A screening of Drake Doremus’ Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning “Like Crazy” opened this year’s edition of the Film Independent Forum, which ran from Friday, October 21 through Sunday October 23 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. Following the well-received screening were two days of panels, case studies, and networking opportunities designed to help aspiring writers, directors and producers ascend the convoluted ladder to the top of the industry. And given the mixed message of “follow your dreams, but it never gets easier,” that was generally espoused by the 70+ industry experts that took the time to contribute to the weekend, that ladder is as rickety as it has ever been.
Passion for the art form is and will always be the saving grace, as evidenced by beloved filmmaker Werner Herzog, who launched the first full day with a well-received keynote address. Highlights of his address included a peek at footage from his upcoming documentary on capital punishment, “Into the Abyss,” as well as some of his typically shocking revelations: Mr. Herzog proudly declared he had less than 10 hours of raw footage for his latest documentary, that he never prepares questions in advance of interviewing subjects, and that his constant commitment to the smallest budgetary detail (including costuming) allowed him to save two shooting days and more than $2M on “Bad Lieutenant 2: Port of Call New Orleans.”
He declared no desire to revisit his old projects (“I accept all my errors, and all my films are full of them”), admitted to physically destroying any scenes and clips not included in the final edit (“A carpenter doesn’t sit on his shavings”), and broke down the art of directing to its simplest and most profound core (“If you don’t know the hearts of men, you will not be a director”). Mr. Herzog left the hundreds of attendees inspired and eager for the weekend, and departed the stage to a rousing standing ovation.
From there on out, the festivities took a decidedly pragmatic turn. Expert panelists discussed film financing for narratives and documentaries, explored production and marketing with several informative case studies, plotted out strong festival, crowdfunding and distribution strategies, and gave the eager audience an opportunity to quiz successful writer/directors on their career paths. The attendees were also given a thick and informative booklet, filled with detailed case studies, legal documents, and contact information for dozens of top producer reps, PR and sales agents and distributors. Attendees also had the opportunity to directly connect with industry insiders, through a series of one-on-one meetings (termed IndieLinks) and two long lunches hosted by the panelists. All in all, the weekend was certainly a powerful bang for the indie filmmaker’s buck, and many left not only with new contacts, but new collaborators.
As for the message, that was a bit murkier. While many of the panelists espoused the benefits of new technology that makes the filmmaker’s job easier and more affordable, there were also plenty of pointed remarks on the generally closed and cautious nature of the business. More than ever, a filmmaker needs to understand financing, packaging, marketing and distribution. He or she must also have an incredible, impossible to ignore script or film, and get lucky with the right contacts and connections. Independence is truly a myth; even the most fringe filmmakers must rely on a myriad of people and circumstances, many out of their control. But if you make it your job to embrace every aspect of the process (process, and not result, is where filmmakers spend the majority of their time), you can find satisfaction, regardless of any external markers of success.
Attendees heard experiences from directors whose films were produced at all ranges of budgets, and none of them emerged emotionally unscathed. It’s a tough racket, and those that wear their hearts on their sleeves will not last.
The weekend came to a close with a much-needed cocktail reception, and the announcement of the Film Independent Sloan Producers grantee, as well as the next class of Producer’s Lab Fellows. With the opportunity to reflect on the weekend and process the invaluable industry lessons dolled out over the impeccably curated panels, it is clear that FIND’s Forum is a must-attend destination for anyone looking to make their way in the film industry.
Jason Chase Tyrrell is a writer, producer and distribution consultant from Venice, California, and the founder of Chunky Baby Productions. He has two feature screenplays in development, "Rainbow Snake Dreaming" (Woodburn Sweitzer Management) and "Erotomania: A Romance" (Chunky Baby Productions). Previously, Jason was the Director of Acquisitions for boutique distributor IndiePix Films, and now develops "go to market" distribution strategies for independent producers as a founding partner of MILK & HONEY. Visit http://www.consultmah.com for more information.
