Self producing can feel like sitting in the front car of the roller coaster, peddling to make it go. That uphill climb and the backsliding can make it feel like the ride is over at least ten times before the ride is actually over.
How do we survive the stalls? I’m getting a lot of great suggestions:
- Make a fuck-it bucket where we toss in stuff that didn’t work out and go back to square one.
- Make a poster with a list of ‘reset’ instructions and start over at square one.
- Call another filmmaker, vent, and start over…
Starting over = forward movement = success. In the end, we were never stalled; we just found a work-around. We just have to Get to the End.
It only looks like it’s dying. {It’s not.}
Oh and whatever we thought this film/play/series was going to be… it’s now the opposite of all of that. It’s its own living, breathing thing. And it’s about to start walking and we may have to chase it a little to keep it on track.
It takes as long as it takes. Deadlines are imaginary.
Everyone has ever-changing busy schedules, so don’t panic. It’s just the opposite of everything we imagined. But it’s awesome.
Build the momentum. Then support it.
I used to be one of those artists that gave in & moved on when things fell apart. Now I just keep starting over at square one. At least 50 times.
Tell me what you’re reviving or how you overcame your latest hurdle – I’d love to hear about it!
Hey Sonora!
Been reading your blog, following your Twitter and I find it all very inspiring. I finished writing a feature length screenplay with a leading role for myself in it because I grew extremely tired and frustrated with the (girlfriend of the leading guy) roles I seemed to continually go up for. I knew I could create something interesting and unique with a strong female voice.
Now…I am done writing and moving into the next phase. It all seems very daunting, but I am committed to following through with it. There have been no major hurdles yet because I am just beginning to reach out to collaborators, but I am immediately learning WHAT I want and WHY I want to do this project, which is then helping me focus on strong, like-minded collaborators.
Do you have any advice on how to reach out to people from a network? Because my credits are in acting, I can understand why people might be hesitant to get involved in my film without giving it a chance – (although they should because I know it’s great!) Do you have any advice specifically on how to gain respect as not only an actor, but a person who creates content that is worthy of experienced filmmaking collaborators?
Thanks so much!
-Victoria
Way to go! That is awesome. I think that we gain respect is merely how we do business…in every aspect. From taking a project out of it’s creative period and into the world, to crewing up, to editing our contracts. I love the expression “How we do anything is how we do everything.” It is possible to build respect simply by launching the project and moving forward.
I think there are a couple of ways to reach out once you have a script. First, talk to your script coach. As professional writers, they can refer you to the right kind of people that can be the beginning of your team. If you didn’t then I highly recommend finding several, interviewing them, and doing re-writes with a script coach. Leads branch out then from those leads. Also, one thing I am trying to do is to meet more people than I think I need to meet. It’s kind of like dating – the chemistry has to be there on top of everything else. Also available are leads from industry events and organizations that are specifically designed for new media makers, like Women in Film, various film festival workshops, and Paley Center.
Keep me posted Victoria!
Thanks so much for your support! Definitely great advice. I’m definitely trying to reach out and make connections in various different groups. I”m going to some IFP events this week, where I’m sure I’ll meet some great filmmakers and I have a Skype meeting coming up in a few days with my script analyst, so I’ll pick her brain for any good leads! Thanks again and I look forward to your next blog!
I self produced a short film which wrapped on Sunday. Saturday morning (once I was at work and had to be all day) I discovered we didn’t have a sound mixer for the shoot. People kept telling me I needed to postpone the shoot, which to me would have been giving up because I couldn’t afford to rent the equipment again, and I was so spent getting everything together I couldn’t fathom doing it again. I almost did. Then I made one last phone call. Which led to 7 other phone calls which resulted in finding a sound mixer, and the shoot was back on! The product is currently with my editor, and I’m so relieved!
That is awesome Emily! It seems like there’s always some huge thing that happens that can take the shoot down. But also, in the end it seems to work out – because we don’t give up! I can’t wait to see your film.