08.26.05

Things I Learned by Making a Feature Film

Well, there is no good news to report. The film has been rejected by every festival we have entered so far. We are still waiting to hear back from twelve of them, and I am still hopeful beyond all reason, but have also been rejected by every distributor that I have contacted. So, at this point it is looking like I will be arranging for distribution through CustomFlix, and Cinema Now which would allow people to buy the film at Amazon and to rent it at Netflix and download it. It's not the ideal scenario I had hoped for, but it's better than letting it sit on a shelf. The trick it that point will be trying to get the film reviewed in magazines, college newspapers, and websites to try and build some sort of grass roots interest.

So, in the face of all this, I thought it would be good to put down a few of the things I've learned by making this film:

1- Make a genre film like comedy, thriller, crime drama, or straight forward movie-of-week drama. The subject matter should be a bit different than what Hollywood produces, but only by about 10-15%. Do not make an experimental drama that incorporates past present and future, monologues, ghosts, archival footage, subtle cross-faded editing, or anything else to different.

2- Film festivals are looking for the same thing that small distributors are looking for, which is basically the same thing that big studios are looking for; getting people's asses in the seats. To that end, they are looking for films that are likely to do this. So make a film mostly like other films that are successful. Again, don't deviate by for than 10-15%.

3- Do not make a film about significant world issues like questioning what a spiritual response to terrorist violence would be on a personal and political level. Issues films are okay, but they should be small and personal, like stories about drug use or dysfunctional families. Big issues are for documentaries.

4- Get a star. Any actor with name recognition will do. The bigger the better. The more stars the better.

5- Sex and violence help create interest in films even if they are completely gratuitous. Seriously consider using sex and violence in your film if that notion does not offend you.

6- Don't, and I mean DO NOT, try to make an "art" film. Not if you want people to see it. Truffaut, Bergman, and Welles would all be making films, could they start out today making the kinds of films they made then and still get distribution? Who is the young Truffaut, Bergman, or Welles of today? If you are French, you might be able to ignore this lesson.

7- Anyone can make a film these days if they have a digital camera, lights, actors, and a computer. That means there are a lot more films to compete with. You have to set your film apart, but can't do that unless your film looks like all the others first. It needs to fit into a defined genre, type, or style, and then needs to separate itself from that group by being just a little bit different. Your film needs to be the quarterback, not the goth-geek, to use a high school analogy. People will watch the quarterback because he is like everyone, but just a little bit different. People will shun the goth-geek because he is too different, and that scares them.

8- You can make a film with practically no money, but the more money you have the more seriously people are likely take your film. Think of it as two people approaching you on the street. Both are good looking and smart, but one is wearing a thousand dollar suit and the other one is in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. Which one will most people pay attention to first? While you can make your film now for nothing, it might make more sense to take the time to drum up a couple of million dollars, even if you don't really need it. You can always spend it on getting some stars.

9- Don't and I mean DO FUCKING NOT go into debt to make your film. Make sure you have the cash to pay for everything. An independent film is not an investment, it is a money pit, and you should not expect any return on your money. Save your money. Make the film. Otherwise you'll be paying 25% more for it by paying your credit cards off for ten years.

10- Ignore everything I just said except #9 and make the film you want to make the way you want to make it. It may only ever be seen by you, but at least you'll be happy with the end result. Do not compromise your art unless you are interested in making money. If you are interested in making money study finance and stay the hell away from filmmaking.

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