Making Indie Films

Writing a script or casting or getting your picture off the ground is hard. It will take time and dedication. It is a process. For every overnight success story you might read about people writing a movie in a weekend, or shooting it in twelve days, or getting finance in an afternoon - there are thousands of others who spend months and years and decades doing THIS to finally get that break or their moment in the spotlight. The latter are the unsung ranks of filmmakers, writers and actors who toil in anonymity - dotting the ‘i’s’ and crossing the ‘t’s’ and hoping that this will ALL work out for them in the end.

You and I are those people - the unsung ranks. And on some days, like today, you will wonder what the point is… Well, never fear, because hope is at hand. Much the same as any relationship, the relationship that you have with your work needs to be cultivated. It is part of your life. A BIG part, YES. But nevertheless it is only part. So for your relationship with your work to make sense, you need to balance it out with other activities. Commitment to THE BIG PICTURE called life is key…

Imagine the dating metaphor for a minute… Remember that girl (or boy) that you really liked and you started dating? It was great, first off, wasn’t it? You were excited by those dinners and going to a movie on friday night. But imagine if you did that date every night and it was the same date. After a while you might even find yourself ignoring family and friends and sunshine and rain just to do that friday-night-date 24-7. Yes - I know it’s addictive. Still, the outcome would be obvious - wouldn’t it? Family and friends would stop talking to you and get angry. You’d lose any connection you had with the real world. And as for the date… it would be boring and awful and meaningless - then only a matter of time before you and your dating partner were through… Well - the date is your work and career - and this is what happens to people when they focus too much on their work or putting their movie together. It has happened to me and it can happen to you. Still, as long as you recognize it, YOU CAN and YOU WILL fix it. Remember - you are a human being first and a director or writer or actor - second. To be successful creatively you must be a successful human being first…

I’m not a huge fan of self-help theories - but I think it is sometimes important to listen to advice, especially when it’s good advice. Indirectly, Margie gave me this advice and I’m passing it on to you, in the form of an easy to understand self-help exercise…

Yes - it’s an exercise - but actually quite simple. Focus on your life today - not your work. Take an hour or two off and spend it with somebody important to you. Discuss other things apart from your script or your movie. Take a walk. Go to a museum or park or skating rink. Reconnect with yourself and the world. Do it now - today - before it’s too late. I promise it will improve your quality of life and in turn improve whatever you are working on. You need to regain your energy and enthusiasm. You need to de-focus on what your working towards in order for it to become clear again…

Now go out and do it. Yes - right now - this minute, or you might end up like Jeff Garlin in I WANT SOMEONE TO EAT CHEESE WITH… I like Sarah Silverman - but I’m not even sure if this is funny… As for the pic of Milla Jovovitch up top - well she is number ONE at the box office…