Dropping Knowlegde...or at least trying to
Yesterday I was asked to speak on a panel about the process of getting an indie film made. The panel was part of IFP Film Week, taking place all week in NYC. Now for anyone that knows me, I am a big supporter of IFP; they have been instrumental in my film career. They have supported three of my projects: On the Outs, Autumn's Eyes and Entre Nos. I have had the pleasure to partake in the IFP Market two times, both in the doc section for Autumn's Eyes, and now with the emerging narrative section for Entre Nos. Needless to say, when they asked me to speak on the panel, I jumped at the opportunity.
I took this "job" very seriously because I thought I might be in a position to help someone in the audience with advice, knowledge, or by just saying something that might keep someone focused a little longer on their dream.
Panels are tough. Both for the listener, the organizer and the participant. As a listener you have to struggle not to fall asleep, as an organizer you have to bring a group of strangers together and hope the chemistry is right, and as a participant you want to be helpful & insightful but not come off as an ego maniac.
Ok, so why am I saying all of this? Because yesterday as I looked out to the audience I realized, damn...I have a lot of information I can give to these filmmakers. I have experience from all sides of the spectrum, from self-distribution, to traditional distribution, to directing, to producing, to acting, to writing, to finding investors, to publicity.... to just about everything except having millions and millions of dollars to do what I like with. So I thought, let me put my blog to use....
Below is a list of lessons learned through the hard knocks of indie film. They are in no particular order of importance; instead they are as as they came to mind.
1. To be JUST an artist is a hindrance to your art.
As I look around to my fellow filmmakers that are having success, the one thing they all have in common is that they each have a good business sensibility. Now I am not talking about a wall street sensibility. I am talking about the basics. Be able to talk about marketing, your core audience, how you think you can get people in seats. Be able to talk to investors about their investment and their potential profit. Be able to sit in a business meeting and make those wall street folks comfortable. In other words...you got to go back to the old school model of director/producer.
2. Educate yourself.
I cannot tell you how many times I have been in a meeting and have impressed all the men in suits because I knew which other films had been successful, or that this executive moved to this company, or the opening grosses of that indie film. Or that X company just closed or bought Y film. Information impresses people...you need to impress people. From your script, to your directing, to your knowledge, when people are impressed they will not forget you.
3. Distribution Blues SUCK but they will soon be no longer.
We must change the old distribution model into something new. I was talking with a couple of film executives and they said the model of indie films going to a film festival and being bought and then distributed is DEAD. That's right...it is D E A D. What does that mean exactly? I am not sure except for the fact that we filmmakers are in an exciting place because we get to create a new model. We get to make the rules, we get to be creative with how we make money...we get to be hands on so those distribution blues will be no longer. This of course is another reason why we must be business savvy. Filmmakers PLEASE don't bitch and whine about the new place we find ourselves in, instead embrace it...it's change. And as we ask our politicians for change, let's embrace the change that is happening in our own backyards.
4. My success is because of my community.
I have continued to work over and over with the same people because not only are they talented but because they have become my family. We support each other, we comfort each other, we fight with one another, but at the end of the day we truly love each other. Making art is a communal affair. It is about people coming together under one vision and working hard in order to accomplish that vision. Yesterday I had a filmmaker thank me because I was so "open". She was in shock that I told her my "secrets" of success. This type of attitude must change. We filmmakers need to be a community and help one another. We need to share the wealth because my success only helps your success and vice versa. I am only successful when we are all winning.
5. Be as creative with raising money as you are with your art.
Put some of that creative energy into raising money. Go down the tradition route but then also walk the unbeaten path. Grants, co-productions, parties, begging..whatever you need to do in order to get it done do it...
some concrete sources off the top of my head:
www.cinereach.org
www.indiegogo.com
www.wmm.com
6. Give in order to get.
Work for free & work for cheap. When you give of your time and your talent you will be rewarded double. People will come and work on your project when you need them to. Give! Don't be stingy...
Alright my people...those are my lesson's learned...
p
I took this "job" very seriously because I thought I might be in a position to help someone in the audience with advice, knowledge, or by just saying something that might keep someone focused a little longer on their dream.
Panels are tough. Both for the listener, the organizer and the participant. As a listener you have to struggle not to fall asleep, as an organizer you have to bring a group of strangers together and hope the chemistry is right, and as a participant you want to be helpful & insightful but not come off as an ego maniac.
Ok, so why am I saying all of this? Because yesterday as I looked out to the audience I realized, damn...I have a lot of information I can give to these filmmakers. I have experience from all sides of the spectrum, from self-distribution, to traditional distribution, to directing, to producing, to acting, to writing, to finding investors, to publicity.... to just about everything except having millions and millions of dollars to do what I like with. So I thought, let me put my blog to use....
Below is a list of lessons learned through the hard knocks of indie film. They are in no particular order of importance; instead they are as as they came to mind.
1. To be JUST an artist is a hindrance to your art.
As I look around to my fellow filmmakers that are having success, the one thing they all have in common is that they each have a good business sensibility. Now I am not talking about a wall street sensibility. I am talking about the basics. Be able to talk about marketing, your core audience, how you think you can get people in seats. Be able to talk to investors about their investment and their potential profit. Be able to sit in a business meeting and make those wall street folks comfortable. In other words...you got to go back to the old school model of director/producer.
2. Educate yourself.
I cannot tell you how many times I have been in a meeting and have impressed all the men in suits because I knew which other films had been successful, or that this executive moved to this company, or the opening grosses of that indie film. Or that X company just closed or bought Y film. Information impresses people...you need to impress people. From your script, to your directing, to your knowledge, when people are impressed they will not forget you.
3. Distribution Blues SUCK but they will soon be no longer.
We must change the old distribution model into something new. I was talking with a couple of film executives and they said the model of indie films going to a film festival and being bought and then distributed is DEAD. That's right...it is D E A D. What does that mean exactly? I am not sure except for the fact that we filmmakers are in an exciting place because we get to create a new model. We get to make the rules, we get to be creative with how we make money...we get to be hands on so those distribution blues will be no longer. This of course is another reason why we must be business savvy. Filmmakers PLEASE don't bitch and whine about the new place we find ourselves in, instead embrace it...it's change. And as we ask our politicians for change, let's embrace the change that is happening in our own backyards.
4. My success is because of my community.
I have continued to work over and over with the same people because not only are they talented but because they have become my family. We support each other, we comfort each other, we fight with one another, but at the end of the day we truly love each other. Making art is a communal affair. It is about people coming together under one vision and working hard in order to accomplish that vision. Yesterday I had a filmmaker thank me because I was so "open". She was in shock that I told her my "secrets" of success. This type of attitude must change. We filmmakers need to be a community and help one another. We need to share the wealth because my success only helps your success and vice versa. I am only successful when we are all winning.
5. Be as creative with raising money as you are with your art.
Put some of that creative energy into raising money. Go down the tradition route but then also walk the unbeaten path. Grants, co-productions, parties, begging..whatever you need to do in order to get it done do it...
some concrete sources off the top of my head:
www.cinereach.org
www.indiegogo.com
www.wmm.com
6. Give in order to get.
Work for free & work for cheap. When you give of your time and your talent you will be rewarded double. People will come and work on your project when you need them to. Give! Don't be stingy...
Alright my people...those are my lesson's learned...
p
posted by Entre Nos at
2:08 PM
3 Comments:
Good stuff. All true. Real talk.
Congrats on the film ... pls give my regards to Gloria as well :)
TAA 2008 ... trying to be like y'all!
Paola, I hadn't read this before we talked the other day, but I should have. These is good stuff -- and I especially endorse your point 4 -- "Community leads to success". I am certain that this is the direction of future developments that will shape new paths in distribution and fund raising! And here's the weak little post I made based on your comments about Ballast!
http://blog.indiepixfilms.com/2008/09/28/headlines-and-storylines/
Hi Paola
Good thinking. Thanks for tell us your experience.
Good luck with the movie!
Post a Comment
<< Home