Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Ulcers and indies. How making an independent film isn't good for your stomach lining. Catchy

Okay, this may seem like a joke for a title of a blog. But behind it there's no humor really. If I don't have an ulcer, I'm on my way to getting one. Perhaps before making a film filmmakers should have prescription heartburn medication. I know many times over the course of the last 6 years I have really needed something to assuage the indigestion and burning inside I have felt from the process.

I don't want this blog to be a "whiney" tell-all because making a movie is worth it. I can't shake the dream of watching this in front of an audience. I want my sons to look back on this one day and say "Dad chased his dream, so can we" That's a really important lesson I want to impart on both of them instead of, 'dad chased his dream and quit' I have never quit in film...many other things in life but not my creative pursuits. Boy, is this testing me and my endurance and stamina for bullshit.

First thing I would tell filmmakers trying to make a movie is forget about being a filmmaker for a very long time. You're now going to become a businessman. A hustler. A producer. You have to forget the art and learn to speak, walk, dance like a hustler. You are trying to raise money and that doesn't happen in the confines of your imagination. That happens in the real theater called "THE WORLD" and it's a back breaking, mind-numbing, all or nothing process. You can't kind of get fucked trying to raise money. Prepare to be fucked alot. Obviously if I mean real fucking I wouldn't say this because I am married.

Being a producer means being a hustler and chasing...your tail a lot of the time. Really existing in the greatest Catch 22 of all time: need a cast to get financing, need financing to get a cast. So how does someone with no money and just a script go about getting any of this? I mean, how do you attach a cast of known actors when you are unknown and everything about your package remains unknown to Hollywood, therefore, carries a major scarlet letter with the initial N for NO. Now you have a very long hill battle with people in the business of seeing that N change into a P for possibly to a C for cool. It's not easy and it means you have to build a credible package. You need to start having your film aligned with enough credible people above-the-line, that is, that it becomes possible you to join the poker game. Why do I call it a poker game? Because you need a good hand and plenty of times you will have to bluff to stay in each game, whether that's getting an agent to pass a script to an actor or a potential investor to read your script. Bluffing may seem like lying and to a degree, and all producers know this, we're often hovering somewhere in our dream pursuit between truth and fiction. I'm not saying you have to out and out lie to get your movie made, but you sure have to be comfortable with the art of hyperbole. If you're not, you shouldn't be producing any movie. Like any kind of sales, you are on the frontline and you better have good showmanship like PT Barnum. If you can whip them up into a frenzy with no package, that may be enough to improve your hand. Chances are, like everyone else, you need something to keep these people on the phone. A great story will interest almost nobody at first. They want to know and by they I mean the money and the actors(reps), who the hell thinks this project is cool. If they don't see anybody on your guest list or roster, then you can just about forget about getting to play. If you repped an actor and a small project came your way with no attachments of other actors, no discernible marquee producers, you wouldn't spare a breath even if the story got great coverage. I know this because a major boutique agency read my script before we had even one significant attachment...and the coverage was the best I'd ever gotten. And nobody in that agency got off their asses to try and help me make this movie. It was a small film, anyone could tell that by reading...small as in no CG effects, no franchise potential, no tentpole movie, and certainly no video game or sequel potential. Like "Black Swan" without Aarronofsky or Portman. Just a good solid script. I'm not saying it's not enough to write a great script. There are forces out there that can see that get made. I'm talking about being your projects own producer and making your movie from absolutely nothing but your determination and 120 pages of a script you sweat your soul to write. If you have no intention of raising the money and directing this film, okay, time to find a lit agent...some of these ideas may not be so bad though for your intention. I mean, if you can get a reputable Producer to attach or even a recognizable actor, these are all things that can help get you through formidable hurdles called the gatekeepers.This is really for those of you who, like myself the last 7 years, who are determined to make your film your way but not with a credit card, your friends Iphone....but a known cast of actors and a budget you can afford more than just craft service potato chips and beer.

SO I 've said you have to hustle. And here's another hard pill to swallow. If you do this, be prepared for a very LONG HAUL. Again, the average project takes years, sometimes decades to get made in Hollywood--most never get made at all--so you have to be realistic here. If you think it's going to be an overnight or 2 year process, you better go back to doing your own smaller projects with your best friends serving as the cast. It's anything but a short process. It's unpredictable how long. Even as I write this, I am going on 7 years and still not sure whether it's going tohappen when it's NOW supposed to. Many film people become TV people because they would rather see stuff get made than have 1000 dinners, lunches and breakfasts talking about that Oscar potential film they want to make. There's something gratifying about getting to produce and see what you've laboured on not for 10 years but maybe a few months. TV is a here and now medium. Film is a then and maybe but probably not. Again, I'm not saying you can't go out and do this on the cheap and be the next Kevin Smith. Making films has few to no obstacles anymore. But raising money and a marquee cast is still what I'm talking about. Oh and if you're a banker or hedgefund investor who has decided to finance their own feature...or you have a rich Uncle, none of this applies to you...except you will still have to have something on paper that is quasi-readable....but the truth is you're path may be more difficult getting major names...but if you have the dough you can get names...b c and d....Your long haul may be 2-3 years but you will have a movie made at the end of the day because you have the key ingrediant that everyone wants---money. You have money you can get names onboard and pay a great crew and have a handsome film. Yes, I would've been envious a few years ago, but I wouldn't trade my blood/sweat equity and the lessons, contacts, and journey I've experienced for anything less. It's much more gratifying to earn the car than to have someone just buy it for you. This is very true. If you can pay for everything you probably wont' do much except for write the check and have a nice seat ont he set. But if you have to be the person who makes this magic happen from nothing, a journey this will be filled with upsetment, victories, lessons, and ultimately the immense satisfaction that you did this without a silver spoon or rich uncles bank account. Not that there's anything wrong with rich Uncles. Wish I had a few, however, it's like my dad said, you get things easily you don't appreciate them, you i


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