IT IS NOT ENOUGH THAT WE GET OUR FILMS “SHOT”. No flip flopping mistake about it, for indie-first timers “after care” is do or muthuhfudding die. In spanning a horizon, “shooting” is to kindergarten what sales agents, distribution (or DIY), festivals (or roadshows), launch (theatrical, viral, backwoods, front porch) is to a PhD. Of course, I’m speaking hypothetically; there’s no outer curriculum PhD for launching films. Because in the macro, filmmaking is sheer piss pot joyous folly and I was never as creatively gratified and in complete effortless alignment asI have been while making this film.
I don’t care what media or platform one’s heart screams for, actually getting to offer up our films to an audience is what I’m discussing. In whatever shape, form or desire that translates to you. I did NOT make this film for my Aunt Edna and her best gals to watch on a tattered sheet in the basement every third Tuesday. (Full Disclosure: I don’t have an Aunt Edna but she’s been my go to hyperbole forever and I don’t see why I have to part with her now; she’s been ever-so contextually generous to me).
You better believe, I’m still in some kinda best record race. Except now “the race” is with writing deadlines and one day tech scouts, lunatic production schedules, inane two take maximum coverage and getting every single shot of a ninety-eight page script within an eighteen day shoot, editing sixteen hour days for seven day weeks, doing DI in five days, sound mix in five days, ADR in ten hours and so on…
Here’s a secret I learned; the reason the above mentioned is possible is because you seek out and link up with people who are in a “personal best race” of their own! Build your production team, crew and cast with that nugget and not a shard less. “Yelling” had the most back breaking, whatever it takes, long haul team imaginable.
Making films is a mighty thrilling way to spend time but witnessing people repeatedly elect to offer their best selves goes above reasoning, it is a rarity that cannot possibly be topped. That’ll make you a believer. Hopefully setting a bench mark for where to aim and more importantly what not to settle for). If you choose a team with this underlying principle, no matter what happens–as a unit, you will make it home. I promise you. (Note: It doesn’t make a difference if you’re a two person crew, same theory holds true.)
The stretch of high-octane-get-the-launch-of-your-indie-film-needs-met-mad-dash that occurs after picture lock is like a nutter’s free for all supermarket grab. An atomic buzzer sounds and you have to race a massive sprawl, tossing whatever items you can into your cart before the buzzer goes again. (In the next few blogs I’ll share some anecdotes.)
An atomic buzzer sounds and you have to race a massive sprawl, tossing whatever items you can into your cart before the buzzer goes again; Int’l sales agents (check), Publicist (check), Domestic sales agents (oops didn’t find ones who could fit in the cart, damn ok, we’ll snatch ‘em on the way back), Festival invitation (on aisle 22, what? We’re on aisle 2, how will we get to aisle 22 in 18 seconds), Distribution (not in this market, wtf??), P+A (hello anyone know where to find P+A, screw it we can hawk off E+O) and this and that and those and them…
My producing right arm, aka warrior on the front lines, aka keeper of the numbers, aka Billy Mulligan and I would privately laugh our toosh’kuhs off every time we’d hear, “How great, you’re all done, you shot your film.” We weren’t laughing at people being kind to us, we were laughing in delirium, knowing how far the distance truly is to “done”. If you’re also self taught, opted against institutionalized cinemacation, be advised, maybe write this on your bathroom mirror, hallway wall, front door, forehead, what have you; (Wait, I have a footnote/sidebar/backstroke: If you’ve gone homeless as I had, trying to make your film and are on the glamorous couch tour, maybe avoid writing directly on friends’ walls or front door. Consider using the other side of a bill you can’t pay and pat yourself on the back for recycling.) Then grab your favorite Crayola, or if your budget permits snatch a Sharpie and write in bold letters; “NOTE TO SELF: DEAR SELF, MAKE CERTAIN TO KEEP AT LEAST 49% OF MIND/BODY/SPIRIT PETROL IN MY TANK FOR AFTER I WRAP PICTURE!”.
The measure of energy required can be broken down kinda like; pre=25%, principal=25%, post=25%, launching film=25%. With the fanciest footwork in this dance not even beginning until you reach the conversation of “launch”. Which is often a year after principal. The labor intensive hustle on the tail determines the true life of your film. All the dreaming, and sacrifices we, our production, crew and cast made will amount to nothing if we run out of steam for carrying our torch the remaining two hundred thousand miles past post-pro and counting.
Before Yelling to the Sky, I favored the buzz and the rush of completion. In the midst of a hundred per day conversations during pre-pro, I started to catch, nurture and protect grace from one hour to the next and continue to–finding whatever a day’s task, whoever I am speaking with; is where the nectar lives. It is the holy grail.
Here’s to you fellow riff raff, outlaws, kamikazes,renegades, geekaloids, love of the game’rs. When the walls come tumbling down while the floor drops from below you as the ceiling crashes upon your skull, fight likethe dying with every fibre of your being to protect your film’s survival.
Tap into the original thrust of whatever initially propelled you to tell this story. Look your arse whoopings straight in the eye. Fight fair. Don’t stop swinging until you know your opposition by name. Then make peace and move on to the next–awaiting battle. As you go, remain willing; willing to bleed, willing to starve, willing to ache, willing to soar, willing to carry the load, willing to learn, willing to make mistakes, willing to say “I don’t know”, willing to say, “I’m absolutely certain”, willing to chart new waters, willing to find new land, willing to reshape the wheel, willing to play hard and steady, willing to love every ounce of the ride, willing to go the distance, willing to weather storms and willing against all odds to make it to the end, whatever that means to you.
I’m thrilled you and I’ll have a yearlong walk on this IFP BLOG, where we can find our footing together.
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