Balancing the Indie and Hollywood Spirits

I heavily favor independent filmmaking; the stories are more relevant to humanity, driven by characters, generally more heartfelt, and usually more important in their messages. But the independent spirit, during production, can become an overly burdensome process; this is where the planning of Hollywood needs to come in.

Filmmakers, just like good business owners, don't ever turn off. Working drones understand that when they go home, work is done; they get to [or should get to] relax. Filmmakers don't have this luxury because they are always ensuring each aspect is in place for their film, whether it be for the next day of shooting or just acting on an idea they had for the edit. The thoughts, the ideas, the concerns never stop.

But for your cast and crew, it must and in a timely manner. Just like for an employee of a business, they need to go back to their own lives when the day is wrapped. For most of them, that's probably going back to obsessively thinking about projects of their own.

A good filmmaker can balance keeping on schedule and getting THE shot or moment; sometimes you get it, sometimes you let things go. If it was meant to be, it would have happened; and maybe what DID happen is better, even if you can't see it yet.

And if it isn't, you probably fucked up somewhere; maybe casting, maybe your DP, I don't know man, don't ask me; it's your movie.

Independent filmmakers tend to be artists and as such have VERY specific visions for everything that's in the frame, every moment. This type of perfection can take time and it's also generally overboard for something that will likely, at best, get a few hundred views on YouTube. Of course, that's never the goal but that's usually the harsh realities of the projects we do at this stage.

It's important to put all your effort into a project but it's equally important to recognize that this isn't the be all, end all project of your career; and that the next one, that's going to be just as vital. As is the one after that. Maybe a dozen or several dozen films in, maybe something will happen and your attention to detail, at that time, will be called upon and useful; you'll be on track to making that 'perfect' film with full support.

But along the way, you just need to make things that people can find and see. I'm not saying just throw something together but what I am saying is, don't waste precious time on a single film; it's just not going to pan out like you want it to.

Make it, love it, release it, and move on to the next.

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