (a camera rental company) and purchased a 'Beginning Director's Package'. No such thing is advertised by Birns & Sawyer. So it's a good guess that the sales team took him for a ride. Part of the 'package' includes a high-end 35mm camera, an Arriflex BL, which probably cost about $85,000-$150,000. It's a sexy beast of a camera. Wiseau purchased everything instead of renting. In addition he rented studio space from Birns & Sawyer, most likely at inflated 'Beginning Director' prices.

According to IMDB and Wikipedia the shooting schedule was 8 months and involved a crew of 400. The Room would've taken no more than 1 month to complete with a responsible Producer and/or Director. I'm assuming he went through several versions of a cast/crew and reshot the whole thing at least three times (like Waterworld). There's probably two extra versions of The Room in his cutting room.

Rather than claim to be a film student and get free film from Kodak he probably walked in bragging about being a big-shot and demanded their best stock. And if we assume an 8:1 shooting ratio (and add more for special incompetence) it's likely than he used in excess of 100,000' of film. At about $1 a foot.

Film processing and color timing is expensive, about $150,000. And I'm sure he processed the footage with himself and Lisa #'s 1 & 2, Mark #1, etc.

He had original music composed for the film and produced a soundtrack CD to go along with the movie. That's gotta be pricey.

And the billboard. Advertising on a major Hollywood street for 5 years has got to run up a huge bill.

Of course now he's made that money back and is essentially living Ed Wood's dream but in the beginning he blew a lot of cash for no reason other than self-aggrandizement. He's like Howard Hughes gene-spliced with a bus-stop crackhead.

Wow.  There is nothing to say but wow.  He know how to waist money.

[goflyblind]

He's like Howard Hughes gene-spliced with a bus-stop crackhead.

i need to find a way to work that into my insult repertoire.

[Darth Geek]

There's probably two extra versions of The Room in his cutting room.

Oh, dear God, no!

And I'm sure he processed the footage with himself and Lisa #'s 1 & 2, Mark #1, etc.

There was a different Lisa at one point?

[Darth Macho]

The Onion's AV Club has an interview with Wiseau where he admits that many of the major roles had understudies. Juliette Danielle was one of those understudies.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/tommy-wiseau,29598/

[Darth Geek]

The Onion's AV Club has an interview with Wiseau where he admits that many of the major roles had understudies. Juliette Danielle was one of those understudies.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/tommy-wiseau,29598/

Understudies, on an independant film?! Wow. Wiseau knows how to plan and budget about as well as he knows how to direct, act and write.

[Doctor Who?]

The Onion's AV Club has an interview with Wiseau where he admits that many of the major roles had understudies. Juliette Danielle was one of those understudies.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/tommy-wiseau,29598/

Understudies, on an independant film?! Wow. Wiseau knows how to plan and budget about as well as he knows how to direct, act and write.

That's what I was thinking.  He seems to think he is a big name respected director who people are dieing to work with so I think either 1)He is Isaac or 2)Edd Wood didn't die he just changed his name to Wiseau.

[Darth Geek]

He seems to think he is a big name respected director who people are dieing to work with so I think either 1)He is Isaac

That would explain SO much.

[MerryWanna]

The Onion's AV Club has an interview with Wiseau where he admits that many of the major roles had understudies. Juliette Danielle was one of those understudies.
http://www.avclub.com/articles/tommy-wiseau,29598/

Eegadzooks! That interview is even more incoherent than the movie:


AVC: What kind of music do you like?

W: I like rock music. I also like classical, if you ask me. I'm very adaptable, they say that. But I have certain preference too, be honest with you. I don't like, speaking about the movie, if I may say couple more words, I like a movie that doesn't drag too much, unless it's purpose. In The Room, we have certain... when you ask me, I don't want to give away. But I like a movie with an action with a certain pace. If it's too monotone, I hate it. No, I don't hate it, I just don't like it, period.

"If you ask me".  Then he mentions "rock" and "classical", two sorts of music that tell you absolutely nothing because the field is far too wide and not at all specific.  Then he rambles on about the movie again.  And says "when you ask me, I don't want to give away", and follows that with some more UTTER FUCKING VAGUENESS.

I've had a lifelong fetish for longhaired guys.  This honestly may have broken it and messed up my sexual brain.  And I can deal with very, very stupid stoners on that level.  This is...different. "Stupid" does not begin to describe it.  Those stoners would have needed to be whacked with a clue stick.  Tommy Wiseau needs an entire skyscraper of clue to fall on his head.  Such an edifice does not exist in this world. And if it did, it would have to be made of so much cluedness, it wouldn't fall if there was a 9 point earthquake shaking it.