Should I listen to other people when they say don't direct my first feature film?

[Jibralta]

Just do it. Step off the cliff.

[ironpony]

Well the thing that is stopping me is that others are saying it would be a miracle, if it actually turned out to be good, and the chances of it being good are next to zero. So I guess it's hard for me to believe in the probability of a miracle.

[Batya33]

Well I'm finally free from helping other people on their movie projects, and now close to getting the feature film going but I am really scared, this may be some huge mistake, and it's really eating me up and I've lost lots of sleep over it for the past few weeks, and sweating all the time like crazy. But if I don't do it, then I regret that too. How do other people deal with making huge go big or go home decisions, like this?

 

I just jumped off the cliff too for both huge professional and personal decisions.

 

I had a serious boyfriend who was a highly successful business executive. But, he loved the theater (backstage - design). Loved it. He got an opportunity to move to L.A. for a year and work on a movie with friends he trusted. His company was willing to give him a one year unpaid leave. (We had broken up before this happened so I was not a factor!). He did it. Loved the year from what I knew and then returned to his company. So he didn't leave his initial career but he didn't regret the decision either -the opposite.

[IAmFCA]

Well I'm finally free from helping other people on their movie projects, and now close to getting the feature film going but I am really scared, this may be some huge mistake, and it's really eating me up and I've lost lots of sleep over it for the past few weeks, and sweating all the time like crazy. But if I don't do it, then I regret that too. How do other people deal with making huge go big or go home decisions, like this?

 

I ask myself - so what if it doesn't turn out like I want? If the downside is something that won't kill me, and if I am likely to end up smarter, with a better network, etc, then I do it.

 

In other words, if "failure" moves me one step towards the goal - then it's still a success.

[Jibralta]

if "failure" moves me one step towards the goal - then it's still a success.

 

Yeah. Pick yourself back up and try again.

[ironpony]

Well I feel if I lose all the money to make the feature, then it could take maybe 15 years to get it all back to make another one. So it would be a 15 year gap to make all the money back to try again, and that is a huge back up plan loss and commitment.

[Jibralta]

You’ll have to figure out a way to do it on the cheap.

[ironpony]

Yeah it's just I don't to go to cheap otherwise I feel all my ideas put into it, are going to be gone, and it may reflect in the final product. Plus the costs keep adding up more and more, further beyond what I was hoping for.

[IAmFCA]

Well I feel if I lose all the money to make the feature, then it could take maybe 15 years to get it all back to make another one. So it would be a 15 year gap to make all the money back to try again, and that is a huge back up plan loss and commitment.

 

Have you no producer? Can you get friends to work scale or free? My friends in the biz do that for their friends.

[Jibralta]

Yeah it's just I don't to go to cheap otherwise I feel all my ideas put into it, are going to be gone, and it may reflect in the final product. Plus the costs keep adding up more and more, further beyond what I was hoping for.

 

Cheap doesn't necessarily mean poor quality. You have to get creative about where and how you can save money. Like IAmFCA says, ask friends to help you for free. Or barter. Or, serialize your storyline and produce it in installments.

 

Do you have any idea how you plan to allocate your current funds? Start there and rearrange the puzzle.

[ironpony]

I am my own producer at the moment. I will keep looking but preparing to be my own, if I have to.

 

Well when you say use friends, my personal friends do not have hardly any experience in filmmaking. I mean what would they do besides help with things like crafts and services or something?

 

Basically I no what I want for the movie budget wise, but some things come up unexpected such as travel expenses if I get actors and certain crew, from other cities for example.

[Jibralta]

Well when you say use friends, my personal friends do not have hardly any experience in filmmaking. I mean what would they do besides help with things like crafts and services or something?

 

Basically I no what I want for the movie budget wise, but some things come up unexpected such as travel expenses if I get actors and certain crew, from other cities for example.

 

Speaking for myself, I assumed that you were friends with some of your coworkers, or that you had developed friendly relationships with some of them. If you haven't done this yet, I suggest you get networking because you can tap into a lot of cheap resources this way.

 

Also, is this movie about your ideas or is it about specific actors and crew? You should be able to convey your ideas with competent local actors and crew. Perhaps this is why people are telling you not to direct?

[ironpony]

Well it's just one of the reasons I was told not to direct is because the acting was bad in my previous short films, and I was told if I want good actors, I would likely have to fly them in from cities where they reside more like Vancouver or L.A. The filmmaker who I worked for earlier this year did that for a feature.

 

Yep I am good acquaintances with some of them and I think they would help but I feel there are some key positions missing. I still need a director of photography and a good sound recordist specifically. There are a couple of people I can ask but if not, I will have to look elsewhere. I would have to see and hear some of their work though, as I have only worked with them on their projects, and theirs are a very different style than my script, photography, and sound wise.

 

So I feel I can tap a few cheap resources, but I don't know many actors, and those will cost money to get most of the good ones, or at least I am told.

[Jibralta]

I was told if I want good actors, I would likely have to fly them in from cities where they reside more like Vancouver or L.A.

 

I would take that advice with a grain of salt. Well, take all of this advice with a grain of salt. But surely good actors exist outside of LA and Vancouver.

 

I still need a director of photography and a good sound recordist specifically. There are a couple of people I can ask but if not, I will have to look elsewhere. I would have to see and hear some of their work though, as I have only worked with them on their projects, and theirs are a very different style than my script, photography, and sound wise.

 

If you don't have a deadline for producing this film, why not spend a couple of months developing sound, photography, and acting contacts. That won't eat into your budget at all.

 

As for the different styles, this is something that you could turn into an asset if you are flexible and willing to let other people shine in their craft.

[ironpony]

Well how would I do that exactly? I mean I got contact information from others from projects that didn't end up happening in the past, but I am not sure if they would be interested in me after not doing anything for a while. Perhaps they would. Since I went to film school, I know some people who have done crew work, but do not know as many actors to work with.

 

Basically I was told by my couple of best friends (not friends in the film industry), that no matter what happens, in order to actually achieve this goal, I have to do it no matter what. So even if I do make more contacts or try to get more opinions on my work, or shop the script around even more, I must make it no matter what happens, even if the script is said to suck or no one likes my previous short films, etc. Do you think that's true though, and my friends are right, and I would have to do it no matter how others feel and I cannot let anything deter me?

[Jibralta]

Well how would I do that exactly? I mean I got contact information from others from projects that didn't end up happening in the past, but I am not sure if they would be interested in me after not doing anything for a while. Perhaps they would. Since I went to film school, I know some people who have done crew work, but do not know as many actors to work with.

 

I assumed that you were currently working in the film industry and thus had easier access to potential resources. Do you have a mentor in the industry who can help you prioritize? Someone you have worked for, perhaps? Maybe a former film professor or even a film school classmate?

 

Either way, you are going to have to hustle and do the legwork to come up with contacts. The answers to these questions that you're asking are out there, not on this board or any board. This type of thing is a constantly changing problem. You have to define each issue, organize your time, budget your money, and attack. Nobody can do that for you but you.

 

Do you think that's true though, and my friends are right, and I would have to do it no matter how others feel and I cannot let anything deter me?

 

Well, do you want to make a good film or do you just want to be defiant? If the former, I would hold off making it until you have the means and can turn out a decent product. Making a film is not compulsory. Which reminds me.... I thought people were begging you not to make this film?

[ironpony]

Yep I have worked for classmates and have a former professor. Well people in the industry were begging me not to make it, saying I am getting way to ahead of myself, but I feel I have just as much experience as anyone I know, who has made one.

 

My family also said the thing, and think I have gone nuts with my money. I am actually afraid they may try to go to court to seize my funds to try to ascertain that I have gone nuts, and am unfit to spend the money. But my close friends and gf have been very supportive of me, saying it's something I will regret not doing.

[IAmFCA]

I am my own producer at the moment. I will keep looking but preparing to be my own, if I have to.

 

Well when you say use friends, my personal friends do not have hardly any experience in filmmaking. I mean what would they do besides help with things like crafts and services or something?

 

Basically I no what I want for the movie budget wise, but some things come up unexpected such as travel expenses if I get actors and certain crew, from other cities for example.

 

Oh IP this is SO much easier in LA. The freelancing community is a shape shifting body of professionals who create a dense web of talent.

[abitbroken]

I would take that advice with a grain of salt. Well, take all of this advice with a grain of salt. But surely good actors exist outside of LA and Vancouver.

 

 

 

If you don't have a deadline for producing this film, why not spend a couple of months developing sound, photography, and acting contacts. That won't eat into your budget at all.

 

As for the different styles, this is something that you could turn into an asset if you are flexible and willing to let other people shine in their craft.

 

Part of directing a low budget production where you are also making decisions about cast - is to have the knack for picking good cast members and being able to direct them in a way that gets a good performance. There are actors that have done a phenomenal job, but in the hands of a poor director they have roles where it has fallen flat because they were misdirected or told something completely different about their character that doesn't ring true when you put it all together. I would work on a film where someone would let you direct a scene or a unit before you make a feature film by yourself. Actually, you should try directing and developing a short. A lot of great directors started out that way because producers saw what they could do.

[mustlovedogs]

I only advocate jumping off the deep end if (1) you’re reasonably confident (>85%) you’ll be successful and (2) your finances will be stable if you are not successful.

 

Following your dream is silly if it reasonably risks your entire livelihood.

[IAmFCA]

Oh IP this is SO much easier in LA. The freelancing community is a shape shifting body of professionals who create a dense web of talent.

 

Why is this project so compelling to you, and yet your location almost ensures you will remain on the outside of the industry?

[ironpony]

Oh IP this is SO much easier in LA. The freelancing community is a shape shifting body of professionals who create a dense web of talent.

 

LA is just so expensive to shoot in and the permits are outrageous for example, where as if I shoot in my city, or a less competitive one, then I will save a lot of money, permits wise. I was told it's just better to travel actors and crew out to where I am rather than shoot in such an expensive city to that costs a lot to shoot in, permit wise. Plus it takes so long to get from location to location, which will just make shoot days a lot longer, and a lot more restricted I feel. I also felt in the days of the internet and social media, the location is not as important since I can just get the word out on the movie project through social media.

 

Part of directing a low budget production where you are also making decisions about cast - is to have the knack for picking good cast members and being able to direct them in a way that gets a good performance. There are actors that have done a phenomenal job, but in the hands of a poor director they have roles where it has fallen flat because they were misdirected or told something completely different about their character that doesn't ring true when you put it all together. I would work on a film where someone would let you direct a scene or a unit before you make a feature film by yourself. Actually, you should try directing and developing a short. A lot of great directors started out that way because producers saw what they could do.

 

Okay thanks. I worked under directors, not directing scenes for them but doing acting, and audio recording mostly. I did some shorts so far, but so far have not heard back from any producers on them. So I thought maybe I should make the feature myself instead of relying on some producer to make the goal come true. I guess I just got to believe in the expression, you want something done, do it yourself, if no one else is going to do it for me.

[Jibralta]

Oh IP this is SO much easier in LA. The freelancing community is a shape shifting body of professionals who create a dense web of talent.

 

Maybe he should move to LA instead of flying people out from there!!

 

But Ironpony, you say that your family is concerned about the way you are spending your money. What's the story there?

[Jibralta]

Part of directing a low budget production where you are also making decisions about cast - is to have the knack for picking good cast members and being able to direct them in a way that gets a good performance. There are actors that have done a phenomenal job, but in the hands of a poor director they have roles where it has fallen flat because they were misdirected or told something completely different about their character that doesn't ring true when you put it all together.

 

That's what I was thinking, too. Couldn't quite get it out, though.

[ironpony]

Maybe he should move to LA instead of flying people out from there!!

 

But Ironpony, you say that your family is concerned about the way you are spending your money. What's the story there?

 

Well they just think it's foolish that I am spending it on a feature film, hoping it will be a success.

 

Also, I don't have any connections in L.A. compared to hear. Hear I know other filmmakers and crew that can help, and location owners that I can use for locations. In L.A. I don't know anyone so I would rather fly actors in cause people and places I know here, can help, compared to there.