If you're only working on one project at a time, from beginning to end, then your life is simple. And you're probably not getting enough work to make a living. Which is why most experienced producers have many different projects going at the same time. You might have one in preproduction, one in production, and one in post production. And maybe you're circulating scripts to potential investors in the hopes you can get more projects going six months from now.
If this is the case, you need to always keep your eyes open for the opportunities to multitask. What if a friend has just granted you access to use a Doctor's office as long as you want this Sunday for the two page scene of your current movie? All this time you've been looking for a doctor to let you use his office during the one hour lunch break in the hopes you can blast through your two page scene, and now all of the sudden you have a fully stocked and dressed up doctor's office for all day if you need it.
Well, you could just come in and take your time with that two page scene and call it a day.
But what about that short film you did last scene that has that glaring plothole in it because you didn't have time or a location to shoot the secretary taking the call from your protag? This doctor's office has a great looking secretary station and you're already using a well dressed actress in your current movie for the main scene. Why not spend an extra half hour and knock out the scene that would greatly improve last year's short film?
And hey, your next movie currently in preproduction has that one page scene in a copy room! This doctor's office has a copy room, and the two actors for your next movie are already cast and willing to help you for this quick scene. Bring them in and knock that out too.
And wait a minute. The doctor's waiting room has one blank wall that's an interesting color. If you move all the chairs out of the way, you can bring in a photographer and take promotional photos for your current movie since all the actors in your current film are going to be here for the main scene. This can be done while the crew sets up for the scene inside the office. The actors would just be sitting around anyway, put them and that time to maximum use!
With a little creative thinking, you've just turned an insanely quick day into a full extremely productive day that helped you on three different projects. Given how hard it can be to assemble a crew and actors to all be at the same location on the same day without schedule conflicts, maximizing their time and yours is essential.
The only thing you have to watch out for is mixing in too many different things that you don't have time to do them all right or that you rush what you were originally there to do.
Example:
This Friday I've gotten access to a sound studio and I'm allowed to use it all day long for a much lower price than the place normally charges. Since what I needed was a narration for my current feature film, I was willing to pay bust out retail for the couple hours I needed. But now that the same price gives me access all day long, I'm also bringing people in to finish three audio plays that have been sitting on the shelf for a while, to provide background dialogue for some of my other films in post, and to record some interviews for this blog. I'll get enough interviews this Friday to post one a week here for six months.
So a day a week of content here for half a year, narration for one film, background vocals for two other films, and three audio plays finished ... all in a day's work.
Multitasking, when done smartly, can really get you ahead of the game if you're juggling more than one project.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Get out there!
I'm working on getting some more blog writers so that when I'm too busy to write someone else can slid in here. I'm also working on getting a universal logo so that this blog isn't just about ShadowDog Productions. I want this to be about the industry, not just about my business.
Get Out There!
The most important skill you can have as an indie filmmaker (whether that's writing, acting, directing, whatever) is networking. You should always be trying to make contacts, exchange business cards, and get yourself out there. This is hard for the Type B personalities, which most of us are. It's hard to walk up to someone, stick out your hand, and introduce yourself.
I'll be talking in a future post about where you can network, but for now, here are some tips on HOW to network:
1) Obviously, say your name and shake their hand. Everyone knows that, but that's because it's important.
2) Right after the handshake, ask them something about themselves. If there are nametags involved which list specific occupation, ask them about that. Otherwise ask them about their occupation. Ask a followup question. It's universal that people like talking about themselves so it's a good way to break the ice. Again, obvious but important and you'd be surprised how many people don't do it.
3) Next they'll probably ask you about yourself. Here's the hard part, be honest if you're good at something. This has always been hard for me because I'm not a raging egomaniac, but you have to promote yourself. If you don't blow your own horn, there's not going to be any music. So if you're an awesome writer or artist, mention that.
4) If you know two people who don't know each other at a networking party, bring one to the other and introduce them. This is very important because the more you do this, you encourage people to do it for you. Some of the best contacts I've made have been because someone I knew introduced me to someone they knew. Plus, if you bring two people together who go on to make beautiful movies together, they will always remember the saint who brought them together.
5) A less formal but another good way to cold introduce yourself to someone is to ask them a question rather than sticking out your hand. "Are you an actor, you have that suave actor look." "Are you a writer, you look very smart." Whether you're right or wrong, the ice is broken. The key is talking to as many people as possible. The natural instinct is to gravitate towards the six people you know in the room and hang out with them, but that doesn't get you anywhere. You're there to meet new people, or why did you come? Get get your ass out there and make it happen!
6) At the end of the night, cruise back through the room and say good night to everyone you met for the first time, shake their hand, and tell them it was nice meeting them (assuming it was). We all met a lot of people tonight, so this helps cement you in their brain and them in yours.
Networking is kind of like going through all the terrible parts of dating without being able to look forward to any of the fun parts ... a couple nights a month for the rest of your career. So that aspect of it can suck. But, on the other hand, most people are fun and interesting once you get to know them, so after that first night of introductions are out of the way you can forget about the awkwardness and the next time you see them, you know them!
Get Out There!
The most important skill you can have as an indie filmmaker (whether that's writing, acting, directing, whatever) is networking. You should always be trying to make contacts, exchange business cards, and get yourself out there. This is hard for the Type B personalities, which most of us are. It's hard to walk up to someone, stick out your hand, and introduce yourself.
I'll be talking in a future post about where you can network, but for now, here are some tips on HOW to network:
1) Obviously, say your name and shake their hand. Everyone knows that, but that's because it's important.
2) Right after the handshake, ask them something about themselves. If there are nametags involved which list specific occupation, ask them about that. Otherwise ask them about their occupation. Ask a followup question. It's universal that people like talking about themselves so it's a good way to break the ice. Again, obvious but important and you'd be surprised how many people don't do it.
3) Next they'll probably ask you about yourself. Here's the hard part, be honest if you're good at something. This has always been hard for me because I'm not a raging egomaniac, but you have to promote yourself. If you don't blow your own horn, there's not going to be any music. So if you're an awesome writer or artist, mention that.
4) If you know two people who don't know each other at a networking party, bring one to the other and introduce them. This is very important because the more you do this, you encourage people to do it for you. Some of the best contacts I've made have been because someone I knew introduced me to someone they knew. Plus, if you bring two people together who go on to make beautiful movies together, they will always remember the saint who brought them together.
5) A less formal but another good way to cold introduce yourself to someone is to ask them a question rather than sticking out your hand. "Are you an actor, you have that suave actor look." "Are you a writer, you look very smart." Whether you're right or wrong, the ice is broken. The key is talking to as many people as possible. The natural instinct is to gravitate towards the six people you know in the room and hang out with them, but that doesn't get you anywhere. You're there to meet new people, or why did you come? Get get your ass out there and make it happen!
6) At the end of the night, cruise back through the room and say good night to everyone you met for the first time, shake their hand, and tell them it was nice meeting them (assuming it was). We all met a lot of people tonight, so this helps cement you in their brain and them in yours.
Networking is kind of like going through all the terrible parts of dating without being able to look forward to any of the fun parts ... a couple nights a month for the rest of your career. So that aspect of it can suck. But, on the other hand, most people are fun and interesting once you get to know them, so after that first night of introductions are out of the way you can forget about the awkwardness and the next time you see them, you know them!
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