Read on Twitter
Buckle up twitterverse!
Since I get asked all the time, I’m putting it here
The question is, how did you get your movies made?
(BIG ASS THREAD)
Since I get asked all the time, I’m putting it here
The question is, how did you get your movies made?
(BIG ASS THREAD)
While I was at USC I volunteered as a 1st AD on a friend’s short film. One of the friends I made there was a Grip who I stayed in touch with. I finished USC in 2005. I shared my thesis film with him. It did well on the festival circuit & he liked it.
I didn’t know but he wanted to Produce. So when he found a script he liked he called me. I liked it.
I said, you pay for it, I win you awards, deal? That was TOUCH
We shot that film over two 6 hour nights in a subway station in DLTA
I said, you pay for it, I win you awards, deal? That was TOUCH
We shot that film over two 6 hour nights in a subway station in DLTA
It got into over 100 festivals, won most of them and with our @FloridaFilmFest win (thank you @ThatChrisGore) it qualified for an Oscar.
You’ve never heard of it bc it didn’t make the short list of 10.
You’ve never heard of it bc it didn’t make the short list of 10.
In 2009/2010 USC alumni @kammotion, @bstepansky & @Lowenfels created a program called USC First Team.
The goal was to foster feature films by USC alumni. They worked their asses off.
The goal was to foster feature films by USC alumni. They worked their asses off.
They organized a system where by 30 writers, 30 producers and 30 directors were accepted and ushered through a series of deadlines over a year
The founders took nothing - no credit, no ownership, no creative input, just gave & enforced deadlines
The founders took nothing - no credit, no ownership, no creative input, just gave & enforced deadlines
I believe 11 feature films were produced from that year. First Team existed for two years but when the founders asked USC for support they were denied and the program ended.
I hope to duplicate it within Glass Elevator some day.
I hope to duplicate it within Glass Elevator some day.
One of the films was @KellyandCal. When @ALoStar & I met she had 30? pages of a film that I liked. We worked on that in the program - I developed, she wrote.
When it was done I promised her I would get it made. A big promise bc I knew pretty much no one at the time.
When it was done I promised her I would get it made. A big promise bc I knew pretty much no one at the time.
We first got notes to make sure it was good. It was. Then I hustled. I reached out to one of the few Producers I knew who kind of did this type of movie.
That was 2010. There was no money for indie films at that time.
That was 2010. There was no money for indie films at that time.
As each passed I would ask if they knew anyone who would be a good fit. And, bc the project was good, they’d intro me.
Starting with a small handful of people I knew I ended up pitching over 130 Producers.
Starting with a small handful of people I knew I ended up pitching over 130 Producers.
Then in 2011 two NY Producers cold called me out of the blue
They got my details from a festival my short TOUCH was at. They said they’d heard good things about TOUCH and would like to see it and know if I had a feature I would like to make.
Wtf?!?
They got my details from a festival my short TOUCH was at. They said they’d heard good things about TOUCH and would like to see it and know if I had a feature I would like to make.
Wtf?!?
Seemed ridiculously suspect but I said Yes! I sent them TOUCH and the script & treatment for K&C.
They loved them both.
A couple weeks later I flew to NY to meet them and we shot the film in 2013. Budget was $1.1M
They loved them both.
A couple weeks later I flew to NY to meet them and we shot the film in 2013. Budget was $1.1M
K&C premiered at @sxsw 2014, won the Gamechanger award, was picked up by @IFCFilms for a day and date release, got great reviews.
Then… nothing
Then… nothing
Not sure why but my suspicion is I was a year too early.
The following year is when the conversation about women Directors really heated up and by then my film and I was old news.
The following year is when the conversation about women Directors really heated up and by then my film and I was old news.
As before I kept working as a Production Supervisor in commercials.
Never letting anyone know I was a Director bc I couldn't jeopardize my income. And no one wants two Directors on set.
Never letting anyone know I was a Director bc I couldn't jeopardize my income. And no one wants two Directors on set.
In 2015 I was developing a film which was accepted into the Film Independent Fast Track program. The Producer and I had great meetings but weren’t able to find the money.
Everyone loved it but at the time, we kept hearing it was “too feel good”, "too soft".
Everyone loved it but at the time, we kept hearing it was “too feel good”, "too soft".
In 2016 I met with a Producer as a potential investor who, I didn’t know at the time, was looking for a Director for his film @RustCreek and I'd been recommended by two unrelated people - one I met through @OurGlassElev8r and one through @emilybest's monthly feminist salons
He didn’t respond to my project but asked me if I’d like to read his script. I did, I loved it.
I pitched in August. We were shooting in November.
I pitched in August. We were shooting in November.
RUST CREEK was picked up by @IFCMidnight for a day and date.
When it hit @netflix it was the #3 film or tv in the US and stayed in the top 10 for over a week. Budget was under $1M
If you follow me you likely know it got rejected from all the major festivals.
When it hit @netflix it was the #3 film or tv in the US and stayed in the top 10 for over a week. Budget was under $1M
If you follow me you likely know it got rejected from all the major festivals.
After my second feature I got my managers and agents.
Who I love.
So, the lessons...
Who I love.
So, the lessons...
A career takes lot of hard work, good will, talent and luck. You need all of them.
This industry is very small and can work for or against you
You must constantly put out work & meet people as you never know where opportunity will come from
This industry is very small and can work for or against you
You must constantly put out work & meet people as you never know where opportunity will come from
When opportunity does come, you better be ready for it
Many things are out of your control. But a great deal is within it
Being too far ahead of the curve is as useless as being behind it
Everything takes time
Many things are out of your control. But a great deal is within it
Being too far ahead of the curve is as useless as being behind it
Everything takes time
Finally, I always refer people to @mynette brilliant 2014 article about finding the right producer for your film https://www.indiewire.com/2014/07/how-to-find-the-right-producer-for-your-indie-film-23700/
Now, go make your damn movie & quit asking me about it!
