If you're looking to get your film made, you might have doubts about the likelihood of your success. And you're not alone.
We've all heard about films that weren’t expected to succeed, but instead changed the industry and made millions. But for every film that’s even moderately successful, there are dozens, maybe hundreds, that that never gain traction. And for every film that actually gets produced, many other films get stuck in the idea stage, lingering in the minds of their creators.
Suffice it to say, despite all the awesome advances made in production and distribution technology, William Goldman's quote “nobody knows anything” is still relevant. So that pretty much means you should stop making excuses and make your film.
To help, I want to tell you about a secret filmmaking strategy that many would-be filmmakers overlook. This single secret idea and plan could help you make the movie that you've been visualizing…
But before we go there…
Get Your Film Made (Without Asking Permission)
Stop asking permission. That’s a cold hard lesson that you need to understand. To see what I mean, just take a look at how things are often approached when it comes to making a film. Some steps often involve:
- Sending in demo reels to producers or production companies.
- Pitching scripts to producers or submitting them to agents.
- Hoping that someone will eventually see your talent and hire you.
See a problem there? The movie business is one of the only businesses where the entire idea behind creating something is often preceded by asking for permission. And that’s where the secret filmmaking strategy comes into play.
The Big Secret Filmmaking Strategy
The big secret filmmaking strategy borrows from virtually every other creative field. Think about musicians. They form a group, write songs, and start performing. Maybe they get noticed and sign with a label. Maybe they find success on their own terms. Or maybe they never really “make it big.” The bottom line is that musicians actually make music, regardless of outcome.
Why can’t that work for the indie film industry? The answer is, it can. Simply put, you need to stop asking permission to get your film made, and just start making them. Think about the steps involved:
- Write a screenplay that leverages your current resources.
- Write for a small cast and then find local actors.
- Break the screenplay into short weekend projects.
- Then during the week, edit and finalize the movie.
- After that, release the film in popular VOD marketplaces.
That’s it. And this is exactly how many filmmakers got their start, and started to gain notoriety.
If you want to get your film made, nothing is stopping you. We live in an era full of inexpensive production technology and a dozen ways to distribute your film. Don’t ask permission to make your movies. Actually make them. It’s more possible than you might think. And if you liked this, you'll love my filmmaker action pack.
