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The following is practical advice for up and coming independent filmmakers based on my own experiences and methods:
Being a responsible producer
Following the production of Missive, a very common reaction from many people was how efficient everything ran. John Fox who has worked on hundreds of small films commented on how well organised Missive was as opposed to many of the other smaller films he’s worked on where everything is very disorganised. Even our lead actor Paul Reichstein said it was the best set he had ever worked on.
People were in complete shock when they discovered that this was also my first film and seem to expect that because of that fact everything should have been disastrous. The thing that I told them is that basically if you are a good organiser and planner in general situations then all you need to do is apply that knowledge to filmmaking. Leave as little as possible to chance and the end result should be satisfying. Of course you can only plan 98 per cent of anything. The other 2 per cent is in God’s hands (just cast a Priest and these problems should be solved—just kidding) whether it is something unexpected causing an actor to not show up or bad weather conditions, there is always an element of chance to contend with but so long as you plan whatever is in your control things should work in your favour. Basically an extended pre-production makes for a smoother and more organised shoot. There is no need to rush into making a film. If you rush through or skip pre-production the set will be reminiscent of some kind of frat party which is the last thing you want.
Another important thing to remember is that you are not all that counts on the film. Actors and crew members were not put on earth just to work on your film, so understand that people have other commitments that you need to take into consideration. Try and accommodate everybody as much as you can and be understanding. Your main goal as an independent filmmaker is to try and get rid of people as quickly as possible. By this I mean, do not waste any actors’ time. For example the idea you should strictly adhere to is to try and shoot any respective actor’s scenes in one block and then they can go home and you can remove them from your list of people to worry about. You have to be the boss and the father figure. For example, Michelle was needed for two scenes in the film; the cemetery and exteriors of Walter’s house. Now instead of say shooting the cemetery scene on one day then sending Michelle home and then calling her back for her other scene on another day, the most prudent thing to do is to organise it so all of her scenes were done on one day and everything else set in or around those locations were also shot in that same day. Bottom line is that you must take up as little of an actor’s time as possible. Especially on a small film where money can’t buy all the time in the world. Respect your actors and crew and they will respect you.
Don’t keep an actor on stand-by. If you are paying them you can’t afford to waste money on this unless you have studio backing, but because you are an indie who I am assuming like myself is not born with a silver spoon, money is precious so spend wisely. Work out how long you want to spend shooting each scene and have actors or specialised crew arrive at around the time they are needed. Don’t have them arrive first thing in the morning if you don’t need them until the afternoon. When you are playing with a small amount of money, there is always more work involved. For this film I performed numerous jobs that weren’t in my producer’s title. I personally catered the film to save money; I did props and I scouted and secured most of the locations, among many many other things. Don’t hire everybody. Only necessary personnel should be hired, but for the doable jobs, just do them yourself and save some money. You can always catch up on sleep after the film is made. Work hard and don’t let anything get by you. Be on top of everything.
Remember the harder you work, the cheaper it will be and the more rewarding when you work on bigger projects and they see how much of an asset you are in that you learnt the hardest possible way first, so any project from here on out will be a little easier. It’s like learning to drive in an 18 wheeler with heavy steering. If you master the hardest thing first, any car you drive after that will be a piece of cake. The same applies to filmmaking.
And last but not least. Be reasonable. Work within your allocated budget. Put all of your dollars up on to the screen. Try to avoid using money on things that don’t add production value. Things like production insurance cannot be avoided but is important in being a responsible producer and making sure that you take the best care of your people so that you create a pleasant working environment where they will be glad to come back and work for you again. Inexperience is not an excuse for a badly organised film. It all comes down to common sense, hard work and trying to surround yourself with the best people possible. You are the one people will look to when things go wrong, questions need answering or when people need help so be professional and do your homework. Be a combination of creative and realistic.
Learn to compromise
What makes for not only a good film, but a friendly working environment is compromise. You are not infallible— no one is. Listen to other peoples ideas and input. Don’t be stubborn just because you think no one else has the right to suggest ways to improve the film. Film is a collaborative process so learn to collaborate. You don’t have to listen to every suggestion, but if you honestly believe someone else’s ideas make any part of the film work better then use it. Your main priority should be the good of the film not the good of your ego. I’ve met young filmmakers who say I don’t care if people like my film, this is my vision and I don’t care what people think. Remember, the film medium is intended for audiences so do consider them when making decisions. Your priority should be the film and nothing else.
Writing the script
Respect the writing process. So many people belt out a quick script and shoot it and the problem is you often have a script that isn’t at its full potential and replete with plot holes. Script writing is as artistic as it is scientific. The artistic side is creating the story, characters and dialogue. The scientific side is structuring, problem solving and filling in gaps. Script needs a lot of TLC as it is the first thing people have to go on when assembling a cast and crew. A bad script cannot miraculously transform itself into a good film. A script with problems becomes a film with bigger problems. It doesn’t cost money to write to a script so before taking on the expenses involved in making a film, take the time to make it work. This is the foundation of the film. There is no rush to make a film so write for as long as it takes until the script is the best it can be. At the same time also remember there is no such thing as a finished script in the sense that things can and will be altered during rehearsals and filming. There comes a time where you have to consciously walk away from it as you can keep tweaking it forever and ever. A helpful tool is to use a script editor you trust or if co-writing try to find a co-writer that has complimentary skills. Two writers with the exact same skills means that there is no one to moderate your writing as it is basically you writing two fold. Working with people who have different talents means you are covering more bases.
Know your role
Whatever your job may be, know your place and don’t interfere with other peoples jobs. By all means throw in a suggestion but never tell them how to do their job. Do what your job calls for and make sure everyone knows what their respective jobs entail. Film is one big blurred line when it comes to knowing who should take on what responsibility. Film is that infamous gray area that falls in the middle of the black and white world otherwise known as the real world. Communication is the key. Brief everybody and make sure they know their demarcation lines on set. It will be a complete disaster area if the DOP tries to be the director, the director tries to be the producer and the producer tries to be the DOP. You’ve hired them to do a job so let them do it.
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FILM 101 |