As creative people we often beat ourselves up. We could have done more. We should have done more. Everyone else seems to be doing so much better. Hmmmm. Social media amplifies this as we watch other people share their successes with us. Even though we know these are often rose tinted, heavily edited, photo filtered […]
Every time I have embarked upon a major project, bee it a book, web initiative, festival or feature film, I choose not to engage with the enormity of the project until I am almost there. You see, if I think about it too much, I will conclude that it’s quite simply impossible. And in many […]
Last weekend we premiered the latest film I directed, a hard hitting drama about forbidden love called ‘Seeing Him’. Starring, produced by and written by Vanessa Bailey, it’s been several years in the making, with reboots, re-envisioning, recasting… and with at least four directors at the helm! Why so long? Why so many incarnations? Put […]
In today’s connected, online world, filmmakers have to build and nurture their fan bases so that they always have a ready-made audience for their next film or crowdfunding campaign. But have you considered involving your followers directly in the making of your film? If not, you could be overlooking a valuable asset. In 2009 I […]
Guest Post: Writer, producer Mike Mindel (Don’t Let Him In) is back with Top 10 Things Learned Making Burning Man :: Release! Tune in for Burning Man :: Release! which goes live on Sunday, December 20th at 8pm: http://ihippy.me/burning-man-release-is-live 18 months ago I (Mike) joined Camp Symposium and headed to Burning Man again, this time to […]
Movie star, filmmaker and founder of Sundance, Redford has had a fascinating career with some extraordinary movies and collaborations. First and foremost an actor and artist, his fusion with commerce is what gives him such interesting perspective, particularly to indie filmmakers who he clearly loves. Here are his top quotes… ‘Storytelling is important. Part of […]
OK here it is. If you are not successful right now, you have two choices. Give up or keep going. But know that true success, true mastery, is something that takes dedication and a great deal if time. So keep going, success lies in your future if you continue to peruse it vigorously. True success […]
As a kid, I remember long distance runner Zola Budd. Running barefoot and a clear underdog, she did more for me than win championships and excite crowds, she inspired me profoundly. It has been demonstrated time and again to me that success in this industry is largely about being the last woman or man standing. […]
I wrote a three part feature for UK based film magazine Total Film, about how to make your first movie. I built in a few lessons and I thought I would share one with you here, about getting stuff for free or reduced. If you are not great at negotiating, it’s a great exercise to […]
