Over the years I have learned a thing or two about Hollywood. I have also realized there are distinct differences between filmmakers who jump in the pool and make a movie and the would-be filmmakers who do not.
Since most people in LA are involved in some aspect of the movie industry, most conversations revolve around some aspect of getting a movie made.
Five Ways To Succeed as A Modern Filmmaker
That said, what is surprising to me are the vast numbers of people I meet who report spending years searching for ways to hand their movie projects or screenplays off to someone else.
They hope they'll meet someone who will magically do all the “business stuff” and make a movie appear. Sometimes I think filmmakers do things just because they believe it's the way things HAVE to be done.
If you're reading this, I assume you're looking for some perspective just a little left of center. And as a modern filmmaker, that means you are in control of your career. So here we go. I've put together 5 tips on how to succeed:
- Quit asking permission. It's a waste of time. You need to decide to take the first step and believe that you can do it yourself.
- Create your own business plan and budget. If you need help on the business plan, check out www.movieplanpro.com
- Plan out how you're going to make the movie YOU want to make, and plan to make it on a professional level.
- Learn money. Learn how to raise it, how to allocate it to the film, and how to make money after the film is finished. All of those techniques can be found at http://www.filmmakingstuffHQ.com
- Similar to #1, quit making excuses. Grab a camera and push “record.”
Check out this video, which asks the question, “Are You Ready?”
This philosophy doesn't just apply to would-be filmmakers!
I've been meeting a lot of actors lately. Some are super ambitious. And in conversation, I've noticed some would benefit from also adopting the modern filmmaker philosophy. So if you're an actor, stop handing out headshots and start producing! Then cast yourself in your own projects. If any of these filmmaking tactics sound useful, get more FREE tips here.
